I was told today because of recall 200, Hyundai wants buy back our cars

I was notified electronically (can't remember if it was email or other) first, and it sounded imperative that I act as soon as possible. I also received a letter several days after I dropped the car at the dealer. I'll see what I can find when I go home tonight and post it all here.

BTW...I live in Southern California and my Kona Limited is leased. It seems to me that if they are going to keep the car for weeks then I should get some kind of credit on my lease payment. It's true that they provided me with a loaner, but it's not the same. For one thing, I'm paying for Sirius radio that I now can't use. It doesn't seem reasonable that they need to have the car sitting in their lot while they sort out the battery supply issues.

 

Thanks. That would be great.
And just a tip: you can ask Sirius to temporarily suspend your account while you're without the car.

 

Thanks for the tip. To be honest, I stream it on my phone as well. I'll have to check and see if I can just suspend the car.

 

So we are still without a battery (since May 10) for our bricked Limited 2019 Kona EV. After weeks of being told by both the dealer and Hyundai that a new battery would be at the dealer by last week, the dealer informed me that they no longer have an ETA for batteries. So we complained once again to our Case manager, saying current situation was unacceptable and lo and behold they finally offered to put us in the buyback program. Got a call from Sedgwick today, who went over the details and what we need to provide to them. The person I spoke with said the entire process once we submitted the documents they need should be about 4-6 weeks--hopefully this is true based on our trying to get an answer for the battery problem in the first place.

Anyway, our Kona is leased. Is anyone on here in the buyback with a leased vehicle? Any suggestions as to what to submit? I asked the rep I spoke to about gas reimbursement for the loaner car we were given and the car charger we had installed in our garage. He said he wasn't that familiar with buybacks for electric cars, but thought i should submit for both of those just in case. So any pointers/suggestions appreciated.

btw--also said if a battery shows up and we want to keep the car, we have that choice up until the day they deliver a check,

Anyone have thoughts on whether it's worth keeping the car if the replace the battery? I guess part of that for us would be what kind of offer they make. We only have 1 more year on our lease. Part of me is nervous on keeping the car as replacing the battery by the dealer is something that I assume our dealer has never done before and so who know whether it gets done correctly. Biggest downside I see of buyback is having to go out and negotiate another car purchase/lease. Comments/suggestions welcome on this topic as well.

 

In the U.S., they sent out notices around June saying "Hyundai Motor America will launch Recall 200 (EV battery) soon ..." and in the meantime, set your charge limit to 200. And people who complained were able to get into the buyback process - because, I'm guessing, they weren't confident of enough batteries to replace them for everyone in the U.S. who was annoyed enough to make noise.

In Canada they were dealing with less stringent lemon requirements, so they just sent the letter to say "Sit tight, we'll get to you when we get to you."

In the U.S., now that they're replacing batteries, they're sending a similar letter saying, in effect, "If you're not already in the buyback, sit tight and we'll inspect and maybe replace your battery, when we get to you," because - I'm guessing - they now have enough batteries that for anyone trying to force a buyback under a lemon law, they can move them up in the queue and throw a battery at them instead.

Just my guess.

 

You've got the best of both world's in that you can await the battery while also seeing what sort of buyout deal you can get. And for what it's worth I think the battery replacement is as close to plug-and-play as it gets. Your dealer would have to really work at screwing it up if they are even moderately conscientious about their work.

 

Here's the text of an email I received on June 25, with an identical follow-up on July 1. I called the dealer on June 26 to make an appointment, and I delivered my vehicle there also on July 1.

Dear FlbrkMike,

Hyundai Motor America is ready to proceed with Recall 200 for your
Hyundai Kona EV battery. The remedy for this recall is to update your EV
battery’s software or replace your EV battery.

Please contact your Hyundai dealer to make an appointment to proceed
with the recall remedy. The first step of the recall remedy is for the Hyundai
dealer to inspect your vehicle to confirm if it needs a software update only
or needs an EV battery replacement.

If the battery needs to be replaced, the dealer will place an order for the
battery which should arrive in seven to ten days. The dealer will contact you
when the battery arrives. The battery replacement should be generally able
to be done within one day. The dealer will assist you with alternative
transportation if needed.

An EV battery will be reserved for 4 weeks from our notification to you to
allow time for you to schedule an appointment. If an appointment is not
made within 4 weeks, the EV battery will be made available to another
customer.

Until the recall has been completed, we respectfully request that you
maintain your EV battery’s ‘Max. % Charge’ limit to 80%. This will ensure
that you can safely drive and charge your vehicle indoors without risk or
damage to your vehicle.

For additional information on setting your EV battery’s ‘Max. % Charge’ or
information regarding Recall 200, please visit
www.HyundaiUSA.com/Campaign200.

Thank you for your patience and cooperation on this matter.

Sincerely,
Hyundai Motor America
​

So the battery is reserved for four weeks and I need to make the appointment, which was two weeks ago. Seven to ten days for delivery, but I was told it hasn't been ordered yet. One day turnaround once the battery is received. Something's not right here.

 

If you had purchased, it would be a no brainer, because they pay what you paid on purchase, without deducting the federal tax credit and any other incentives not on the sales contract. So there's a built-in profit. Anyway, that's the way it is under the California lemon law and others that follow it; your state may differ.

For the lease, someone else will have to say. I suspect it's not as attractive, but someone in your state who's gotten a lease buyback number would know. (And if your location were in your profile, they'd know whether to post.)

 

I don't really want to deal with a buyout if at all possible. My lease is up next May. One of the reasons I leased this car was that I was really interested in making the transition to a BEV at the time. I had a 2014 Fusion hybrid for three years and then a 2017 Fusion Energi PHEV for three years. The Kona was really the only non-Tesla BEV available to me at the time my Fusion lease expired. I also realized that there probably would be many more BEVs available by 2022 so I wanted the option to either keep the Kona or walk away and into something better. I've been thinking about the Ioniq 5 but getting a little frustrated with Hyundai over this.

The new Rivian pickup with tent and camping kitchen looks pretty cool but more $$. Also, Hyundai as the advantage of an extensive network of dealers with service departments.

 

Live about an hour north of NYC

 

Went to the dealer to get my tires rotated (5k service) and my car was confiscated. I have a 2019 Limited. Dealer said that my battery replacement was "approved" and that the battery was ordered. I'm skeptical so I started the buyback process. Has anyone here actually gotten their batteries replaced? It seems to be (in reading through this forum) that it really hasn't happened at all. Curious to know if the battery replacement is a "real" thing or just something to buy Hyundai time (to avoid massive payouts in the middle of Q2).

 

Confiscated?

 

Yes, I had my battery replaced earlier this week, detailed in https://www.insideevsforum.com/community/index.php?threads/battery-replacements-are-starting.11390/. I assume "confiscated" refers to them holding the car (and hopefully providing you a loaner?) until the battery arrives. My dealer originally said that was the procedure when I called and inquired about the availability of replacements, but they also had no issue with me keeping my Kona until the battery actually arrived when I asked.

 

I received this text message yesterday from my dealer:

Good afternoon Michael, Alexis here at Hyundai. I wanted to follow up to let you know that we have still not received your battery. I hope to see it delivered in the next week or so. Once it arrives it shouldn't be much longer before it is installed. I will be sure to update you once I get a more through estimate. Thanks! Reply STOP to OptOut. Sent from my iPhone
​

They should have my battery in "a week or so." After already having the vehicle for two weeks. We'll see.

 

You haven't put your location in your profile, so I don't know if you are in a state like California, which presumes that a car qualifies for lemon law buyback if it is out of service for the repair for 30 days total.

If that's the rule where you are, the dealer has 30 days from taking the car in to replace the battery. Even if they replace it after that, you can probably still force a buyback.

You can suspend your radio with Sirius and get a credit for the unused days.

 

My dealer, in Carlsbad, said that they had to have the car to order the battery, and they need to keep the car until the battery arrives. I think they said something about not having room in their parts department to stock any batteries and they needed to be able to install it as soon as they got it. Seems a little iffy to me.

 

Have the car to order a pack? What flaming BS. They're all the same [other than exploding variety vs. stable].
If they need specific data about the car it's already in the dealer computer network.

_H*

 

Completely agree. I figure possibly they don't want any chance of having me change my mind after ordering the battery, and they wouldn't have a vehicle to put it in. There's another local dealer, about the same distance from my house, that I've started using for service calls because their typical wait time for an appointment is the next day rather than the next week. I only took it where I did because it's where I got the lease.

 

I am bringing my 2019 Kona in for a battery replacement on 7/22/21.
Dealer in San Jose California (Stevens Creek Hyundai).
They said I would be given a loaner or rental as it could take 2 or 3 weeks.
Apparently they can not order/request replacement battery until car is dropped off.
I also requested a buyback offer when contacting Hyundai about scheduling battery replacement.
Not sure on timeline for that.
Bob


Sent from my iPhone using Inside EVs

 

Not true. All you need do is "insist" you take your car with you. Took mine in about 2 weeks ago, and left with it after the testing a day later. Battery is due at the dealer in 10 days and I will take the car back then.