The Telluride’s Seat Belt Locks Up, Mercedes’ Comes Loose, Both Get Recalled

The Telluride has been a hit with consumers and they’ve turned it into Kia’s second best-selling vehicle last month. This was largely due to the launch of the redesigned 2027 model, which is now offered with a hybrid powertrain.

Unfortunately for Kia, the 2027 Telluride and Telluride Hybrid are now subject to a recall that involves 6,264 vehicles. They could be equipped with a faulty seat belt that runs afoul of federal safety standards.

More: 2027 Telluride’s First Recall Arrives Before Most Buyers Even See One

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, some driver’s seat belt assemblies may have been equipped with an incorrect sensor. This can cause the emergency locking retractor to lock when attempting to extend the belt, which makes it “temporarily unavailable as an occupant restraint.”

Kia first became aware of the issue in April following a report of a driver’s seat belt getting stuck when trying to pull it. A second case was reported a few weeks later, but the issue couldn’t be replicated. However, an investigation found multiple warranty claims related to the issue and they also discovered other vehicles exhibiting the problem.

This ultimately sparked the recall, but Kia isn’t aware of any injuries or fatalities related to the problem. Notifications will go out late next month and dealers will replace the seat belt assembly.

Mercedes Has A Separate Seat Belt Issue

Seat belts are also a problem for Mercedes as the company is recalling 207 vehicles that may have a loose rear seat belt bolt. It impacts an assortment of models including the 2026 GLE and GLS as well as their AMG variants.

The German automaker became aware of the issue in February after a “deviation” in the production process was discovered via “internal quality monitoring mechanisms.” This launched a review, which found an incorrectly tightened seat belt bolt.

That’s vague, but the deviation means bolts used to secure the rear seat belts to the vehicle might not have been tightened to the proper torque specification. This means they might not be able to securely restrain passengers in the event of a crash.

No warranty claims or field reports have been discovered, but the recall will see dealers replace any missing bolts and tighten any that are loose. This sounds like a simple fix and notifications will go out on July 28.