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

I have a 2020 Kona EV (Canadian) with a battery built in December 2019 and my car is NOT on the recall list. I wonder if anyone has any ideas about what differentiates my car (and others in a similar situation) from the 2019 batteries that ARE on the recall list?
My battery is labelled "Hyundai Mobis" and "HMC P/N 37501-K4051".
My VIN is KM8K23AG0LU07xxxx. I read elsewhere that the recalled VINs are in the range KMHK381GUJU000203 to KMHK581GULU072444 -- does this jive with those of you on the recall list?

 

@Bri I bought my Kona in March 2019 and my vin is KM8K33AG9KU02****
(Canada) and for sure im in the recall.

 

Question for those of you who have initiated the buy-back process - I assume there's some step where any body damage is assessed and deducted? If yes, then I think I'll get a repair done before buy-back because I can get it done for significantly less than what I think would be deducted by a dealer at trade-in.
Any insight on how body damage will be handled in the buy-back process? Thanks

 

I would assume that the 2018 and 2019 built cars had batteries made weeks to months before the actual car was built. There could be many months worth of manufacturing changes in the batteries built prior to being placed in a car with a 2020 build date.

 

I agree with you but certain of us 2020 owners did receive a notice telling us not to park our cars indoors or near structures as the battery could ignite before the first software update recall. Like I wrote earlier, my car was not on this latest 200 recall but I feel just a bit uneasy about it from reading many articles similar to this one.

https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1131504_hyundai-kona-battery-recall-us-details-timeline-for-full-pack-replacement

 

...and not a single [reported] fire of a Kona Electric in the US, correct?

 

Thanks. A cursory look at MD's lemon law tells me I'm outside the window for applying it. I'm still good in FL, though, as there are 2 years available to me. Agree with your assessment regarding their decision to use whatever state's LL to guide them. It keeps it clearer for them, I'd think.

 

I agree with ya. In the end, I don't really care what happens. If I get a new battery, cool. I love this car, so I'll keep driving it. If they buy it back, cool. I'll take what they give me and buy something else. I'll get my EV enjoyment somehow, some way.

 

I called Sedgwick today and here's what they told me:

Once the initial repurchase letter comes from Hyundai, it takes a week to get into their system. They contact us, ask for documentation, and at that point we need to tell them the dealership that will handle the transaction. She said it would be either the selling dealer or the repair dealer, but I think there's more flexibility than that.

Once there's agreement on price they ask Hyundai to send them a check, which takes 2 - 3 weeks. Then we are contacted by the transfer agent, who makes an appointment to meet and hand over the car. She didn't think the appointment could be delayed very long.

 

Just got my "official" repurchase letter via email. Here's what it says:

Thank you for allowing Hyundai Motor America (“HMA”) the opportunity to review your concerns. We have completed our investigation of your claim. HMA offers to repurchase your vehicle. We will be forwarding your case to the Auto Solutions Team at Sedgwick who will be calculating your offer and completing the repurchase process of your vehicle.

In order to expedite the process, please be prepared to provide the following documents:
1. A legible copy of your sales or lease contract;
2. A legible copy of the current vehicle registration;
3. If the vehicle is not paid off, a 30-day payoff amount directly from the lienholder, as well as the applicable per diem (please ensure that the full loan account number and the lienholder’s overnight mailing address are included); i. And a complete payment history of your vehicle’s loan or lease;
4. If the vehicle is paid off, a legible copy of the front and back of the title to your vehicle; and
5. Legible copies of any related incidental damages/expenses, including reasonable repair, towing, and rental car costs actually incurred by you directly related to the issue for which we are repurchasing this vehicle.

You must continue to make any required payments as due to the lienholder or lessor to maintain your credit standing. Further, if you leased your vehicle, please do not drop your vehicle off at a dealership pursuant to an early lease turn-in. The Auto Solutions Team will coordinate the vehicle surrender’s date, time, and location directly with you.

We look forward to working with you toward a resolution of this matter.

 

I got the same exact letter 2 minutes ago after talking to the Hyundai Representative.. They have a buyback team that will contact me and I need to have those documents ready.

 

I find it sad that I'm going to have them re-purchase the car as it has been truly amazing but the circumstances and limited use of the vehicle (80%) in addition to me needing a bigger vehicle and being unable to trade in the car due to the open recall, it's the only step that I can take..

 

I agree. This car suited me perfectly. At this point, I’m seriously considering a Tesla. Still haven’t decided between the m3 or the Y. Will take them both for a test drive and see. I’ll definitely miss the dashboard display and the buttons.

 

I'd say that if it's just for 1 or 2 persons, the M3 is perfect.. If you have school age kids like me, the Y is the better choice.. I was considering the Model X but it has a very long wait to get it and the price tag is also kind of high.. While I could afford the X, it's hard to justify to myself spending that kind of money on a car.. Never spent more than around $60k on a car..

 

I don't blame you for feeling uneasy nor for wanting an explanation as to why you are excluded. However, if I were to guess, I would say that the first warning and recall was issued broadly because at first Hyundai didn't have a clue about what was causing the fires. They were casting a wide net and were hoping that the original BMS update was going to solve the global problem. When that failed and cars continued to burn they refined their approach, actually located the real problem and were then able to narrow the scope of the recall.