2021 Hyundai Palisade

Above average

Owners filed 434 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the seat belts. It has been recalled 6 times.

When it fails
020k40k60k90k120k200k
3,500 milesMedian miles at failure

58 complaints record an odometer reading. Failures cluster around 010,000 miles.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Seat Belts103
001
Unknown or Other61
101
Visibility/Wiper46
000
Engine46
000
Electrical System39
100
Suspension26
000
Structure › Body15
000
Power Train14
000
Trailer Hitches12
000
Seats11
103

6 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Air Bags › Side/Window › Curtain26V034000
Filed Jan 22, 2026568,576 vehiclesHyundai Motor America

Defect. Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Palisade vehicles. The side curtain air bags for third-row occupants may deploy improperly in a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 226, "Ejection Mitigation."

Risk. Improper side curtain air bag deployment increases the risk of injury during a crash.

Remedy. Dealers will install a protective film over the rear window and remove padding, as necessary free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed beginning March 13, 2026. Final remedy owner letters will be mailed in phases, beginning in June 2026 and expected to continue through December 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 292. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 24, 2026.

Seat Belts › Rear/Other › Buckle Assembly25V607000
Filed Sep 11, 2025568,580 vehiclesHyundai Motor America

Defect. Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Palisade vehicles. The seat belt buckles in the driver, passenger, and second-row window seats may fail to latch.

Risk. Seat belt buckles that fail to latch may not properly restrain occupants in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy. Passengers are advised to insert the belt firmly into the buckle with a quick and direct motion, pulling on the belt to confirm the seat belt is fully secured, until the recall remedy is performed. Dealers will replace the seat belt buckle assemblies, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed beginning October 23, 2025. Final remedy owner letters will be mailed in phases, beginning in June 2026 and expected to continue through December 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 283. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on September 13, 2025.

Visibility/Wiper23V180000
Filed Mar 17, 2023167,085 vehiclesHyundai Motor America

Defect. Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Palisade vehicles. The windshield wiper motor may operate intermittently or fail to operate due to snow or ice buildup on the windshield, causing the wipers to fail.

Risk. Windshield wiper failure can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Dealers will replace the driver-side windshield wiper arm, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 15, 2023. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 243. This recall is an expansion of recall number 22V-627.

Trailer Hitches22V633000Park outside
Filed Aug 18, 2022244,980 vehiclesHyundai Motor America

Defect. Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling 2020-2022 Palisade vehicles potentially equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Hyundai dealership. Debris and moisture accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.

Risk. A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy. Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will install a new fuse and wire extension kit, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 18, 2023. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 235.

Visibility › Windshield Wiper/Washer › Motor22V627000
Filed Aug 15, 2022122,949 vehiclesHyundai Motor America

Defect. Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Palisade vehicles. The windshield wiper motor may become inoperative, causing the wipers to fail.

Risk. Windshield wiper failure can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Dealers will replace the driver-side windshield wiper arm, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 13, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 233.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Fluid21V840000
Filed Oct 27, 2021995 vehiclesHyundai Motor America

Defect. Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021 Palisade vehicles. The brake fluid may be contaminated, which can cause the brake master cylinder inner-cup seals to swell, and reduce braking performance.

Risk. Reduced braking performance can extend the distance required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder, and flush the brake fluid, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on December 24, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 212.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Seats
Filed Sep 16, 2026NY

I originally brought the vehicle to the dealership for an unrelated infotainment system issue. While driving to the dealership, I noticed that the driver’s seat was rocking/moving, particularly while going downhill. I informed the dealership about the movement and asked them to inspect the seat while the vehicle was there. Upon inspection, the dealership determined that the driver’s seat frame had a weld failure. The vehicle had approximately 42,500 miles at the time. There were no warning lights or dashboard messages indicating a problem with the seat before I noticed the movement. This was not simply a cosmetic or comfort issue. The structural failure allowed the driver’s seat to move during normal vehicle operation. I am concerned that a failed weld in the driver’s seat frame could compromise the stability of the seat during normal driving and potentially during hard braking, an evasive maneuver, or a collision. The defect was identified and documented by the dealership. The vehicle has not been involved in an accident or other event that would explain the seat-frame weld failure. I reported the matter to the manufacturer and a case was opened. I am submitting this complaint because a structural weld failure in a driver’s seat at approximately 42,500 miles raises a safety concern and I believe NHTSA should determine whether similar failures are occurring in other vehicles. The vehicle/failed component can be made available for inspection if requested.

Engine
Filed Sep 16, 2026WI

While driving down the freeway my first row sunroof exploded. Insurance wouldn’t cover it because it is a manufacturer defect, but Hyundai wouldn’t cover it because it “isn’t a manufacturer defect.” The temperature outside when the sunroof exploded was 74 degrees and it was cloudy. Then less than 2 months later my engine got a rod knock even with oil changes every 5k miles. No warning signs for either and no lights on the dash. It just started when I started it to leave for work one morning.

Unknown or Other
Filed Sep 9, 2026IL

I opened my sunroof and heard a noise, I was not able to close it. I took it to a repair shop to see if they could get it closed, they advised a break in the assembly and needs to be replaced. My car is out of warranty and it’s a known issue.

Seats1 injured
Filed Sep 8, 2026100,000 milesOH

The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Palisade. The contact stated that while the liftgate was open to retrieve objects from the trunk of the vehicle, the second-row passenger’s side seat collapsed on her disabled daughter. The contact was alerted by her daughter's screams and ran over to the rear passenger’s side to unhook the seat belt and pull her daughter out of the seat, but the seat remained folded. The contact's daughter suffered injuries to her face and hand. Medical attention was received. The failure recurred while the contact and a nurse were placing the contact's daughter in the rear passenger’s seat. The contact stated that the third-row seat also collapsed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where unknown recall repairs were performed unrelated to the failure. The contact was informed that there were no recalls associated with the VIN for the seats, and the vehicle was not repaired. The insurance company was notified of the failure and had the vehicle towed for inspection. The insurance company determined that the failure was a manufacturer's defect. The manufacturer was notified of the failure by phone, email, and website, and a case was filed. The manufacturer offered a cash settlement. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

Unknown or Other
Filed Sep 7, 2026UT

My car started having the airbag light come off and on randomly the end of January 2026. I caught the first photo February. My car engine shut off the first time March 18. 2026. I was at a traffic light, auto off turned off. Car switched to park, dash lights included: oil, battery, engine, and immobilizer incon. When trying to hit drive it tells me the driving conditions aren't met. I shut the car off and back on, everything reset. Contacted hyundai and no codes were stored. My car has now done this same thing the following dates: 6.5, 7.3, 8.4(car went into the shop August 6th-September 3rd). They could not duplicate what I told them, they drove the car 100 miles being mainly freeway miles though I told them its city driving and mainly idle and stopping. I drove my car 3 days and on 9.6.26 it did it twice within 5 minutes. First time on a main road/traffic lights, next in the parking lot I pulled in. Same scenario as above.

Engine
Filed Sep 1, 2026IL

I am reporting a potential safety defect involving my 2021 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy AWD. The vehicle has experienced repeated engine and drivability problems and multiple breakdowns following replacement of the engine by Hyundai. The original engine developed excessive oil consumption and was ultimately replaced by Hyundai with a new engine. Following the engine replacement, the vehicle experienced numerous additional mechanical problems and repair attempts, including engine rattling/pinging, intake-manifold replacement, oil valve-seal replacement, multiple cylinder misfires, ignition-system problems and an ignition-coil failure. Most concerning are repeated incidents involving severe shaking/lurching, loss of engine power, stalling and failure to restart. During one incident following repairs, the vehicle ran extremely rough, stalled and would not restart after approximately 20 miles of driving and had to be towed back to the dealership. During another incident, the vehicle experienced heavy shaking on startup, stalled and had severely limited power. Diagnostic history showed misfires involving multiple cylinders. On June 29, 2026, at approximately 103,671 miles, I was driving at approximately 50 mph when the vehicle began to lurch and shake, lost power, stalled and would not restart. The vehicle had to be towed back to the Hyundai dealership. The unexpected loss of propulsion and stalling while traveling at approximately 50 mph created a serious safety concern because I

Unknown or Other
Filed Aug 31, 2026CA

I purchased a used 2021 Hyundai Palisades Limited addition , 24 days ago, On August 7th 2026, the car had 57,033 miles at the time of purchase. It now has 57,844. I started to open the sunroof for the 3rd or 4th time since owning it and I heard a crack sound, and it stopped about 4 or 5 inches opened..I tried to open it more and then saw towards the front by the Deflector end that on each side of the track there were little flimsy plastic pieces that looked bent and broken..I now have an open sunroof in the front and the back of it was up. I slowly tapped the switch and managed to get the front closed however the back is still open. As I read more on this I see it is a KNOWN ISSUE with MANY Of these SUNROOFS from 2020-2022 !! TBS 23-BD 003H-1. I just bought this car used just under 30,000 , I have called the dealership , Huntington Beach Hyundai Dealership and my salesman said he would find out if its covered under the limited 60 day warranty. This is just WRONG this should be a RECALL .I'm reading on line hundreds if not thousands have had this happen. I paid just under 30,000 It only has 57,844 miles on it and now I"M to pay from what I read 3,000 - 8,000 to repair or replace this sunroof ??????? This is a SCAM !! I'm requesting that this please be called as a RECALL this is not right ! I will be talking with an attorney who handles lemon laws and inquire what my rights are. I now have to worry about break-Ins and rain , and of course no car washes...I'm so upset I could sp

Structure › Body
Filed Aug 31, 2026OH

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Rear Exhaust System How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Fire hazard as it was similar to a blowtorch, melted several rear panels, lights and trim while driving. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? The dealership (Elyria Hyundai) requested a PA from Hyundai and it was authorized, but am having a very difficult time getting reimbursed. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? I am not sure what the dealership did with the exhaust. At one point, I had requested to keep it for evidence. There are pictures. I suggested having the manufacturer look at it or at least Hyundai. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? There were no warnings. After a 2.5 hr trip, we got out; my children noticed the trim sticking out and melted off the rear right bumper. It was extremely hot to touch and the panels were bulging out from their normal position.

Air Bags
Filed Aug 30, 2026IL

Ive had recalls and they have not been fixed and Hyundai think its ok for me to use this vehicle with no compassion for the safety of my family disgraceful

Visibility/Wiper
Filed Aug 28, 2026CO

While the vehicle was being driven, the sunroof became inoperable, stuck in the tilt position. The motor could be heard running but the glass panel would not move in either direction. There were no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms before the failure. The dealership disassembled the sunroof and found that a spring on the passenger-side sunroof rail had broken, and that the broken spring damaged the rail itself. The dealer confirmed the failure matches Hyundai TSB 23-BD-003H-1, Sunroof Wind Deflector and Mechanism Replacement, issued April 2023. That bulletin applies to certain 2020-2022 model year Palisade vehicles equipped with a sunroof and produced before 5/4/2022, and describes the wind deflector malfunctioning and damaging the sunroof mechanism, leaving the sunroof inoperable. My vehicle falls within that range and experienced that failure. The dealership was able to move the glass panel into a fully closed, flat position, where it appears normal. However, because the rail is broken, the panel is not harnessed in the rail. It can be pushed upward by hand from the passenger side. The dealership stated the panel could move at highway speed and that the vehicle is not secure against entry in this condition. For that reason the dealership has kept the vehicle since 8/24/2026 and provided a loaner rather than returning it to me to drive. The technician documented no signs of misuse or outside damage and noted that the sunroof is rarely used. The vehicle and the broke

Unknown or Other
Filed Aug 26, 2026KY

Sunroof wind deflector broke and guide popped out of assembly. Sunroof is inoperable. I was able to manually close sunroof almost completely but air leak is still present. Water is not leaking in yet but gasket exhibits higher wear due to not being completely sealed. Once gasket inevitably fails, water will leak into car. One dealer inspected and agreed with failure mode assessment but wanted 9 man hours to fix (TSB 23-BD-003H-1 says work should take no longer than 1 hour). No warning lamps or indicators prior to failure. Assembly failed while trying to open sunroof while driving.

Engine
Filed Aug 19, 2026OH

In the past two weeks, our 2021 Hyundai Palisade has shut off completely when driving. It has around 110,000 miles on it and was just purchased used (second owner) three months ago. At that time, the dealership had to fix a leak in the engine and did a complete oil change. Based on internet searches, we just checked the oil dipstick and it is COMPLETELY empty. We have NOT driven more than 3,000 miles since purchasing the vehicle and there is absolutely no oil left. Based on searches, it appears this is a fairly common, known issue and nothing is being done. It is incredibly dangerous that the car shut down while driving (on the highway, in the middle of a right-hand turn). Every single warning light lit up at once then the car completely shut off within a matter of seconds. Thankfully my husband was able to get to the side of the road and no accidents occurred, but this is terrifying and completely unacceptable. The car is going to be towed to the dealership to check for excessive oil consumption, but again, based on research, it appears that this is a known issue but Hyundai says it is "within acceptable limits." PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED.

Engine
Filed Aug 11, 2026CA

I had an oil change in Feb 2026 at 64000 miles. In June, I was driving the car and suddenly the car started jolting while I was idle and would turn off completely when I was stopped. This happened to me while driving on the freeway in traffic and also at a traffic light. I immediately went to the dealership and was told my car had no oil in it. Since the oil change I drove about 5900 miles. I was told there were no leaks so the issue was either the engine or that when I had the oil changed that they forgot to put the oil in. They advised to get an oil test. I drove 1000 miles and took the car back in today 8/11. I had the oil tested and I burned .4 quarts in the 1000 miles which was under the standards of 1 quart per 1000 miles in order to get the issue fixed. I was told that I needed to check my oil and add oil to the car when needed. I left the dealership confused because I have had this car for over a year and never had an issue with the oil or oil levels. I never had any oil indicator on my dashboard to alert me of any issue. I called back the advisor asking more questions because I did not understand how my car burned through so much oil that it was malfunctioning. After being talked to like an idiot about how it is my responsibility to make sure my car has oil, I was finally told that this palisade has a known issue for premature oil consumption once it hits 60000 miles. Then I was told there is no recall and the issue will only get worse and I have to wait till it hits

Seat Belts
Filed Aug 11, 202610,000 milesOH

The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Palisade. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V607000 (SEAT BELTS); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that it was difficult to latch the middle-row driver’s and passenger’s side seat belts. The failure mileage was 10,000.

Air Bags
Filed Aug 11, 2026CO

The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Palisade. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 25V607000 (Seat Belts) and 26V034000 (Air Bags); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. A dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts for the recall repair were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the recall. The contact had not experienced a failure.

Seats
Filed Aug 10, 2026CA

The 3rd row power seat does not detect obstacles. If the folding button is inadvertently hit, the 3rd row will fold and does not stop even if there is an obstacle. Items or people. We had a scare with one of our toddlers where it started to close and didn't stop. Thankfully we were quick enough to hit the open button before anyone was hurt. Multiple time's we've accidentally closed the 3rd row on different items, a few of which were rather large. I am concerned that someone might get hurt or worse if this isn't addressed.

Power Train
Filed Aug 9, 2026IN

My Palisade is burning oil at a rapid pace. I took it to the dealership and they said it was an acceptable level. I don't believe that to be correct. I have less than 100,000 miles on it.

Electrical System
Filed Aug 3, 2026AR

Component/system, available for inspection? Rear visibility system — AVN head unit's processing of the rear camera image. On shift to reverse, screen flickers, shows blinking green, or no rear image. Vehicle available for inspection. Original camera was replaced Jan 2026 and retained by the dealer, not returned. Safety risk? Daily driver used for school pickup. Failure is warm-restart dependent — engine running, repeated shifts into reverse — which is exactly the pickup-line condition. Rear visibility is lost while children move behind the vehicle. System works reliably only after 25+ minutes shut off. Reproduced/confirmed by a dealer? Yes. Crain Hyundai of Bentonville, RO H3CS1330630, 1/13/26. Camera replaced; failure persisted. Same RO then states the head unit "IS GETTING TOO HOT" and needs replacement. No further diagnosis performed. Inspected by manufacturer, police, insurance? Not directly. Hyundai Motor America reviewed (Cases 42288449 / 42326908 / 42619220) but relied solely on dealer diagnosis and confirmed in writing 6/22/26 that it does not audit dealer measurements. No police or insurance involvement. Warning lamps/symptoms, first appearance? First reported by my wife (primary driver) in June 2025; not reproducible on demand for some time, consistent with the intermittent warm-restart pattern later documented. No warning lamps, no DTCs in any accessible module. Only symptom is the display failure itself. 60+ structured tests logged 2/2–2/9/26 documenting the warm-

Seat Belts
Filed Jul 30, 2026IL

Please provide status of solution to this recall, recall goes back to 2025. ***Not waiting for incident, injury or much worse a fatality to happen. *** Your website states the importance of seat belts; we all know the importance of seat belts. Why is this still an open recall?

Engine
Filed Jul 29, 2026OH

Excessive oil consumption. Oil tank empty at 3 oil changes. Car was stalling at stops. Oil was empty 5000 miles prior to next suggested oil change. No low oil indicator light alarm

20 of 434 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2020
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
2026114300Routine
2025244311Fatalities reported
2024385530Above average
2023398500Above average
2022305520Above average
2021 — this page434610Above average
2020533570Above average

Compare every Palisade year →

Reading this record

Complaint volume is well above typical for a single model year.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Jan 22, 2026. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.