The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the United States has recently received over 20 complaints from owners regarding sudden loss of power while driving the 2022 Hyundai IONIQ 5. NHTSA has conducted a preliminary evaluation of the scope and severity of this potential safety defect, which could affect over 39,500 units of the IONIQ 5 electric vehicles.
Michael Stewart, a spokesperson for Hyundai, stated that the company is fully cooperating with the investigation. He said, "To address this issue, Hyundai will launch a service in July to update the software of affected vehicles and replace the Integrated Charging Control Unit (ICCU) when necessary."
According to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, owners have reported hearing a loud bang while driving, followed by a warning on the instrument cluster and an immediate decrease or complete loss of power. NHTSA has conducted a preliminary evaluation of the scope and severity of this potential safety defect, which could affect over 39,500 units of the IONIQ 5 electric vehicles.
One complaint submitted to NHTSA indicates that the IONIQ 5 suddenly decelerated from 40 mph to 20 mph while driving. The owner stated, "No matter how hard I pressed the accelerator, the vehicle would not exceed 20 mph, and the instrument cluster displayed a speed limit of 20 mph."
Another complaint shows that the owner was using the advanced driver assistance system and driving on a major highway at 75 mph when the vehicle suddenly lost all power. The owner stated, "The car stopped accelerating, and I couldn't continue driving. I had to pull over on the side of the highway."
In a report released earlier this month, Hyundai informed NHTSA investigators that it is related to the Integrated Control Charging Unit (ICCU) that supplies power to the vehicle's battery. The report indicates that preliminary review suggests that overcurrent within the charging unit can damage transistors, preventing the 12-volt battery from charging.
Hyundai spokesperson Michael Stewart stated that the company is fully cooperating with the investigation. He said, "To address this issue, Hyundai will launch a service in July to update the software of affected vehicles and replace the ICCU when necessary. We value our collaborative relationship with NHTSA and have engaged in frequent, open, and transparent dialogue regarding this matter."
Most NHTSA investigations begin with a preliminary evaluation, in which agency engineers request information from the automaker, including complaint, injury, and warranty claim data. After the evaluation, NHTSA either closes the investigation or proceeds to the next stage. According to NHTSA, if there are relevant safety defects, the agency may issue a "recall request" letter to the manufacturer.
As the production model under Hyundai's dedicated electric vehicle brand IONIQ, the IONIQ 5 was officially launched in the first half of 2021, replacing the discontinued IONIQ EV. Data shows that Hyundai has sold over 10,500 units of the IONIQ 5 in the United States as of May this year.
