Hyundai, Kia recall over 200,000 EVs over potential power issues

Hyundai and Kia are recalling over 200,000 vehicles because their integrated charging control units could experience issues that could result in a loss of drive power and pose a safety hazard.

The ICCUs in Hyundai’s approximately 145,200 recalled model-year 2022-2024 Ioniq 5, 2023-2025 Ioniq 6, 2023-2025 Genesis GV60, 2023-2025 Genesis "Electrified" GV70 and 2023-2024 Genesis "Electrified" G80 vehicles "may become damaged and stop charging the 12-volt battery," according to a recall report submitted to the NHTSA. 

"The ICCU may be subject to certain electric load conditions that can cause the internal metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor… to fail, potentially resulting in an open ICCU fuse," the automaker said in the report. "An open ICCU fuse results in an inability to charge the 12-volt battery."

Hyundai said Monday in a statement to FOX Business it recalled the vehicles "to ensure the safety of its customers and out of an abundance of caution." It said that some of the Hyundai and Genesis vehicles had been previously recalled.

The issue has not been responsible for any crashes or injuries in the U.S. or Canada to date, the company told FOX Business. In Canada, another 34,500 vehicles are also facing recall for the same reason, it said.

The automaker said that airbags, braking and powered steering would "remain operational" if recalled vehicles lose the ability to charge their 12-volt auxiliary batteries and initiate a "design-intended ‘fail-safe’ driving mode that allows immediate full propulsion while gradually reducing motive power over time as the vehicle's battery is discharged."

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Meanwhile, Kia said more than 62,800 EV6 vehicles from model years 2022-2026 could suffer ICCU damage over time from "transient high voltage and thermal cycling" that could impact their 12-volt battery charging capabilities, according to a separate NHTSA recall.

"A damaged ICCU may not be able to charge the 12-volt battery which can discharge gradually while driving with progressive reductions of motive power," Kia said. "If the driver ignores the warnings associated with the discharging battery condition and continues to operate the vehicle in a reduced power mode, the vehicle may eventually experience a complete loss of motive power."

Kia is not aware of any crashes, injuries or deaths from its own ICCU-related issue, according to a statement from the company.

In the case of both recalls, the automakers are making a fix available to potentially impacted vehicle owners for free.

Hyundai said that dealers will install an update to the ICCU software. The ICCU assembly and fuse in the recalled Hyundai and Genesis vehicles will get replaced "if necessary."

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Affected Kia owners can get new ICCUs and ICCU fuses "if necessary" at a dealership along with a software update that "further optimizes thermal management and peak voltage during operation," the automaker said. 

Notification letters for Kia owners are expected to be mailed in mid-December; Hyundai and Genesis owners will be informed via mail in mid-January.

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The timeframes during which Hyundai built the recalled Hyundai and Genesis vehicles varied by model. The recalled Kias, meanwhile, were manufactured in a 32-month span running from Nov. 17, 2021 to July 22, 2024.