Kia Recalls Telluride SUVs Over Dangerous Seatbelt Defects: What You Need to Know

Kia has found itself at the center of a growing safety storm, issuing multiple recalls on its popular Telluride SUV over seatbelt-related defects across three model years. From locked driver’s seatbelts to buckles that won’t latch, here’s a complete breakdown of every recall, who is affected, and what owners should do right now.

Key Points

• Kia has issued three separate recalls affecting over 106,000 Telluride SUVs due to seatbelt and seat-frame safety defects.
• The latest recall impacts 2027 Telluride models, where a faulty driver’s seatbelt may lock up and become unusable.
• Another recall covers 2027 Tellurides and 2026 K4 Hatchbacks because certain rear seatbelt buckles may fail to latch properly.
• Kia is offering free inspections and repairs, and owners should check their VINs immediately to determine if their vehicle is affected.

Recall #1 — 2027 Kia Telluride: Driver’s Seatbelt Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) Locks Up

The most recent and widely reported recall involves more than 6,000 2027 Kia Telluride and Telluride Hybrid models, according to a notice from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The affected vehicles include 4,367 Telluride Hybrid models manufactured from March 24 through May 12, 2026, and 1,897 gas-powered Telluride models manufactured from March 24 through May 10, 2026.

Kia says an error by the supplier (Samsong Mexico) is why the “driver’s seatbelt assembly may contain an incorrect vehicle sensor that, in certain conditions, causes the emergency locking retractor to lock when attempting to extend the webbing.” Thus, the seatbelt becomes unusable, and if the driver uses the vehicle anyway, they can’t be properly restrained, causing the Telluride to fall foul of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 209.

In plain terms, if you try to buckle up and the belt won’t pull out, you cannot be safely restrained in a crash. Dealers will replace the seat belt assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed July 31, 2026. The recall reference number is SC372. Owners will be able to search their VINs on NHTSA.gov from June 16.

Recall #2 — 2027 Kia Telluride & 2026 Kia K4: Third-Row/Rear Center Seatbelt Buckle Failure

This was the first major seatbelt recall to hit the redesigned 2027 Telluride. The third-row center seatbelt anchor buckle in affected vehicles may not latch properly due to a manufacturing error at the supplier level. If the seatbelt fails to latch, it cannot properly restrain a passenger during a crash, significantly increasing the risk of injury.

The recall covers 13,499 units of the 2027 Kia Telluride produced between January 2, 2026, and February 19, 2026. The same supplier part was used in the 2026 Kia K4 Hatchback, pulling an additional 1,371 units into the recall — bringing the total affected count to 14,870 vehicles.

Owner notification letters were mailed on May 5, 2026. VINs for affected vehicles became searchable on NHTSA.gov starting March 20, 2026. The recall reference number is SC364, and Kia will also reimburse owners who may have already paid out of pocket to fix the problem.

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Recall #3 — 2025 Kia Telluride: Front Seat Back Frame Assemblies

Kia America, Inc. is recalling approximately 85,448 model-year 2025 Kia Telluride vehicles equipped with power front seats. The recall addresses a manufacturing error that may cause the driver and passenger seat back frame assemblies to fail to properly restrain occupants in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Dealers will inspect and replace the affected front seat back frame assemblies as needed, at no cost to owners. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on April 24, 2026. The recall reference number is SC362. Impacted VINs will be searchable on NHTSA.gov starting March 9, 2026.

A Pattern Across the Industry

The Telluride’s troubles are not happening in isolation. Ford recently recalled almost 420,000 Expeditions and Lincoln Navigators for a similar issue with the front seatbelts, and Hyundai and Genesis recalled almost 300,000 vehicles in April over another seatbelt issue. Audi and Rivian have also suffered from problematic seatbelts. The seatbelt was invented by Volvo in 1959, but 67 years later, automakers and their suppliers are still making mistakes in this critical area.

What Kia Telluride Owners Should Do Right Now

1. Check Your VIN Immediately – Visit NHTSA.gov Recall Lookup and enter your Vehicle Identification Number to see if your vehicle is included in any active recall.

2. Contact Kia Customer Service – Owners can contact Kia Customer Service at 1-800-333-4542 for more information.

3. Schedule a Free Dealer Fix – All three recalls are being remedied at no cost to the vehicle owner. Contact your nearest authorized Kia dealership to schedule an inspection and repair.

4. Do Not Ignore the Notice – Driving an affected vehicle before the repair is completed — especially the ELR recall, where the driver’s belt may not extend — is a serious safety risk that should not be delayed.

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Source & Reference

• Fox Business — Kia Recalls 6K Vehicles Over Seatbelt Defect
• Autoblog — 2027 Kia Telluride Driver Seatbelt Recall
• AutoEvolution — 2027 Telluride & 2026 K4 First Recall
• NHTSA.gov — Official Recall Search Tool
• Legal United States — Full Recall Breakdown