Like the Hyundai Palisade, some 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrids have a problem with power seats that could crush you.
The problem is far more limited in scope compared to the Palisade, of which Hyundai just recalled more than 69,000 units and stopped sales on top Limited and Calligraphy trims. For its part, Kia is recalling 568 Telluride Hybrids while halting sales of SX Prestige and X-Line SX Prestige models with the optional Executive Package. Those are the only models available with power second-row and “one-touch” tilt-and-slide seating, which, in Kia’s words, “may not detect obstructions and may continue to move if these features are used while an occupant is in the seat or is entering/exiting the rear of the vehicle.”
The Telluride Hybrid’s problem is extremely similar to the Palisade’s, which factored into an incident that killed a two-year-old in Ohio on March 7. Hyundai received reports of four injuries related to the car’s second-row seats and a total of 17 complaints about the Palisade’s seat operations between mid-August and March 9; meanwhile, Kia hasn’t received any such reports. The 2026 Palisade arrived in dealerships last summer while the 2027 Telluride is now just arriving in dealers.
A remedy for the top-shelf Telluride Hybrid’s power-folding seats is in development, but the issue hasn’t been solved yet. In turn, Kia has to park the most premium versions of its hottest seller, which it just increased production of for the fifth time. That’s bad news considering the timeline for a recall fix is still TBD.
In the meantime, Kia advises customers to ensure children are not in the rear seating area during power-folding operation. The manufacturer also warns against inadvertently pressing the power second-row seat switches, just in case. It plans to notify owners of the remedy program on or before May 19.
Got a tip or question for the author? Contact them directly: caleb@thedrive.com