Kia Telluride Recall Expanded to 463K SUVs After Initial Fire-Risk Repairs Failed

Kia America has issued a rare second recall covering 462,869 Telluride SUVs from model years 2020-2024 after the automaker’s initial 2024 repair failed to prevent fires in at least 18 vehicles. The expanded recall, announced this week, comes after Kia’s safety office identified continuing incidents of seat motor fires between October 2024 and April 2026—even in vehicles that had already received the previous fix.

The recall affects Telluride SUVs manufactured between January 9, 2019 and May 29, 2024, according to regulatory filings. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent warning to owners: park the vehicles outside and away from buildings until the new repair can be completed.

What Went Wrong With the First Fix

The root cause remains the same as the 2024 recall—a front power seat motor that can overheat if the seat slide knob becomes stuck. According to NHTSA documents, the overheating can potentially cause a fire whether the vehicle is parked or being driven.

Between October 2024 and April 2026, Kia North America’s safety office documented 18 incidents involving either localized seat fires or melting of the seat motor after the 2024 repair had supposedly fixed the issue. The company’s investigation into these post-repair failures revealed what it describes as “sporadic dealer workmanship issues” during the initial recall campaign.

In practical terms, this means some dealership technicians either performed the original repair incorrectly or incompletely, leaving affected vehicles vulnerable to the same fire risk the recall was designed to eliminate. Rather than attempting to identify which specific vehicles received substandard repairs, Kia has opted to re-repair all 463,000 Tellurides covered by the original recall.

The New Repair Strategy

This time, Kia is taking a more comprehensive approach. While the automaker estimates that approximately 1% of the recalled vehicles actually have the defect, all 463,000 Tellurides will receive both a replacement seat motor and a new protective fuse as a precautionary measure. This represents a significant escalation from the previous repair procedure, which apparently did not include the additional fuse protection.

The decision to add a protective fuse suggests Kia is building in a fail-safe mechanism that should prevent overheating even if the underlying mechanical issue occurs—or if the repair is again performed incorrectly.

A Growing Trend of Failed Fixes

Kia’s do-over recall joins a troubling pattern in the volkswagen-restructuring-model-cuts/” title=”Volkswagen to Cut Half Its Model Lineup in Largest Restructuring Ever”>automotive industry. Similar failed-fix scenarios have emerged in recent years, including Ford’s multiple attempts to address backup camera issues in certain models and Stellantis’s repeated recalls for Jeep 4XE plug-in hybrid wiring problems that continued to cause fires after initial repairs.

These recurring failures have prompted regulators to scrutinize not just the original defects, but the effectiveness of recall repairs themselves. The increasingly common “park outside” warnings from NHTSA reflect the agency’s concern that vehicles may remain dangerous even after owners believe the problem has been fixed.

The issue raises fundamental questions about quality control in the recall repair process. Unlike manufacturing defects that occur in controlled factory environments, recall repairs happen across thousands of independent dealerships with varying levels of technician training, supervision, and quality verification.

What This Means for Telluride Owners

If you own a 2020-2024 Kia Telluride, you should receive notification directly from Kia America about the new recall. This applies whether or not you had the previous 2024 repair completed.

Until you can get your vehicle to a dealer for the updated repair, follow NHTSA’s guidance: park the SUV outside, away from structures, other vehicles, and anything flammable. While the fire risk primarily involves the front power seat motor, the potential for fire exists whether the vehicle is running or parked with the ignition off.

Owners who had the 2024 repair completed should be particularly vigilant. While Kia’s investigation found workmanship issues were “sporadic” rather than universal, there’s no way for individual owners to know whether their vehicle received a proper repair the first time.

The new repair will be provided free of charge at Kia dealerships. Given the scale of the recall and the need to re-repair vehicles that have already been through the process once, expect potential delays in getting an appointment. Contact your local Kia dealer to schedule service as soon as you receive the recall notice.

Owners can also check their vehicle’s recall status by entering their VIN on the NHTSA website or by calling Kia’s customer service line. Document everything related to the recall, including dates of service and any issues you’ve noticed with the power seat operation, as this information may be relevant if any problems persist after the second repair attempt.