2020 HYUNDAI KONA ELECTRIC Complaints

MY VEHICLE UNNECESSARILY ACTIVATED AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, LOCKING THE WHEELS AND CAUSING THE TRUCK BEHIND ME TO SWERVE ONTO THE SHOULDER TO AVOID CRASHING INTO MY VEHICLE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED WITH THIS CAR. I WAS DRIVING IN THE SLOW LANE OF A LIMITED ACCESS FREEWAY. THE LANE WAS CONGESTED AND I ESTIMATE THE SPEED AT ABOUT 40 MPH. THE CARS AHEAD SLOWED AND BEGAN TO STOP. I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND MOVED TO THE BRAKE. AT THIS TIME I WAS THREE OR FOUR CAR LENGTHS BEHIND THE CAR AHEAD, AND COULD HAVE STOPPED EASILY WITH FIRM BUT NORMAL BRAKING. AS SOON AS MY FOOT TOUCHED THE BRAKE PEDAL, MY VEHICLE LOCKED ITS BRAKES AND SCREECHED TO AN ABRUPT STOP. OBJECTS ON THE PASSENGER SEAT WERE THROWN TO THE FLOOR. A TRUCK BEHIND ME HAD TO SWERVE TO THE RIGHT OF MY VEHICLE TO AVOID CRASHING INTO IT. THE DRIVER FOLLOWED ME HONKING FOR HALF A MILE UNTIL MY EXIT. THIS HAPPENED ONCE BEFORE, IN FEBRUARY 2020. FOLLOWING THAT INCIDENT, I TOOK THE CAR TO HYUNDAI DEALER SERVICE, WHO ADVISED THAT "THE CAR IS OPERATING CORRECTLY." SEE ATTACHED SERVICE REPORT. NOTE THAT NO VEHICLES CHANGED LANES IN FRONT OF MINE DURING EITHER INCIDENT, BUT NOTWITHSTANDING, THE DEALER SERVICE SUGGESTED THAT AS A CAUSE.

HYUNDAI IS FAILING TO PROVIDE THE INTERIM REMEDY PROMISED IN YOUR SAFETY RECALL REPORT 21V-127 (ATTACHED). THIS REMEDY CONSISTS OF SIMPLY DISCLOSING THE SAFE CHARGING LIMIT PERCENTAGE FOR THE PROPULSION BATTERY. THE RECALL REPORT STATES, UNDER REMEDY PROGRAM, "OWNERS WILL ALSO BE PROVIDED WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO MANUALLY LOWER THE BATTERY'S STATE OF CHARGE LIMIT VIA THE INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM." I REQUESTED THAT INFORMATION FROM HYUNDAI CUSTOMER CARE. HOWEVER THEY REPLIED "CURRENTLY THERE IS NO REMEDY AVAILABLE." (SEE ATTACHED) PLEASE DIRECT HYUNDAI TO MAKE THIS INFORMATION AVAILABLE FORTHWITH SO THAT I AND OTHER HYUNDAI EV OWNERS CAN SAFELY CHARGE OUR VEHICLES.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 HYUNDAI KONA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V630000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO PALM SPRINGS HYUNDAI (3919 E PALM CANYON DR SUITE A, PALM SPRINGS, CA 92264; (760) 202-8888) WHERE THE RECALL REPAIR WAS PERFORMED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT TWO DAYS AFTER THE RECALL REPAIR WAS PERFORMED, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AN UNKNOWN ELECTRICAL WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE SAME DEALER. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V748000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) AND 20V630000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 4,400.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 HYUNDAI KONA. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED ONLINE THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA RECALL NUMBER: 20V630000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. TEAM HYUNDAI OF BEND (2250 NE HWY 20, BEND, OR 97701) AND TONKIN GLADSTONE HYUNDAI (19300 SE MCLOUGHLIN BLVD, GLADSTONE, OR 97027) WERE MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND BOTH CONFIRMED THAT PARTS WERE NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BATTERY SOFTWARE WAS UPDATED AT TEAM HYUNDAI OF BEND. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

THERE IS A RECALL ON POSSIBLE BATTERY EXPLOSION AND THERE IS NO CURRENT REPLACEMENT POLICY OR REPLACEMENT SCHEDULE.

DRIVING DURING RUSH HOUR ON INTERSTATE IN AN URBAN AREA. CARS IN FRONT SLOWED RAPIDLY, APPLIED BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN, DID SO SUCCESSFULLY. DYNAMIC BRAKE SUPPORT THEN APPARENTLY KICKED IN, AND FORCED THE CAR TO A STOP, DESPITE BRAKE BEING FULLY RELEASED. CAR FROM BEHIND BARELY ABLE TO AVOID CRASHING INTO ME, THE DRIVER HAD TO SWERVE ONTO THE SHOULDER TO AVOID ME AND ENDED UP STOPPING BESIDE MY CAR. ONCE CAR CAME TO A STOP, WAS ABLE TO GET GOING AGAIN. ISSUE HAS NOT REPRODUCED SINCE.