Karmactive Team
Kia America has announced two major recalls affecting more than 300,000 vehicles due to trim pieces that could detach while driving, creating hazards for other motorists.
The larger recall affects about 201,149 Telluride SUVs, as reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on August 2. The door belt molding trim on these vehicles can come loose and fly off while driving.
In a separate but similar recall, Kia is calling back roughly 100,063 K5 sedans from model years 2023-2025. On these cars, the C-pillar garnish—the trim piece around the rear windows—may loosen and detach from the vehicle.
Both recalls stem from the same underlying problem: adhesive failure. The parts weren’t properly secured with mechanical fasteners, relying solely on adhesive that can fail over time. When these trim pieces detach, they create road hazards that could cause accidents.
For K5 owners, Kia dealers will replace the affected C-pillar garnish with a redesigned version that includes mechanical retention to the base of the car. The repair will be made free of charge.
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The K5 recall applies to vehicles manufactured between October 3, 2022, and July 24, 2024. Owners will receive notification letters by September 26, 2025. Dealers have already been notified as of July 29.
For the Telluride recall, specific details about production dates and the remedy program timeline haven’t been fully released yet, but a similar free repair at dealerships is expected.
These recalls add to Kia’s recent quality challenges with the Telluride model. Earlier in 2024, the company recalled 427,000 Tellurides for driveshaft assembly defects that could cause rollaway incidents. Another recall in June 2024 affected 462,869 Tellurides for potential fire risks.
Owners can check if their vehicle is affected by using NHTSA’s recall lookup tool at safercar.gov/recalls or by visiting Owners.Kia.com. The K5 recall is identified by NHTSA campaign number 25V493 and Kia’s internal reference SC346.
Kia’s customer service can be reached at 1-800-333-4542 for questions about these recalls or to schedule service appointments.
Vehicle owners should take these recalls seriously, as flying debris from vehicles can cause accidents or injuries to other drivers. The free repairs will ensure that the trim pieces remain securely attached to the vehicles, eliminating the safety risk.
