Hyundai recalling popular SUV model over seatbelt issue

The front grill of a Hyundai Palisade is on display at the 2020 Pittsburgh International Auto Show, Feb. 13, 2020, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Hyundai is warning drivers of thousands of vehicles in Canada of a potential safety issue with a popular SUV model.

Certain 2026 Hyundai Palisade vehicles may have a seatbelt-related issue that increases injury risk in the event of a crash, a notice updated Thursday said. Approximately 4,203 2026 Palisades are on the roads in Canada, the advisory estimated.

According to Hyundai, the issue is related to wiring in the seatbelt buckles in the vehicles’ third row, on the driver’s side.

The wiring in some SUVs can get damaged when the buckle is pulled, the notice said. An indicator on the SUV’s instrument panel may then show a seatbelt as properly buckled, when it isn’t.

“A seatbelt status indicator that doesn’t work correctly could cause confusion,” the advisory said, noting that the risk of injury in a crash is increased when seatbelts aren’t fastened properly.

Owners of the impacted vehicles will be notified “in writing,” Hyundai’s recall said. Alternately, drivers can check if their vehicle is impacted by searching their vehicle identification number (VIN) on Hyundai’s recall website.

Affected drivers will be notified to take their SUVs into a dealership to be fixed.

In March, drivers of more than 69,000 vehicles in the U.S. and Canada were advised of a different issue with second- and third-row seating in some Palisades.

Reuters reported that the March recall of 2026 Palisades was triggered following the death off a two-year-old in Ohio. Hyundai said in a statement it had paused the sale of the Palisade Limited and Calligraphy trims because of the issue.

In January, Hyundai recalled more than 600,000 SUVs in the U.S. and Canada over an issue related to airbag deployment. That recall applied to Palisades with the model years 2020 to 2025.