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Battery recall - What's Hyundai to do? (reasonable and unreasonable suggestions welcome)

Discussion in 'Hyundai Kona Electric' started by MSimpsonNJ, Apr 12, 2021.

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  1. Apr 12, 2021 #1
    MSimpsonNJ

    MSimpsonNJ Active Member

    New Jersey
    I'm probably going to start a boatload of controversy in asking this question (especially given my position of being outside of the recall window for the battery), but why not, it's Monday.....

    What would everyone have Hyundai do in this situation?

    They have:

    · installed software that is supposed to hopefully prevent your car from getting to the point that it will catch on fire because of the defect, if it is sensed that your car might have the defective battery (BrickRatherThanBurnWare);

    · they have voluntarily (at least outside of Korea) agreed to completely replace all batteries that might possibly have the folded-tab defect, even when there have been fewer than 15 fires worldwide (is it 12? I can't remember);

    · they have suggested measures to mitigate the chances of your car catching fire if it does indeed have the defect;

    · they have imposed a software update that will make you actively choose whether to bypass the mitigation suggestions, thereby making sure that it is your choice to do so;

    · and that choice, while annoying, only means you have to actively choose to bypass the mitigation each time you charge above 80% (is it that much more work than hitting that stupid "confirm" button when you start the car) (and yes I know it takes a few more steps than the stupid "confirm" button but it isn't necessary every time you start the car) (and yes I know if you ignore the stupid "confirm" button the screen eventually goes away).

    I just received a note from my Honda dealer for my Accord that there is yet another recall to replace an airbag that could kill me if it is activated. The bottom line is that there was a recall and recalls are a fact of life when mass-manufacturing inherently dangerous products such as cars.

    https://www.caranddriver.com/recalls/?fbclid=IwAR0I7IM-j6QU4ZIXP2qDDDIu3xapG5_YfP0bUtD7WcmiJeIUwEYmBosiZ4Y

    https://www.news18.com/news/auto/vehicle-recalls-top-more-than-13-million-in-first-six-months-of-2020-toyota-leads-the-chart-2722099.html

    https://www.thebalance.com/what-cars-have-the-highest-recall-rates-4171848

    This recall is for probably the most significant part of an EV, but by all accounts, the chances of the car catching fire are quite small, and Hyundai is going to completely replace the battery, defective or not. It will take time to do that but what are their choices? If they did not offer suggestions and mitigation measures, everyone would be upset because they were ignoring the problem. Am I more likely to have my car catch on fire, or to be t-boned by an idiot running a red light or pulling out of a parking lot after stopping for coffee?

    So, what would YOU do? (OK, I am putting on the body armor and going into my bunker)
     
    R P and electriceddy like this.

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  2. Apr 12, 2021 #2
    Thomas Mackay

    Thomas Mackay New Member

    I would like better communication about what is going on with the recall (in the US) so far I have a letter from nhtsa and hyundai but nothing else. There arent that many of us, give me a call....

    Also when my battery is replaced i would like a 100kWh model. I will keep dreaming.
     
    R P, electriceddy, MSimpsonNJ and 1 other person like this.
  3. Apr 12, 2021 #3
    electriceddy

    electriceddy Moderator Staff Member

    Nanaimo BC, 2021 Kona Ultimate Built Sept 2020
    (1) Offer a buyback for those who need the range.
    When available:
    (2) Replace with Ionic 5 (proportional differential in cost OK)
    (3) 3 years free unlimited DC charging
     
    mho, FloridaSun, ttsherpa and 3 others like this.
  4. Apr 12, 2021 #4
    Jimct

    Jimct Active Member

    Northeast CT
    (2) Replace with Ionic 5 (proportional differential in cost OK)
    Isn't the Ioniq 5 only rated for 170 mile range? 80% Kona is 220. I would seriously look at the Ioniq if they could upgrade the battery to increase range.
    One positive thing coming from all this, the Kona should have the bugs worked out by now.
     
  5. Apr 12, 2021 #5
    MSimpsonNJ

    MSimpsonNJ Active Member

    New Jersey
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  6. Apr 12, 2021 #6
    Fastnf

    Fastnf Well-Known Member

    Tehachapi Calif, 2023 F150 Lightning Pro
    The Ioniq 5 has a 290 mile range. It also comes in AWD It will be available in Europe towards the end of this year and North America next year.
     
    Jimct likes this.
  7. Apr 12, 2021 #7
    R P

    R P Well-Known Member

    Vancouver, BC, Canada 2023 Solterra Tech Pkg
  8. Apr 12, 2021 #8
    KiwiME

    KiwiME Well-Known Member

    New Zealand '2019' EU, heat pump, pink coolant
    No one can expect a large company like Hyundai to more as quickly as some owners would like, especially those few saddled with a certain degree of entitlement. This is much like the Takata airbag recall where it's a supplier at fault and the auto manufacturers and dealers are stuck in the middle having to do most of the work, at no fault of their own. Several people were badly injured or may have died due to that defect and yet the recall is still underway perhaps 5+ years later with many cars in NZ still not updated. Did those Takata car owners jump up and down asking for compensation? Possibly, but certainly not here.

    Hardly anyone has complained about the temporary lost range on the NZ Hyundai EV owners FB group and that's certainly because Hyundai have gallantly owned up to the issue and we all understand it will be taken care of as soon as practical. A few owners are just charging to 100% anyway, damn the torpedoes, etc. Many of us realise that our resale values will be significantly boosted if we are patient enough to hang onto the cars until that time.
     
    Anaglypta, nigels, MSimpsonNJ and 2 others like this.
  9. Apr 13, 2021 #9
    NRH

    NRH Active Member

    Downeast Maine
    I agree with the OP. While I'd prefer nothing went wrong with anything I ever bought, that's unrealistic. So, I just expect that when things do go wrong, a company takes measures to make me whole again. To me, the current situation doesn't present any cause for concern (nobody has been hurt as far as I know, and about a dozen cars worldwide have burned), and I think Hyundai's proposed plan is the best possible way to make owners whole once the battery is replaced. (Really, I'd say we will be made more than whole, since we're getting the single most expensive, and possibly life-limiting component of the car renewed a couple years into ownership.)

    I'm back to Hakuna Matata on this one. The wife took a 1300 mile trip this past weekend with no hiccups, and loved the experience. It's without a doubt, an excellent car.
     
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  10. Apr 13, 2021 #10
    Pobre

    Pobre Member

    this would be nice if they can give us an option of upgrading to a longer range battery...
     
  11. Apr 13, 2021 #11
    NRH

    NRH Active Member

    Downeast Maine
    While we're dreaming, the enhancement I'd like more than range is 150kW charging speed! Currently we can charge from 20-80% in about 30 minutes. If we could do that in 15 minutes it would be faster than gas (can't pee and buy coffee while you're gassing up). This seems like it's right on the horizon and it kinda blows my mind.
     
  12. Apr 13, 2021 #12
    Jimct

    Jimct Active Member

    Northeast CT
    Now I remember seeing this, thanks for the memory refresh.
     
  13. Apr 13, 2021 #13
    GPM432

    GPM432 Active Member

    I have been saying this all along but people have different mind sets Look at the positive . New battery new car.... I charged my car to 96% yesterday no problem So just keep driving your Kona..
     
  14. Apr 13, 2021 #14
    R P

    R P Well-Known Member

    Vancouver, BC, Canada 2023 Solterra Tech Pkg
    I'll throw out another positive. Of course low probability of it happening, but so are all the negatives that have been posted here, too. In fact this may actually be more likely. And here it is:

    Maybe Hyundai is holding off until they nail down the manufacturing of the higher capacity 77.4 kWh for the Ioniq 5 and other E-GMP platform cars. And maybe its size and dimensions will fit the Kona. So might be easier/cheaper to manufacture and install these into the Kona instead of the current 64 kWh ones we have. And it would be great compensation for those of us, who have to live with the 80 or 90% charge limits for now.

    Can only wish...
     
    XtsKonaTrooper likes this.
  15. Apr 13, 2021 #15
    Jamas

    Jamas Active Member

    CT, USA | 2023 Genesis GV60 Advanced
    I would like the option of trading up to the Ioniq 5 without a significant loss in trade-in value. But then again, owning a first year model comes with its own set of risks.
     
    electriceddy and R P like this.
  16. Apr 13, 2021 #16
    Christian Reading

    Christian Reading Member

    Katy, TX
    LG is covering 70% of the cost of the Kona EV battery recall. It is unlikely they will allow Hyundai to source a competitor's batteries. The Ioniq 5 batteries will be made by SKI.
     
  17. Apr 13, 2021 #17
    GPM432

    GPM432 Active Member

    Where did you read that Please
     
  18. Apr 13, 2021 #18
    KiwiME

    KiwiME Well-Known Member

    New Zealand '2019' EU, heat pump, pink coolant
  19. Apr 14, 2021 #19
    GPM432

    GPM432 Active Member

  20. Apr 14, 2021 #20
    KiwiME

    KiwiME Well-Known Member

    New Zealand '2019' EU, heat pump, pink coolant
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