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Hyundai suspends Palisade sales in North America, Korea in wake of fatal accident

Published: 14 Mar. 2026, 11:35

Hyundai Motor's all-new Palisade SUV [HYUNDAI MOTOR]

Hyundai Motor has suspended sales of the 2026 Palisade model in Korea and North America after safety concerns emerged, and has begun a voluntary recall.

According to the automaker on Saturday, the company halted sales of certain trims of the all-new Palisade in North America — including the Limited and Calligraphy trim levels — and initiated a voluntary recall. Hyundai has also stopped domestic sales in Korea and is preparing a recall. Vehicles produced from last year through Wednesday that are equipped with the second- and third-row power seat folding feature are subject to the recall.

Hyundai said that under certain conditions, the power-folding seats in the second and third rows may fail to detect contact with passengers or objects.

“Sales of vehicles equipped with the feature have been temporarily suspended, and a voluntary recall will be carried out for vehicles that have already been sold as soon as possible,” the company said.

Reuters reported on Friday that Hyundai had suspended sales of some new Palisade models in the United States and Canada and would recall about 68,500 vehicles. The report said the move followed an accident involving a power seat in Ohio on March 7 in which a two-year-old girl died. Hyundai expressed its deepest condolences to the child’s family but said the incident is still under investigation and that details have not yet been confirmed.

Hyundai plans to introduce a temporary over-the-air software update later this month to improve the system’s response to contact with passengers or objects and to implement additional safety measures.

“We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused to our customers,” a Hyundai spokesperson said. “We will continue to prioritize customer safety and thoroughly review all matters to enhance customer trust and satisfaction.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KO SUK-HYUN [[email protected]]