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2020 Hyundai Palisade problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

NO ELEVATED SIGNAL
32%
153 of 479 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2020 Hyundai Palisade. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 32% of relevant complaints.

Better than 67% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 58 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 28%).

NHTSA data checked October 3, 2026

The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2020 Hyundai Palisade have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 153 of 479 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2020 Hyundai Palisade concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (32%). For comparison, the 2021 scores 24%. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
153
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
537
this model year
Fires reported
7
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
5
13 crashes · 16 injuries

Complaints by component

ENGINE132 · 25%
VISIBILITY/WIPER114 · 21%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER85 · 16%
SUSPENSION61 · 11%
SEAT BELTS51 · 9%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM45 · 8%

The years either side

2010
no data
2011
no data
2012
no data
2013
no data
2014
no data
2015
no data
2016
no data
2017
no data
2018
no data
2019
no data
2020
32%
153 of 537
2021
24%
76 of 439
2022
26%
60 of 309
2023
21%
66 of 400

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

How the 2020 compares with other Hyundai Palisade years

Of the 4 Hyundai Palisade years with enough complaints to score, the 2020 is the worst on engine and transmission share (32%). The best is the 2023 (21%). By volume, the 2020 drew 537 complaints (153 drivetrain), against 439 for the 2021.

Hyundai Palisade years to avoid and best years →

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2020 Hyundai Palisade

  • The mileage where it happens. When owners of the 2020 Hyundai Palisade said the problem showed up, and the range most of them fell in.
  • Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
  • What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
  • Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.

What one owner reported

ENGINE09/24/2026
My 2020 Hyundai Palisade (3.8L V6) has a persistent engine defect causing sudden stalling and severe oil consumption. Since mid-2019 the engine has stalled without warning when coming to a stop, idled roughly, and made loud puttering noises under light acceleration — a loss-of-power hazard in traffic. In 2026 the deale…

One of 153 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

2020 Hyundai Palisade engine and transmission recalls

No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns on the 2020 Hyundai Palisade, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

5 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
air bags: side/window: curtain26V034000 · Jan 2026
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Palisade vehicles. The side curtain air bags for third-row occupants may deploy improperly in a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to…
seat belts: rear/other: buckle assembly25V607000 · Sep 2025
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Palisade vehicles. The seat belt buckles in the driver, passenger, and second-row window seats may fail to latch.
trailer hitches22V633000 · Aug 2022
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling 2020-2022 Palisade vehicles potentially equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Hyundai…
visibility: windshield wiper/washer: motor22V627000 · Aug 2022
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Palisade vehicles. The windshield wiper motor may become inoperative, causing the wipers to fail.
air bags: side/window19V802000 · Nov 2019
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020 Palisade vehicles. The mounting bolts used to secure the side curtain air bags may damage the side curtain air bags during deployment.

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.

Checking one particular 2020 Hyundai Palisade? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

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Questions people ask about the 2020 Hyundai Palisade

Does the 2020 Hyundai Palisade have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 153 of 479 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2020 Hyundai Palisade concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (32%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.

What is the most common problem with the 2020 Hyundai Palisade?

Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2020 Hyundai Palisade is engine: 132 of 537 complaints (25%) name it, followed by visibility/wiper (114) and suspension (61). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap.

Is the 2020 Hyundai Palisade reliable?

On the engine and transmission, nothing stands out: 32% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain, below the 33% line where we call a signal elevated. That is better than 67% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 4 Hyundai Palisade years we score, it ranks worst. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2020 Hyundai Palisade?

No. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns on the 2020 Hyundai Palisade, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.

Which Hyundai Palisade years are better?

Among the Hyundai Palisade years we track, the 2023 (21%), the 2021 (24%) and the 2022 (26%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2020 (32%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/hyundai-palisade

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.