Kia Telluride Power-Seat Fire Recall: Your California Lemon Law Rights

Kia has issued an urgent "park outside" recall for 462,869 Telluride SUVs (NHTSA recall 26V430000; Kia's number is SC374) because the motor for the front power seat can overheat and cause a fire — even while the vehicle is parked. Kia has reported seven seat fires and 11 melted seat motors tied to the defect. Because a fire can start when the SUV is unattended, this is a serious safety issue. Here's what the recall covers, what to do right now, and when a fire-risk recall like this can become a California lemon law claim.

What the recall covers

The recall affects certain model-year 2020–2024 Kia Telluride SUVs. If the front power-seat slide cover or knob is struck or dislodged, the switch can be knocked out of alignment, causing the seat motor to run continuously and overheat. An improper repair performed under an earlier 2024 Telluride recall (NHTSA 24V407) for the same fire risk can also cause the motor to overheat. An overheating seat motor can ignite a fire whether the vehicle is parked or being driven.

What owners should do now

• Until the repair is done, park outside and away from homes, garages, and other vehicles — a seat-motor fire can start while the vehicle is parked.
• Watch for your Kia notification letter; Kia expects to begin notifying owners on August 13.
• Get the free remedy: dealers will install an electronic fuse assembly that stops the seat motor from running continuously if the switch is dislodged.
• Look up your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls (searchable for this recall starting July 17) or Kia's owner portal, and keep your recall letter and every repair order.

A repeat fire recall — why that matters for a lemon claim

This is not the first time the Telluride's front seats have been recalled for fire risk — it follows an earlier 2024 recall, and Kia says the problem can even stem from an improper repair done under that prior campaign. That means some owners are now on their second repair for the same fire hazard. When a manufacturer needs repeated attempts to fix a substantial safety defect, or the danger keeps coming back, that is exactly the pattern California's Lemon Law is designed to address.

When this recall can become a California lemon

A recall on its own isn't a lemon — Kia is providing a free fix. But if the repair doesn't resolve the problem, your Telluride goes back for the same issue more than once, or it has other substantial warranty defects that can't be fixed after a reasonable number of attempts, California's Lemon Law may entitle you to a buyback, replacement, or cash settlement, with the manufacturer paying your attorney fees.