Another day, another massive automotive recall to keep an eye on – especially if you use your vehicle as a daily family hauler. Kia America is officially recalling 14,870 vehicles across the United States due to a concerning defect involving the rear seat belts.
If you recently purchased a new Kia K4 hatchback or the wildly popular Telluride SUV, you will want to pay very close attention to your rear seating rows.
The Affected Vehicles and Defects
The recall specifically targets 13,499 Kia Telluride SUVs from the 2027 model year that were built between January 2, 2026, and February 19, 2026. It also impacts 1,371 Kia K4 Hatchback models from the 2026 model year, which rolled off the assembly line between October 31, 2025, and February 23, 2026.
According to official documents submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the safety risk stems from a manufacturing error by an automotive supplier.
The defect involves the rear center seat belt anchor buckle in the K4 and the third-row center seat belt anchor buckle in the Telluride. Due to the manufacturing error, these specific buckles may fail to latch properly.
Kia notes that passengers or drivers might notice a warning sign in the form of difficulty when trying to buckle the seat belt into the anchor. If the buckle fails to latch correctly, it cannot adequately restrain an occupant during a collision, increasing the risk of injury.
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- Here’s How to Check If Your Car Has an Open Recall (And Who Pays for It)
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How Kia Will Fix It for Free
To resolve the safety hazard, authorized Kia dealers will inspect the anchor buckle assembly and replace it with a properly manufactured component if necessary, completely free of charge.
Kia expects to begin mailing official notification letters to affected owners around May 5, 2026. However, you don’t need to wait for the mail to arrive to find out if your vehicle is safe. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) for the involved SUVs and hatchbacks will be searchable on the NHTSA recall database beginning March 20, 2026.
If you have any additional questions or concerns regarding the repair process, you can contact Kia’s customer service line directly at 1-800-333-4542.
