- The class action lists three plaintiffs who allegedly experienced braking issues while driving.
- It’s claimed the Hyundai Palisade’s brakes cause it to skid on rough or uneven road surfaces.
- One dealer reportedly told a driver the vehicle’s ABS performance was completely normal.
The Palisade is one of Hyundai’s most important models in the US. So far this year, it ranks as the brand’s fourth-best seller, behind only the Tucson, Elantra, and Santa Fe, with 44,544 units sold in the first five months. However, the popular seven-seater is now the subject of a class action lawsuit alleging a fault with the ABS and/or traction control system.
Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, the lawsuit claims that the ABS and/or traction control systems in 2023 to 2025 Hyundai Palisade models are defective. According to the complaint, the vehicle can misread wheel speed when braking on rough or uneven pavement such as bumps. This apparently causes the brakes to rapidly release and reapply, which may lead to longer stopping distances than drivers would reasonably expect.
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Three plaintiffs are named, all of whom claim to have experienced braking issues on uneven surfaces. The first, Camille Maldonado, reports that her Palisade feels like it’s skidding across the surface when she tries to stop on rough terrain, and she believes the vehicle takes longer to come to a halt than it should.
The other plaintiffs, Shlomo Vizel and Terrance Rubin, have complained of similar experiences. Vizel took their vehicle back to the Hyundai dealer and was told that the ABS performance was normal. Meanwhile, a separate dealer told Rubin that they didn’t know what was causing the ABS defect or how to repair it.
Early Warnings and Customer Complaints
The lawsuit further alleges that the Korean automaker became aware of the defect during pre-production testing of the Palisade and received multiple early customer complaints about the issue. It also cites a number of posts on online forums dating back to February 2023, where owners report experiencing ABS issues.
In addition, it references complaints filed with the NHTSA, including one that states: “I was going 5 mph, hit a small bump in road and the ABS brakes kicked in and the car wouldn’t. I almost hit the car in front of me. Emergency system kicked in and luckily stopped the vehicle.”
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The three plaintiffs in this case are seeking to represent all Palisade owners in New York and Ohio and have requested a jury trial. They’re also pursuing damages and restitution for the alleged defect. Hyundai has not publicly responded to the claims and likely won’t, given that the litigation is still underway.
