Hazy windows, faulty brakes, malfunctioning seats, and engine issues are among the top complaints received by the NHTSA from vehicle owners
Are you having issues with your tow hitch harness? Read about our Hyundai Palisade Tow Hitch Class Action Investigation.
Considered to be Hyundai’s flagship SUV, the Hyundai Palisade is punted as “a bold midsize SUV” by the manufacturer. It offers seating for as many as eight people, plus roomy cargo space and lots of high tech features. And it’s been selling well despite complaints from consumers.
Clearly it hasn’t been plain sailing since the stylish 2020 SUV was launched in the U.S. in the summer of 2019. There have been lots of complaints to the Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and several recalls.
Lemberg Law is also currently investigating consumer complaints about 2022 Hyundai Palisades that have been fitted with sunroofs that shatter spontaneously. You can read more about our class action investigation here.
We are also monitoring complaints filed with the NHTSA. There have been a total of 195 complaints about the initial 2020 model and 106 complaints about the 2021 model. So far, there are only a handful of complaints about the 2022 model, but we can’t ignore them.
We are also aware that there is an urgent recall that potentially affects as many as 245,030 of the 2020, 2021, and 2022 Hyundai Palisades. Owners of vehicles that are equipped with a tow hitch harness have been warned that it might catch fire while driving or parked. This applies to both harnesses that were installed as original equipment as well as those purchased later as an accessory. The 2023 model hasn’t been included in the recall. But it’s as well to be aware of the issue since every other Palisade is potentially affected.
Click on other model year to view more problems: 2020 2021 2022
Complaints about the 2023 Hyundai Palisade are varied, but the largest number (14 out of 21) relate to hazy glass on the windows. Other complaints are about the engine, brakes, forward collision avoidance, lane departure, electrical system, and the seats of the Palisade.
| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Visibility/wiper | |
| Unknown Or Other | |
| Engine | |
| Power Train | |
| Electrical System | |
| Service Brakes | |
| Vehicle Speed Control | |
| Visibility:glass, Side/rear | |
| Visibility:sun/moon Roof Assembly | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking |
Complaints about the Palisade having hazy glass in some of its windows have been pouring into the NHTSA. They don’t say a lot, just that the windows aren’t clear and impact visibility. It seems that the second row, double-paned windows are the most badly affected. This may be because there is a tint between the panes. Weather conditions also appear to have a significant effect, especially when it’s sunny.
An owner from New York states that both his rear side windows have “a significant haze/cloudiness” that cannot be removed, even with “heavy cleaning. It appears that the acoustic laminate layer within the glass is hazy, impeding the driver’s view when the sun hits the glass causing difficulty seeing other traffic or objects while driving.”
Many of the complaints state this is a safety issue. Generally, dealerships seem to agree that there is a problem, but there is no indication of Hyundai taking steps to rectify hazy glass issues.
There is also substantial discussion in the Palisade forum about this problem. Many of the comments are similar to those made in NHTSA complaints. For example: “We noticed that the back passenger windows both seem to have a cloudy look to them that is really noticeable in the sun. Like there is a film on them that won’t come off.”
Some members are demanding that their windows be replaced. But as one owner comments: “Even if the service department orders new windows, it’s possible that the same defective ones show up. Probably have to wait till Hyundai acknowledges the problem…”
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As a complaint on the NHTSA website states, it isn’t safe when the brakes of any vehicle don’t work properly. In this instance, the engine shut off three times while driving during the first 17 days of owning a brand new Palisade. It happened when leaving the highway at a decreasing speed of about 40-55 mph.
“I was happy no-one was in front of me for 3x and I could stop safely without hurting anyone.” There were no warning or indicator lights before or after the incident.
The owner took the car to the dealer for inspection together with a video of the dashboard when it happened. This shows “lights flashing and emergency beeping,” but he maintains that the dealer didn’t take it seriously.
“This is a SERIOUS problem that could lead to a fatality sooner or later.”
A complaint about faulty seats also warns that someone could be killed if the issue is not remedied.
The problem is that after pressing the side button on the seat for the auto-folding function, the seat would no longer lock into its track. The dealer acknowledged the problem but said it would take a month to get the part. Stating that she had only had the vehicle for two days, the owner of the Palisade said:
“I’m completely disgusted at the thought (that) my child could be killed by a seat that just slides back and forth with nothing stopping forward or rear movement other than my driver’s seat or the rear 3rd row seat. I’m pretty sure (that) in the event of an accident, forward motion to that degree would probably cause severe, if not deadly, injuries.
A complaint logged under forward collision avoidance and another logged under engine and “unknown or other” appear to be reporting a similar fault.
The first states that twice the car made “warning and high beeping sounds” to shift to Park and then shut off randomly. This happened while driving at 65 and 35 mph. Additionally, the car randomly gave “wrong-way notifications even on the perfectly straight road over and over again.”
The second, related complaint states that, “While driving on the highway, a safety alert appeared saying, Engine is Off. Shift to P or N. The car then turned off on its own, and had to be restarted.”
The driver didn’t press the ignition or shift buttons before the alert went off. ”Essentially, the engine stalled and the car stopped on its own while driving.”
Another complaint in the Engine category states that leaving a parking lot, the Palisade engine shut off and an engine failure message flashed. Although the SUV had been running for more than 2 weeks, the dealer told the owner to have it towed if it happens again.
Generally, if a vehicle of any kind has problems that recur and affect the use, value, or safety of those using the vehicle, there’s a possibility it may be a lemon. Do you have issues and think that your 2023 Hyundai Palisade could be a lemon? If so you are welcome to contact Lemberg Law for free help.
All you have to do is give us a call on our Helpline or fill in our contact form. We will assess your problems as quickly as possible and let you know. If we agree you have a lemon we can negotiate a settlement deal on your behalf. The law says that Hyundai must pay your lemon law legal bills, so you’ve got nothing to lose.
Brian Jones spent more than 30 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
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I have a 2023 Calligraphy and I noticed an issue with all four windows; if your driving at <60mph and let any of windows down, the window will not seal without slowing down and then rolling the window up. It took 4 months to get into service, a month to get the parts, and no loaner vehicle was offered or available….. vehicle still has issue!!!
The head unit for this vehicle has never worked properly. I cannot use the map, navigation, blue tooth or even change the radio station. I attempted to reach the dealership regarding these issue in October 2022. After months with no returned calls (7 voicemails left), they finally got back with me when I left a couple of nasty online reviews. The communication with this dealership has been terrible to say the least. After finally getting the vehicle into their dealership mid January, they ordered me a new head unit. Now I am being told that there is no estimate as to when or if the head unit will be replaced. There are a few other issues that may be related to head unit- the compass in the dash no longer works, the passenger talk has never worked, the auto-dimmer does not work properly (stays dim even when you come back to the light) and the phone charger/USB does not work sometimes.
In addition, the vehicle will put itself into neutral on occasion while in snow mode. It is terrifying because all of sudden, you cannot accelerate and when there are vehicles behind you, that is a problem.
Also, it has gone out of alignment twice. I noticed a grinding sort of noise when backing up a few times and believe this may be related.