Both the driver's and front passenger's seats may catch fire
Kia has announced a large recall of Telluride SUVs in the United States: as part of the campaign, 462 869 vehicles produced between 2020 and 2024 will be repaired. Reason — risk of fire posed by the electric motors of the driver's and front passenger's seats. Moreover, a fire can occur regardless of whether the car is in motion or parked somewhere with the ignition turned off.
The specific reason is not the electric motor itself, but the slider that controls it. NHTSA Recall Notice 24V-407 states that external forces may cause the switch that controls the motor to move and become stuck in a certain position, causing constant power to be supplied to the motor. As a result, the electric motor may become so hot that it may cause a fire. The 2023 Telluride has been reported to have caught one fire and six cases of melted components under the seats. In some incidents, smoke was reported in the cabin.
As part of the service campaign, Kia dealers will install a new seat switch rear cover bracket and also replace the seat control knobs.