Safety Alert: Instrument Panel Display Issue in Certain 2025–2026 Genesis Vehicles
Hyundai has announced a safety defect affecting select 2025–2026 Genesis vehicles. The problem is a software glitch that can cause the instrument panel display to temporarily go blank while driving. While no crashes or injuries have been reported to date, the issue involves critical vehicle information and does not meet federal safety standards, prompting a formal recall.
What Is the Problem?
Certain 2025–2026 Genesis vehicles may experience intermittent reboots of the instrument panel (IP) cluster and the Audio/Video/Navigation (AVN) display during vehicle operation. When this occurs, the screen can temporarily go blank for approximately 5–10 seconds.
This issue stems from a software logic error involving the vehicle’s HD radio system. Specifically, both HD and analog radio data may attempt to write to the same memory location due to overlapping routines in the AVN software, causing a data overwrite error. When this happens, the IP cluster and AVN display may stop receiving an output signal until the system finishes rebooting.
Because this can temporarily disable the display of essential driving information, the affected vehicles do not comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 101, which governs controls and displays.
Why Does This Matter?
If the instrument panel display becomes inoperative—even briefly—it can obscure critical information such as:
- Vehicle speed (speedometer)
- Fuel level (fuel gauge)
- Warning lights and on-screen notifications
The loss of this information while driving increases the risk of a crash, particularly if the driver is unaware of vehicle speed or other system alerts during the outage.
Is There Any Warning Before It Happens?
No. There is no advance warning before the display reboots. The issue occurs intermittently and without driver input.
What Caused the Issue?
The cause is a data overwrite error occurring during an HD radio subroutine in the AVN software.
How Was the Issue Discovered?
NASO prepared and conducted replication and root cause testing using a model year 2026 GV70 test vehicle jointly with Hyundai Motor Company (HMC) and the supplier in connection with an ongoing investigation of claims alleging intermittent operability of the vehicle’s IP cluster and AVN display.
Timeline of Key Events
- January 5, 2026: Following testing completion and validation of the test results, HMC informed NASO of its findings. Testing indicated a reboot may occur when both HD and analog radio data is written to the same single memory storage location due to overlapping routines in the AVN software. This can create a data overwrite error that prevents the IP cluster and AVN display from receiving an output signal. Replication testing confirmed the condition can occur during vehicle operation and may last approximately 5–10 seconds while the system reboots.
- January 8, 2026: Based on the findings, NASO convened its North America Safety Decision Authority (NASDA) to review results and decided the defect condition does not meet the requirements of FMVSS No. 101, warranting initiation of a noncompliance recall of potentially affected vehicles in the U.S. market.
As of the date of the filing, Hyundai confirmed 237 reports received from September 26, 2024 through January 2, 2026 alleging the defect condition in the U.S. There are no confirmed crashes, fires, injuries, or fatalities related to the issue in the U.S.
Which Vehicles Are Affected?
The recall applies to the following Genesis models:
- 2025–2026 Genesis G80
- 2026 Genesis G80 Electrified
- 2026 Genesis GV60
- 2026 Genesis GV70
- 2026 Genesis GV70 Electrified
- 2025–2026 Genesis GV80
What Should Owners Do Now?
Owners are advised to disable the High Definition (HD) radio feature until the recall remedy has been performed.
The Audio/Video/Navigation software will be updated either:
- Over-the-air (OTA), or
- Inspected and updated by a dealer
When Will Owners Be Notified?
Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed March 16, 2026.
- Hyundai recall number: 031G
- NHTSA campaign number: 26V-019
Bottom Line
While this issue is not known to have caused any accidents or injuries, it involves temporary loss of critical driving information and is being taken seriously by Hyundai. If you own one of the affected Genesis vehicles, disabling HD radio and completing the software update when available will help reduce risk and resolve the issue.