Irvine, CA – February 11, 2023 – Kia (OTCMKTS:KIMTF), has issued a recall for 31,943 2023 Telluride midsize SUV due to a problem with the second-row side airbags, which could prevent them from deploying in the event of a crash. This exacerbates the risk of injury to the cars’ occupants.
Recall summary
On the affected vehicles, the wiring harness fitted to the side airbags for the second-row seats may be too short due to a supplier error. This could lead to the harness coming in contact with the seat frame and getting damaged when the middle seats are adjusted or folded.
The part involved in this recall is the second-row seat cushion wire harness assembly, with multiple part numbers including 89551-S9510, 89551-S9610 and 89651-S9710.
Recall risks
Damage to the wiring harness may prevent the second-row side airbags from deploying when the vehicle is involved in a collision, upping the risk of injury to occupants.
Warning signs
Drivers may notice the illumination of the airbag warning light if the issue exists.
Other Kia recalls
There was a Kia Telluride recall in August 2022 due to an overheating tow hitch that brings an augmented risk of fire. The recall also included Hyundai Palisade vehicles, as reported.
In November 2022, Kia recalled 71,704 2008–2009 Sportage SUVs over a problem with the anti-lock brakes which could cause the affected vehicles to also catch fire.
The following month, Kia issued a recall for 76,918 2023 Sportage vehicles on account of side curtain airbags that were not installed properly during assembly, preventing them from deploying in a crash and leading to an increased risk of injury.
The repair
Dealers will inspect the affected vehicles and replace the damaged second-row wiring harnesses with the correct ones. Harnesses with no damage will be secured to prevent them from coming into contact with the seat frame. Kia will reimburse owners who paid for their own repairs before the recall was issued.
Owners of affected vehicles will be notified by February 28, 2023.
Is your vehicle part of this recall?
More than 31,000 vehicles are affected by this Kia airbag recall. To see if your vehicle is among them or to check for more recalls, run a Kia recall check using MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.
