Hyundai Motor Company announced a sales halt for certain models of the Palisade SUV in Canada and the United States due to a power seat issue that led to a tragic incident in Ohio involving a two-year-old girl. The affected models are the 2026 Hyundai Palisade Limited and Calligraphy trims, where the second- and third-row power seats may not properly detect contact with occupants or objects. This development comes after a fatality on March 7, although specific details were not disclosed.
Approximately 68,500 vehicles are included in the recall, with around 8,000 of them in Canada. Hyundai expressed condolences to the family of the child and noted that the incident is still under investigation. The company is actively working on a fix for the recall and is offering rental vehicles to affected customers until a permanent solution is available.
Hyundai advised caution when using the second- and third-row power seat functions, emphasizing the importance of ensuring no person or object is in the seat or its folding area before activation. An interim over-the-air software update is in development and is expected to be released by the end of March to improve the system’s response to contact with occupants or objects, implement additional safety measures, and enhance overall system reliability.
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has not yet provided a comment on the matter.