Image Credit: Kia.Kia has issued a new safety recall covering more than 460,000 Telluride SUVs in the United States after determining that a defect involving the power front seat could increase the risk of a vehicle fire. The automaker is also advising affected owners to park their vehicles outdoors and away from buildings until repairs have been completed.The recall affects an estimated 462,869 Tellurides from the 2020 through 2024 model years built between January 2019 and May 2024. Documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) state that only about one percent of the recalled vehicles are expected to have the defect.This latest campaign expands on a previous recall issued in 2024 for the same issue. Kia says some vehicles that previously received repairs may not have been fixed correctly and will require another visit to the dealership.AdvertisementAdvertisementOwners will receive notification letters beginning in mid-August, and all repairs will be performed free of charge.Power Seat Motor Could OverheatAccording to Kia, the issue begins if the side cover or slide adjustment knob on the driver's or front passenger's power seat receives a strong impact. That impact can damage or misalign the seat switch inside the assembly.If the switch becomes damaged, it may cause the power seat motor to continue operating even after adjustment has stopped. Continuous operation can eventually overheat the motor, creating the potential for a fire.Because of that possibility, Kia is advising owners not to park affected Tellurides inside garages or near homes, other vehicles, or structures until the recall repair has been completed.New Recall Follows Earlier Repair CampaignImage Credit: Kia.This is not the first time Kia has addressed the issue. In June 2024, the automaker recalled the same population of Telluride SUVs to correct the power seat defect.AdvertisementAdvertisementHowever, Kia has now determined that some vehicles repaired during that earlier campaign may not have received an effective remedy. As a result, owners who previously had their Telluride serviced under the earlier recall may still need to return for the updated repair.The new campaign ensures every affected vehicle receives the revised fix regardless of whether it participated in the previous recall.Dealers Will Install An Updated Fuse AssemblyTo correct the problem, Kia dealers will install an electronic fuse assembly designed to prevent the power seat motor from operating continuously if a switch becomes damaged.The updated component is intended to eliminate the overheating condition while allowing the power seat to function normally during everyday use. The repair will be completed at no cost to owners.AdvertisementAdvertisementKia estimates that only a small percentage of the recalled vehicles actually contain the defect, but the company is recalling the full production population as a precaution.What Owners Should DoImage Credit: Jason Lawrence - Flickr, CC BY 2.0/Wiki Commons.Kia plans to begin mailing owner notification letters in mid-August with instructions on scheduling repairs at authorized dealerships. Owners are encouraged to arrange service as soon as possible after receiving their notification.Until the repair is completed, Kia recommends parking affected Tellurides outdoors and away from buildings or other vehicles to reduce the potential risk should the seat motor overheat.Owners who are unsure whether their SUV is included in the recall can check their vehicle identification number through the NHTSA recall database or contact a Kia dealership for additional information.AdvertisementAdvertisementIf you want more stories like this, follow Guessing Headlights on Yahoo so you don't miss what's coming next.
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