FaultScore

2023 Hyundai Palisade brake problems

82 of the 554 complaints about the 2023 Hyundai Palisade are about the braking system — 15% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 9,775 miles.

C

82

Complaints

3

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Service Brakes 79 96.3%
Service Brakes, Hydraulic 3 3.7%

Brakes across every Hyundai Palisade year

2020 12 2.8%
2021 11 2.6%
2022 10 2.3%
2023 82 19.1%
2024 219 50.9%
2025 96 22.3%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Hill afb, UT

SERVICE BRAKES

The self leveling shocks have gone bad two times now in a matter of 4 months. The first time we had no major issues but the second time it caused the ABS system to kick in while making a left turn. The dealer said it was caused by the car not sensing the correct posture because of the shocks turning on the ABS system and causing us not to be able to brake for about 10-15 feet. If there was a person or vehicle in the way we would have crashed.

NHTSA complaint #11748673 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Ofallon, IL

SERVICE BRAKES

As I approached the traffic light from a parking lot, at slow speeds ie 5mph, I hit a patch of uneven ground where the concrete was uneven. The brakes stuttered and lurched. I pumped the brakes without much success and came within inches of hitting the car ahead of me. This has happened multiple times. Another time, I was approaching an intersection again at approximately 30 mph. The brakes stuttered so hard that I barely stopped before entering the path of the oncoming traffic. On a later separate time, traveling at approximately 35 mph, we were fully in the crosswalk when the car finally stopped. These were just the scariest of times, not inclusive of all occurrences. The trouble began within the first few months of purchasing the car in 2023 and still happens. I reported this to the dealership on several occasions. They claim it is normal for the vehicle but it is a danger to the occupants in the car and the nearby pedestrians.

NHTSA complaint #11728135 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Katy, TX

SERVICE BRAKES

When coming to a stop at a slow speed on uneven ground, my vehicle would not brake. It vibrated and wouldn’t gain traction like the antilock breaking system activated. I had to pump the brake multiple times to finally get the car to stop before hitting the vehicle in front of me. This has happened multiple times when coming to a This has happened multiple times when coming to a stop over the railroad tracks. Upon researching the issue, this seems to be a frequent issue with the Hyundai palisade.

NHTSA complaint #11719795 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Shorewood, IL

SERVICE BRAKES

I am reporting a recurring, life-threatening electronic failure in my 2023 Hyundai Palisade. On [XXX], while turning into an intersection, the vehicle's brakes spontaneously engaged, stalling the car in the path of oncoming traffic. During this event, multiple critical safety systems failed simultaneously, including the headlights and horn, leaving me unable to warn other drivers. A "violent" surge was required to clear the intersection, risking a high-speed collision. Similar spontaneous recurrences occurred on [XXX] and [XXX], and most recently on [XXX]. These incidents are characterized by "phantom braking," total loss of propulsion, and a complete lack of interior/exterior electronic response. Technical Evidence: Diagnostic scans revealed 16 distinct fault codes (including C161608, C181287, and U012687) involving the Chassis Control Module, Electronic Control Unit (ECU), and communication buses. Despite these logged codes, Hyundai and the dealership have repeatedly returned the vehicle to me, stating they "cannot replicate" the issue, thereby dismissing a documented electronic record of failure. Arbitration Status: I entered into BBB Auto Line Arbitration (Case #[XXX]). Hyundai has contested the claim by attempting to manipulate the "start date" of the defect to February 2024 to avoid Lemon Law statutes, despite dealer records confirming the first occurrence in August 2023. As of January 13, 2026, the dealership is again attempting to force me to take delivery of the unrepaired vehicle. This vehicle is a "phantom" safety hazard. The manufacturer’s inability to replicate a logged electronic fault during a brief test drive does not mitigate the extreme risk of sudden braking and power loss at highway speeds. I am requesting a formal investigation into these specific fault codes and the electronic integrity of this model. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11713015 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Grosse ile, MI

SERVICE BRAKES

Vehicle fails to stop when braking after a bump/rough surface in the road. Near miss for rear ending another vehicle. Yes, the problem was reported and demonstrated to the dealer service technician. Yes, the manufacturer has inspected the vehicle. No warnings and has had symptoms since purchase of vehicle in 2023

NHTSA complaint #11712315 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Jeffersonville, IN

SERVICE BRAKES

I was at work and went to move my car in our parking garage. I hit a bump and my front tires started to shake along with my steering wheel, and my brakes wouldn't work. I briefly lost total control over the brakes, steering wheel and tires causing me to almost hit a parked vehicle before everything self corrected. No alerts came on. I recently was hit on my rear passenger side and had repairs done to my vehicle. I had also experienced this shortly after I purchased the car and the dealership supposedly fixed the issue. I’m not shew if the wreck causes this issue to malfunction again or what, but this isn’t safe. I just reported the issue to the collision center that recently repaired my vehicle. Waiting on a response.

NHTSA complaint #11706782 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Mohnton, PA

SERVICE BRAKES

Under normal braking pressures, crossing uneven surfaces, even as normal as markings painted on the road surfaces will result in the abs intervening to a degree beyond what is necessary or safe. No warning lamps or indicators are illuminated, but when this happens, you can hear and feel exaggerated feedback through the brake pedal. The problem has not been able to be replicated by a dealer, but this unnecessary intervention by the abs system dramatically increases stopping distances, resulting in dangerous situations such as rolling through a stop sign into oncoming traffic, or into the rear of the vehicle in front of you. Typically when this problem occurs, the abs will not stop interfering until the brake pedal is completely released and reapplied. The problem has been inspected by a dealer, but with them failing to reproduce the issue, they have not confirmed the issue yet.

NHTSA complaint #11702402 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Liverpool, NY

SERVICE BRAKES

When driving over uneven roads and if you need to apply the brakes abruptly, the ABS engages (shaking brake pedal) and I am unable to immediately stop my SUV until I’m back on even surface. This has occurred twice going over train track Road crossing and someone quickly needed to stop and once I was on the tracks I had to immediately brake but I could not slow down. SUV has 23000 miles.

NHTSA complaint #11697673 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Taylorsville, UT

SERVICE BRAKES

Please see attachment:

NHTSA complaint #11696309 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Oskaloosa, IA

SERVICE BRAKES

My wife and I were coming up to a stop sign the other day and we hit some bumps in the road and were unable to apply the brakes. I pressed down on the pedal but the car went into the intersection before the brakes then applied and the car was then able to stop again. Thank god!! since there was another car coming to the intersection. The car made noises like when the traction control kicks on after hitting a slippery surface on the road, but the car was not stopping and pressing the brakes did not do anything either. I also tried pumping the brakes on the car, but eventually the brakes kicked back in and we came to a hard stop. I have not taken the car into the shop to be looked at yet, but I know Hyundai and they wont find a problem with it and then charge me around $300 for them just to look at it. There was no warning to problem happening as we had never had this problem before and there was no lights on the display for the car when the problem happened.

NHTSA complaint #11691544 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Navarre, FL

SERVICE BRAKES

We were almost in a major accident with 6 passengers in our 2023 Hyundai Palisade. On Wednesday, Oct 1, 2025 we were driving our Palisade to McDonalds off Highway 98 (Navarre Parkway). Please see pics. When we left McDonalds we went on a side road to enter Highway 98. Now on this side road (see pictures) there is some type of metal grate in between the road...well when we went over the grate approaching the stop sign the Palisade went into an immediate violent shudder and there was no control of the vehicle as it felt it was shut down even though I could tell it was on by the interior lights on the gauges. I had absolutely no control of the vehicle. Yes, I was the one driving. I could not brake and the Palisade continue to roll past the stop sign onto Highway 98 with on coming traffic. I couldn't even steer the car because its as though the car had no power. It was totally dead. With my foot pressed hard on the brakes that still did not work I tried to start the car and then it came on. My wife has told me that she experienced this issue at least six times passing this same road and others similar to it. This was the first time I experienced it and we were lucky we were not hit by oncoming traffic. Again, no brakes, no steering control. We were traveling at a slow speed as we were approaching the stop sign on that road with the metal grate, maybe 5 mph or less, but as soon as we went over the grates...all control of the Palisade was lost. Please advise us what to do...as I said we almost had a major accident with 6 passengers because the Palisade did not function as it was designed to do.

NHTSA complaint #11691681 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Woodbury, MN

SERVICE BRAKES

On [XXX] around [XXX], turned right from [XXX] is very bumpy due to potholes. My palisade’s ABS kicked in and I was not able to break my car before the red traffic light. The car went over the light. If there was a car in front of me, I wouldn’t be able to stop my car without accident. This is not the first time my palisade’s ABS suddenly engaged. The ABS seems always kick in when driving in low speed on a bumpy road. I am concerned someday I will have an accident due to the faulty ABS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11688774 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Grosse Ile, MI

SERVICE BRAKES

The braking system has been an ongoing issue, shuddering and grinding when braking and hitting an uneven surface, especially at slower speeds. It has consistently become worse, shuddering, grinding and not stopping when going down a driveway. Tonight when going less than 20MPH and on a smooth surface, it would not stop when coming up to a light/intersection. The shuddering and grinding was much worse and the car kept going forward as if it were on a sheet of ice. The car slid forward more than 20 feet, coming within a few inches of rear-ending the vehicle ahead. It was terrifying! It did the same thing 2 more times in the 3.5 miles to my driveway. Thank goodness there was no other traffic. This is not normal at all and I’m in fear of driving it again.

NHTSA complaint #11688775 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Austin, TX

SERVICE BRAKES

My vehicle has an issue with the anti lock braking system on uneven surfaces. On several occasions since buying the vehicle earlier this year, I've observed the issue of chattering or severe on-off reaction of the ABS to gradual braking onnuneven surfaces. I have not had the issue verified by a dealer yet, but plan to soon. The malfunction has extended stopping distances significantly. I have not noticed warning lights during or after the malfunction, likely because I'm focused on safely bringing the vehicle to a stop during the malfunction. My vehicle can be made available for inspection.

NHTSA complaint #11688574 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Oviedo, FL

SERVICE BRAKES

It appears that the ABS system engages/actuates while driving over gravel or uneven/dirt roads. When the issue occurs, the steering wheel locks up and the vehicle loses almost all braking control. No warning lights, messages or audible chimes show up when the issue occurs. My wife and I have both experienced this issue on numerous occasions. It has become a safety concern since we almost ended up in a ditch...my wife and young children were in the vehicle. I am fearful that we could potentially crash or hit someone due to loss of vehicle control. The vehicle is being brought to the dealership on September 18, 2025, where I will make them aware of this concern. NOTE: the provided "additional details" below are based on the most recent occurrence.

NHTSA complaint #11687636 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bonney Lake, WA

SERVICE BRAKES

When driving over bumps (speed bumps, railroad tracks, sewer lids etc.) at a slow speed while pressing the brakes, the rear passenger brake produces a shuddering or a grinding sensation. This issue has been confirmed by other drivers who have operated my vehicle. When this occurs, it feels as though the vehicle is not stopping properly and the brakes are slipping. I have taken the vehicle to the dealership on two separate occasions; however, the technicians were unable to duplicate the concern. After the most recent inspection, the dealership stated that they could not identify an issue. There are no warning messages or lights displayed on the dashboard when this happens. Through further research, I have found that a number of other owners have reported experiencing the same problem on the NHTSA site. This concerns me that others and myself are having this same issue and there has yet to be a recall or some type of technical service bulletin so the dealers will address this issue.

NHTSA complaint #11686989 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Killeen, TX

SERVICE BRAKES

Anti locking braking system malfunctioning and preventing me from braking at low speeds in a parking lot and at a stop light. No lights on internally (Dash). Had to swerve to avoid hitting the vehicle in front of me at the stop light and had to hit my horn to have the person in the parking lot slam on their brakes to avoid hitting me. Both incidents happened at about 5 miles per hours on flat grounds.

NHTSA complaint #11683982 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Greeley, CO

SERVICE BRAKES

ABS system engaging at unpredictable times. Unable to stop. Have slid into intersection when braking with perfect road conditions. Feels like I hit ice in 100 degree weather. Experience shaking/brakes locking up. Extremely concerning and frightening when I am driving with children in the car and purchased the vehicle under the assumption it had superior safety ratings. Pleading for recall to be issued due to this system.

NHTSA complaint #11681185 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Southborough, MA Crash

SERVICE BRAKES

System that malfunctioned was the braking system Safety was risked because vehicle doesn’t stop as it should at low speed below 30mph. Safety of occupants as well pedestrians and other motorists affected. Problem can be reproduced although dealer refused to confirm. I am in the process of getting it confirmed independently. Vehicle and components not inspected by manufacturer, police nor insurance. Although I am in the process of putting an insurance claim in. The issue has been reported and confirmed by several other owners of same make and model and year. No prior warning of issue to it happening. The problem: At low speed below 30mph and braking simultaneously when going over rough ground (non slippery), potholes or in my accident going over a 6” drain to my garage, the ABS kicks in when it shouldn’t and the brake pedal vibrates and the vehicle lurches a bit. The result is that the braking distance increases significantly. I can reproduce the issue in particular roads areas. The accident I had involved when I was parking the car and the drain cover was dislodged at the entrance to the garage. I hit the brakes as usual but the brakes were ineffective and I ended up crashing into my refrigerator and freezer in the garage which took the full brunt of the impact and were damaged. I hardly had any brakes at all and the fridges took the full impact. Luckily it was at low speed. So only the front bumper got cracked and got damaged along with the fridges being fully crushed in. After the incident I was so shocked at what happened and couldn’t believe I lost the brakes so I found that several other owners of the same vehicle has had the same or even severe brake failures. I was able to replicate the problem fairly consistently in certain roads where it was slightly bumpy or rough. I didn’t want to try in my garage for obvious reasons. Furthermore the emergency brakes and collision warning did not activate either.

NHTSA complaint #11680286 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Saint Johns, FL

SERVICE BRAKES

We purchased this car new around June 2023 from a local Hyundai dealer. The car has been regularly maintained (at the dealer) and only has 20,000 miles approximately. In April of this year, my wife was drive on a very busy highway and suddenly all of the warning lights came on the dashboard and the car shuddered to a very rapid stop. She was lucky to pull off the road or it would have been serious. We got it into the dealer and they called a few days later to say it was fixed. Unfortunately, it was not. It happened again on June 20th this year. We had it towed back to the dealer. It has been there since (today is August 5th). They claim they cannot locate the issue and have been working with Hyundai Motor to troubleshoot. I filed a complaint with Hyundai (and really no assistance offered). Last week, they told us it was repaired and to come get it. My wife barely made it out of the lot before it did the same and came to a sudden stop. Not sure if this is happening to other Hyundai vehicles but this is certainly a dangerous situation... and the fact that they cannot determine the cause or how to fix, we are very concerned.

NHTSA complaint #11678563 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Sandy Hook, CT

SERVICE BRAKES

ABS system malfunctions when traveling over bumps and applying brakes simultaneously. This condition happens intermittently and is found to be present in other automobiles of the same make and model. (Experienced in a rental vehicle). The result of this malfunction is the sensation of the abs system activating by the presence of vibration in the brake pedal. This occurs for a short duration, accompanied by a brief but significant decrease in braking performance. This condition almost caused a collision while entering a busy intersection. Dealer service advisor was notified but declared it to be normal. Also, a formal complaint was sent to the manufacturer.

NHTSA complaint #11678260 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Joliet, IL

SERVICE BRAKES

On July 16, 2025 in stop and go traffic on I55 the cra failed to stop at 5mph. The road was bumpy on an overpass. I attempted to stop the car. The brake pedal was hard and would depress. The accident avoidance system kicked on right before it was about to hit the car in front of me and stopped the car. After that the car braked fine. It did again on July 22, 2025 on a bumpy road. It felt like the car couldn't tell it was suppose to stop on the bumpy road. Almost ran a red light into oncoming traffic as the car only stopped once the road was no longer bumpy. That is hard when living in the Chicago area and the roads are terrible. Dealership claims there is nothing wrong with the car.

NHTSA complaint #11675530 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Jacksonville, TX

SERVICE BRAKES

I noticed my right rear tire skidded on the road when I turned. Went to dealer. They didn't find anything. Leaving a drive through once I hit the other road crossing my tire did the same. It felt like the break was not releasing. Yesterday leaving my driveway we slowed down and both rear tires felt like you were dribbling a ball. As if the breaks were going on and off. It was less than 15 seconds but it was scary. I read an article where in other states other Palisades are having the same issue and they were not repaired. It has to do with the abs per the article. No warning signs pop up on my dashboard. I'm glad I don't drive fast. I'm worried something worse can happen. I did not report to police there was no accident.

NHTSA complaint #11669375 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Brunswick, ME

SERVICE BRAKES

ABS kicks on while going slowly over uneven, bumpy roads, or train tracks. The entire car vibrates and I cannot stop the vehicle even when hitting the brake as hard as possible. The car continues forward for a few seconds after causing me to nearly rear-end other vehicles stopped at a red light.

NHTSA complaint #11666115 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Pacific City, OR

SERVICE BRAKES

We were in slow traffic, stop and go…and my wife went to stop and the car started pulsating and the brake pedal did not work. I checked online and there are reports of this issue and there are no recalls for our car. This was not anyone’s imagination and she had to pull/turn the car to the right to plan on avoiding hitting the car in front of us…as it was pulsating.

NHTSA complaint #11659847 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Plymouth, FL

SERVICE BRAKES

At 2:38 pm on Thursday, April 17th, I was driving southbound on a street and I had just picked up my daughter from school. There were a lot of cars since school just got out. I was behind a car approaching a light going less than 10 miles an hour and braking lightly, then all of a sudden, the ABS system kicked on and my car jerked and vibrated violently forward for about 5 seconds and would not stop. I thought I was going to hit the car in front of me. Finally, I felt the brakes work normally and was able to come to a complete stop. There were no collision warnings or beeps even though I was very close to the car in front me.

NHTSA complaint #11655395 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Martinsburg, WV

SERVICE BRAKES

This is a known issue happening to Palisades and Hyundai isn’t acknowledging the issue. A braking issue has been going on for a while but hadn’t become a safety concern for me until this month. While braking but moving under 10mph, even less, the ABS system will engage without warning when driving over bumps or somewhat uneven road surface. This includes speed bumps. This has happened to me multiple times but never caused me to be in harms way until this month. I was braking for a stop light on a road with numerous small potholes. As I was slowing to stop, the ABS issue occurred. I braked as hard as I could but continued to get the push back/the automatic pumping action of the ABS system and continued moving forward. The car was shaking as well. I continued pushing the brake/attempting to get the brake to engage the entire time, and my car finally stopped, mere inches away from rear ending the car stopped in front of me. I was slowing at a safe distance and would have stopped at more than a safe enough distance away if my car had let me stop. Now I’m deathly afraid of hitting a bump or some sort of uneven road when I need to stop and my car not stopping and hitting someone else, something else, or losing further control of the vehicle. No lights came on or any noises made to indicate a system was activated. My car also didn’t warn me of a possible collision and didn’t stop on its own, as it’s capable of doing. It’s as if the ABS issue overrode everything and my car just wouldn’t brake. I’ve never experienced anything like this with any other vehicle, driving on the same exact roads.

NHTSA complaint #11648520 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Reston, VA

SERVICE BRAKES

On Friday, February 14. 2025 at approximately 9:05 am I was leaving a parking lot to make a right hand turn on to a busy three lane road. Since this issue with the brakes has occurred three times previously I make it a point to drive no more than 10 mph in parking lots. The pavement was dry, then there was a 3 foot patch of thin ice, then the pavement was dry to the stop sign at the road. I pressed the brake pedal well in advance of the patch of ice and once the tires contacted the ice, the brake pedal pulsated harshly causing my vehicle to shake. This situation caused me to be unable to stop at the sign and I almost got broadsided. This is the third complaint I’ve filed regarding this matter. This is the fourth occurrence of the brakes acting in an abnormal manner (since June 2024) and whatever is occurring is terrifying. The dealership claimed it couldn’t replicate the issue and no warming sounds or lights appeared on my dashboard. I fear for my life, my spouse and children’s lives, as well as pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists. Someone is going to get seriously injured or potentially killed because of this issue, therefore, I have to petition the agency to look into this matter in depth and hopefully open an investigation.

NHTSA complaint #11643235 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Manvel, TX

SERVICE BRAKES

ABS system is engaging on gravel road when coming to a stop at 20-25mph. Brakes don’t work and vehicle starts shaking. Hyundai dealership is saying there are no issues but this has happened periodically 4-5 times.

NHTSA complaint #11641604 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Florham Park, NJ

SERVICE BRAKES

ABS shakes when crossing over different terrains. Car does not stop as fast as it should. I am afraid for the safety of my family and other drivers on the road if I can't stop. I have brought the car to the dealer several times since I bought it new and they say they can't recreate it. The last time, they recommended changing my brakes. I brought it to a private mechanic and they said it's not the brakes, it's the ABS. Then I come to find out that many people have the same problem and some have had accidents as a result of not being able to stop. There are 2 class action lawsuits calling for a recall. Please make Hyundai fix this issue before there are deaths on their hands.

NHTSA complaint #11635225 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2023 Hyundai Palisade problems

← Full 2023 Hyundai Palisade report