Kia has recalled 462,869 Telluride SUVs because a front power-seat motor can overheat and potentially start a fire while the vehicle is being driven or parked.
The recall affects certain Kia Tellurides from the 2020 through 2024 model years. Owners have been instructed to park their vehicles outdoors and away from buildings, garages and other vehicles until the new repair has been completed.
The warning is particularly significant because the affected Tellurides were previously recalled for the same underlying problem in 2024. Kia initiated the new campaign after learning that some vehicles continued to experience overheated or burning seat motors, including vehicles that had already received the earlier repair.
Which Kia Tellurides Are Affected?
The recall covers selected 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 Kia Telluride SUVs manufactured between January 9, 2019, and May 29, 2024.
The campaign includes approximately 462,869 vehicles in the United States. Kia estimates that around one percent of the recalled population may actually contain the defect, but every vehicle included in the campaign must receive the updated remedy.
The recall is identified by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration campaign number 26V430. Because affected vehicles may not fall within a simple continuous VIN range, owners should check the individual vehicle identification number rather than relying only on the model year.
The VIN can be entered into the official NHTSA recall lookup. Owners can also check through Kia’s recall website or contact an authorized Kia dealership.
How the Seat Motor Can Start a Fire
The problem begins with the power-seat slide switch located on the side of the front seat.
External force can damage or dislodge the seat-adjustment knob and its internal switch. This may leave the switch electrically engaged even after the person releases the control.
When that happens, the power-seat motor may continue trying to move the seat after it has already reached the end of its track. Continuous electrical power can cause the motor and surrounding components to overheat.
Over time, the excessive heat can melt the motor or ignite nearby materials, increasing the risk of a fire underneath the front seat. The fire could begin while someone is driving or after the Telluride has been parked and switched off.
Kia Previously Recalled the Same Vehicles
Kia first announced a large Telluride recall for this seat-fire problem in 2024.
Under the earlier remedy, dealers installed brackets around the backs of the power-seat switches and replaced the seat slide knobs. The brackets were intended to protect the switches from being damaged or forced out of position.
However, Kia later received reports of additional overheating and fires in vehicles that had undergone the previous recall repair.
The company’s investigation found sporadic problems with dealer workmanship. In some cases, technicians may not have installed the protective components correctly, leaving the seat switch vulnerable to damage.
Because the earlier procedure did not reliably eliminate the fire risk, Kia launched a new recall that replaces the previous campaign. Vehicles repaired under the 2024 recall must therefore return for the updated remedy.
Eighteen Incidents Were Identified
Between October 2024 and April 2026, Kia’s North American safety office identified 18 incidents involving localized seat fires or melting power-seat motors.
The reported cases included seven seat fires and 11 incidents in which the motor or nearby components melted. Some complaints involved vehicles that had already received the earlier recall repair.
Kia said it was not aware of any crashes, injuries or deaths associated with the defect at the time the new recall documents were filed.
The absence of reported injuries does not reduce the urgency of the recall. A vehicle fire in a garage or beside a home can spread to surrounding cars and structures before occupants become aware of it.
Owners Are Being Told to Park Outside
NHTSA and Kia have instructed affected owners to park their Tellurides outside until the updated repair has been completed.
The vehicle should be kept away from homes, garages, carports and other vehicles. Parking outdoors reduces the chance that a fire beginning beneath the seat could spread to an occupied structure or nearby property.
This is not officially a “do not drive” recall. Owners may continue driving an affected Telluride unless Kia or a dealership provides different instructions.
However, drivers should stop using the vehicle and move away from it if they notice smoke, unusual heat, a burning or melting smell, or problems with the front power-seat controls.
A Telluride showing possible fire-warning signs should not be driven to the dealership. The owner should contact Kia roadside assistance or an authorized dealer to discuss safe transportation.
What Is the New Repair?
Kia dealerships will install an electronic fuse assembly in the front power-seat electrical circuit.
The fuse is designed to interrupt power if the seat switch becomes stuck and allows the motor to run continuously. Cutting the electrical current should prevent the motor from reaching temperatures capable of melting components or starting a fire.
The inspection and repair will be performed without charge to the owner.
Kia expects the updated remedy to become available in August 2026. Owner notification letters are scheduled to be mailed beginning August 13, 2026.
Owners do not necessarily need to wait for a letter before checking their vehicle. A VIN search through NHTSA or Kia can show whether the new recall is already attached to the Telluride.
Previously Repaired Tellurides Must Return
Owners may assume their vehicle is safe because it was repaired during the earlier 2024 campaign. That assumption could be dangerous.
The 2026 recall supersedes the original recall, meaning Tellurides that received the earlier switch brackets and replacement knobs still require the new electronic fuse installation.
Recall records should eventually show the new campaign as open even when the earlier repair is listed as completed.
An owner who is uncertain should contact a Kia dealership and provide the VIN. The dealer can confirm which recall repairs have been recorded and whether the updated fuse remedy is still required.
Warning Signs of an Overheating Seat Motor
An affected seat motor may produce warning signs before a visible fire starts.
The power seat may stop moving, operate intermittently or continue making noise after the adjustment switch has been released. A person may also notice heat coming from underneath the driver’s or front passenger’s seat.
Other possible signs include a burning-plastic odor, smoke, melted material or a seat-adjustment knob that appears loose, damaged or stuck.
Owners should not repeatedly press a malfunctioning seat control in an attempt to make it work. Doing so could continue supplying electricity to an already stressed motor.
Anyone who sees smoke or flames should stop the vehicle in a safe location, switch off the ignition, move all occupants away and call emergency services. A vehicle fire should not be approached once passengers have safely exited.
Why Vehicle Fires Can Continue After Parking
Many electrical vehicle components remain connected to battery power even when the engine is switched off.
The Telluride defect involves a seat circuit that may remain electrically energized when the control switch is damaged. This is why the recalled SUV can potentially catch fire while parked as well as while being driven.
Parking in a garage creates a particular danger because heat and flames can spread rapidly to the structure. Smoke may also enter living spaces before residents realize that a vehicle is burning.
Following the park-outside instruction is therefore an important temporary precaution rather than a general recommendation.
Used Telluride Buyers Should Check the VIN
The recall also affects people considering a used 2020–2024 Kia Telluride.
A used SUV may have completed the original 2024 recall but still require the newer 2026 repair. Buyers should not assume that a dealer advertisement stating “all recalls completed” reflects the latest campaign.
The VIN should be checked on NHTSA’s website immediately before purchasing the vehicle. An authorized Kia dealership can also print a record of open and completed manufacturer campaigns.
Used-car buyers should ask where the vehicle has been parked and whether the owner has noticed unusual seat operation, heat or burning smells.
What Telluride Owners Should Do Now
Owners should check their VIN, follow the outdoor-parking warning and schedule the updated repair as soon as the electronic fuse becomes available.
The vehicle should remain away from buildings and other cars until a dealer confirms that the new campaign has been completed. An earlier repair under the 2024 recall does not remove the need for the latest fix.
More information is available in the official NHTSA consumer alert and through the agency’s vehicle recall database.
The recall does not mean that every Telluride will catch fire. It does mean that the potential consequences are serious enough for regulators and Kia to urge nearly 463,000 owners to keep their SUVs outside until the permanent repair is installed.
