2027 Kia Telluride

"While driving, my KIA Telluride 2027 hybrid sx prestige, the vehicle intermittently detects an occupant in an empty second-row passenger captain's chair and activates the rear seat-belt warning and audible chime. There is no person or object on the seat. I have video documenting the instrument cluster showing the affected seat during the event. The vehicle was inspected by the Kia dealership; no diagnostic trouble code was found and the dealership was unable to reproduce the problem. The problem remains unresolved."

I am reporting multiple intermittent safety and electrical issues with my 2027 Kia Telluride. The rear passenger seat on the driver’s side repeatedly detects or indicates that a person is occupying the seat when the seat is completely empty with no objects on it. When this occurs, the rear seat belt warning activates and the alarm/chime repeatedly sounds as though an unbelted passenger is present. The issue is unpredictable. Sometimes it begins shortly after starting the vehicle and driving away. Other times, the vehicle operates normally and the warning suddenly activates while I am already driving. I have also experienced an Auto Hold system error/malfunction as well as other intermittent electrical/dashboard errors affecting vehicle functions and warning indicators. I am a member of a Facebook group for owners of this vehicle, and numerous owners have reported experiencing similar rear-seat detection/seat belt warning problems. I have also seen multiple reports from owners describing other electrical issues with their vehicles. This raises concern that these problems may not be isolated to my vehicle. I contacted my Kia dealership regarding these concerns and was advised that there is currently nothing they can do because there is no recall for the vehicle addressing these issues. I am concerned that an electrical, software, sensor, wiring, or control-module defect may be affecting multiple systems. The false occupant warning is especially concerning because I cannot determine whether the vehicle’s occupant and safety systems will function properly when an actual passenger is present. I am requesting that NHTSA document and investigate these issues to determine whether they represent a broader safety defect affecting the 2027 Kia Telluride.

Purchased brand new 2/26. 5/26 driver seat locked randomly and stayed locked in unsafe position. Took to dealership they held for over one week, saw the initial problem but it fixed itself and they held it for a Week to recreate it. It is an intermittent issue, randomly locks. I picked it up and dealership told me to video it if it happens again and bring it back. Happened again 6/26 brought it back in showed video. This time it was still locked. They ordered the part but didn’t know when it would come in so I took my vehicle home. Dealership dropped contact with me, I called and emailed for status on reordered part. They ordered wrong part, wrong color, waiting for replacement. No communication again I called manager he called back told me he was asking for it from assembly line. Never heard from dealership again. Contacted Kia Customer Care to get involved, they told me dealership ordered part three times, always wrong color, waiting on Korea to get resolution. No communication again, contacted and escalated with Kia Cusotmer Care, spoke with JoAnne, she was contacting the dealership, getting a part from the assembly line. Joanne dropped communication. I’ve left voicemail and emails. No one is responding. I have a service dog, disabled veteran and four children two special needs. This vehicle was chosen specifically to transport everyone safely. We travel a lot. The loaner vehicles from dealership were not what we have and the dealership gave me grief for my service dog as “no animals allowed in rentals” but they allowed me to do it reluctantly. I need my vehicle, this one is randomly locking, making it dangerous to drive consistently and reliably. I have precious cargo with me, I do not trust it and I am requiring a replacement of the same vehicle. The lack of communication and care to fix this issue has left a huge lack of confidence in Kia as a whole.

I am reporting a life-safety defect incident and an illegal vehicle delivery. I purchased a 2027 Kia Telluride HEV subject to Recall SC366 (NHTSA Campaign 26V173000). The dealership delivered the vehicle on April 22, 2026, explicitly stating that the recall service was complete and the vehicle was safe. This was a material misrepresentation. Shortly after delivery, I suffered a physical entrapment incident where the second-row power seat mechanism failed to detect my leg as an obstruction and continued to fold with force, pinning my leg. This is the exact failure described in the recall notice. Following this incident, the dealership called to admit that they never actually performed the required safety fix. By delivering this vehicle, the dealership violated 49 U.S.C. § 30112, which prohibits the delivery of a new vehicle with an open safety recall. The defect is active and dangerous. I am requesting a federal compliance investigation into the dealership’s actions