Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2020 Hyundai Palisade submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 42 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 42, in the owner's own words
Was driving 70mph on the highway, all instrument cluster speed gauges go to 0mph and I lose ability to manage speed through cruise control. Was driving blind and had no clue what speed I was going and was extremely worried for my safely. Dealership said my instrument cluster has failed, won’t cover under warranty or as a safety issue. Ridiculous a 80k 6 year old car has a main gauge part fail.
I recently purchased this vehicle, and shortly after, it began having serious powertrain issues. When I accelerate, the vehicle intermittently loses power and starts shaking violently. It feels like the engine or transmission is slipping or failing. The RPMs surge and drop rapidly, and the vehicle hesitates, jerks, and sometimes briefly slows down before suddenly accelerating again. This creates an unsafe and unpredictable driving condition, especially when merging or driving in traffic. I’m concerned about a loss of propulsion while the vehicle is in motion. My mechanic indicated the issue may involve the torque converter clutch not engaging properly (possible “stuck off” or circuit performance issue), which would explain the shuddering and inconsistent power transfer. Despite how severe this is, there are no warning lights or check engine light, and no diagnostic codes, which raises concern that the failure is not being detected by the vehicle’s onboard systems. I am also experiencing low and fluctuating engine oil levels even after topping it off and a recent oil change, which may indicate an additional engine-related defect. The vehicle has a clean title and no accident history. - Failed system: Powertrain (engine/transmission), suspected torque converter clutch malfunction. Vehicle is available for inspection. - Safety risk: Intermittent loss of power, hesitation, and surging creates a high risk of collision, especially in traffic or at highway speeds. - Confirmation: My independent mechanic has identified as likely a torque converter related issue. - Inspection status: Not yet inspected by manufacturer or insurance. - Warnings/symptoms: No warning lights or codes. Symptoms began shortly after I purchased and have worsened over time.
Instrument cluster has stopped working. Issue has been confirmed with Matt Bowers Hyundai in Gulfport, MS. Similar to the TSB 22-01-058H. Instrument cluster fails to display RPMs, Temperature, Speed, and Fuel level. Auto Bright headlights fail, seatbelt warning lights fail. Cruise control becomes inactive. Also have noticed this to cause parking sensors to become inaccurate.
The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Palisade. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of oil. There was an oil-burning odor coming from the vehicle. There was a misfire coming from the engine before the vehicle stalled. The Auto START/STOP was activated while driving. The feature was turned off, but quickly reactivated. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 89,000.
While idling at a traffic light on a busy city street all of the warning lights on the car went off and the car shut off on its own.
Check engine light came on and stayed on. When using heat for car it was not heating up well or to temp. Got in to be serviced 12/16/25-12/18/25. Replaced a plastic part in engine and said engine was not heating up like it should. Cost $814. Reset check engine light. On 1/2/26 reversed car out of driveway into street and car came to abrupt stop and would not shift into any other gears. Another vehicle was coming up the street and almost collided with us and I could not get my vehicle to move which was blocking the road. Warning message said “Shifter System Malfunction: Service Immediately.” Pushed power button to turn off vehicle. Turned back on and able to get into drive to park back in driveway. Definitely having electrical issues and multiple problems with car since October 2025 when weather became colder for winter.
The instrument cluster seems to fail more so in the hotter weather. The speedometer, RPMs and gas gauge just stop working altogether. This seems extremely similar to the issues of other Hyundai vehicles that were recalled. The blind spot monitoring turns on and off as it pleases and there is a message that comes up sometimes that say it has been turned off due to electrical failure. The HDMI port in the counsel does not work but half the time so using android auto fails constantly. The radio signal is very poor in the car, resulting in static and high pitched noises on the stations and cannot use regular stations. There also is a huge oil consumption and oil burn smell and leak. This also seems very common for other Hyundai vehicles that have been recalled. Having to put 4-5 quarts in per month and only drive it maybe 1,500 miles in that time frame. There is a pause bumpiness when having to accelerate sometimes as well, followed by failure of oxygen sensor smells and baffles within the muffler seem to often have weird sounds. Have had the vehicle for 1 year and it was bought as a Hyundai certified pre-owned vehicle. It only has about 85K miles on it.
EXCESIVE OIL BURNING. ALTERNATER WENT BAD.
I was driving through town at a low rate of speed (20-30 mph) with 2-3 car lengths between me and the next vehicle. I continued through light to next light. This distance was on an upward incline. After traveling approximately 500 ft, I noticed the traffic slowing in front of me and took my foot off the accelerator to start to slow down. This is when the car suddenly accelerated (instead of slowing down as would be expected when traveling up an incline), picking up speed quickly. The car's response happened so quickly that I was unable to swerve to avoid hitting the car in front of me. I hit the car in front of me that was slowing down at the light which then subsequently hit several other vehicles that were in front of it that were also slowing/stopped for the light. The front airbag deployed as a result of the collision, knocking my glasses off. The vehicle was still continuing in forward motion after the collision….Traffic Crash Report states, “... [witness] went up to Unit 1 [Palisade], and the tires were still spinning…” As I was in shock after the collision, a bystander came up to the vehicle to turn it off and this is when the wheels/forward motion was completely stopped. This Palisade is equipped with Forward Collision Avoidance Assist (FCA) system. There was no warning given nor did the vehicle attempt to slow down during the event so I believe that this system failed to operate which contributed to the collision. I also believe that there was a failure with the engine/electrical system, ETC, and/or transmission that caused the system to suddenly accelerate while traveling uphill AFTER I removed my foot from the gas pedal. The vehicle was totaled by my insurance company. They did say that they were sending an engineer to review the Event Data Recorder. I have not seen any results from that nor do I have the vehicle in my possession as it was totaled.
See attached document for complaint.
Vehicle Information: Year: 2020 Make: Hyundai Model: Palisade Component(s): Air Conditioning System / A/C Compressor Problem Description: The air conditioning compressor on my 2020 Hyundai Palisade has failed and does not function properly. The A/C system does not blow cold air, making the vehicle extremely uncomfortable and unsafe in hot weather conditions, especially with small children riding in the vehicle. Hyundai has issued a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) regarding a known defect with the A/C compressor in this model. Despite this, the dealership and manufacturer have refused to cover the repair or replacement under warranty or goodwill, even though this is clearly a widespread and acknowledged defect. I was quoted nearly $5,000 for the repair, which I cannot afford. Safety Concern: While the issue may appear to be only comfort-related, lack of functioning A/C creates real safety risks: Heat-related health concerns in hot climates, particularly for small children and elderly passengers. Reduced visibility if the defroster system does not work properly (since the A/C system is needed to remove moisture and fog from windows). Timeline of Events: Vehicle purchased: Purchased December 2023 First noticed issue: [XXX] Brought vehicle to dealership: [XXX] Dealer confirmed issue with A/C compressor but refused repair, citing that only certain VINs or conditions are covered, even though a TSB exists. Request: I am filing this complaint because Hyundai is aware of this widespread A/C compressor defect (per their TSB) but is not providing proper warranty coverage or resolution. This places an unfair financial burden on consumers and presents a potential safety hazard, especially for families with small children who cannot safely ride in extreme heat without a functioning A/C system. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
My 2020 vehicle stopped on me while I was driving on the interstate! Beforehand, I had no issues with the vehicle driving or otherwise. The alternator has gone out on it! There was no prior warning. It just stopped while I was driving and I was stranded for hours! I’m a female. It’s costing me hundreds of dollars for a fairly new car!
AC FAILIRE IM SUMMER, just outside warranty but tsb issued. Holler Hyundai Service wants to charge me $350 diagnostic fee to take a look and diagnose. Extreme heat while having to use vehicle to go to work, run errands and transport children. No alternate vehicle is available and dealership is unreasonable to work with. Due to high humidity in Florida windows fog and hard to defog, visibility is impaired suddenly while driving
The speedometer occasionally would not work. Typically all other dash features would and I could get speed through digital reading. Today, none of the dash reading work. My speedometer has the dial at 155. The digital reads 0, gas shows E, miles to empty remained at 260 for the over 10 mile drive, ramps as well as coolant didn’t register and were at 0 and C. This is a hazard as it is a safety requirement to follow the speed limit when driving. This placed myself and others in danger. You are welcome to inspect this. When I have called the dealer previously for this concern, I was told that this would need to be covered by myself. A simple internet search shows that this is a more common issue than it should be.
UNKNOWN. Rough idling. Throwing itself into park & turning the engine off but dash stays on like engine is running. Engine, oil, battery, theft light does come on when this happens but go away after starting car. Has been to mechanic multiple times but showing no codes & unable to figure out the cause of it. The car can not just idle either. Has been going on for over 6 months.
Description of Incident: The engine in my 2020 Hyundai Palisade Limited failed and ultimately seized despite having been regularly maintained and receiving an oil change less than 3,000 miles prior to the failure. The component that failed was the engine, and according to the dealership, it is seized and no longer operable. The vehicle is currently at the dealership and available for inspection upon request. Safety Risk: The failure posed a significant safety risk. The engine began shaking while the vehicle was in motion, creating a sudden loss of power and drivability. I pulled over immediately and discovered that the engine oil dipstick was dry. I added oil right away, but the engine shut down shortly after. The abrupt loss of engine function while driving could have led to a serious accident had I been in traffic or at highway speed. Reproduction / Confirmation: Yes, the issue was confirmed by Hyundai at Courtesy, a certified Hyundai dealership. They diagnosed the engine as seized and also confirmed that oil was present at the time of inspection, ruling out owner neglect. Inspections Conducted: The vehicle and failed component (engine) have been inspected by the dealership, who submitted a case to Hyundai. However, the case was denied for goodwill coverage despite the circumstances. The manufacturer has been notified but has not physically inspected the engine themselves beyond the dealership’s report. Warning Lamps or Symptoms: No Check Engine Light, oil pressure warning, or any dashboard message illuminated prior to or during the failure. The only symptom was engine shaking, which began just before the engine shut down. The oil loss occurred silently and without warning, making the issue especially dangerous and difficult to detect in time.
The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Palisade. The contact stated that while his wife was attempting to close the trunk manual, there was an electrical shock where her hand came in contact with the trunk. As a result, the contact's wife sustained a minor burn to her left hand. The contact was a physician who confirmed that his wife sustained a second-degree burn and treated his wife for the injury. The contact was able to wrap his wife's hand. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the diagnosis was unknown. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and opened a case. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 67,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Palisade. The contact stated that the vehicle had been starting independently. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked in the garage for hours, the contact noticed that the engine was running. The contact stated that upon pressing the Push to Start button, the vehicle turned off. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the failure could not be replicated, and the contact was informed that no failure was found. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 37,409.
The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Palisade. The contact stated that while attempting to stat the vehicle, the instrument panel was inoperable. The contact stated that the screen on the instrument panel appeared blank with no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was determined that the instrument cluster had failed and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 53,237.
On rainy days, the vehicle will start malfunctioning putting at risk my family's life and others. It appears to be an electrical problem according to dealer. It had 15 codes activated, all dashboard lights were lit and safety messages showed up, while driving. No power steering, emergency brakes were activated, transmission wouldn't change, a/c stopped working, temperature and tachometer were erratic. It is very scary because it happens while driving and an accident is imminent.
The analog display on the vehicle does not coincide with the actual speed of the vehicle, which appears correct on the digital / numerical display. This issue happens regularly (i.e. daily) after first appearing on or about July 25, 2024, and does not appear to be accompanied by the use of any other specific component of the vehicle. There are numerous reports online where other owners are experiencing the same issue.
On Friday 6/28/24 I turned my vehicle on to drive to lunch. I put the vehicle in drive and started to move forward out of my parking spot when the following errors flashed on my dashboard in succession: "Check Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist System", "Check Lane Departure Warning (LDW) System", and "Check High Beam Assist System" and then the steering wheel locked while the vehicle was still moving forward. I put the vehicle in park, turned it off, turned it back on and there were no problems. On Saturday 6/29/24, the same series of events happened in the evening when turning the vehicle on from park. On Sunday 6/30/24 I turned the vehicle on in the morning and backed out of my driveway. When I put it in drive and started going down the road the same series of events happened again. This time, it did not resolved when I turned the vehicle off then back on, but happened 7-8 times in succession. The vehicle was not driven all day and when I turned it back on Sunday evening it seemed fine. I drove across town to meet a friend, put the vehicle in park to wait, then in drive (so it had been running for approx 30 minutes) and the issue happened again. On Monday 7/1/24 I had the vehicle towed to the dealership and the issue happened to the tow truck driver as he was getting the vehicle off of the truck. On Friday 7/5/24 I called the dealership and they have "verified my concern" but are not sure why it is happening. I am now waiting to hear back from them on this issue. I have read on an online forum that multiple people have had this same issue with the Palisade.
My 2020 Hyundai Palisade slipped into neutral while slowing down in traffic. Was able to quickly pull over, brake and put back into drive. Happened 3 more times while slowing down for turns on my way home. All happened under 15 mph and had a slight grinding sound when placed back into park, drive then accelerating. Plan to take it to the Hyundai dealership tomorrow, but scared to drive it!
On 4 occasions the vehicle completely turned off while I was driving down the avenue. It turned on all the lights on the front panel before turning off completely.
[XXX] - Driving from San Diego to Ventura County (home), my dash flashed something to the effect of "Emergency Braking System Malfunction" as my brakes were engaged while driving 65-70 miles an hour (no vehicles close in front of me or on either side). This was VERY scary and could have caused an accident if there had been vehicles closer. Usually when this system j=kicks in you get a Collision alert alarm, then braking initiates. There was no collision alert either. [XXX] - Took vehicle in and Hyundai said they could not recreate and had me take vehicle home [XXX] - Same thing happened on my way home from camping (emergency braking malfunction and brakes engaged while no vehicles around and nothing in front of me). This time the warning light (Triangle with "!" in middle and a number 1 lit up on dash and stayed on until I turned car off (I have a photo). [XXX] - Found this issue reported by multiple people on Hyundai online forum (emailed to manager at Alexander Hyundai). [XXX] - Took vehicle back in. Manager said he would check cameras as he believes this has happened before and they had to replace cameras. [XXX] - Dealership called and said can't recreate and want me to pick up car. Told them this is going to cause a bad accident and they will be liable. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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