Kia Recalls 2026 K4 and 2027 Telluride Models Over Seat Belt Buckle Defect

What Happened

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) has issued a recall for specific 2026 and 2027 model year vehicles due to a safety defect involving seat belt anchor buckles. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the rear center seat belt anchor buckle in certain K4 models and the third-row center seat belt anchor buckle in certain Telluride models may not latch properly.

Which Products Are Affected

The recall impacts a total of 29,740 units. The specific vehicles involved are:

• 2026 Kia K4: Specifically the rear center seat belt anchor buckle.
• 2027 Kia Telluride: Specifically the third-row center seat belt anchor buckle.

Official NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V135000. Kia’s internal identification number for this recall is SC364.

What You Should Do

Owners of the affected vehicles are advised to contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia dealers will inspect the anchor buckle assembly and replace it, as necessary, free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed by May 5, 2026. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) for the affected cars will be searchable on the NHTSA website starting March 20, 2026.

Why This Matters

A seat belt buckle that does not latch properly can fail to restrain an occupant during a collision. This defect significantly increases the risk of injury to passengers in the event of a crash.

Source

Information provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) under Campaign Number 26V135000.