Transmission Replacement at 9000mi

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Colin K.

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Morning,

Reaching out to see if anyone else has heard of a transmission replacement at low mileage?

My Kona EV started making a high-pitched whine on decel, and after a week of this I took it in (seeking to verify it wasn't normal break in, and to confirm I'm not crazy). It has been in the shop for the past 10 days. Hyundai engineering team finally came out Friday to verify what the dealer diagnosed as transmission failure. They have stated that if the transmission replacement does not resolve the issue, then they will need to replace the entire power generation system. The problem is that a new transmission is 3 weeks out, plus service time. Fun stuff!

Also, has anyone else had their vehicle in for service and provided an EV loaner? I'm in a Hyundai Elantra as a loaner, and on top of the sizeable car loan I'm paying to watch my car sit for 4 weeks, I now have to pay CA fuel prices for my daily 160mi commute. I asked Hyundai about an EV loaner or gas reimbursement...but no go.

Look forward to thoughts and responses.

Best,
Colin
 
Colin K. said:
Morning,

Reaching out to see if anyone else has heard of a transmission replacement at low mileage?

My Kona EV started making a high-pitched whine on decel, and after a week of this I took it in (seeking to verify it wasn't normal break in, and to confirm I'm not crazy). It has been in the shop for the past 10 days. Hyundai engineering team finally came out Friday to verify what the dealer diagnosed as transmission failure. They have stated that if the transmission replacement does not resolve the issue, then they will need to replace the entire power generation system. The problem is that a new transmission is 3 weeks out, plus service time. Fun stuff!

Also, has anyone else had their vehicle in for service and provided an EV loaner? I'm in a Hyundai Elantra as a loaner, and on top of the sizeable car loan I'm paying to watch my car sit for 4 weeks, I now have to pay CA fuel prices for my daily 160mi commute. I asked Hyundai about an EV loaner or gas reimbursement...but no go.

Look forward to thoughts and responses.

Best,
Colin
Click to expand...

Mine hasn't failed, but it does make a faint jet turbine kind of sound on heavy acceleration/decel. It's not unpleasant or intrusive in anyway. I brought it up on the first service, mainly so I had a paper record of the complaint in case it fails at a later date and got a response of "normal for this type of engine".

Can anyone else hear their engines under acceleration?
 
Colin K. said:
Morning,

Reaching out to see if anyone else has heard of a transmission replacement at low mileage?

My Kona EV started making a high-pitched whine on decel, and after a week of this I took it in (seeking to verify it wasn't normal break in, and to confirm I'm not crazy). It has been in the shop for the past 10 days. Hyundai engineering team finally came out Friday to verify what the dealer diagnosed as transmission failure. They have stated that if the transmission replacement does not resolve the issue, then they will need to replace the entire power generation system. The problem is that a new transmission is 3 weeks out, plus service time. Fun stuff!

Also, has anyone else had their vehicle in for service and provided an EV loaner? I'm in a Hyundai Elantra as a loaner, and on top of the sizeable car loan I'm paying to watch my car sit for 4 weeks, I now have to pay CA fuel prices for my daily 160mi commute. I asked Hyundai about an EV loaner or gas reimbursement...but no go.

Look forward to thoughts and responses.

Best,
Colin
Click to expand...
From what I've seen.You're the first for a transmission for the Kona E's acceleration , deceleration , regeneration squeals , clunks, hiss, [you] high pitched whine.

I am awaiting my low gear unit to be replaced,and hoping it resolves the squeal. Hyundai should be checking to see which VINS have been experiencing these issues.Do a proactive repair.

it really sucks to be given an ICE when you drive an EV. Or reimburse for the gas for warranty repairs.
 
Thanks for the feedback and thoughts. I am still sitting on my hands, waiting for an update. Customer service has been helpful, but not fully proactive.

As I am in SoCal, and very close to Hyundai Motors America, they sent the engineering team out to have a look. The engineers swapped the direction of one of the mounting brackets to see if that resolve any issues. As suspected, it did not. I will keep you all posted of any developments.
 
ehatch said:
From what I've seen.You're the first for a transmission for the Kona E's acceleration , deceleration , regeneration squeals , clunks, hiss, [you] high pitched whine.
Click to expand...

Kona doesn't really have a transmission, its a single reduction gear assembly. Its likely the same concern and replacement.
 
apu said:
Kona doesn't really have a transmission, its a single reduction gear assembly. Its likely the same concern and replacement.
Click to expand...

transmission 4. The system of interdependent parts in a motor vehicle, by which power is transferred from the engine to the wheels

Chambers Dictionary
 
Not to be difficult, but the Kona doesn’t have an engine, just a motor. From an engineering perspective, the word “engine” denotes some kind of internal combustion process to create the motion. So, neither does it have a transmission. :rolleyes:

SkookumPete said:
transmission 4. The system of interdependent parts in a motor vehicle, by which power is transferred from the engine to the wheels

Chambers Dictionary
Click to expand...
 
SkookumPete said:
transmission 4. The system of interdependent parts in a motor vehicle, by which power is transferred from the engine to the wheels
Chambers Dictionary
Click to expand...

Ok, to clarify the Kona does not have a conventional multigear transmission, its a single reduction gear assembly or "Gear Drive Unit Assembly"(part no: 44500-18WA0 ) as Hyundai officially calls the part. If you wish, you can address the semantics with Hyundai directly.
 
The lower gear drive replacement to fix the noise issue did not work for other owners. I suspect it's the actual electric motor causing the noise. Other owners also have this noise issue around the 9000 mile range. I'm only at 3000 mile and it's starting to be quite noticeable driving with the windows down. When it gets to the 9000 mile mark it's so loud that it can be heard with the windows up and the music on. I think they will have to replace the motors on most of the EV's in the future.
 
WMA said:
The lower gear drive replacement to fix the noise issue did not work for other owners. I suspect it's the actual electric motor causing the noise. Other owners also have this noise issue around the 9000 mile range. I'm only at 3000 mile and it's starting to be quite noticeable driving with the windows down. When it gets to the 9000 mile mark it's so loud that it can be heard with the windows up and the music on. I think they will have to replace the motors on most of the EV's in the future.
Click to expand...
If that's the case, they will need to get parts out a lot faster.

Are there Euro forums for Kona? Are they seeing similar issues?

Sent from my SM-G930V using Inside EVs mobile app
 
I just met a two month old Kona EV the other day,and it does NOT have that stupid hiss, squeak some of us have been saddled with! I didn't get a chance to ask for his production date,hopefully bump into him again.
 
From the Mariam Webster Dictionary:

Engine
1: a machine for converting any of various forms of energy into mechanical force and motion.

So by this definition an electric motor is an engine because it converts electrical energy into mechanical force. Other types of non combustion engines are a wind turbine or a water wheel, converting pneumatic or hydraulic energy into mechanical force.
 
apu said:
Ok, to clarify the Kona does not have a conventional multigear transmission, its a single reduction gear assembly or "Gear Drive Unit Assembly"(part no: 44500-18WA0 ) as Hyundai officially calls the part. If you wish, you can address the semantics with Hyundai directly.
Click to expand...

A quick update on the process and resolution. The car was finally repaired (4 weeks in total). Below is a quick summary of the resolution. Will keep you updated, but Hyundai came through and reimbursed me for two months of car payments.

Capture.webp
Capture.webp
Capture.webp
 
Could you clarify what was the actual fix to the problem?
It looks like they tried to replace the lower gear drive first and it didn't fix the problem so they ended up replacing the electric motor which had internal damage.
Is that correct?
 
Colin K. said:
A quick update on the process and resolution. The car was finally repaired (4 weeks in total). Below is a quick summary of the resolution. Will keep you updated, but Hyundai came through and reimbursed me for two months of car payments.

View attachment 6884 View attachment 6884 View attachment 6885
Click to expand...
Thanks for that, first actual paperwork I have seen posted listing the motor, gearbox and (mounting bolts?) as replacement. :)
Please re-post this into this thread:

https://insideevsforum.com/community/index.php?threads/repair-issues-and-fixes.7097/
 
Maybe if that "resolver calibration" thing I posted about had been
acknowledged by the dealer and/or Hyundai, it could help prevent
this sort of thing from developing in the first place?? Seems
farfetched, but if electrical torque winds up mismatched to the
position, perhaps the resulting forces over time could start to
"shake things loose". Even if we can't feel/hear anything at first.

HK *really* needs to get off its arse and interact with the owner
community about this.

_H*
 
I was walking on the street and a kona drove by and I could clearly hear the hiss. I think everyone will probably need a motor replacement when you get to 9000miles or 20000km.
 
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