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2021 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid Hev
Buyable, but go in with open eyes: this car has specific known issues to check before money changes hands.
413 owner complaints · 6 recalls · data verified July 20, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Buy-rated alternatives from this era
Other 2019–2023 cars in the same rough price bracket with a clean, matured Buy verdict — worth cross-shopping before you commit to the 2021 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid Hev.
Why caution?
Has a "park it / park outside" recall, the most serious kind. Verify the fix was done before buying.
6 recall campaigns (3 safety-critical). Confirm every one shows "remedy completed" on the seller's VIN.
Seat belts problems dominate (25% of complaints, typically reported near 43k miles).
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →#410 of 452Among the 2021 models with a matured record, the 2021 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid Hev ranks #410, scoring higher than 8% of them. See the 2021 ranking →
Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
5/5 overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating · 2021 Hyundai Palisade SUV FWD
Rollover risk in a single-vehicle crash: 16%
2 open NHTSA defect investigations on file, separate from the recalls above.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2021 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid Hev, plotted where owners report it happening.
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Seat belts
25%104 complaints · typically near 43k mi · 78 in the last 2 years
“The manufacturer has failed to remedy this safety recall in a timely manner, I have been waiting since January 2026 for the new parts and it is July with no expected d…”
Visibility & wipers
15%61 complaints · typically near 2k mi · 6 in the last 2 years
“Large crack formed without any projectile involved. Car was sitting in the garage and temperature was around 40 degrees. Crack starts from the bottom of the windshield…”
Electrical system
13%53 complaints · typically near 11k mi · 24 in the last 2 years
“The speedometer, lane departure, heat gauge, and RPM’s and the whole speedometer cluster will stop working. It does this all the time you never know if it will work an…”
Engine
12%49 complaints · typically near 2k mi · 43 in the last 2 years
“Multiple attempts to have car repaired for a year and a half with no resolution. See attached docs. Included is a letter to Hyundai, timeline of subsequent events, war…”
Check it against this car’s mileage
Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.
We can place 4 of this model's commonly reported problem areas against a mileage. Nothing is stored.
Read all 413 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 12 crash/fire/injury reports →
Recalls (6)
Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.
Air Bags · 26V034000
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Palisade vehicles. The side curtain air bags for third-row occupants may deploy improperly in a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 226, "Ejection Mitigation."
Risk: Improper side curtain air bag deployment increases the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: Dealers will install a protective film over the rear window and remove padding, as necessary free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed beginning March 13, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated June 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 292. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 24, 2026.
Seat Belts · 25V607000
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Palisade vehicles. The seat belt buckles in the driver, passenger, and second-row window seats may fail to latch.
Risk: Seat belt buckles that fail to latch may not properly restrain occupants in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Passengers are advised to insert the belt firmly into the buckle with a quick and direct motion, pulling on the belt to confirm the seat belt is fully secured, until the recall remedy is performed. Dealers will replace the seat belt buckle assemblies, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed beginning October 23, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated June 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 283. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on September 13, 2025.
Visibility/wiper · 23V180000
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Palisade vehicles. The windshield wiper motor may operate intermittently or fail to operate due to snow or ice buildup on the windshield, causing the wipers to fail.
Risk: Windshield wiper failure can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the driver-side windshield wiper arm, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 15, 2023. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 243. This recall is an expansion of recall number 22V-627.
Park itTrailer Hitches · 22V633000
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling 2020-2022 Palisade vehicles potentially equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Hyundai dealership. Debris and moisture accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.
Risk: A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will install a new fuse and wire extension kit, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 18, 2023. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 235.
Visibility · 22V627000
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Palisade vehicles. The windshield wiper motor may become inoperative, causing the wipers to fail.
Risk: Windshield wiper failure can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the driver-side windshield wiper arm, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 13, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 233.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · 21V840000
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021 Palisade vehicles. The brake fluid may be contaminated, which can cause the brake master cylinder inner-cup seals to swell, and reduce braking performance.
Risk: Reduced braking performance can extend the distance required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder, and flush the brake fluid, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on December 24, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 212.
Questions to ask the seller
Questions worth asking the seller of this Hyundai before you buy, drawn from its public record:
- NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2021 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid Hev. Can you run this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and confirm each one shows "Remedy Completed"? One is a "park it" / "park outside" order, the most serious kind, so I'd want that repair documented before I drive it.
- Owners of this model report seat belts problems more than anything else (owners tend to report it near 43k miles). Has this car shown any seat belts symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Owners of this model report visibility & wipers problems more than anything else (owners tend to report it near 2k miles). Has this car shown any visibility & wipers symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
- How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
- Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?
Before you hand over money
Verify the recall work was done
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2021 Hyundai PALISADE HYBRID HEV beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2021? See how every Palisade Hybrid Hev model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2021 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid Hev against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.