Hyundai Palisade power seat safety defect linked to child's death
A 2-year-old child reportedly died in Ohio when a 2026 Hyundai Palisade's second- or third-row power seat failed to detect contact. Hyundai issued a stop sale on affected trims and is recalling approximately 68,500 vehicles in North America, developing a software update to improve contact detection.
What happened
A 2-year-old child died in Ohio on March 7, 2026, in an incident involving a 2026 Hyundai Palisade's power seat.
Hyundai stated that in certain conditions, the second- and third-row power seats may not detect contact with an occupant or object as intended.
Reported impact
A young child lost her life in the incident.
Index analysis
Hyundai is developing an over-the-air software update expected by end of March to enhance the system's response to contact with occupants or objects and introduce additional operating safeguards.
The permanent recall repair is currently under development and will be performed at no cost to owners.
Governance controls
Hyundai issued a stop sale on 2026 Palisade Limited and Calligraphy trims and is planning a recall of approximately 68,500 model year 2026 vehicles produced in the U.S. and Canada.
Hyundai is offering rental vehicles to owners until a remedy is available and will notify customers via email, vehicle telematics, phone calls, and media notifications.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.