Kia Tellurides Must Go Back to the Shop to Fix a Botched Fire-Risk Recall

Kia Telluride owners are being sent back to the shop again to address a fire-risk problem tied to a botched recall repair involving front power seat switches. Two years earlier, Kia recalled just under 463,000 Telluride SUVs from model years 2020 through 2024 after reports that a faulty switch could overheat and cause a fire even when parked. Technicians were advised to install brackets and revised knobs designed to prevent the switch from becoming stuck. Now, Kia says the earlier fix may have been carried out improperly, potentially leaving the same “stuck switch” condition that can overheat the motor and lead to fire. To date, Kia has cited 11 customer reports of melted motors and seven cases of under-seat fires, with no injuries reported. The new remedy replaces the previous bracket approach with an electronic fuse assembly to prevent continuous seat-motor operation if the switch becomes dislodged or internally misaligned, and notices are expected to reach owners between August 13 and 19.