YearToAvoid

2020 Hyundai Palisade Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

40/100

#4 most-complained of 6 Palisade years

The 2020 Hyundai Palisade has a Complaint Index of 40 and ranks 4th worst out of 6 model years, earning a "Good" verdict relative to other Palisade years. NHTSA lists 536 complaints, 5 recalls, 13 crashes, and 7 fires for this year.

Complaints
536
Recalls
5
Crashes / fires
13 / 7
Injuries / deaths
16 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
21.5
19 city / 25 hwy

Top 2020 Hyundai Palisade problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Engine146 (27%)
  2. Visibility & Wipers130 (24%)
  3. Other86 (16%)
  4. Suspension, Wheels & Tires65 (12%)
  5. Structure & Body52 (10%)
  6. Seat Belts51 (10%)
  7. Electrical System45 (8%)
  8. Transmission & Powertrain40 (7%)
  9. Airbags25 (5%)
  10. Collision Avoidance & Cameras20 (4%)

What owners report

  • Airbags failed to deploy during intersection and other collisions, including cases where only the driver's leg airbag or steering wheel airbag activated.
  • Vehicles reportedly moved or accelerated on their own at low speeds, including after pressing the Auto Hold button or while parking, leading to collisions.
  • Emergency braking activated unexpectedly on the freeway and in parking lots with no other vehicles nearby.
  • Windshield wipers seized up during a snowstorm, causing a loss of visibility and a rear-end collision.
  • A steering column reportedly sheared off after a minor rear impact on icy roads, disconnecting the steering wheel from the column.
  • One vehicle caught fire in a closed garage shortly after being parked, unoccupied, with the fire possibly starting near the front driver's side.
2020 Hyundai Palisade complaints: complaints filed per quarter572019 Q32020 Q32021 Q32022 Q32023 Q32024 Q32025 Q32026 Q3
703 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2019 Q3 to 2026 Q3; peak 2026 Q2 (57).

2020 Hyundai Palisade recalls

5 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 26V034000Jan 22, 2026Airbags568,576 vehicles

    Air bags:side/window:curtain

    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."

    Risk: Improper side curtain air bag deployment increases the risk of injury during a crash.

    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.

  2. NHTSA 25V607000Sep 11, 2025Seat Belts568,580 vehicles

    Seat belts: rear/other:buckle assembly

    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.

    Risk: Seat belt buckles that fail to latch may not properly restrain occupants in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

    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.

  3. NHTSA 22V633000Aug 18, 2022Structure & Body244,980 vehiclesPark Outside

    Trailer hitches

    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.

    Risk: A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.

    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.

See all 5 recalls for the 2020 Hyundai Palisade →

2020 Hyundai Palisade fuel economy and fuel cost

City
19 MPG
Highway
25 MPG
Combined
21.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,025
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2020 compared with other Palisade years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100202020212022202320242025
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2020Good40536521.5
2021Best20435621.5
2022Best0306521.5

All Hyundai Palisade years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2020 Hyundai Palisade reliable?
Compared to other Palisade years, the 2020 model has a Complaint Index of 40 and ranks 4th worst out of 6 years, giving it a "Good" verdict relative to its siblings. It has 536 NHTSA complaints and 5 recalls.
What are the biggest problem areas for the 2020 Palisade?
Engine complaints make up 27% of reports (146 complaints, median mileage 25,000), followed by Visibility & Wipers at 24% (130 complaints, median mileage 5,043.5) and Suspension, Wheels & Tires at 12% (65 complaints, median mileage 2,538.5).
Does the 2020 Palisade have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 5 recalls for the 2020 Palisade, covering airbags (two separate campaigns), seat belt buckles, a tow hitch harness debris/heat risk, and a windshield wiper motor failure. None are do-not-drive recalls.
How does the 2020 Palisade compare to other years?
The 2020 model's Complaint Index of 40 is lower than the 2023 (60), 2024 (100), and 2025 (80) model years, which are rated Caution or Avoid, but higher than the 2021 (20) and 2022 (0) model years, which are rated Best.
What is the fuel economy of the 2020 Palisade?
The EPA rates the 2020 Palisade at 21.5 mpg combined (19 city / 25 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,025.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.