2021 Hyundai Palisade Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
GoodComplaint Index
40/100
#4 most-complained of 6 Palisade years
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
The 2021 Hyundai Palisade has 435 owner complaints and 6 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 40 out of 100 — #4 highest of 6 Palisade model years (verdict: Good). The most reported problem area is seat belts (108 complaints, 25% of the total). Complaints report 8 crashes, 1 fire, and 20 injuries.
- Complaints
- 435
- Recalls
- 6
- Crashes / fires
- 8 / 1
- Injuries / deaths
- 20 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 21.5
- 19 city / 25 hwy
Top 2021 Hyundai Palisade problems
NHTSA owner 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%)
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 a reliable year?
- Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2021 Hyundai Palisade ranks #4 of 6 among Palisade model years (Complaint Index 40/100, verdict: Good). It has 435 complaints and 6 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
- What are the most common problems with the 2021 Hyundai Palisade?
- The most reported problem areas are seat belts (108 complaints), engine (63 complaints), and visibility & wipers (62 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 3,500 miles.
- Does the 2021 Hyundai Palisade have any recalls?
- Yes — NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2021 Hyundai Palisade, most recently reported 2026, covering airbags, seat belts, visibility & wipers, and structure & body.
- What is the fuel economy of the 2021 Hyundai Palisade?
- EPA rates the 2021 Hyundai Palisade at 21.5 MPG combined (19 city / 25 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,025. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.