Hyundai halts Palisade power-seat folding after fatal Ohio incident; recall planned

Hyundai Motor Co. said it has identified safety issues with the All-New Palisade’s second- and third-row power-seat folding function. Under certain conditions, the system may fail to detect contact with a passenger or object, leading the company to temporarily halt sales of the affected option.

Reuters reported that a fatal incident occurred on the 7th in Ohio involving a two-year-old girl linked to the Palisade’s power-seat feature. Hyundai said it will address the issue before resuming sales of the option.

The automaker said it will strengthen the system’s safety, including increasing the sensitivity of occupant- and object-detection and restricting the folding function to situations where the tailgate is open. Hyundai plans to resume sales only after implementing the fixes.

Hyundai also said it will pursue a voluntary recall for affected vehicles and will file recall notices with Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration next week.

The recall covers vehicles produced through March 11 of this year, with 57,474 units in Korea and 74,965 units in North America identified as in-scope. The figures reflect production, not necessarily all vehicles sold there.

Last year, Hyundai noted, the All-New Palisade was exported globally in about 100,000 units and domestic sales reached 59,506 units. The company emphasized that safety is its top priority and apologized for the inconvenience caused to customers.

The incident has broader relevance for U.S. readers, given the Palisade’s popularity in the American market and Hyundai’s exposure to regulatory scrutiny and recall costs. The episode underscores how safety features in family-oriented SUVs can influence consumer confidence, regulatory oversight, and cross-border supply chains as automakers push advanced seating and sensing technologies.