NHTSA has received 429 owner complaints about the 2021 Hyundai Palisade, or 75.6 per year on the road — more complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 1.80, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 85 model-year 2021 vehicles we track, it ranks #74 for fewest complaints per year. Against other Hyundai models its rate is 36% higher; against other Midsize SUVs it is 42% higher.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Complaints filed between 2020-08-05 and 2026-09-01. Median delay from incident to filing: 10 days.
429Complaints
75.6Complaints per year on the road
1.8Complaint index vs. all tracked vehicles
6Recalls · ⚠ 1
1.9%Share involving a crash or fire
117Last 12 months
Analysis
The previous model year (2020) drew 79.1 complaints per year, about the same. The following model year (2022) drew 64.6 per year, fewer than this one. In its first two years on the road the 2021 model collected 112 complaints, 83% higher than the average vehicle of the same model year.
The most common problem area is Airbags & seat belts (25.4% of complaints), followed by Body & structure (16.6%) and Engine (13.1%). Airbags & seat belts complaints are 6.7 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. Within Airbags & seat belts reports, owners most often mention “seat”, “row”, “belt”, “buckle” and “unlatched”. 8 reports (1.9%) describe a crash or fire; owners mention 19 injuries and 0 deaths.
Half of the reported incidents happened within 40 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was years three to five (41% of incidents). In the last 12 months 117 new complaints were filed, versus 107 in the 12 months before — a steady pace.
NHTSA lists 6 safety recalls for this model year, 1 with a do-not-drive or park-outside warning. 48% of the complaints fall in component areas that a recall addresses. 2 NHTSA defect investigations cover this model year; the most recent is “Inadvertent Seat Belt Unlatch” (opened 2024-08-07, closed 2025-12-12).
Complaint index
vs. all tracked vehicles1.8
vs. other Hyundai models1.36
vs. other 2021 models1.98
vs. other Midsize SUVs1.42
Complaints in first 2 years on the road · vs. same-year average (112)1.83
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.
Driver-assist systems · 2026-07-08 · ODI 11749211 · Crash
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…
Electrical · 2026-07-05 · ODI 11748376 · Crash
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.
Engine · 2026-09-01 · ODI 11761344
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.
Interior & equipment · 2026-08-31 · ODI 11761060
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?
Engine · 2026-08-31 · ODI 11761127
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN Campaign 26V034000 · 2026-01-23
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."
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Summary: 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:FLUID Campaign 21V840000 · 2021-10-27
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.
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.
PE24021 · SEAT BELTS · Opened 2024-08-07 · Closed 2025-12-12 · Campaign 25V607 · Model years: 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
On August 7, 2024, the Oï¬ce of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE24021 to investigate complaints alleging inadvertent unlatching of seat belts in model year (MY) 2020-2023 Hyundai Palisade vehicles manufactured by Hyundai Motor America. The complaints alleged that, without warning, the seat belts sometimes inadvertently unlatch, increasing the risk of injury due to full loss of seat belt prot…
Windshield Wiper FailureClosed
RQ22005 · VISIBILITY/WIPER · Opened 2022-12-02 · Closed 2023-05-26 · Campaign 23V180000 · Model years: 2021, 2022, 2023
On August 15, 2022, Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) filed a safety recall (NHTSA Recall 22V-627) of 122,919 model year (MY) 2020-2021 Hyundai Palisade vehicles produced from April 10, 2019 to November 30, 2020. This recall addressed windshield wipers that may function intermittently or stop functioning when impeded by the accumulation of snow and/or ice at the bottom of the windshield. Intermitten…
Frequently asked questions
How many complaints were filed for the 2021 Hyundai Palisade?
429 complaints were filed with NHTSA for the 2021 Hyundai Palisade, or about 75.6 per year on the road.
What is the most common problem reported for the 2021 Hyundai Palisade?
The most common category is Airbags & seat belts, accounting for 25.4% of complaints.
Does the 2021 Hyundai Palisade have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 6 safety recall(s) for this model year. 2 NHTSA defect investigations cover this model year; the most recent is “Inadvertent Seat Belt Unlatch” (opened 2024-08-07, closed 2025-12-12).
Is the 2021 Hyundai Palisade still generating complaints?
In the last 12 months 117 new complaints were filed, versus 107 in the 12 months before — a steady pace.
How does the 2021 Hyundai Palisade compare with similar vehicles?
NHTSA has received 429 owner complaints about the 2021 Hyundai Palisade, or 75.6 per year on the road — more complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 1.80, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 85 model-year 2021 vehicles we track, it ranks #74 for fewest complaints per year. Against other Hyundai models its rate is 36% higher; against other Midsize SUVs it is 42% higher.