Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Hyundai, Kia Recall SUVs Over Rear Power-Seat Hazard After Ohio Child’s Death

An interim over-the-air update increases sensor sensitivity, limiting when the seats can move.

Overview

  • South Korea’s transport ministry ordered a recall of about 58,000 Hyundai Palisade hybrids after finding the second- and third-row power seats can fail to stop when they press against a person.
  • Hyundai, which already paused sales and recalled about 68,500 2026 Palisades in the United States and Canada, is deploying a software update that boosts contact detection and allows activation only with the tailgate open.
  • The safety actions follow the death of a two-year-old in Ohio on March 7 when a third-row power seat in a Palisade pinned her in a parked vehicle, according to police and local reports.
  • Hyundai disclosed four related injuries in the United States and two in South Korea, while Kia recalled 568 Telluride hybrids with similar power-folding seats and halted sales of affected top trims.
  • A Palisade owner reported a near-crush incident to Hyundai six months before the fatality and was told the system worked normally, and analysts now warn costs could rise if hardware must be replaced.