2026 Hyundai Palisade Seat Power Seat Recall (26V160)
Hyundai Motor America · 61,307 vehicles · Reported March 17, 2026
Hyundai Motor America is recalling 61,307 2026 Hyundai Palisade; 2026 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid vehicles. 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. A person, especially a child, may become trapped by a rear powered seat, increasing the risk of injury or death. The fix is an over-the-air software update.
Recall 26V160 at a glance
| NHTSA campaign number | 26V160000 |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer recall number | 296 |
| Date reported to NHTSA | March 17, 2026 |
| Manufacturer | Hyundai Motor America |
| Vehicles | 2026 Hyundai Palisade; 2026 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid |
| Units affected | 61,307 |
| Build dates | May 8, 2025 to February 12, 2026 |
| Component | Seats > Mid / Rear Assembly > Power Adjust |
| Safety risk | A person, especially a child, may become trapped by a rear powered seat, increasing the risk of injury or death. |
| Fix | Over-the-air software update |
What is wrong with the 2026 Hyundai Palisade in recall 26V160?
The second and third row power seats may fail to detect a person.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2026 Palisade and 2026 Palisade Hybrid vehicles equipped with a Limited or Calligraphy trim package. 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.
Is it safe to drive a 2026 Palisade with recall 26V160?
NHTSA has not told owners to stop driving, but the risk is real: A person, especially a child, may become trapped by a rear powered seat, increasing the risk of injury or death.
NHTSA describes the risk this way: A person, especially a child, may become trapped by a rear powered seat, increasing the risk of injury or death.
There is no do-not-drive order on this campaign. If your Palisade shows warning lights or behaves differently in a way that involves the power adjust, have it checked before driving further.
Which vehicles are included in recall 26V160?
Recall 26V160 covers 61,307 vehicles: 2026 Hyundai Palisade; 2026 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid.
NHTSA lists 61,307 vehicles in this campaign, built May 8, 2025 to February 12, 2026. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.
| Model years | Make | Model |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Hyundai | Palisade |
| 2026 | Hyundai | Palisade Hybrid |
What is the fix for the Palisade seat power seat recall?
Yes. The fix is an over-the-air software update.
Owners are advised to exercise caution when operating the second and third row power seat functions until the repair is performed. Children are advised to not be in the rear seats or near the rear seating area during power-folding operation. The seat controller and the audio, visual, navigation software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 14, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 296. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 19, 2026.
When was recall 26V160 announced?
Hyundai Motor America reported recall 26V160 to NHTSA on March 17, 2026. NHTSA lists the owner letter date as May 14, 2026.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| May 8, 2025 | First affected vehicle built (per Hyundai Motor America's filing). |
| February 12, 2026 | Last affected vehicle built. |
| March 17, 2026 | Hyundai Motor America filed the defect report with NHTSA; NHTSA assigned campaign 26V160000. |
| May 14, 2026 | Owner notification letters mailed (per NHTSA). |
This recall was filed 6 months ago, and vehicles were built over a span of 280 days. If your Palisade was built in that window, the VIN check below is the way to confirm it is included.
How do I check if my Palisade is part of recall 26V160?
Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 26V160 is open on your Palisade, it will be listed there.
Look up your VIN on nhtsa.gov/recalls. If 26V160000 is open on your Palisade, it will be listed there, along with Hyundai recall number 296. You can also ask any Hyundai dealer to run the VIN. The VIN is printed on your registration and visible through the lower driver-side windshield.
What should Palisade owners do about recall 26V160?
Check your VIN, schedule the free recall repair, and keep a repair order for every dealer visit.
- Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm recall 26V160000 applies to your Palisade.
- Call a Hyundai dealer and schedule the recall repair. Ask how long the repair takes and whether parts are in stock.
- Get a repair order for every visit, even if the dealer only inspects the vehicle. Read it before you leave and make sure your complaint is written the way you described it.
- Write down when symptoms involving the power adjust happen: date, mileage, speed, weather and what you felt or heard. Photos and short videos help.
- Count the days the vehicle is at the dealer. Days out of service add up toward California's 30-day presumption.
- If the recall repair does not fix it, or the vehicle keeps going back for the same issue, talk to a lemon law attorney.
What are Palisade owners reporting to NHTSA?
Owners have filed 120 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 50 of them about the body, doors and seats.
Since recall 26V160 was reported on March 17, 2026, owners have filed 43 complaints with NHTSA about the body, doors and seats on these vehicles. 7 of them (16%) describe the same problem happening more than once or coming back after a repair attempt.
How we counted: we matched NHTSA owner complaints for the model years in this recall that list the body, doors and seats and were received on or after March 17, 2026, then flagged narratives that describe a repeat failure or a problem returning after a dealer repair, recall service or software update. Data from NHTSA, accessed October 1, 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports and may involve a related body, doors and seats issue rather than this exact defect; automated text matching can miss or misread some reports.
NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 120 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this recall, and 50 of them involve the body, doors and seats. Complaints are reports from owners and have not been verified by NHTSA, but a high count for the same component is a sign the problem is widespread.
- 2026 Hyundai Palisade: 118 complaints in total, 50 about the body, doors and seats
- 2026 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid: 2 complaints in total, 0 about the body, doors and seats
Examples of what owners have reported to NHTSA (unverified excerpts):
The contact owns a 2026 Hyundai Palisade. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the anti-pinch protection feature was inoperative and failed to identify that the seat was occupied. The contact’s grandson accidentally hit an unknown button and was squished by the seat. The failure caused emotional distress to her grandson.
2026 Hyundai Palisade owner, SC, NHTSA complaint 11724627, filed March 16, 2026
1. The 2nd row powered seats do not (or the system failed) have a force feedback sensor or anyway to tell if something or someone is in the way from it moving the seat back. 2.
2026 Hyundai Palisade owner, OH, NHTSA complaint 11699229, filed November 13, 2025
Power folding seats do not stop when met with an obstruction. Occupant exiting the 3rd row of the vehicle was squished between the 2nd row seat and door frame of vehicle while trying to exit and it was very painful.
2026 Hyundai Palisade owner, WA, NHTSA complaint 11706920, filed December 24, 2025
Can recall 26V160 make my Palisade a lemon in California?
Not by itself. A recall repair that fails, or repeat dealer visits for the same defect, can support a California lemon law claim.
Owners often ask whether this power adjust recall means their Palisade qualifies as a lemon. Not by itself. Song-Beverly looks at whether a defect covered by the warranty substantially impairs use, value or safety and was not fixed after a reasonable number of repair attempts (Civ. Code 1793.2(d)).
Body and latch defects on the 2026 Hyundai Palisade may seem minor until a door opens while driving or a seat will not lock. Problems that return after repair belong in your records.
Because the remedy is an over-the-air update, there may be no repair order unless you take the 2026 Hyundai Palisade in. If the symptom continues after the update, get it documented at the dealer so it counts.
California law presumes a reasonable number of attempts has been made if, within 18 months or 18,000 miles of delivery, the same problem was repaired two or more times for a defect likely to cause death or serious injury, four or more times for any covered defect, or the vehicle was out of service for repairs more than 30 days in total (Civ. Code 1793.22(b)). Some of these require written notice to the manufacturer. A claim can still succeed outside that window.
An owner who prevails in a lemon law case can recover reasonable attorney fees and costs from the manufacturer (Civ. Code 1794(d)). You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
In our cases, a recall repair visit counts as a repair attempt, and it's strongest when the owner complained about the problem before the recall came out. A recall shows the defect is real and that enough owners reported it for the manufacturer to issue a fix.
A software update can count as a repair attempt, especially if you complained about the problem or the update keeps being repeated. I've seen dealers do the same software update five or six times with no fix.
The biggest mistake I see is waiting too long. The mileage offset starts at your first repair visit for the problem, so the sooner you take it in, the better. If the problem comes and goes, take it in when it happens. You can't go back to that date later.
If you get a recall notice, call a lemon law attorney right away. You may have taken the car in for the same problem before and forgotten, or there may be other recalls related to it.
Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320), Founder and Managing Attorney. Quotes lightly edited for clarity. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Has your Palisade been back to the dealer for this problem?
Call 877-536-6620Other Hyundai Palisade recalls
Frequently asked questions about recall 26V160
Did the recall 26V160 fix work?
Since recall 26V160 was reported on March 17, 2026, owners have filed 43 complaints with NHTSA about the body, doors and seats on these vehicles. 7 of them (16%) describe the same problem happening more than once or coming back after a repair attempt. If your vehicle still has the problem after the recall repair, go back to the dealer, get a repair order, and talk to a lemon law attorney.
When will owners be notified?
According to NHTSA, owner notification letters were or are scheduled to be mailed May 14, 2026.
Is the 26V160000 recall repair free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are done free of charge at authorized dealers.
How do I know if my Palisade is part of recall 26V160000?
Enter your 17-character VIN in NHTSA's recall lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or call a dealer. The VIN is on your registration, insurance card and the lower corner of the windshield.
Does a recall mean my car is a lemon?
Not on its own. A lemon law claim depends on whether a covered defect keeps coming back or keeps the vehicle out of service. A recall repair that fails, or repeat visits for the same problem, can support a claim.
Does the recall fixing my car mean I have no case?
Not necessarily. Even if the recall repair fixed it, you may still have a case, and a car that's a year or more old can still qualify.
Do used cars qualify for California lemon law?
We take certified pre-owned, demo and dealer vehicles. Since the California Supreme Court's Rodriguez decision in 2024, ordinary used cars generally do not qualify.
How long does a recall lemon law case take?
Recall-related cases typically resolve in one to three months from your first call. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
What does a lemon law attorney cost?
You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
Sources
- NHTSA recall record 26V160000 (recall report and owner letters are posted there)
- NHTSA complaints and recalls data, accessed October 1, 2026
- California Civil Code 1793.2 and 1793.22
Attorney advertising. America’s Lemon Lawyer is a trade name of Wynn Law Group, APC. Responsible attorney: Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320). This page is general information, not legal advice. America’s Lemon Lawyer is not affiliated with NHTSA or Hyundai. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.