Kia Telluride Seat Fire Recall: What Used Buyers Need to Know

Nearly every 2020 to 2024 Kia Telluride, 462,869 of them built from January 9, 2019 through May 29, 2024, is covered by recall 26V-430, filed July 2, 2026, because the power front seat motor can keep running and overheat, which can cause a fire. This recall replaces the 2024 fix (24V-407), so a Telluride that already got that repair still needs the new one, an electronic fuse assembly that Kia says takes about an hour. Until it is done, Kia tells owners to park outside and away from buildings. If you are buying one used, get the VIN checked for 26V-430 specifically, not just "the seat recall."

We went through the filing, the chronology and the owner letter on November 8, 2026. The part that bugs us is how many used Tellurides are going to be sold with a seller saying the seat recall was handled, and they will be telling the truth about the 2024 one. That repair is not enough anymore.

How we got here

The first recall, 24V-407, came in June 2024 for the same 462,869 SUVs. The issue then was a seat slide knob that could get stuck and leave the motor running. The fix was a bracket for the switch back covers and new knobs, and owners were told to park outside. Owner letters for that one went out at the end of July 2024, which means a lot of Tellurides on lots today have a fresh-looking seat recall repair order from 2024 or 2025 in the glovebox.

Then problems kept coming in. Kia's chronology for 26V-430 lists 18 incidents received between October 2024 and April 2026: seven seat or under-seat fires and 11 cases of melting seat motors, with no injuries reported. Kia says the causes come down to two things. An impact to the seat side cover or knob can knock the switch out of place, or the earlier repair may not have been done correctly, and the chronology mentions sporadic workmanship issues at dealers. Either way the motor keeps running. The switch supplier named in the filing is Duck-il Industry.

What sellers will tell you

Expect to hear some version of "the seat recall was done." Fine, ask when. A date before July 2026 means it was almost certainly the old 24V-407 work. Private sellers are not always hiding anything here. A lot of owners never opened the second letter, or figured it was a duplicate of the first. Dealers are a different story, though. A used Telluride sitting on a franchise Kia lot with 26V-430 still open is worth asking hard questions about.

What the new fix is

Dealers install an electronic fuse assembly that, per the filing, prevents continuous operation of the seat motor if the switch gets dislodged, misaligned or damaged. It is free, and Kia estimates around an hour. The Kia campaign number is SC374. Per the filing, dealers were notified July 6, 2026, owner letters were scheduled for August 13 to 19, 2026, and VIN lookup became available on July 17, 2026. Kia says 2024 Tellurides built from May 30, 2024 on got a reinforced seat switch at the factory, which is why they sit outside the recall population. Kia will also reimburse owners who already paid for the repair under its general reimbursement plan.

Kia's report estimates about 1 percent of the population has the defect, and says the affected vehicles were not built in VIN order, so you cannot eyeball a VIN range and skip it.

Warning signs to look for on a test drive

The owner letter lists these:

• The seat keeps moving after you let go of the switch, or the knob feels stuck.
• A burning or melting smell in the cabin.
• Smoke or a burning smell from under a front seat.

Run both front seats through their full travel during the drive. Look under the seats for scorch marks or melted plastic too. If you smell anything off, do not talk yourself out of it. Kia also tells owners not to strike the seat knobs and not to jam things between the seat and the door, and if something does go wrong, to call Kia Roadside at 1-800-333-4542 for a tow instead of driving.

How to check a specific Telluride

Put the VIN into Kia's lookup or NHTSA's recall search. Our Kia recall check guide shows both. What you want to see is 26V-430 (Kia SC374) marked complete. If it only shows 24V-407 (SC316) as done, that does not count, because Kia's owner letter says the fuse goes in regardless of whether the earlier repair was completed.

If the lookup says the recall is open, that is not a reason to walk away from a clean truck. It is a reason to get it booked before you start parking it in your garage. Sellers sometimes hand over a repair order and call it done, so read it and look for the campaign number. Our guides on confirming a recall was completed and on open recalls on a CARFAX report go into how dealer records show up. If your local dealer cannot get to it right away, see what to do when a recall fix is backed up.

For everything else about the Telluride, from the V6 to the third row, read our used Telluride buying guide.

A note on history reports

A history report can show whether a dealer did recall work, though not always, and it will show title brands and accident reports that matter more on a family hauler like this. Direct from CARFAX a report usually costs $39.99 to $44.99. CarVins is a licensed reseller of CARFAX and AutoCheck reports and is not affiliated with CARFAX, AutoCheck or Experian. Recently a guest report has run about $5.50, about $4.50 for members, and roughly $6.75 for the pair, though that can change, so confirm at checkout.

Sources

• Kia Part 573 safety recall report 26V-430 (NHTSA)
• Kia chronology for recall 26V-430 (NHTSA)
• Kia owner letter for recall SC374 / 26V-430 (NHTSA)
• Kia Part 573 report for the earlier recall 24V-407 (NHTSA)
• MotorTrend: 2020-2024 Kia Telluride recall, park outside
• Carscoops: Kia Telluride seat fire recall