Kia Telluride Recalled Over Fire Risk

Product Recalls - June 30, 2024

Kia America Issues Recall For Telluride Over Fire Risk While Parked Or Driving

Kia Telluride Recalled Over Fire Risk

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS (June 28, 2024) – Kia America has issued a recall for the Telluride because the vehicle can catch fire when it is parked or while it is being driven.

The recall affects 462,869 model-year 2020–2024 Telluride vehicles. Kia America has received reports that it could overheat due to a stuck power seat slide knob. This can subsequently lead to a fire.

Kia America is urging owners of the Telluride to “park outside,” away from structures and other vehicles. In order to fix the issues, dealers need to install a bracket for the power seat and replace the seat slide knobs.

As of June 7, 2024, there were no reports of injuries, crashes, or fatalities related to the recall.

Liability For Injuries Involving Kia Vehicles

Incidents involving car fires may seem like freak occurrences, but they are actually quite common. According to Statista, “In 2021, there were around 174,000 highway vehicle fires reported in the United States. This is a slight increase from the previous year, where there were 173,000 highway vehicle fires reported across the country.” Many of these fires are due to collisions, but a number also involve vehicle defects. A number of different problems with vehicles could lead to a fire.

  • Electrical System Failures: Faulty wiring or damaged electrical components within a vehicle can cause short circuits that result in a fire.
  • Battery Issues: The batteries within a vehicle can overheat and potentially ignite.
  • Fuel Leaks: Vehicles with internal combustion engines run hot, even after they are turned off. Even a small fuel leak can spark a larger fire.
  • Faulty Pumps: When the fuel pump on a vehicle is defective, this could cause a fire even when the vehicle is turned off.

Companies that manufacture vehicles have a legal obligation to ensure that they are reasonably safe. As such, companies must routinely test their vehicles and adhere to all safety standards issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). A car manufacturer could be held strictly liable when a vehicle has a design defect. Design defects are inherent to the vehicle and are present before vehicles are even constructed. Several steps should be taken after any injury involving a vehicle.

  • It should be determined if the vehicle was part of a recall.
  • The vehicle involved in the incident should be preserved as evidence.
  • A police report of the incident should be created.
  • Medical records related to the incident should be preserved.

Accident victims would also be wise to seek the guidance of an experienced product liability attorney. There are a number of advantages to hiring an attorney. It doesn’t cost any money up front to hire them, and they only get paid by the opposing party if they are able to resolve your case. They can also examine the unique facts of your case for free and let you know what your legal options are.

Getting Legal Help After Injuries Involving Kia Vehicles

We at Horwitz Horwitz & Associates were deeply concerned to hear about the issues with the Kia Telluride. It is our sincere hope that Kia Telluride acts expeditiously and fixes all of the affected vehicles. Steps need to be taken to ensure that similar incidents don’t happen down the road.

Have you or someone that you care about been injured in a fire involving a Kia Telluride? You may have legal recourse. Our team of personal injury attorneys is here to help in any way that we can. We are committed to making sure that accident victims are aware of their rights and that those rights are being protected. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of support, we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (312) 564-4256.