Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2020 Hyundai Palisade owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owned a 2020 Hyundai Palisade. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 65 MPH, he heard an abnormal popping and hissing noise. The contact stated that he started to smell a burning odor. The contact was losing forward momentum. No warning lights illuminated. When he applied the accelerator pedal, the vehicle continued to slow down. The contact pulled off the highway, stopped the vehicle, and turned off the engine. The contact stated that almost immediately, smoke was issuing from under the front end. The contact stated that the vehicle burst into flames. The police and fire department were called. The fire was extinguished using chemicals. The police and fire departments issued reports. The vehicle was towed away to an impound lot. The contact stated that he had the transmission replaced in 2024. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. …
I had just pulled into a (handicapped) parking space at my bank in Marana Az. as I prepared to stop with the brake still depressed, the car suddenly surged, with the tach going to 5000rpm. The vehicle jumped the sidewalk (with rear wheels making drag marks on the sidewalk. Vehicle shot up the slight rise , hit and demolished a concrete bench and some plants and was heading toward the main entrance when I shut the engine off with the ignition key. The car stopped less than 10 feet from the bank entrance. the car came close to going through the entrance shattering the glass doors and possibly injuring bank customers and employees. There was no warning, but this car has had 3 or 4 sudden engine surges before - about one every 1 1/2 years. Hyundai service has checked and denied any problems. On line queries indicate the surging problems are not uncommon. …
Component: Engine / Engine and Engine Cooling Description: My 2020 Hyundai Palisade (approximately 155,856 miles) experienced a serious and dangerous engine-related failure that resulted in a vehicle fire. For approximately 8 months prior to the incident, the vehicle was consuming oil at an abnormal rate with no visible external leaks. This condition persisted without clear cause. While my [redacted] daughter was driving, the vehicle suddenly developed a new oil leak, and the engine failed without warning, leaving my daughter stranded on the roadway. Immediately following the failure, the engine compartment caught fire. There were no prior indications of an active oil leak before this sudden failure. The progression from oil consumption to catastrophic failure and fire presents a serious safety concern. …
Hello, I have a 2020 Hyundai Palisade that was bought last year in 2024. It's had no issues with the engine up until approximately the last 2 weeks with oil consumption and noises from the engine rattling. I contacted the dealership to get it checked out and on the way there it caught fire. The engine died and almost all of the oil leaked out. The engine block now has a hole in it, so it is unable to be driven. My husband was driving and had just had surgery. Thankfully I was driving in a separate vehicle with my kids in case something like this happened. It has been sitting at the dealership since the 28th of May. The dealership inspected it and said there is no known cause at this time. The dealership also said they unfortunately can't do anything. I called my insurance and they said the only thing they can cover is the damages caused by the fire. The estimate amount to fix it is 13K. …
Component: Engine My 2020 Hyundai Palisade (approximately 155,856 miles) experienced a serious and dangerous engine-related failure that resulted in a vehicle fire. My 16 year old daughter was driving alone at the time of the catastrophic failure and fire. For approximately six months prior to the incident, the vehicle was consuming oil at an abnormal rate with no visible external leaks. This condition persisted without clear cause. While driving, the vehicle suddenly developed a new oil leak, and the engine failed without warning, leaving me stranded on the roadway. Immediately following the failure, the engine compartment caught fire. There were no prior indications of an active oil leak before this sudden failure. The progression from oil consumption to catastrophic failure and fire presents a serious safety concern. …
The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Palisade. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V034000 (Air Bags) and 25V607000 (Seat Belts); however, the parts for the repairs were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable timeframe for the remedies to be available. The contact stated that when driving at various speeds and while idle, the vehicle would shake. The contact had checked oil levels and noticed that there was no oil in the vehicle. The contact had to begin changing the oil every 1,000 miles. The contact looked up the CarFax and learned that the vehicle had a history of oil consumption issues. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who confirmed that the remedies were not available and then diagnosed an oil consumption failure. …
The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Palisade. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated while attempting to accelerate. The contact stated that on another occasion while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed and the contact was informed that there was no oil in the engine. The contact stated that the vehicle received an oil change however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was returned to the dealer twice and was diagnosed with a failure of cylinder #4. The contact stated that cylinder #4 was replaced; however, the failure recurred. Due to the failure persistent failure, the dealer was diagnosed, and it was determined that cylinder #2 had failed, and that the engine needed to be replaced. …
The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Palisade. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing excessive oil consumption. The contact stated that oil was added on several occasions; however, the oil level was low after several months. No warning light was illuminated. In addition, the contact noticed that while the vehicle was idling at a traffic light, the vehicle shuddered abnormally. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with excessive oil consumption. The contact was referred to a local dealer for assistance. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer, where it determined that an oil consumption test was needed, and an oil change needed to be performed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 930.
The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Palisade. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact checked the oil level and became aware that the oil level was low. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where an oil consumption test was performed. The contact was informed that the oil consumption test results indicated that the vehicle was operating properly. The contact stated that it was not normal to add oil every 1,000 miles driven. The contact stated that one quart of oil was added every 1,000 miles. In addition, the contact stated that the recommended oil change was at 5,000 miles. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 92,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Palisade. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The contact also noticed smoke coming from the engine. There was no warning light illuminated. Additionally, the rear passenger's seat belts failed to function properly and would inadvertently release while driving the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the engine, and the seat belt assemblies for all the rear passenger's seats needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.
Engine complaints in other Palisade years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2020 Hyundai Palisade?
NHTSA has 139 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2020 Hyundai Palisade, 26% of the model year's 541 complaints. The component named most often is engine › oil/lubrication (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2020 Hyundai Palisade engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2020 Hyundai Palisade, though it has 5 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2020 Hyundai Palisade engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 30,000 miles, and 43% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 5 fires and 0 injuries to engine & cooling problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.