2021 Hyundai Palisade reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2021 Hyundai Palisade has 435 complaints with NHTSA after 6 years, or 55 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Palisade years here — under the median of the other years, which is 89. NHTSA has 6 recalls on file, including Curtain, Buckle, and Visibility and wipers.

2020 Hyundai Palisade — Photo by Kevauto, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0

Complaints

435

Per year

Recalls

Years on the road

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Seat belts (108 of 435), then Engine (57) and Electrical system (55). Those filings include 8 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, and 10 that report an injury.

Next to 2020 and 2022

The 2020 Palisade has 536 complaints, 71 per year, and the 2022 has 306 complaints, 53 per year. The 2021 has fewer complaints per year than the 2020. The 2021 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2022.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2021 Hyundai Palisade. How we count. Data as of 2026-10-16.

Recalls (6)

Recall air bags, side and window, curtain 2026-01-23 · NHTSA campaign 26V034000

Summary Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Palisade vehicles. The side curtain air bags for third-row occupants may deploy improperly in a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 226, "Ejection Mitigation."

Remedy Dealers will install a protective film over the rear window and remove padding, as necessary free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed beginning March 13, 2026. Final remedy owner letters will be mailed in phases, beginning in June 2026 and expected to continue through December 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 292. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 24, 2026.

Recall seat belts, rear or other, buckle 2025-09-12 · NHTSA campaign 25V607000

Summary Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Palisade vehicles. The seat belt buckles in the driver, passenger, and second-row window seats may fail to latch.

Remedy Passengers are advised to insert the belt firmly into the buckle with a quick and direct motion, pulling on the belt to confirm the seat belt is fully secured, until the recall remedy is performed. Dealers will replace the seat belt buckle assemblies, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed beginning October 23, 2025. Final remedy owner letters will be mailed in phases, beginning in June 2026 and expected to continue through December 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 283. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on September 13, 2025.

Recall Visibility and wipers 2023-03-17 · NHTSA campaign 23V180000

Summary Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Palisade vehicles. The windshield wiper motor may operate intermittently or fail to operate due to snow or ice buildup on the windshield, causing the wipers to fail.

Remedy Dealers will replace the driver-side windshield wiper arm, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 15, 2023. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 243. This recall is an expansion of recall number 22V-627.

Recall trailer hitch 2022-08-18 · NHTSA campaign 22V633000

Summary Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling 2020-2022 Palisade vehicles potentially equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Hyundai dealership. Debris and moisture accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.

Remedy Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will install a new fuse and wire extension kit, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 18, 2023. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 235.

Recall visibility, windshield wiper, motor 2022-08-15 · NHTSA campaign 22V627000

Summary Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Palisade vehicles. The windshield wiper motor may become inoperative, causing the wipers to fail.

Remedy Dealers will replace the driver-side windshield wiper arm, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 13, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 233.

Recall hydraulic brakes, fluid 2021-10-27 · NHTSA campaign 21V840000

Summary Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021 Palisade vehicles. The brake fluid may be contaminated, which can cause the brake master cylinder inner-cup seals to swell, and reduce braking performance.

Remedy Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder, and flush the brake fluid, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on December 24, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 212.

Complaints by component (435 total)

Seat belts

108

Engine

Electrical system

Visibility and wipers

Suspension

Powertrain

Forward collision avoidance

Structure

Visibility

Seats

Steering

Trailer hitch

Air bags

Fuel and propulsion system

Service brakes

Lane departure

Speed control

Exterior lighting

Back-over prevention

Wheels

Hydraulic brakes

Chest clip, buckle, and harness

Engine and engine cooling

Equipment

Latches, locks, and linkages

Tires

Show 18 more Show less

Crash-flagged

Fire-flagged

Injury reports

Death reports

Complaints filed per year

Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings

"I have been dealing with the oil consumption issues for this vehicle for about 2 years now. There are documented complaints and a class action lawsuit in California about this issue. Bottom line, the engine burns too…"
Engine · filed 2026-09-23
"I originally brought the vehicle to the dealership for an unrelated infotainment system issue. While driving to the dealership, I noticed that the driver’s seat was rocking/moving, particularly while going downhill. I…"
Seats · filed 2026-09-16
"While driving down the freeway my first row sunroof exploded. Insurance wouldn’t cover it because it is a manufacturer defect, but Hyundai wouldn’t cover it because it “isn’t a manufacturer defect.” The temperature…"
Structure, Engine · filed 2026-09-16
"I opened my sunroof and heard a noise, I was not able to close it. I took it to a repair shop to see if they could get it closed, they advised a break in the assembly and needs to be replaced. My car is out of warranty…"
Unknown or other · filed 2026-09-09
"The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Palisade. The contact stated that while the liftgate was open to retrieve objects from the trunk of the vehicle, the second-row passenger’s side seat collapsed on her disabled daughter.…"
Seats · filed 2026-09-08

NHTSA crash ratings

Version	Overall	Front	Side	Rollover
2021 Hyundai Palisade SUV AWD	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars
2021 Hyundai Palisade SUV FWD	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim	Engine	Transmission	Drive	City	Hwy	Combined	Annual fuel cost
Palisade all-wheel drive	3.8L, 6-cyl	Automatic (8-speed)	All-wheel drive	19	24	21 MPG	$3100
Palisade front-wheel drive	3.8L, 6-cyl	Automatic (8-speed)	Front-wheel drive	19	26	22 MPG	$2950

Specs and fitment

LX2 generation, 2020–present

Body styles SUV

Oil 0W-20 (3.8L V6) , 6 qt capacity

Tire size 245/60R18 to 245/50R20 (trim dependent)

Towing capacity 5,000 lbs

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA campaign 21V840000. Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021 Palisade vehicles. The brake fluid may be contaminated, which can cause the brake master cylinder inner-cup seals to swell, and reduce braking performance. Reduced braking performance can extend the distance required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder, and flush the brake fluid, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on December 24, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 212.

Compare

Previous year 2020 Hyundai Palisade Next year 2022 Hyundai Palisade See every Hyundai Palisade model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2021 Hyundai Palisade reliable?

What are common problems with a 2021 Hyundai Palisade?

Is the 2021 Hyundai Palisade more reliable than the years next to it?

Has the 2021 Hyundai Palisade been recalled?

The 2021 Hyundai Palisade has 6 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2021 Hyundai Palisade?

Owners have filed 435 complaints about the 2021 Hyundai Palisade with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2021 Hyundai Palisade get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2021 Hyundai Palisade is 21.5 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does a Palisade take?

0W-20 (3.8L V6)

What does NHTSA recall 21V-840 cover on the Hyundai Palisade?

NHTSA campaign 21V840000.

What generation is the 2021 Hyundai Palisade?

LX2 generation (2020-present).