The U.S. government is initiating a recall of Hyundai’s Palisade following incidents involving electric seats in the U.S.
On Tuesday, South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced a voluntary recall affecting 408,942 vehicles across 24 models manufactured, imported, and sold by Hyundai, Kia, KG Mobility, and BMW Korea due to identified manufacturing defects.
Hyundai stated that the recall, which began on July 20 through over-the-air (OTA) updates, impacts 57,987 units of the Palisade and one other model. The issue arises from inadequate software design in the electric seat controllers for the second and third rows, which may fail to detect contact with passengers or objects, potentially compromising safety.
This recall follows a tragic incident in the U.S. where a two-year-old girl died after becoming trapped in a folding electric seat of a Palisade. In response, Hyundai temporarily suspended sales of the Palisade in both the U.S. and South Korea.
A Ministry spokesperson explained that this recall will simplify the process of disabling the folding function of the Palisade’s electric seats and expand the contact detection area during operation. The official added that the automatic seat folding feature will now only activate when the tailgate is open, instead of being constantly active.
The agency is also reviewing potential improvements to electric seat operation methods to further enhance safety.
In related news, Kia is recalling 201,841 Carnival minivans due to the risk of engine shutdown and fire from fuel leaks. KG Mobility is addressing potential fire hazards in 78,293 units of the Torres and other models caused by thermal overload and overheating of cooling fan resistance coils. BMW is recalling 29,678 vehicles across 18 models, including the 520i, after identifying a fire risk due to faulty air conditioning wiring design.
Consumers can check if their vehicle is subject to a recall and learn about specific defects by entering their vehicle identification number (VIN) or chassis number on the Ministry’s website.