Hyundai Motor has recalled thousands of its 2026 Palisade SUVs and stopped sales of certain models in the United States and Canada after a power seat malfunction was linked to a tragic incident involving a child in Ohio. The company said the issue relates to the vehicle’s second and third row power seats, which may not properly detect contact with an occupant or object in some situations.

The automaker confirmed that sales of the 2026 Hyundai Palisade Limited and Calligraphy trims have been temporarily halted while the issue is investigated and addressed.

According to Hyundai, the recall will cover around 68,500 SUVs, including approximately 60,500 vehicles in the United States and about 8,000 in Canada.

The Ohio Incident

The move follows an incident on March 7 in Ohio, where a two-year-old girl died in circumstances believed to be connected to the vehicle’s power seat mechanism. Hyundai said investigations are still underway and the company does not yet have complete details about what happened.

In a statement, the company expressed condolences to the child’s family and said it is working quickly to find a solution for the affected vehicles.

While engineers work on a permanent fix, Hyundai plans to release an interim over-the-air software update by the end of March.