YearToAvoid

2021 Hyundai Palisade Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA lists 23 transmission & powertrain complaints for the 2021 Hyundai Palisade, 5% of its 435 total complaints for the year. No related recalls are listed. Median mileage at failure across this problem area is 812 miles, though several higher-mileage failures also appear in owner reports.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
23
5% of 435
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
812 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical transmission symptoms owners report

  • Owners describe a vibration felt in the seat and steering wheel at highway speeds, often starting with very low mileage and persisting after dealers rotated tires, replaced the drive shaft, and replaced the rear differential.
  • Some owners report the AWD/HTRAC system throwing an error and cutting power to the rear wheels, sometimes accompanied by water intrusion or loss of driver assistance features like adaptive cruise and lane keep assist.
  • Several complaints describe the 4WD coupler failing, causing hesitation when pulling out of parking lots or turning, with the part replaced more than once under warranty.
  • Owners report sudden loss of power or transmission failure, including jerking under load, the vehicle refusing to shift out of park, or a clunking noise followed by loss of drive during turns.
  • A few complaints describe catastrophic engine failure with knocking noises, misfiring, rough idling, and in one case a transmission replacement around 98,000 miles.
  • One owner reported abnormal oil consumption of 2-3 quarts per several hundred miles, with oil level found below the low mark on the dipstick.

When 2021 Hyundai Palisade transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Dec 31, 2020, latest Aug 9, 2026.

2021 Hyundai Palisade transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per month3Dec 2020Dec 2021Jun 2024Sep 2025Jan 2026May 2026
23 complaints filed with NHTSA from Dec 2020 to Aug 2026; peak Dec 2025 (3).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2021 Hyundai Palisade

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Palisade model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 202040 (7%)
  2. 202123 (5%)
  3. 202216 (5%)
  4. 202338 (10%)
  5. 202413 (3%)
  6. 20259 (4%)

Frequently asked questions

How common are transmission and powertrain complaints on the 2021 Hyundai Palisade?
NHTSA lists 23 transmission & powertrain complaints for the 2021 Palisade, making up 5% of its 435 total complaints for the year.
Is there a recall for 2021 Hyundai Palisade transmission or powertrain issues?
No related recalls are listed in NHTSA data for this problem area on the 2021 Palisade.
What powertrain problems do 2021 Palisade owners report most?
Owners describe high-speed vibration, AWD/HTRAC error codes, 4WD coupler failures, and sudden loss of power, sometimes with jerking transmission behavior or engine knocking.
At what mileage do these transmission problems typically show up?
The median mileage at failure across the transmission & powertrain complaints for the 2021 Palisade is 812 miles, though some complaints in the sample describe failures at much higher mileage.
Did any of these complaints involve crashes or fires?
NHTSA data shows 0 crashes and 0 fires reported among the transmission & powertrain complaints for the 2021 Palisade.

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.