My First Kona EV Burp

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dcisive

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Today I was out in my new 2025 Kona Limited EV waiting for my wife to finish up with a vet visit she took our bunnies to. It was raining and cold outside so I had the power ON (not the accessory) listening to the Sirius radio and had some low level heat on to keep warm. After about 20 or so minutes I noticed the orange dome lamp on the dash top lit to indicate the 12v battery was being charged. I've seen it briefly lit before but not for that long. After about a half hour some new light lit up in the driver portion of the display, one of which was a RED icon for the 12v battery. I got concerned so tried to hit the power button to turn the car off. Guess what. It would NOT go off and kept coming right back on. I tried to put it into Drive to change my parking spot and it would NOT go out of P or park. At this point I'm thinking WTF is going on. I didn't want to think there was some defect showing up. I was persistent and eventually the car let me shut it OFF.

I waited a few minutes then tried to turn it back on. All was normal again and I changed parking spots. It didn't do a repeat. I can't help but wonder what the car was trying to tell me. I'd love to think it's NOT a defect and was something else. It might be a stretch but perhaps, just perhaps the car didn't want me to move or turn it off as it wanted to restore charge to the 12v battery before I tried anything. Who knows. I realize there's been a plethora of the older ICCM modules in all the 2024's having recalls but thought they'd worked that out. That's the module responsible for keeping the 12v battery up to snuff. I purposely sat in the car with the heat and radio on in the MAIN battery ON position, NOT the ACC position for exactly that reason. I thought (that's all I can say is I thought) that would ensure the use of the BIG main battery for the HVAC and Radio to run. Perhaps I'm wrong (I hope not). If the 12v battery is entirely responsible for running all the HVAC and Radio usage and there's no way to such the power out of the big guy (the main battery that the car runs on) then that's a drag and I've been draining the 12v battery all that time and not knowing it. I'll have to contact the dealer and ask about that one unless someone here knows the answer. All in all the car was probably just pissed I continued to sit there draining it's precious 12v battery. Who know..........
 
When you say you had the "power ON" do you mean you pulled in, put the car in park and just idled there?
 
Yup exactly. I guess I assumed it would use the big battery but I'm tld it will mostly default to the 12v battery
 
If you were truly just parked and idling it will use the drive battery. It would run for literally days like that. If, however, you pushed the start/stop button at any point, it would drop into accessory mode and would draw only from the 12 volt battery.

I have gotten into loops before where I've pressed the start/stop button without depressing the brake pedal and it was very difficult to ascertain which mode I was in. I would think I was idling... until the 12 volt battery warning popped up on the screen.
 
If that's all the case did I indeed have a flaw in the software show up allowing the 12v battery to drain excessively or to a point it wasn't operating properly? I know those pesky ICCM modules that were the cause of the recalls last year were to blame for such behavior. Fortunately for me it kind of reset it seems after I manipulated several things and was able to get it to deliver the D mode again. Weird. I hope to never see that happen again. I fully admit I haven't done much driving in it lately so perhaps the 12v battery simply hasn't seen much time to recharge. After all there is NO alternator like in a ICE vehicle in these. It is supposed to draw from the primary (big) battery to remain charged, is my understanding. That's what I'm seeing occasionally with that dome light lighting on the dash (the tech at the dealer told me this).
 
dcisive said:
haven't done much driving in it lately so perhaps the 12v battery simply hasn't seen much time to recharge.
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Suggest use utility mode for a couple hours (say once every week or two) as it will apply 14V to the battery terminals. To shut off utility mode, just hit the power button (no foot on brake required) and the car will shut off.
Note: if waiting in your vehicle (listening to music etc), turn on utility mode- it is a good thing for the 12V battery and also proves the EV is not in accessory mode, an error message will appear (conditions not met) if not in run mode when changing.
 
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Wow didn't know about the Utility mode much. Can I assume that at this point the 12v battery will get fully charged up while I'm in the Utility mode and perhaps using a little heat and the radio? I suppose if it's in my garage as well just sitting there, if I enlist the Utility mode and leave the vehicle for say and hour or 2 perhaps it may charge up the 12v battery? Or am I assuming too much.
 
Wildeyed said:
If you were truly just parked and idling it will use the drive battery. It would run for literally days like that. If, however, you pushed the start/stop button at any point, it would drop into accessory mode and would draw only from the 12 volt battery.

I have gotten into loops before where I've pressed the start/stop button without depressing the brake pedal and it was very difficult to ascertain which mode I was in. I would think I was idling... until the 12 volt battery warning popped up on the screen.
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Same here, and I have since noted the sequence, battery voltages and warnings for each.
(1) Foot not on brake, push start: vehicle will enter accessory mode and is displayed "accessory mode" on the drivers display. Voltage at 12V battery is the residual charge left on it ~12V (hopefully)
(2) push start a 2nd time: red battery symbol appears on driver display, battery voltage drops little lower so some more systems are online. No name in manual for this condition, but I call it "death mode"- avoid at all costs by:
(3) push start button 3rd time (again no foot on brake), vehicle will shut off.
I found measuring with my Fluke 179 meter the voltages in run and utility are ~ the same aprox. 14.72 V. In run mode that voltage will vary with time and usage, in Utility mode that voltage is constant.
 
dcisive said:
Wow didn't know about the Utility mode much. Can I assume that at this point the 12v battery will get fully charged up while I'm in the Utility mode and perhaps using a little heat and the radio? I suppose if it's in my garage as well just sitting there, if I enlist the Utility mode and leave the vehicle for say and hour or 2 perhaps it may charge up the 12v battery? Or am I assuming too much.
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Exactly. And before you ever take it in to the dealer for anything, a good practice. Just ignore the car beep at you when you exit leaving it on and have the FOB with you.
I also use it when doors open for extended time, also always when using power liftgate and when poking around under the front trunk checking things, don't forget the frunk light is on when you open the hood as well as the driver display open symbol for each open door. Those display warnings will interrupt any programed "auxiliary battery saver +" 12V charging sequence.;)
 
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Thank Eddy I had no idea about the complexities of the electrical system. Too bad the manual isn't so adamant about how this all should be worked. From now on I'll be sure to put it into Utility mode if I'm not literally driving. :-) I would like to think the ICCM module is smart enough to know NOT to drain the 12v battery when driving even if one is using some of the accessories like HVAC or Radio and such. I have no idea. I didn't design this thing. In a normal ICE car at leasts the 12v battery is constantly charged up when driving. I'd love to believe it's going to be much the same in my Kona EV.
 
So I took your advice and ran the Utility mode for 3 hours last night. When I went out and turned it OFF and then started the car I still saw a RED 12v battery symbol show up in the main screen. I thought it would be GONE or fully charged back up by all that effort. Guess that's NOT how it works. I figured as you mentioned it would have applied voltage to charge running in Utility mode. Wish there was a way to see actual voltage status of the 12v batter in numbers. I don't own a voltage meter to verify. Oh well.
 
dcisive said:
So I took your advice and ran the Utility mode for 3 hours last night. When I went out and turned it OFF and then started the car I still saw a RED 12v battery symbol show up in the main screen. I thought it would be GONE or fully charged back up by all that effort. Guess that's NOT how it works. I figured as you mentioned it would have applied voltage to charge running in Utility mode. Wish there was a way to see actual voltage status of the 12v batter in numbers. I don't own a voltage meter to verify. Oh well.
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These days one can find a quality cost effective meter such as this one which I use as a back up.
Also available BM2 if monitoring the charging system is required.
I use my meter but if things start going south (concerning 12V charging), I will invest in one. Others have used on this forum with success.
BTW, I assume you do step on the brake pedal before pushing start button?
 
I have a drive tomorrow which is a half hour each way. Hopefully now that I know to use the Utility mode in the future when sitting running heat and radio and such that that little drive may perk up the fuller charge of the 12v battery. I'll be keeping an eye on that bad boy.
 
I have used BM2s in my cars for the past 5+ years, incl non-EVs. It keeps history and you can see how your battery is charged, and discharged over time. I like the 15 day view.
 
R P said:
I have used BM2s in my cars for the past 5+ years, incl non-EVs. It keeps history and you can see how your battery is charged, and discharged over time. I like the 15 day view.
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Agree, and wish there was a current sensor equivalent device.
 
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