Hyundai has issued a recall affecting over 4,000 Palisade vehicles from the 2024 model year due to concerns surrounding faulty valve springs, posing potential risks of engine damage. Despite only one percent of the recalled population being susceptible to this issue, the gravity lies in the possibility of valve spring breakage leading to engine block perforation. The Palisade in the U.S. is exclusively equipped with a 3.8-liter V6 engine generating 291 hp.
Identified by Hyundai, approximately 4,235 models may harbor this defect, necessitating individual inspection by certified technicians to ascertain the presence of the issue. The carmaker has yet to specify whether the problem extends to multiple valve springs within the same engine or if a particular position is at fault. Nevertheless, Hyundai has committed to replacing the engine sub-assembly at no cost wherever deemed necessary.
The genesis of the problem traces back to October 2023 when Hyundai was alerted to a stalling issue by a dealer, attributed to a fractured valve spring. Subsequently, a corporate investigation, initiated by December 11th, confirmed the recurrence of the same issue during an engine teardown. By January 2024, eighteen instances of broken valve springs in 2024 Palisade vehicles had been identified.
The underlying cause appears to lie in production-related damages incurred by the springs. A broken valve spring within the V6 engine has the potential to induce engine stalling, with rare occurrences posing the risk of the fractured spring infiltrating the combustion chamber, puncturing the engine block, and potentially leading to hazardous outcomes such as crashes or fires.
Despite the severity of the issue, no crashes, injuries, or fatalities linked to this condition have been reported to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the U.S.
Consequently, Hyundai has initiated the recall process, with dealers and customers notified simultaneously on April 13th, 2024. Owners of 2024 Palisade vehicles can verify their inclusion in the recall population by searching their VIN number on NHTSA.gov.
Furthermore, mirroring the Palisade's drivetrain, the 2024 Kia Telluride has also been subjected to an identical recall, reflecting the broader implications of the issue across similar vehicle models.