I'm obliged to warn drivers of unintentional rapid acceleration with the 2024 Hyundai Ioniq 5. My vehicle is a leased Ioniq 5 SE obtained in May 2024 and now with about 5000 miles on the odometer. I experienced a frightening, unanticipated rapid acceleration event, which was objectively caused by the vehicle and which caused extensive damage, but which, after an alleged technical review by Hyundai International, was classified as the fault of the driver despite my protestations.
The incident occurred as I was engaged in routine parallel parking on a quiet 2-lane side street. I backed slowly into the parking space. Sudden extreme acceleration occurred as I lifted my foot off the accelerator pedal. I applied the brake immediately and with maximum force. This stopped my vehicle inches before hitting the vehicle in back of me. I shifted forward and moved slowly but experienced the same abrupt extreme acceleration upon lifting off the accelerator. I applied the brake with all my force, but this time could not stop my vehicle before striking the rear of the vehicle in front of me. The airbags did not deploy. I turned the vehicle off and then on again, but it would not shift forward or reverse. I turned it off and on once more, and this time, I could shift forward and reverse to position the vehicle in the parking space without further incident. In retrospect, I recalled that the vehicle had an over-the-air software update approximately ten days earlier. The floor mats in this car are screwed in place. I was shaken by the experience, requiring several hours to recover my composure.
Damage to the front end of my vehicle was extensive, mostly due to multiple cracked parts, for a total of $8000. The vehicle in front was not damaged at all. I had to cover a $500 copay plus an immediate increase in my insurance rate by $600. Hyundai has declined to take responsibility for the accident. Hyundai allegedly reviewed my Event Recorder but reported no obvious anomalies. I requested a copy of the Recorder printout, but Hyundai refused, saying the data was proprietary. My lawyer tells me the Recorder data legally belongs to me, but pursuing it with a suit would be prohibitively expensive. It may be that this Event Recorder is only triggered by an airbag deployment. I've tried to get out of my Hyundai lease without success through either Hyundai International or my local Hyundai dealership. Since I need a vehicle, I'm obliged to continue driving a car that may cause additional mayhem in the future.
The incident occurred as I was engaged in routine parallel parking on a quiet 2-lane side street. I backed slowly into the parking space. Sudden extreme acceleration occurred as I lifted my foot off the accelerator pedal. I applied the brake immediately and with maximum force. This stopped my vehicle inches before hitting the vehicle in back of me. I shifted forward and moved slowly but experienced the same abrupt extreme acceleration upon lifting off the accelerator. I applied the brake with all my force, but this time could not stop my vehicle before striking the rear of the vehicle in front of me. The airbags did not deploy. I turned the vehicle off and then on again, but it would not shift forward or reverse. I turned it off and on once more, and this time, I could shift forward and reverse to position the vehicle in the parking space without further incident. In retrospect, I recalled that the vehicle had an over-the-air software update approximately ten days earlier. The floor mats in this car are screwed in place. I was shaken by the experience, requiring several hours to recover my composure.
Damage to the front end of my vehicle was extensive, mostly due to multiple cracked parts, for a total of $8000. The vehicle in front was not damaged at all. I had to cover a $500 copay plus an immediate increase in my insurance rate by $600. Hyundai has declined to take responsibility for the accident. Hyundai allegedly reviewed my Event Recorder but reported no obvious anomalies. I requested a copy of the Recorder printout, but Hyundai refused, saying the data was proprietary. My lawyer tells me the Recorder data legally belongs to me, but pursuing it with a suit would be prohibitively expensive. It may be that this Event Recorder is only triggered by an airbag deployment. I've tried to get out of my Hyundai lease without success through either Hyundai International or my local Hyundai dealership. Since I need a vehicle, I'm obliged to continue driving a car that may cause additional mayhem in the future.
