Kia Recalls 462,000 Vehicles for Possible Fire Hazard, Issues Park Outside Alert

Kia America, Inc. is recalling 462,869 vehicles that could suddenly burst into flames due to the overheating of a power seat motor, according to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announcement on July 9.The recall involves certain 2020–2024 Telluride vehicles in which the front power seat motor may overheat due to a stuck power seat slide knob or an improper repair related to a previous recall (24V407), resulting in a fire while the vehicle is parked or in motion.Kia is recommending owners of possibly affected vehicles park outside and away from structures until the car has been inspected by a dealer and any malfunction repaired. If needed, local dealerships will install an electronic fuse assembly, free of charge.Owners of potentially affected vehicles will be notified by mail after Aug. 13 or they can contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542, using the recall number SC374.Vehicles already repaired under the previous recall must have the new remedy completed. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning July 17.According to the NHTSA, the Kia recall on potential fire risks due to overheating seat motor control switches dates back to June 2024. At the time, Kia sent notification letters to owners of affected vehicles. A month later, the automaker instructed dealers to install a reinforcing bracket on the power seat control switch or, if necessary, replace the power seat switch and the seat slide knob.In October 2024, Kia received a customer allegation of fire under the passenger seat after completion of the recall repair, and began investigating potential improper repairs. Additional consumer complaints about fire under the passenger seat were received from April through May 2025. By June 2025, the recall was completed, with recommendations that dealers replace the power seat switch.Kia continued to monitor the issue, but in mid-June, field data analysis identified 18 unique incidents of seat fires, and the carmaker issued another recall.The new remedy calls for dealers to install an electronic fuse assembly that will prevent continuous operation of a seat motor if the seat switch becomes dislodged, internally misaligned, or otherwise damaged.Vehicle recalls for fire risks and “park outside” recommendations have soared by almost 50 percent in the last two months, a June 18 Carfax report indicates. The recalls have affected more than 3.2 million vehicles across the country.“An unrepaired ‘park outside’ recall doesn’t just put a vehicle at risk, it can threaten garages, homes, and anything parked nearby,” Faisal Hasan, Carfax vice president of data acquisition, said in the report. “Although we never want to see a jump in these serious recalls, the good news is recall repairs are free.”In early June, Stellantis North America, formerly the Chrysler Corporation, issued a massive recall of more than 1 million 2021–2025 Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Gladiator vehicles that could catch fire—even when turned off—and warned owners to park outside.In this case, faulty electric hydraulic power steering pump wiring could overheat and cause a fire, even if the ignition is in the “off” position.As of May, Stellantis was aware of 63 customer assistance reports, zero warranty claims, and 72 field reports. The automaker is not aware of any accidents; however, there was one injury potentially related to the issue.In mid-May, Hyundai Motor America recalled over 54,377 Elantra hybrid vehicles due to an electrical issue that could increase the risk of a fire.The issue involved a transistor inside the vehicle’s hybrid power control unit that, under high electrical loads, could overheat and possibly cause a fire.Carfax notes that Texas leads the nation with the most vehicles under “park outside” recalls at 302,000, followed by California at 300,000 and Florida at 279,000. Ohio, New York, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania are also included in the top 10 list for this issue—each with over 120,000 vehicles required to “park outside.”