Kia and Mercedes hit with U.S. recalls: new SUVs, different seat belt defects
kiamedia.com
Two NHTSA campaigns cover 6,471 vehicles: the 2027 Kia Telluride and the 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLE and GLS. The defects are different but both involve rear or driver seat belts.
Kia and Mercedes are dealing with separate seat belt issues in the U.S. market. According to Carscoops citing NHTSA data, two recall campaigns together cover 6,471 vehicles. The list includes the new Kia Telluride for the 2027 model year, hybrid version included, and the Mercedes-Benz GLE and GLS crossovers for 2026, including AMG variants.
The Kia recall affects 6,264 Telluride units. According to the regulator, some vehicles may carry an incorrect sensor in the driver’s seat belt assembly. As a result, the belt’s emergency locking retractor can lock when the driver tries to extend the webbing. In that case, the belt is temporarily unavailable as a restraint for the driver.
Kia learned of the issue in April after a report of a locked-up belt. The company then identified warranty claims and additional vehicles with the same defect. No injuries or fatalities related to the malfunction have been reported by Kia. Owners will be notified in late July, and dealers will replace the seat belt assembly.
The Mercedes recall is much smaller — just 207 vehicles. The problem concerns the bolts securing the rear seat belts: due to an irregularity in a plant rework process, they may not have been tightened to the specified torque. In a crash, such a belt may not restrain the passenger as well as it should. According to the source, Mercedes has no warranty claims or field reports tied to this issue. Dealers will inspect the fasteners, replace any missing bolts, and retighten loose ones.
