Hyundai Palisade transmission problems

POWER TRAIN

2023 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy less than 3 years old has a leaking factory radiator. Hyundai has TSBs for this on earlier models, but it is still happening.

NHTSA complaint #11758143 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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This vehicle has suffered two identical, catastrophic electrical failures causing an immediate and total loss of engine power while traveling at highway speeds. The first incident occurred after the engine was replaced under a Hyundai extended warranty. The dealership service department blamed that failure on a loose engine ground strap and released the vehicle back to me. On August 3, 2026, the exact same failure occurred for a second time while driving at high speed on the highway. The vehicle lost all propulsion, leaving me exposed to oncoming traffic with zero engine power. The vehicle was towed to a Hyundai dealership. The dealership identified a blown "Sensor 4" fuse causing an intermittent dead circuit, but they have been unable to locate the short circuit after two weeks of troubleshooting. After demanding the diagnostic data logs, the dealership abruptly halted all repairs and ordered me to pick up the vehicle. Furthermore, due to excessive, repetitive diagnostic cranking and idling in 90+ degree heat while under the dealer's care, the vehicle's starter solenoid has now suffered collateral failure. The vehicle is currently completely disabled, undrivable, and the underlying highway stalling hazard remains completely unresolved. This is a recurring, severe life-safety issue that leaves the vehicle prone to sudden stall events in high-speed traffic without warning.

NHTSA complaint #11757633 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

While driving the vehicle, the accelerator pedal was pressed but the vehicle failed to respond and did not accelerate, it simply rolled slowly as the engine continued to idle. The driver increased throttle input in an attempt to get the vehicle to accelerate. The vehicle continued to show no response to the additional throttle. After a delay, the vehicle suddenly resumed normal operation while the higher throttle input was still applied. This resulted in an abrupt and undesired surge of power. While this was occurring, another vehicle was rolling forward in preparation for a left turn. The other driver appeared confused by the Palisade’s lack of acceleration (apparently believing it was yielding) and had not yet turned into the path of the Palisade. The sudden surge of power created a near-miss situation. This incident involved a delayed response to throttle input followed by a sudden surge of power under increased throttle when the vehicle resumed normal operation. The behavior created a safety risk by causing another driver to misjudge the vehicle’s intentions and by producing unexpected lack of acceleration followed by acceleration at a critical moment. This is consistent with ongoing intermittent throttle and power-response issues that have previously been reported to the selling dealer on multiple occasions.

NHTSA complaint #11755886 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

My Palisade is burning oil at a rapid pace. I took it to the dealership and they said it was an acceptable level. I don't believe that to be correct. I have less than 100,000 miles on it.

NHTSA complaint #11755709 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

After the "9C9" emissions recall update the vehicle randomly fails to respond to appropriately throttle input when attempting to accelerate into traffic. The issue is very intermittent - it may occur twice in 10 minutes or drive fine for hours. It has demonstrated both a "bucking" / stuttering / misfire feeling as well as a complete lack of any throttle response. After a few seconds of bucking, the vehicle returns to normal and accelerates smoothly with no change in throttle input. If the throttle failed to respond, pumping the pedal a few times has resumed normal operation. Situation has occurred multiple times since the update and has allowed the vehicle to roll into traffic without the ability to promptly accelerate to speed creating a safety hazard. There are no warning lights, and the dealership is unable to reproduce the issue.

NHTSA complaint #11755426 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

In May 2025, I contacted Hyundai regarding excessive oil consumption in my 2021 Palisade. In June, Hyundai directed me to take the vehicle to a dealership for testing. Under TSB 23-EM-008H ([XXX]), a failed oil consumption test requires engine replacement. My vehicle is covered under Hyundai’s 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. I have provided complete maintenance records and receipts for every oil change since purchasing the vehicle. Despite this, Hyundai has repeatedly denied my claim, citing maintenance issues and gross negligence without justification. Hyundai’s own guidance states that oil changes may be performed every 7,000 to 10,000 miles under normal conditions. The repeated testing process has worsened the engine condition. In addition, the dealership has returned the vehicle with missing bolts, oil-related issues, and damage resulting from an improper rear window film installation. I have made numerous attempts to resolve this matter and obtain the warranty coverage to which I am entitled, but Hyundai and the dealership have failed to do so. I am requesting one of the following remedies: (1) a full engine replacement in accordance with the warranty and TSB requirements, (2) a replacement vehicle of equal or greater trim level, or (3) reimbursement of all costs associated with leasing, purchasing, maintaining, and repairing this vehicle. We purchased this vehicle based on Hyundai’s reputation, ratings, and promise of “America’s Best Warranty.” We still like the vehicle itself, but the ongoing mechanical issues and Hyundai’s handling of this claim have been unacceptable. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11753118 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

I was driving and stopped at the tunnel for traffic. My car shut off and wouldn’t turn back on. It seemed to have overheated. After about ten minutes, it started again. I was told it was told the oil pump controller affecting the stop and go on my car. Priority Hyundaii in [XXX] didn’t didn’t have the part to repair it. Now they are refusing to repair it. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11752730 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

My car is misfiring. It WILL NOT accelerate as it should. It is like bogging down unable to accelerate when it needs to. It’s struggling. Hyundai is aware of the issue and making owners drive regardless while they “wait for a fix”. It’s extremely dangerous. I’ve almost been hit several times trying to merge onto a highway because it will not accelerate. I’ve had total loss of power one time, putting me and my infant in extreme danger. This has been happening since APRIL.

NHTSA complaint #11752095 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

My wife was driving the vehicle to work this morning XXX around 730am on the [XXX] near [XXX] and the vehicle just cut off while driving at high speed. All the lights were activated on the dashboard. The steering wheel locked, the brakes stopped working, and the car would not accelerate. The vehicle died mid drive placing her in a dangerous life threatening predicament within this heavily trucked corridor. She was left to block traffic until help arrived. The vehicle was towed to the Hyundai dealership on Eucalyptus in Moreno Valley. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11751710 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

I have had 4 appointments for my 2023 Hyundai Palisade to have the recall on the seat belt buckles addressed. Each time, I am told by the dealership that Hyundai hasn't sent the part yet. I was told that Hyundai is only sending 10-15 parts at a time. There are a lot of these vehicles on the road, and at this rate, my car is never going to be fixed. There is also an open warranty for the 3rd row ejection mitigation that there is no fix for yet. I was told not to use the third row, which is not really possible and is part of why I bought a car with 3 rows of seats. I feel uncomfortable driving my car as well as having passengers in the first and second row, as I feel the seat belt might not hold if there was an accident. My safety and the safety of my passengers is potentially being compromised. I feel that we received the seat belt recall 9 months ago and that is plenty of time to address this problem. I am requesting for the NTSB to get involved and require Hyundai to provide a loaner car (of the exact same size and capacity) until my Palisade can be reapired. I was also told at an additional appointment that the rear shocks that leak are also waiting for Hyundai to ship new ones. So, I am currently driving a car that might not have proper working seat belts for the first 2 rows, can potentially eject anyone riding in the 3rd row with leaking shocks.

NHTSA complaint #11751849 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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I am reporting multiple recurring safety concerns with my 2026 Hyundai Palisade. Loss of acceleration: Under heavy throttle, the engine revs to approximately 5,000 RPM but the vehicle does not accelerate as expected. This has occurred repeatedly and appears more likely after the vehicle reaches normal operating temperature. During one incident on the highway, I needed to accelerate quickly to avoid surrounding traffic, but the vehicle did not respond as expected, creating a potential safety risk. An authorized Hyundai dealership inspected the vehicle and reset the transmission adaptive values, but the condition remains. Lane Keeping Assistance: The Lane Keeping Assistance system consistently positions the vehicle toward the left side of the lane instead of properly centering it. The issue has been reported to the dealer, but the condition remains unresolved. Power second-row seat: The power second-row captain’s chair can continue moving while folding, creating a hand-crush hazard if a person’s hand is in the path of the seat. It also interferes with proper third-row seat operation. This issue has been reported to the dealer and remains unresolved. These issues have been reported to Hyundai and remain unresolved after dealer inspections. The vehicle is available for inspection, and I have documentation and video evidence of the acceleration concern.

NHTSA complaint #11751619 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

On April 17, 2026, while driving my 2022 Hyundai Palisade with approximately 167,000 miles, the vehicle suddenly lost engine power and was unable to maintain normal driving speed. The sudden loss of propulsion created a safety risk because the vehicle could no longer operate normally in traffic. I was able to move the vehicle out of traffic, but it would not restart. I also observed white smoke coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was towed to Matt Bowers Hyundai Slidell, an authorized Hyundai dealership, where it remains and is available for inspection upon request. The dealership has inspected the vehicle and advised that the engine needs to be replaced. The exact internal component that failed and the final cause of the engine failure remain under review by Hyundai. I do not recall any warning lamps or messages before the sudden failure. The timing of any prior symptoms is UNKNOWN. The vehicle had been maintained through authorized Hyundai dealerships. On December 29, 2025, a Hyundai dealership replaced the oil filter housing because of an oil leak and performed a synthetic oil and oil filter change. On March 11, 2026, approximately five weeks before the failure, the dealership performed another oil and oil-filter change and a multipoint inspection. I am reporting this incident because the sudden loss of engine power while driving, the inability to restart, and the smoke from the engine compartment created a serious safety concern. The vehicle remains disabled and available for further inspection.

NHTSA complaint #11750892 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Two simultaenous problems happened: 1) loud clunking/thudding during low-speed turn. 2) Clunking/knocking/rattling noise from suspensions when going through uneven grounds. This both things happened before 20,000 miles. Had AWD coupling and rear differential unit replaced under warranty regarding problem 1). Had rear shocks replaced under warranty regarding problem 2). Found there has bben TSB issued related to 2), for older models, TSB 25-SS-004H but not for this year of models. Those two exact problems started again at about 40,000 miles. Had vehicle checked at 50,500 miles recently. Regarding problem 1), the dearship found issue with AWD coupling, stating faulty parts, drive shaft seal was 1/8" off and materials are fused. Replaced AWE coupling, and ECU program update. After program update, I do not see the power distribution monitor anymore from my dash. The program update should turned it off for some reason that I do not know. I have no clue that AWD module is working normal as I cannot see the power distribution action anymore. Regarding problem 2), they replaced both rear shocks again. The problem went away for now. This vehicle has been only 50,000 miles and had 4 major issues (2 times of two major identical issues) that alongside with many owners' compaints, and seems highly related to one of Technical Service Bulletin that was previously issued for older models. I would like to request investigation on these services.

NHTSA complaint #11750856 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Cylinder 1 and 6 rod bearing failure, plus complete destruction of piston number 6. On highway engine failed, sudden loss of power to move vehicle.

NHTSA complaint #11748335 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

In March had issues with driver and passenger seats not moving up and down without getting stuck have to mess with it for awhile to move up or down and sometimes won't go to a directions it can move to seat even though setting it in a certain position every time turn off car and start goes to a position to high up in a way can't get In till you put it down then get in car when moving the 2nd row seat the passenger seat moved front back instead then folding seats 2,3rd row not working correctly found out mid mar recall 2,3rd row folding issues child died, 3rd row seat belts called Corp said do not allow passenger in 2nd, 3rd row till fixed called service said no fix so had wait week later car was hesitating when push gas engine power train warning light came on tow car to dealership they lied proof in writing they lied said fix the seats even though at that time no fix for recalls only reset engine light even though car was giving Issues almost broke down they had car 8 day made me pick up car said was fixed proof it wasn't they threaten harassed me to get it I said recalls show on NHTSA still till off not fixed won't come so they said day I had bring loaner car back or they come repo it they removed it from NHTSA site that day said see it's off I said there no way if no fix yet recalls I called many service dept ask went on hyundai Corp main site said fix for seat belt mid may this was April 7 and I ask them to put in writing several times car safe for my 3 yr old grandson they never once say car safe they illegally fraud took recall off the site all to get me come get car got car seats not fixed they said in writing seat belt fixed with tape tape? They put on NHTSA recalls after got car I confronted them then they removed again to not get in trouble to take off then on. But no seats fixed and could not put passenger car barely drove car was still hesitating gas ac loos power not even month later engine light power train issue again but not just light defect cause

NHTSA complaint #11747777 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2026 Hyundai Palisade. The contact stated that on five occasions, while stopped at a light with the Auto START/STOP system activated, the vehicle inadvertently turned off and shifted into park(P) independently. The contact stated that there was an unknown warning light illuminated. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle, and the brake pedal was firm; several attempts were needed to restart the vehicle. The contact stated that on one occasion, while stopped, the Auto START/STOP system failed to activate and the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended; however, the engine was revving unexpectedly. There was a loud clunking sound, and the vehicle jerked and then accelerated as needed. The vehicle was taken to two dealers during the failures; however, the dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle remained with the second dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 1,500.

NHTSA complaint #11747202 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Safety-Critical Shifter System Malfunction - I am experiencing a recurring and serious shift system defect with my 2026 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy. The issue first occurred within the first 500 miles of ownership, shortly after purchasing the vehicle new. At that time, the vehicle required diagnosis and repair by the dealership and remained out of service for nearly one month. Despite that repair, the same or a very similar issue has now returned. The vehicle displays a "Shifter System Malfunction – Service Immediately" warning and does not allow me to change gears while the vehicle is running. The gear selector becomes unresponsive, and the only way to restore functionality is to shut the vehicle off and restart it. After restarting, the vehicle often engages with a loud thud/clunk and significant vibration that can be felt throughout the vehicle. This creates serious concerns about the safety, reliability, and overall integrity of the drivetrain and shift-by-wire system.

NHTSA complaint #11744082 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

2026 Hyundai Palisade SEL 8P AWD. Brake pedal sinks to floor when depressed while vehicle is in motion, causing vehicle to glide before stopping. Defect first noticed June 1, 2026 and confirmed June 2, 2026 at approximately 530 miles during a 34-mile round trip with consistent repeated occurrence at both low and moderate speeds. Vehicle returned to dealership for diagnosis. Dealership declared unable to duplicate. No diagnostic trouble codes found. Hyundai engineering was consulted by dealership. This is a second serious defect on this vehicle — a full transmission assembly replacement was performed under warranty in May 2026 within 4 days of delivery and approximately 259 miles of personal use. Hyundai Motor America lemon law re-evaluation currently in progress.

NHTSA complaint #11743449 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

We lease a 2026 Palisade with only 4k miles. Several weeks ago I was going through a toll plaza, car would not accelerate after slowing down, as if it was in neutral. All of a sudden it kicked into gear and car lunged forward. 10 min later at a traffic light car failed to accelerate after a complete stop. Press the accelerator sluggish response, then kicked back into gear. Very Scary. I pulled over and notified the dealer. Then set an appoint. Dealer did a diagnostic, found no issues, could not replicate problem on test drive . Everything was fine a few weeks. My son took the car. Had the same exact issue with vehicle not accelerating. Then kicked into gear really hard and vibrating. This was scary for him because he was in a parking lot. Luckily there was no accident as a result. However, this time an error code (check engine light) came on and the Hyundai app showed a DTC CODE- P001600 (powertrain / engine). Car was immediately taken to dealer on May 28th 2026. It is now Jun 11th. Still no time frame for fix. The THINK it a software issue and Hyundai is still "working" on a solution.

NHTSA complaint #11743471 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Premature engine fail. Excessive oil consumption due to piston ring failure. Maintenance has been done on car on regular basis. No check engine light. Carson was services at dealership 4 months ago.

NHTSA complaint #11739180 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.