Over 60,000 Hyundai Palisade SUVs Recalled After Child Dies
This one is serious. If you own a 2026 Hyundai Palisade Limited or Calligraphy, stop what you're doing and read this.
Hyundai has issued a stop sale and is moving toward a recall of more than 60,000 Palisade SUVs following the death of a 2-year-old girl in Ohio on March 7. The incident is still under investigation, but it's connected to a defect in the vehicle's power-folding rear seats — and the company isn't waiting around for answers before acting.
"While Hyundai does not yet have the full details and the incident is still under investigation, a young child lost her life," the company said in a statement. "Hyundai extends its deepest sympathies to her family."
What's Actually Wrong With the Seats
The Palisade Limited and Calligraphy trims come standard with power-folding second and third-row seats. Under normal circumstances, those seats are supposed to detect contact — meaning if something or someone is in the way, they stop moving.
That's not happening reliably.
According to Hyundai, in certain situations the seats may not detect contact with a person or object as intended and will continue folding regardless. A child sitting in or near that seat area while the power-fold function activates is in serious danger. That's the defect. That's what's under investigation in connection with the Ohio toddler's death.
Which Vehicles Are Affected
Only two trims are impacted — both from the 2026 model year: The 2026 Hyundai Palisade Limited and the 2026 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy.
Both have been hit with a stop sale in the United States and Canada, meaning dealers cannot sell these vehicles until the issue is resolved.
If you're not sure which trim you have, check your paperwork or call your dealer. If you recently bought a new Palisade and it has power-folding third-row seats, assume you're affected until you confirm otherwise.
What You Should Do Right Now
Hyundai has been direct about what owners need to do in the meantime — and the message is simple: don't use those power seat functions unless the vehicle is completely empty.
No kids nearby. No passengers still climbing out. Nobody's bag sitting in the seat path. Empty vehicle, then fold.
Hyundai specifically advised owners to avoid pressing the seatback button during entry or exit — which is exactly the moment when someone is most likely to be in or near that seat area. That's when this becomes dangerous.
Until a fix is in place, treat those power-folding features like they don't exist unless the car is completely clear. It's an inconvenience. It's also the difference between a close call and a tragedy.
What Hyundai Is Doing About It
A permanent recall repair is currently in development and Hyundai is submitting finalized details to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. While owners wait for that fix, Hyundai is offering rental vehicles to impacted customers — which is worth taking them up on if you're uncomfortable driving the vehicle in its current state.
On the faster end, an over-the-air software update is being developed that should enhance how the system detects contact with people and objects. Hyundai says that update will be available by the end of March. It's not the full fix, but it's a meaningful safety improvement in the short window before the complete remedy rolls out.
Owners with questions can reach Hyundai's customer assistance center directly for information specific to their vehicle.
A Little Context
The Palisade is Hyundai's largest SUV and one of the brand's only three-row models — making it a popular choice for families. The 2026 redesign had been generating a lot of buzz among reviewers and Hyundai fans before this recall surfaced. It's closely related to the Kia Telluride, another family favorite from the same South Korean automaker.
The irony is brutal — a family-focused vehicle with a dangerous defect in the exact features families use most. Power-folding seats exist specifically to make life easier when you're loading kids and gear. A toddler losing her life because those same seats failed to detect her presence is devastating, and it's the right call for Hyundai to move fast and loudly on this one.
If you own one of the affected vehicles, don't wait for the mail notice. Call your dealer today, ask about the rental vehicle option, and keep those power-fold features completely off limits until the fix is confirmed.
A software update by end of March is coming. The full remedy is on its way. Until then — treat those seats like they're manual.
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