Kia recalls 463,000 Telluride SUVs over to seat control malfunction, potential fire hazard

Kia has announced a recall for almost 463,000 of its Telluride SUVs in the U.S. due to a potential fire hazard impacting the front seat controls.

According to CNN, the seat control switches on the driver and passenger seats can become jammed, according to a recall report submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. This malfunction can cause the electric device responsible for moving the seat to continuously run and overheat, resulting in a fire hazard.

The vehicle recall involves Kia Telluride models from years 2020 through 2024, according to CNN. The problem was initially discovered by Kia in 2022 upon a customer reporting smoke emerging from underneath their Telluride's driver seat.

Beginning in July, Kia will send letters to the owners of the recalled vehicles, instructing them to take their SUVs to a Kia dealership to undergo complimentary repairs. Kia service technicians will put in reinforcements and enhanced switches to amend the fire hazard. Owners who think their car might be affected can also contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542.