Kia America, Inc. is conducting a voluntary recall after a notice from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found the driver seat belt emergency locking retractor may lock and prevent the belt from extending, making the restraint unusable in some 2027 Telluride vehicles.
The recall, described in the NHTSA notice, covers 6,264 2027 Kia Telluride and Kia Telluride Hybrid models built from March 24, 2026, through May 12, 2026. The agency warned that "an unavailable occupant restraint increases the risk of injury to an unbelted driver in the event of a collision."
According to the recall documents, dealers will replace the driver seat belt assembly free of charge. Vehicle Identification Numbers associated with the action will be searchable on NHTSA.gov starting June 16, and owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on July 31. Owners may contact Kia customer service at (800)-333-4542 or NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236, TTY 888-275-9171.
Supplier Error and Broader Seatbelt Issues
Autoblog reported the defect stems from an incorrect vehicle sensor installed in certain driver seatbelt assemblies by supplier Samsong Mexico, which in some conditions causes the emergency locking retractor to lock when attempting to extend the webbing. Autoblog also broke down the affected units as 4,367 Hybrids and 1,897 combustion-only SUVs.
The 2027 Telluride has faced earlier seatbelt related recalls, with Autoblog noting a March recall of more than 14,000 Tellurides over a center seatbelt anchor buckle that may fail to latch. Autoblog added that over 85,000 examples of the 2025 Telluride were recalled earlier in the year due to front seat back frames that could be hazardous in a rear-end crash.
Autoblog further placed the Telluride problems in an industry context, reporting recent large seatbelt recalls at other manufacturers, including almost 420,000 Ford Expeditions and Lincoln Navigators, and nearly 300,000 Hyundai and Genesis vehicles recalled in April. The outlet also referenced seatbelt issues at Audi and Rivian as part of broader supplier and restraint-system challenges.
Dealers have been alerted and will install assemblies with the correct sensor once components are available. The recall notice and NHTSA listing provide the official remedy and timelines, and affected owners can verify VINs on NHTSA.gov beginning June 16.
