Kia recalls more than 460,000 SUVs over potential fire risk

Kia America is recalling more than 460,000 Telluride SUVs and urging people to park their cars away from structures that could catch fire.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued the “park outside” recall on behalf of the manufacturer Friday. The notice affects 462,869 Telluride vehicles from model years 2020-2024.

The front power seat motor on the vehicles could overheat due to a stuck power seat slide knob and could potentially result in a fire, NHTSA said.

Owners of recalled vehicles will be notified by mail starting July 30 and can contact Kia customer service for more information.

NHTSA said dealers will install a bracket for the power seat and replace it free of charge to fix the issue.

The car manufacturer made the decision to recall the vehicles on May 29 after one report of a fire under a seat and six reports of melting spanning August 2022 to March 2024, documents show.

People driving vehicles with the issue might find it difficult to adjust the power seat or may notice a burning or melting smell or see smoke, The Associated Press reported.

The AP also noted that it’s not the first recall affecting those vehicles. In March, Kia said it would recall more than 427,000 cars of the same model and year due to a defect that may cause them to roll away while parked.