Kia's all-new 2027 Telluride launched to strong demand this spring and has already been recalled twice for seatbelt failures — both traced to the same supplier — before most buyers have owned one for three months. The recalls cover different components and different vehicle populations, but together they touch more than 20,000 units of a freshly redesigned family SUV.
The First Recall: Third-Row Buckle Doesn't Latch
Kia recall SC364 (NHTSA 26V135000) covers 14,870 vehicles: 13,499 units of the 2027 Telluride and 1,371 units of the 2026 Kia K4. The problem is a third-row center seat belt anchor buckle that may not latch correctly. The root cause is a spring tab inside the buckle assembly that wasn't properly seated by the supplier, Samsong Mexico, during manufacturing.
A seat belt that doesn't latch won't restrain an occupant in a crash. Kia's plant in West Point, Georgia caught the defect during production in February 2026, before any field incidents. No injuries have been reported. Owner notification letters went out May 5, 2026.
The fix is an inspection at a dealer: a technician disassembles the buckle assembly to confirm the spring tab is seated correctly. If it isn't, the anchor buckle assembly gets replaced at no cost.
If you received a recall letter in May, your vehicle falls under this campaign. If you haven't and bought a 2027 Telluride earlier in the year, run your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm.
The Second Recall: Driver's Seat Belt Can't Extend
The second recall, announced during the week of June 1, 2026, covers 6,264 vehicles: 4,367 of the 2027 Telluride Hybrid and 1,897 of the standard combustion model. This one affects the driver's seat, not the third row.
The driver's emergency locking retractor (ELR) was assembled with an incorrect sensor — again from Samsong Mexico. In certain conditions, the ELR locks when the driver tries to pull the webbing out. A driver who can't fully extend the seatbelt can't buckle in properly, which increases injury risk in a crash.
Production dates for affected vehicles run from March 24 to May 12, 2026. If your 2027 Telluride was built in that window, it's likely affected. Kia will upload the full list of affected VINs to NHTSA by June 16, at which point you'll be able to check your specific vehicle at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Owner notification letters, however, don't go out until July 31 — a seven-week gap between when the lookup works and when Kia formally alerts you.
The remedy is a full replacement of the driver's seatbelt assembly at the dealership.
Comparing the Two Recalls
| Recall 1 (SC364) | Recall 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Component | Third-row center buckle | Driver's seat ELR retractor |
| 2027 Telluride units | 13,499 | 6,264 |
| Other vehicles | 1,371 (2026 Kia K4) | None |
| Build dates affected | Before March 2026 | March 24 – May 12, 2026 |
| Defect | Spring tab misassembled | Incorrect sensor installed |
| Supplier | Samsong Mexico | Samsong Mexico |
| Owner notifications sent | May 5, 2026 | July 31, 2026 |
| Fix | Inspect and replace buckle if needed | Replace seatbelt assembly |
Two different assemblies, two different failure modes, one supplier.
What This Means If You're Buying
The 2027 Telluride is a full generation redesign — Kia skipped the 2026 model year entirely and replaced the first generation (2020-2025) with the second-gen 2027. These are new-car recalls, not used-car recalls. Most dealers can complete both repairs before or at delivery.
If you're taking delivery on a new 2027 Telluride, ask the dealer to confirm both recalls have been addressed and get a repair order documenting each fix. For the Recall 2 retractor issue specifically: if you can't fully extend the driver's seatbelt, don't drive the vehicle until the repair is done.
Recall fixes on defects caught before incidents occur, with no injury reports, typically don't impact transaction prices meaningfully. The Telluride's inventory is still tight. But documentation matters, especially for resale.
FAQ
How do I know if my 2027 Telluride has an open recall right now? For Recall 1 (buckle), go to nhtsa.gov/recalls and enter your VIN — this lookup should return results today. For Recall 2 (retractor), VINs won't be searchable until June 16, 2026. You can also call Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542 and reference recall SC364 for the buckle issue.
Can I still drive a 2027 Telluride with an open recall? For the buckle recall, Kia hasn't issued a do-not-drive advisory — the risk materializes in a crash. For the retractor recall, if you physically can't pull the driver's seatbelt out far enough to buckle, don't drive the vehicle. Take it to a dealer immediately for the replacement.
Does having two early recalls affect the 2027 Telluride's long-term reliability? Both defects are manufacturing defects from a single supplier, caught through Kia's own quality process before crashes or injuries occurred. That's different from a systemic engineering failure. Demand for the 2027 remains strong, and neither recall involves the powertrain or structural components.
CarScout lets you set price and availability alerts on specific vehicles, so if you're waiting for recalled 2027 Tellurides to be remedied and re-priced, you can track that movement automatically at usecarscout.com.