Federal safety regulators have logged a recall covering 61,093 Hyundai Palisade and Palisade Hybrid SUVs in the United States after a defect in the power-folding rear seat system was linked to the death of a two-year-old child in Ohio. The recall, assigned NHTSA ID 26V160000, covers an estimated 61,093 vehicles in the US. Combined with 7,967 Canadian units, the North American total is approximately 69,060, with additional actions affecting 58,000 vehicles in South Korea.
What the defect does
Hyundai Motor America is recalling certain 2026 Palisade and 2026 Palisade Hybrid vehicles equipped with a Limited or Calligraphy trim package because the second and third row power seats may fail to detect a person. The seat may continue to move after contacting a person during powered seat functions, such as one-touch tilt-and-slide or automatic power fold-and-stow.
According to the NHTSA recall document, a person, especially a child, may become trapped by a rear powered seat, increasing the risk of injury. The vehicle’s anti-pinch safety system, designed to detect an obstruction and stop seat movement, reportedly failed to engage.
Fatal incident and injury tally
Two-year-old Lucia Ayala died on March 7 in Akron, Ohio, as she, her mother and an older sibling were sitting inside the family’s parked Hyundai Palisade while her father shopped inside a nearby store. According to Akron police, the girl was pinned by a third-row seat of the SUV when it closed on her, trapping her between the seat back and the seat.
The medical examiner ruled the cause of death as “child compressed by power folding seat in a parked SUV.”
Consumer Reports found three complaints in the NHTSA database related to similar seat-folding defects since November 2025, including two that resulted in injuries.
Hyundai has since disclosed four previously unreported minor injuries, saying it received defect claims involving 17 separate vehicles.
The News4JAX I-Team reported that several complaints were made about the Palisade’s seats months before Lucia died. A Hyundai spokesperson told News4JAX that the company was made aware of the incident on March 9, briefed NHTSA on March 11, halted sales of the affected vehicles on March 12, and submitted the official recall notification to NHTSA on March 17.
Scope of the recall
Hyundai’s official recall notice affects an estimated 61,093 Palisades in the US, comprising 40,729 gas models and 20,364 hybrids. Combined with 7,967 Canadian units, the North American total is approximately 69,060 vehicles, with additional actions affecting 58,000 vehicles in South Korea.
Kia also announced a recall of 568 units of the 2027 Telluride Hybrid SX Prestige and X-Line SX Prestige vehicles equipped with the Executive Package for the same power seat defect. The issue also affects the Palisade’s Kia counterpart, the Telluride, as both brands share platform architecture under the Hyundai Motor Group umbrella.
The recall affects the two highest-trim Palisade variants, covering both gas and hybrid powertrains, making it one of the more significant seat-safety actions of the year.
The development underscores the safety complexity introduced by electrified, software-controlled interior systems, a challenge the industry is navigating alongside broader debates about Hyundai’s driver-assist software roadmap and the pace at which automated vehicle features are being validated before reaching buyers.
Interim fix and owner guidance
Owners are advised to exercise caution when operating second and third row power seat functions until the repair is performed, and children are advised not to be in the rear seats or near the rear seating area during power-folding operation.
The final remedy is currently under development, and as an interim repair Hyundai will update the power seat control software free of charge.
Both the Calligraphy and Limited trims are addressed through a software update. Changes to the software require the tailgate to be open to use the seat-tumbling function, the controls in the infotainment system are also disabled, and the physical buttons at the rear will require a press-and-hold action, with upgraded detection to prevent seats from folding if something or someone is in the seat. Although a stop sale was initially issued to prevent dealerships from selling vehicles with an unrepaired recall, vehicles that have received the software update can now be sold.
Owners can check their VIN at NHTSA.gov or contact Hyundai customer service for assistance. Additional information on the broader implications of electrified powertrain recalls, including warranty coverage considerations for hybrid vehicles, is also available.
