2021 Hyundai Palisade Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Caution The 2021 Hyundai Palisade has 435 NHTSA complaints, a complaint index of 40, and 6 recalls, ranking 4th worst of 6 model years. It carries a Caution verdict, capped due to a Park Outside recall despite a moderate complaint index.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 40/100
- #4 of 6 Palisade years
- Verdict
- Caution
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 435
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 6
- 1 Park Outside
- Crashes
- 8
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 1
- Injuries
- 20
- Top issue
- Seat Belts
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 21.5
- 19 city / 25 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 20 / 0
Top 2021 Hyundai Palisade problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Seat Belts108 (25%)
- Other83 (19%)
- Engine63 (14%)
- Visibility & Wipers62 (14%)
- Electrical System57 (13%)
- Structure & Body45 (10%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires31 (7%)
- Transmission & Powertrain23 (5%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras22 (5%)
- Steering13 (3%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Airbags sometimes fail to deploy in side-impact crashes, or deploy improperly by inflating toward the windshield instead of the passenger.
- Some owners report brake pedals feeling stuck or unresponsive, with the forward collision braking system failing to activate before a crash.
- Windshields have cracked from small road debris shortly after purchase, in one case within two days of ownership and under 100 miles.
- Lane-keeping assist has been reported to steer the vehicle abruptly into an adjacent lane or oscillate between lane edges before the driver regains control.
- One owner described a fire that started immediately after a low-speed collision, with airbags deploying just before the vehicle caught fire.
- The shift mechanism layout has been described as counterintuitive, leading to confusion between drive and reverse.
2021 Hyundai Palisade recalls
6 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- 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.
- 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.
- NHTSA 23V180000Mar 17, 2023Visibility & Wipers167,085 vehicles
Visibility/wiper
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.
Risk: Windshield wiper failure can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
2021 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.
2021 compared with other Palisade years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2021 Hyundai Palisade reliable?
- NHTSA data shows 435 complaints and a complaint index of 40 for the 2021 Palisade, ranking 4th worst among the 6 model years with data. It carries a Caution verdict.
- Does the 2021 Hyundai Palisade have any recalls?
- Yes, NHTSA lists 6 recalls for the 2021 Palisade, covering airbags, seat belts, wiper motors, a tow hitch harness, and brake fluid contamination. One of these is a Park Outside recall, which capped the verdict at Caution.
- What is the top problem area for the 2021 Palisade?
- Seat Belts is the top problem area, accounting for 108 complaints, or 25% of all reported issues, with a median mileage at failure of 50,000.
- How does the 2021 Palisade compare to other Palisade years?
- The 2021 model's complaint index of 40 is lower than 2020 (60), 2024 (100), and 2025 (80), but higher than 2022 (0) and 2023 (20). Despite this, its verdict is Caution because of a Park Outside recall.
- Are there any fires or crashes reported for the 2021 Palisade?
- NHTSA data lists 8 crashes, 1 fire, and 20 injuries, with no deaths reported, out of 435 total complaints.