Kia Calls Back Telluride SUVs, Citing Hot Seats

Kia is once again recalling Telluride sport utility vehicles whose front seats could overheat and catch fire, the automaker says. 

Owners of some 460,000 Telluride SUVs should park their cars outside until they are fixed, Kia said in a recall notice filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 

This is at least the second time Kia has recalled the SUVs over a specific problem with seat motors. Power seat slide knobs could become stuck, according to the automaker, which could cause motors to continue running, generating excess heating and potentially leading to fires. 

Kia is aware of at least seven motor fires and another 11 situations in which motors melted from heat, it said in the recall notice. The company is not aware of any accidents or injuries stemming from the defect.

The recall covers Telluride SUVs from the 2020-2024 model years. Kia plans to notify owners of recalled vehicles via mail by August 19. In the meantime, owners can check the NHTSA website to see if their cars are included in the recall.

Kia tried to fix the problem the first time around, in June 2024, by installing brackets for the power seat switch back covers and replacing the seat slide knobs. This time around, authorized service providers will install components designed to cut power to seat motors before they can overheat.

Kia Safety Concerns

This is far from the only safety issue for Kia and people who drive its cars. 

The automaker recently called back about 6,000 new Telluride SUVs for faulty seatbelts, for example. The move came three months after Kia separately recalled some 15,000 Tellurides and K4 sedans over problems with their passenger seatbelts.

Earlier in the year, Kia recalled 85,000 Tellurides over another problem with power front seats. The company said at the time that the seats may not properly restrain people in rear-end collisions.

Kia Drivers: Know Your Lemon Law Rights

There is some good news for Kia drivers in California. The state’s lemon law offers some important rights and protections when it comes to defective and malfunctioning vehicles. In many cases, you do not need to wait around for a recall to get them repaired by the manufacturer. 

The lemon law generally requires Kia to perform a wide range of repairs on vehicles while they are under warranty. It also forces the company to buy back (or replace, in some cases) covered cars that they are not able or flat out refuse to fix. That includes compensating the owner for the purchase price, as well as financing fees, rental car costs, and other related expenses.

There is no specific number of repair requests or attempts that must happen before the buyback or replace requirement kicks in. An experienced California lemon law attorney can help you understand your rights and take action.

Talk with an Orange County Lemon Law Attorney

If you have been stuck with a defective or malfunctioning vehicle, an Orange County lemon law attorney at Bickel Sannipoli APC can help you fight back.  

Call us at (888) 800-1983 or contact us online to speak with an Orange County lemon law attorney.