Kia recalls 89 Telluride SUVs in UAE over seatback defect

Kia is recalling 89 units of the 2025 Telluride in the United Arab Emirates due to a front seatback defect. The move extends a recall of 85,000 vehicles in the United States earlier this year for the same problem, as the automaker proactively checks vehicles produced in North America and exported to the Middle East.

According to the UAE Ministry of Economy and other sources on Nov. 4, Kia has begun a recall campaign for about 89 Telluride vehicles of the 2025 model year sold in the local market. Al Tayer Motors and Premier Motors, which handle local import sales, are carrying out the recall in coordination with authorities.

The recall stems from a manufacturing defect in the power front seatback recliner. In affected vehicles, the front seatback is not firmly locked in position.

As a result, the front seat may not adequately protect occupants in a rear-end collision. The impact could increase the risk of injury to occupants.

Local dealers will bring affected vehicles into service centers to inspect the front seatback frame assembly. If a problem is found, the entire part will be replaced free of charge.

The Middle East recall is being conducted for the same reason as the large-scale recall that surfaced earlier in the United States. In February 2026, Kia submitted a recall plan for the 2025 Telluride to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), citing a manufacturing error by a parts supplier.

At the time, the US recall covered 85,448 vehicles produced at Kia's Georgia plant between November 2024 and August 2025. Kia told US customers that signs of the defect include a loose, wobbling seatback or a scraping noise when reclining the seat.

The Telluride is Kia's North America-focused three-row large sport utility vehicle, produced entirely in the United States. Backed by strong popularity in North America, it is also exported to some overseas markets including the Middle East, and Kia is continuing follow-up measures for defective vehicles in cooperation with safety authorities in each country.

※ This article is an AI translation of the Korean original published by Korea Credit News; it was checked by automated quality guards and published by the English edition desk.