2021 Hyundai Palisade Common Problems & Defect Telemetry
Authoritative defect intelligence synthesized from 423 verified NHTSA owner complaints, 6 federal safety recalls, and interquartile failure mileage telemetry.
The 2021 Hyundai Palisade receives a 3.6/10 MazicBay Reliability Index based on 423 verified NHTSA federal complaints and 6 safety recalls. The primary reported failure mode is Airbag Occupant Detection & Inflator Defect Reports with a median failure point at 51,431 miles (IQR: 16,675 – 64,500 mi). Out-of-warranty repairs benchmark at $400 – $1,200 .
49.8 complaints / 10k sold
Verified US federal records
Crash, fire & stall audit
6 Active / Free Remedies
Top Reported Problem Clusters (7)
Airbag Occupant Detection & Inflator Defect Reports
- SRS Airbag warning lamp illuminated
- Passenger occupant classification sensor failure
- Seat belt retractor lockup
“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 contac...”
“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 ...”
“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?”
Electric Power Steering Assist & Suspension Noise Reports
- Sudden loss of electric power steering assist
- Steering wheel pull or highway wander
- Clunking / knocking noise over bumps
“On XXX, after leaving an appointment at an office building, I returned to my vehicle and noticed that the driver’s seat recline function was not working properly. The seat was already pushed forward to its highest position and would not recline further. I was still able to ent...”
“The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Palisade. The contact stated that while driving at a low speed, the power steering failed, several warning lights illuminated, and the engine suddenly stalled. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, where the battery was replaced; however, the failu...”
“I am submitting a safety complaint regarding the panoramic sunroof assembly on my 2021 Hyundai Palisade. The vehicle was purchased as a Hyundai Certified Pre-Owned vehicle in September 2023 with approximately 27,000 miles. The panoramic sunroof had only been opened approximate...”
Engine Stalling, Oil Consumption & Cooling Defect Reports
- Engine sudden stall / hesitation while driving
- Abnormal oil burning / consumption
- Check Engine Light (MIL) flashing
- Engine overheating / coolant loss
“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. Bas...”
“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 imm...”
“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 Parasitic Drain, Infotainment & Harness Reports
- Unexplained battery drain after sitting overnight
- Infotainment display / instrument cluster blackouts
- Accessory malfunction / alternator fault warnings
“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 r...”
“The speedometer, lane departure, heat gauge, and RPM’s and the whole speedometer cluster will stop working. It does this all the time you never know if it will work and then sometimes it will randomly come back but it’s more in the heat it will not work.”
“The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Palisade. The contact stated that while driving at a low speed, the power steering failed, several warning lights illuminated, and the engine suddenly stalled. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, where the battery was replaced; however, the failu...”
Service Brakes, ABS Actuator & Master Cylinder Reports
- Spongy or hard brake pedal travel
- ABS / Brake warning light illuminated
- Extended stopping distance / pedal vibration
“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. Bas...”
“The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Palisade. The contact stated that while driving at a low speed, the power steering failed, several warning lights illuminated, and the engine suddenly stalled. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, where the battery was replaced; however, the failu...”
“Vehicle Incident Statement – 2021 Hyundai Palisade Driver/Owner: [Your Name] Vehicle: 2021 Hyundai Palisade Date of Incident: [Insert Date] Location: Restaurant drive-thru (vehicle stopped in line) Summary of Incident On the date listed above, I was stopped in a restaurant dri...”
Transmission Hesitation, Hard Shifting & Slipping Reports
- Hard gear shifts / delayed engagement into Drive/Reverse
- Transmission shudder / jerking under acceleration
- Transmission slipping between gears
“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.”
“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 r...”
“In May 2025, I contacted Hyundai regarding excessive oil consumption in my 2021 Palisade. In June, Hyundai directed me to take the vehicle to a dealership for testing. Under TSB 23-EM-008H (...), a failed oil consumption test requires engine replacement. My vehicle is covered ...”
Fuel Pump Pressure Loss & Fuel Delivery Defect Reports
- Sudden loss of propulsion power at highway speeds
- Extended engine cranking / failure to restart
- Fuel odor near fuel tank / engine bay
“The vehicle would shut off when idling at lights or in reverse and have delayed acceleration after stops. It also would shut off when idling in park. I took it to the dealership summer-fall 2025 and they were too busy to investigate the issue because no alarms were present. Th...”
“When I push on the brake the car starts to tug. Feels like it wants to turn off. Happened several times after I got a recall checked. 2 weeks ago same thing was happening and my car all of a sudden turns off. The lights on the dashboard turned on and the emergency brake engage...”
“My Hyundai Palisade engine light came on and started missing. Engine was making a rattling noise under hood and felt like it was going to die, Took to Dealer and code p0087 p219e were low and inbalanced also 3 fuel injector was bad and 1 cylinder was bad that was on 12-8-23 on...”
Official NHTSA Safety Recalls (6)
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FLUID
Summary: 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.
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR
Summary: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Palisade vehicles. The windshield wiper motor may become inoperative, causing the wipers to fail.
TRAILER HITCHES
Summary: 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.
VISIBILITY/WIPER
Summary: 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.
SEAT BELTS: REAR/OTHER:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
Summary: 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.
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN
Summary: 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."
Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist for 2021 Hyundai Palisade
Before purchasing a used 2021 Hyundai Palisade, perform the following targeted inspections based on reported federal defect patterns:
Scan the OBD-II port under the dash for pending freeze-frame codes (e.g. P0300 misfires, P0087 fuel rail pressure, P0420 catalytic efficiency).
Test vehicle at low-speed stop-and-go and highway merges. Check for delayed reverse engagement or gear shift shudder between 2nd and 3rd gears.
Verify that all 6 NHTSA safety recall campaigns have been performed by an authorized dealership using the VIN.
Ensure the instrument cluster, center screen, and auxiliary charging ports operate with stable 12.0V–14.4V alternator voltage.
Defect & Reliability Q&A: 2021 Hyundai Palisade
Is the 2021 Hyundai Palisade a reliable used car?
The 2021 Hyundai Palisade earns a 3.6/10 MazicBay Reliability Index based on 423 federal owner reports. Vehicles maintained under factory service schedules exhibit strong longevity past 150,000 miles.
What is the most frequent defect reported on the 2021 Hyundai Palisade?
The leading complaint category is Airbag Occupant Detection & Inflator Defect Reports, with a median failure point around 51,431 miles (IQR: 16,675 – 64,500 mi).
Are there free recall repairs available for the 2021 Hyundai Palisade?
Yes, the NHTSA records 6 safety recall campaign(s) for this model year. All safety recalls are performed 100% free of charge by authorized franchise dealerships regardless of vehicle warranty status.

