Hyundai Palisade suspended sales after backseat crushes and kills child in the US

Hyundai has ordered the immediate suspension of sales and initiated a recall involving more than 68 units of the Palisade SUV in the United States — specifically in the top-of-the-line Limited and Calligraphy versions of the 2026 line. The emergency measure was taken after a serious failure in the folding system of the electric banks was found, which resulted in the crushing death of a two-year-old child in the state of Ohio.

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The defect and the risk of crushing

The risk to occupant safety lies in the absence of physical anti-crush sensors in the second and third rows of seats in the family SUV. Without a dedicated mechanism to detect the presence of people or objects, the electric motor does not stop movement automatically when it encounters an obstacle. Critical hazard occurs both during full folding and in the one-touch quick tilt and slide function, designed precisely to facilitate the boarding of passengers at the rear of the cabin.

Given the severity of the defect in a vehicle focused on transporting families, the South Korean automaker issued the order to stop selling to American dealers. At the same time, the company makes the procedures of the safety call official with NHTSA, the US road safety agency. The engineering solution found by Hyundai will be an over-the-air remote software update, scheduled for the end of this month, which will change the engine parameters of the seats, making it more sensitive to variations in resistance to interrupt the closing.

Until the security patch is implemented across the affected fleet, the official recommendation is for extreme caution. The manufacturer advises drivers to do a rigorous visual check before activating the electric controls, making sure that there are no children, animals or objects in the area where the seats are articulated. Owners of the units involved should contact the brand’s service network to schedule the free inspection and ensure the integrity of passengers.