Hyundai Motor Company has halted sales of certain versions of the Hyundai Palisade in the United States and Canada after a tragic accident involving the SUV’s power seat mechanism.
According to reports citing Reuters, a two-year-old girl died in Ohio on March 7 after being trapped by the vehicle’s power-folding seat. Initial investigations indicate the anti-pinch safety function failed to detect contact with a passenger, preventing the seat from stopping automatically.
Safety Fault Linked to Anti-Pinch System
The issue reportedly affects the second- and third-row power seats in certain Palisade trims. Under specific conditions, the seat’s anti-pinch system may fail to recognize occupants or objects, creating a potential safety hazard.
As a result, Hyundai has issued a stop-sale order and announced a recall affecting around 68,500 vehicles, approximately 60,500 in the United States and 8,000 in Canada.
The company said it is working on a fix and may deploy software updates and additional safety measures to improve detection sensitivity and prevent similar incidents.
Recall Plan and Customer Support
Hyundai has expressed condolences to the family and confirmed that investigations into the incident are ongoing. The automaker is developing a remedy and plans to notify regulators and owners once a solution is finalized.
In the interim, affected customers may be offered rental vehicles while the recall fix is prepared.
What This Means for Pakistan
The development is particularly notable because the latest Palisade has recently been introduced in Pakistan by Hyundai Nishat Motors, with plans for local assembly in CKD form.
At the moment, it remains unclear whether the North American recall or stop-sale order will impact the SUV’s launch timeline or deliveries in Pakistan. Official clarification from the company is still awaited.
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