Sorry you are having difficulty. My Dealer worked with me and my Corporate Rep. The only issue is that it just took so long to get the Headrests in. My wife noticed a slight odor yesterday, so I will give it a week or so to see if it is still a problem. All in all, it is no where near as bad as it was...however, I want zero smell. I will update after a week or so.
Unpleasant Interior Odor
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Great news to report: all 7 headrests were replaced by the dealership after creating a Corporate Case number with Hyundai and are odor free. Thank goodness the odor has been resolved. I am glad the ordeal is over. It took me 1 month to receive the replacement headrest with documentation of failed service bullet and dealing directly with Hyundai corporate case manager. Good luck everyone. The dealership only acted based on corporate case manager direction/authorization to order the replacement headrest.
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@nharp1 that's great news! But it sounds like you had to take your car in 3x for treatment before getting replacements, is that right?
Sure would be nice if Hyundai would just have the dealership identify the issue and then authorize replacement at that time, so an owner would only have to make two trips to the dealer instead of 4.
Sure would be nice if Hyundai would just have the dealership identify the issue and then authorize replacement at that time, so an owner would only have to make two trips to the dealer instead of 4.
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Can someone describe the smell? I don’t know if this is Hyundai new car smell or this odor. It’s kinda bad when we get in. It hasn’t been hot here so not sure if it gets worse?
People have described it differently. Some say ammonia-ish, some say garlicy, some say dirty laundry. Either way, most that have it, find it offensive. Me, being in the minority, and hate leather seats, did not get the leather seats and therefore, do not any issues with the odor.
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I had problem with black interior in the limited. My dealer worked with the factory engineers for weeks. It was the headrest. They put them in a plastic bag with a biocide. Problem solved, This was 5 months ago. Good luck. Frank in Florida
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Garlicky gym socks in a high school locker room.
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Garlic/skunk/new car. A mix of the three. My car still smells, 15 months later. I thinks I’m getting used to it.
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I've noticed it a few times. Smells like a dead Skunk.
Since my purchase, a few months now, the ODOR seems prominant during WET periods. Assumed 1st from headrests BUT now I believe it to be from Rubber type connections under the hood near the driver's side tire area.
Interior smell perhaps due to ventilation circulation of the ODOR.
My 2¢.
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It smells like a wet dirty dog who rolled in garlic! Hyundai is trying to make customers believe the smell is coming from the foam in the head rests but that isn't completely true. Yes, the foam in the Headrests (my third row seat Headrests smelled the worst) smell, but once you remove them the smell still persists. It's the foam in the seats as well that smells. Hyundai would have to replace all the seats and Headrests to resolve the horrible smell issue and they aren't willing to do that. I am incredibly disappointed in Hyundai and will trade it as soon as all this Covid stuff is over and I can feel comfortable to really go test drive some other vehicles so I can find something else. I'll never buy another Hyundai again!
Mine had the smell. Took 2 rounds of cleaning/spraying (one of which was a chlorine bomb) which did not work...to finally allow corporate to order new headrests from the factory. Now that these have been installed the garlic smell is gone. We do still have a faint chlorine odor from the “fix” which is annoying but at least it’s not the nasty garlic odor. One new issue is some of the fake leather bits (second row armrests) are turning from cream to yellow. Dealer is replacing under warranty.
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So if ordering new head rests solves the issue, is this solved for brand new vehicles? As in they know what the problem was and now all head rests are good?
Or, do new cars rolling off the line still possibly have this which would also mean new headrests won't always fix it?
I have a Palisade on order and I'm scared. Haha.
Or, do new cars rolling off the line still possibly have this which would also mean new headrests won't always fix it?
I have a Palisade on order and I'm scared. Haha.
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I have a limited with the nappa beige interior that had the smell. Hyundai has traced the odor to the headrests which are made by a different manufacturer than the seats.
In my case they performed a deodorizer process twice on the headrests and after I complained that it still had the smell they replaced all the headrests.
Im happy to report that the smell is now gone.
I'm very relieved as other than that I really like the car.
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See car and driver article on smell issue...
www.caranddriver.com
Hyundai Says It Has a Fix for the Odor in Some 2020 Palisades
Some owners of the 2020 Palisade in the Calligraphy and Limited trims reported a bad smell in their vehicles, and Hyundai now says it has identified the source.
www.caranddriver.com
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It is terrible. Rotten garlic with dirty feet, you can't even get in the car it will drop you. I traded my limited for an SEL with leather still had a funky smell but not to the point you couldn't get in it. I hated my Palisade, it rode rough and was not what I am use too. I ended up trading the SEL for a 2021 Tahoe. I can tell you the Tahoe has the typical new car smell. This whole ordeal cost me $3000 never will I buy a Hyundai again.
That's great news! Now, if Hyundai would only replace the headrests right away without making us jump through hoops by having to undergo several trips to the dealer for their token "treatments" (which don't work).
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I have the issue and have been reluctant to start this likely grueling process...
It's usually just an initial slap in the face and quickly dissipates once windows are down and ac is on.
I also have a febreeze small spaces air freshener.
It's usually just an initial slap in the face and quickly dissipates once windows are down and ac is on.
I also have a febreeze small spaces air freshener.
Same here, but I live in Minnesota, and there is no smell in cold weather. As it warms up around here, I'm not looking forward to the stink returning.
I also don't want to take several trips to my dealer (they told me over the phone that they're required by Hyundai to try a couple of different "treatments" before they can order new headrests for me). It's ridiculous that we have to bring our new vehicles in for "service" for treatments that they admit don't really work.
If I had the issue, I would be on their doorstep so often the valets would know my name. I will gladly pay to make modifications to a car to suit my wants and desires, I will not pay my own money, do work arounds, or live with a problem that they know about and can in the end, make right. And I get a loaner while they have it in for service too.
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