2020-2023 Hyundai Palisade Front vs Rear Brakes: What Wears First and What to Replace

By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse

On a 2020-2023 Hyundai Palisade the front brakes almost always wear out first. The Palisade has disc brakes at all four corners, and the front axle does most of the stopping work, so front pads and rotors are usually due well before the rears. The rears still need regular checks, because they carry the electronic parking brake and can wear unevenly if that system drags or a caliper sticks.

How the Palisade Brake System Is Laid Out

Every 2020-2023 Palisade uses power-assisted hydraulic disc brakes front and rear, with ABS and an electronic parking brake (EPB). There is no rear drum and no hand lever or foot pedal for the parking brake: you pull up the EPB switch on the console to apply it and press it, with your foot on the brake, to release it. According to the owner's manual, the EPB can also apply itself when another system requests it, or when you shut the engine off while Auto Hold is holding the vehicle.

Because the parking brake works through the rear brakes, the rear pads and rotors do two jobs: helping stop the vehicle and holding it when parked. That matters when you service them, which we cover below.

Why the Front Brakes Wear First

When you brake, the Palisade's weight pitches forward onto the front tires. The front tires then have more grip than the rears, so the system is designed to send more braking force to the front. More force means more heat and more friction material worn off the front pads and rotors on every stop.

The Palisade is a three-row SUV that is often loaded with passengers and cargo, and many owners tow with it. Extra weight means more energy to turn into heat at each stop, and most of that lands on the front brakes. Stop-and-go traffic, hilly roads and towing all speed up front wear. Hyundai's own severe-usage schedule lists heavy traffic, mountain roads and towing a trailer among the conditions that call for more frequent brake inspection.

That does not mean the rears last forever. On EPB vehicles, rear pads can wear faster than expected if the parking brake is not fully releasing, if a rear caliper slide or piston sticks, or if the vehicle was driven with the parking brake applied. Hyundai's manual warns that driving with the EPB applied can cause excessive pad and rotor wear.

Symptoms: Which End Needs Attention

The Palisade has audible pad wear indicators. The owner's manual says that when pads are worn and new ones are needed, you will hear a high-pitched warning sound from the front or rear brakes, either coming and going or every time you press the pedal. Hyundai also notes that a light squeal on the first few stops in some weather can be normal, so a noise that stays is what you are listening for.

• Front brakes: high-pitched squeal from the front, grinding (pads worn to the backing plate), a steering wheel shimmy under braking (rotor thickness variation), or the SUV pulling to one side.
• Rear brakes: squeal or grind from the back, a burning smell or one hot rear wheel after a drive (dragging caliper or EPB not releasing), or the parking brake warning light staying on after you release the EPB.
• Either end or the hydraulics: a soft or low pedal, longer stopping distances, or the brake fluid warning. The same red light that shows the parking brake is on also comes on for low fluid, so if it is lit with the EPB released, check the fluid level.

The simplest check is a visual one. Hyundai recommends inspecting the disc brake pads whenever the tires are rotated. Look at the remaining friction material on both the inner and outer pads, and check the rotors for deep grooves, a raised lip at the edge, or heat spots.

The Fix: What to Replace, Front and Rear

Hyundai's manual is clear that brake pads should always be replaced as complete front or rear axle sets. Never replace just one side.

Front brake job

For most Palisades this is the first brake service. Replace the front pads as a set, and inspect or replace the rotors at the same time. If the rotors are grooved, lipped, below the minimum thickness cast into the rotor, or causing vibration, replace them. New pads on worn rotors often bring back noise and pedal pulsation. We carry Power Stop front ceramic brake pads for the 2020-2023 Palisade, and you can browse more options in our ceramic brake pads collection and brake rotors collection.

Rear brake job

Rear service follows the same rule: pads as an axle set, rotors inspected or replaced. The difference is the electronic parking brake. The rear caliper pistons cannot simply be pushed back with a clamp the way they can on a caliper without an EPB. Put the EPB into its service mode with a scan tool or the procedure in the factory service manual before retracting the pistons, and never force them. Skipping this step can damage the parking brake actuator.

Replace at the same time

• Pad hardware (abutment clips and anti-rattle springs) and fresh brake lubricant on the slide pins and contact points. See our brake hardware kits.
• Calipers, if a piston is seized, a slide pin is stuck, or a boot is torn. See brake calipers.
• Brake fluid, if it is due. The Palisade's normal schedule calls for replacing brake fluid every 30,000 miles or 48 months, using fluid that meets DOT 3 or DOT 4.

If you want pads and rotors matched in one box, Power Stop's Z23 Evolution Sport kits pair carbon-fiber ceramic pads with drilled, slotted and zinc-plated rotors, stainless hardware and brake lubricant. Power Stop stresses that the break-in (bedding) procedure is critical after installation. Browse our Power Stop collection for Palisade fitments.

Recalls Worth Checking First

Before buying parts for a brake complaint, run your VIN on nhtsa.gov. Two Palisade brake recalls apply to this generation:

• 21V-840 (2021 Palisade): contaminated brake fluid could swell the master cylinder inner-cup seals and reduce braking performance. The remedy was a new master cylinder and a brake fluid flush, free of charge. It covered a small group of vehicles (995 potentially affected).
• 23V-415 (2023 Palisade): certain vehicles built April 28 to May 11, 2023 had brake booster housings that could let the diaphragm unseat, causing a vacuum leak and loss of power assist. Hyundai's dealer guidance told owners with braking concerns not to drive the vehicle until the remedy was applied.

Neither recall is a pad or rotor issue, but a hard pedal or reduced braking on an affected vehicle should go to a dealer first.

How Hard Is the Job?

A front pad and rotor job on the Palisade is a standard two-caliper job that a careful DIYer with jack stands, a torque wrench and basic hand tools can handle. Tighten caliper bolts, bracket bolts and wheel nuts to the values in the factory service manual, and recheck the wheel nuts after the first drive. The rear job is similar mechanically but requires the EPB service procedure, so it is the one to leave to a shop if you do not have a scan tool that supports it. After either job, pump the pedal until it is firm before moving the vehicle, then bed in the new pads.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do the front or rear brakes wear out first on a Hyundai Palisade?

The front brakes usually wear out first because they do most of the stopping. Rear pads typically last longer, but check them at every tire rotation, since a dragging caliper or parking brake can wear them early.

Does the 2020-2023 Palisade have rear drum brakes?

No. The Palisade uses disc brakes at all four wheels, and the parking brake is electronic and works through the rear brakes.

Do I need a scan tool to change the rear brakes?

You need a way to put the electronic parking brake into service mode before retracting the rear caliper pistons, which usually means a scan tool that supports it or the factory procedure. Forcing the pistons back can damage the parking brake.

Should I replace the rotors with the pads?

Replace them if they are grooved, lipped, under the minimum thickness stamped on the rotor, or causing vibration. Many owners replace pads and rotors together so the new pads bed onto a fresh, flat surface.

What brake fluid does the Palisade use?

Hyundai's owner's manual specifies hydraulic brake fluid that meets DOT 3 or DOT 4, with replacement every 30,000 miles or 48 months on the normal schedule.

Why is my parking brake light on after I released the EPB?

The same light also signals low brake fluid. If it stays on after release, check the fluid level; if the level is fine, Hyundai says to have the system checked by a dealer.

Sources

1. 2021 Hyundai Palisade Owner's Manual - four-wheel disc brakes, EPB operation, pad wear indicator, axle-set pad replacement, DOT 3/DOT 4 fluid, maintenance intervals, severe-usage conditions
2. NHTSA recall acknowledgment 21V-840 - 2021 Palisade brake fluid contamination and master cylinder remedy
3. Hyundai Safety Recall 245 dealer document (NHTSA 23V-415) - 2023 Palisade brake booster diaphragm and loss of power assist
4. Power Stop Z23 Evolution Sport Brake Upgrade Kit - kit contents and the importance of the break-in procedure