Hyundai Motor reported four minor injuries on Friday as a result of power folding rear seats in the Palisade SUV. This comes after the South Korean automaker stopped sales of the vehicle on March 17 after a two-year-old child died due to a problem with the powered seat in Ohio.
Hyundai announced recently that it was recalling 68,500 units of the Palisade in the U.S. and Canada after the rear seat caused the death of a child.
The 2026 Palisade Limited and Calligraphy variants have stopped being sold due to a problem with the second- and third-row powered seat assemblies that may not respond to contact with an occupant during the activation of certain functions.
The problem first came to light toward the end of last year, when Hyundai received three complaints about the rear power seat, which was then treated as a low-risk issue.
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However, after the death of the child in the third row, the automaker has admitted that it received four reports of minor injuries to second-row occupants, according to a report by CNBC, bringing the total number of incidents to 17.
Hyundai Working on a Permanent Fix to Solve The Power Seat Problem
MotorBiscuit reported the issue with the power seat last week and stated that Hyundai dealers are legally prohibited from selling any new 2026 Limited or Calligraphy Palisades until a permanent solution is implemented.
Until then, Hyundai is currently working on an over-the-air software update that could be released by the end of March 2026, increasing the sensitivity of the seat’s contact sensors temporarily.
Hyundai is working with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for an official recall so that the permanent fix can be performed at local dealerships free of charge once the solution is developed.
For customers who do not feel safe driving their Palisade SUV, Hyundai has offered free rental vehicles through its dealership network until they receive a permanent fix.
Hyundai Palisade owners affected by the power seat problem are cautioned against placing a child or pet on the second and third row seats when pressing any of the power-folding buttons.
Owners are also advised to avoid pressing the second-row seatback button when passengers are climbing into or out of the third row.
