I am writing to formally request reconsideration of Hyundai’s denial of assistance for the transmission failure in my 2021 Hyundai Palisade. I purchased this vehicle with the expectation that Hyundai vehicles are built to provide dependable transportation and that major components such as the transmission would last well beyond the current mileage and age of the vehicle. Unfortunately, I have experienced a significant transmission failure that has resulted in substantial repair costs. I have made every effort to properly maintain this vehicle and have acted responsibly as an owner. Given the relatively recent model year of the vehicle, I believe a transmission failure of this magnitude is unreasonable and may indicate a defect in materials or workmanship. I respectfully request that Hyundai review my case again and consider providing goodwill assistance, cost-sharing, or full coverage of the transmission repair. As a long-time consumer, I am extremely disappointed with the current outcome and hope Hyundai will stand behind its product. I would appreciate a written response explaining the reason for the denial and any options available for further review.
2021 Hyundai Palisade: complete transmission failure
6 of the 449 complaints about the 2021 Hyundai Palisade describe complete transmission failure.
- owner complaints
- 6
- of this car's complaints
- 1%
- recalls
- 0
Complete transmission failure by model year
- 20242
- 20221
- 20216
- 20206
What owners say
I own a 2021 Hyundai Palisade and have experienced a complete transmission failure that I believe Hyundai had prior knowledge of and failed to address. Before my warranty expired, I contacted the dealership several times to report transmission symptoms I was experiencing. I was told that because no diagnostic code had been produced at that time, there was nothing they could do. Eventually, my check engine light came on with a P0741 code — Torque Converter Clutch Circuit Performance. When I brought the vehicle in, the dealer flushed the transmission fluid, which came out dark and contaminated with metal particles. After running the vehicle, the fluid was still dark, indicating active internal damage already in progress. The dealership has now told me I need a full transmission replacement at my own expense. I am the second owner of this vehicle with approximately 105,000 miles. I have since learned that Hyundai issued Technical Service Bulletin #20-AT-005H-1 specifically addressing the P0741 code on the 2021 Palisade, instructing dealers to replace the solenoid and valve body harness. This repair procedure was never applied to my vehicle despite my early report of symptoms. I believe this is a known defect that Hyundai has failed to escalate to a recall, leaving consumers like me with thousands of dollars in repair costs for a problem the manufacturer was already aware of. I am requesting that the federal safety agency investigate this issue and consider whether a recall is warranted for the 2021 Hyundai Palisade.
The vehicle is experiencing a transmission failure that causes sudden jerking, hesitation, and loss of smooth acceleration when the engine reaches approximately 1,500–2,000 RPM. When driving under normal conditions on both city roads and highways, the transmission appears to slip or fail to properly engage or shift gears within this RPM range. When this occurs, the vehicle jerks violently and momentarily loses power, creating a dangerous driving situation. This happens while accelerating in traffic and when attempting to maintain speed. The sudden hesitation and loss of proper transmission engagement creates a serious safety concern because the vehicle may not respond properly to acceleration, increasing the risk of a rear-end collision or crash, especially when merging onto highways or driving in traffic. This issue occurs regularly and has become progressively worse over time, indicating a potential transmission defect rather than a one-time malfunction. The problem was inspected and documented by Bill Luke Marana dealership in Tucson, Arizona. During their inspection, diagnostic data showed abnormal transmission input and output speed readings, confirming irregular transmission operation. The dealership marked the concern as requiring immediate attention. There were no consistent warning lights prior to the failure, despite the severity of the symptoms. The vehicle and the dealership diagnostic documentation are available for inspection upon request.
The vehicle experienced premature transmission failure, including torque converter clutch malfunction, hesitation, jerking at speeds between 30–35 mph and 50–60 mph, and drivability issues. Diagnostic indicators are consistent with widespread complaints from other Hyundai Palisade owners. This failure presents a potential safety concern due to unpredictable vehicle response, hesitation during acceleration, and reduced control during highway driving. Dealer / Manufacturer Response: Hyundai Motor America requires an authorized dealer to submit a warranty or goodwill claim for review. The servicing dealer, Reliable Hyundai (Springfield, Missouri), has refused to submit the claim, preventing evaluation and resolution. This issue appears to be a known defect affecting multiple vehicles of the same model year. I am submitting this complaint to assist the federal safety agency in identifying patterns that may warrant investigation or recall action.
In June of 2024, my Hyundai Palisade started shuddering every time I shifted from 20mph to 30mph. Twice the car shuddered and stopped at intersections and had to be shut off and restarted. I then received an engine light on my dashboard. I dropped off at Safford Hyundai in June and after evaluation by mechanic was told several components should be changed. 1)Replace three ignition coils 2)Replace three injector gaskets 3)Replace all 6 spark plugs 4)Perform Fuel Injector cleaning service. Total cost was $2,875.95. I was told the repair would take 1 day but received the car after 5 days and that too after many calls and emails. On the day we received the car, we had to drive long distance for our summer vacation. Within a few miles of our summer vacation, the car started shuddering again. This problem was supposed to be solved by the repairs that had just been done. I immediately informed Safford Hyundai. When we got back from vacation, I took the car to a nearby well know mechanic and he immediately said that was a transmission issue and should have been covered by Hyundai warranty. I went back to Safford Hyundai dealership and that is when they said indeed it was a transmission issue and was covered by warranty. This was on 8/7. Unfortunately because of the huge backlog of Hyundai transmission issues, I was told I wouldn’t receive my new transmission for 1 to 2 months. I contacted Hyundai corporate and pushed to get my car back. I was told they would expedite my transmission and was told to pick up the car on 8/30. I went to pick up the car and immediately noticed that the steering wheel sounded like it was being sandpapered every time I turned. My car steering wheel turned smoothly prior to the whole transmission change. I literally made a circle around the service center and turned my car in back for repair. I was told to leave my car at the Hyundai dealership and they would get back to me. My car is still in repair. Email several times.
Sudden powertrain failure. Car started to decelerate on its own. The car started to vibrate when accelerator was pressed. Car was in high speed and could have stalled and the passengers could have been killed. Hyundai has refused to honor the powertrain warranty and has attributed the entire transmission failure to bad gas which is very very unlikely. Have contacted Hyundai USA and got no substantial help. Hudson Hyundai is the dealer and is notorious in their treatment of customers. The company needs to issue a recall of 2021 pallisades before a major accident.
Service bulletins that may apply
- This TSB provides a procedure to diagnose and replace, if necessary, an automatic transmission with...
- This TSB provides information to diagnose the push button shifter operation.
- If you are servicing an 8-speed front-wheel-drive vehicle equipped with automatic transaxle with one or...
- If you are servicing an 8-speed vehicle with a “Check Engine” light on and one or more of the DTC listed,...
- This TSB provides information to diagnose the push button shifter operation
- If you are servicing an 8-speed front-wheel-drive vehicle equipped with automatic transaxle with one or...
- If you are servicing an applicable vehicle with a “Check Engine” light on and one or more of the DTC...
- If you are servicing an applicable vehicle with a “Check Engine” light on and one or more of the DTC...
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the 2021 Hyundai Palisade transmission failure
Is complete transmission failure a common problem on the 2021 Hyundai Palisade?
6 of 449 owner complaints about the 2021 Hyundai Palisade (1%) mention complete transmission failure. The model year with the most reports is 2020.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2021 Hyundai Palisade?
There are 0 recalls and 14 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2021 Hyundai Palisade
Oil consumption 36Seat belt 36Sunroof shattered 27Windshield crack 27Engine failure 19Check engine light 15Wipers 15Stalling 12Lane assist 10Knocking 9Loss of power 9Adaptive cruise 6Door locks 6Jerking 6Key fob 6Collision warning 5Warning lights 5Won't start 5
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