Hyundai will recall Kona EV models over faulty battery cells

[LORAX]

Hi,

We just came across this article. Seems to be a problem with the LG battery supplied with the Konas. Couldn't find anything specific to the Australian market. The article says Kona EVs built between Sept 2017 - March 2020!

https://europe.autonews.com/automakers/ ... Thursday.

Anyone heard anything?

[LORAX]

Further from another news article ...

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on the 8th of October that it was confirmed that a fire could occur due to poor battery cell manufacturing of high voltage batteries in Kona Electric vehicles after vehicle charging is completed.

As a result of the investigation by the Korea Automobile Safety Research Institute, it was found that there is a possibility of an internal short circuit due to damage to the separator between the positive (+) and negative (-) plates due to defective manufacturing process. Accordingly, Hyundai Motor Company will begin fixing or replacing the battery after applying first a software update starting from October 16th.

https://thekoreancarblog.com/2020/10/08 ... urned-out/

[LORAX]

Further, from my dealer here in the West (because yes I am still waiting for my NEW Kona to arrive from over east ... only 23 sleeps to go hopefully). Maybe the car is in hotel quarantine before being allowed across the 'hard' border

I’ve asked someone from Hyundai Australia and they have said that the recall does not involve/affect Australian cars.

Not that I don't trust the dealer, but it would be great to have this confirmed.

[brunohill]

What colour was yours?
I have been waiting 7 weeks for mine to come from 270km away. Mine is lake silver, but perhaps it is more a smokey grey.

[LORAX]

What colour was yours?
I have been waiting 7 weeks for mine to come from 270km away. Mine is lake silver, but perhaps it is more a smokey grey.

Mine is white highlander with the stone grey interior. If I had chosen black interior I could have driven away with it! Ordered back in early September. First the ceramic blue with white roof - custom order, only to be told 2 weeks later that they had stopped manufacturing this colour. Opted for the all white then. Only been waiting 4 weeks, so shouldn't complain based on your wait time. They've told me first week of November.

Not sure why it is taking so long to move the stock within Australia though? Odd.

[JD Solar and EV]

What colour was yours?
I have been waiting 7 weeks for mine to come from 270km away. Mine is lake silver, but perhaps it is more a smokey grey.

I think the Lake Silver is a great colour, though I am a little biased.

[brunohill]

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/tech/20 ... 97406.html

Maybe it is the Australian ones as well now. Are they made in Korea or Czechoslovakia or both?
Now 77,000 vehicles world wide.

[bje]

https://www.carexpert.com.au/car-news/h ... estigating

[brunohill]

A little more updated info...
https://electrek.co/2020/10/12/hyundai- ... e-lg-chem/

[bje]

My car has gone in for a service this morning (13/10) and I've been told I will be getting a number of software updates as part of a service campaign (is that the marketing term for a recall?) I just entered my VIN into https://www.hyundai.com/au/en/owning/safety-recalls and it shows that my car now has a recall for "S/W Upgrade (BMS, MCU, VCULDC, IGPM)". That wasn't there yesterday, so well timed.

[Update: My mistake -- this is an old campaign (00D005), sorry. It's just that my car hasn't been in for a service in months. I don't think this is related to the current battery issue in Korea.]

[Bryce]

Given ours are Korean made - am guessing that the Aust Konas made in that time (as in almost all of them currently here!) are going to get some sort of recall.

Not personally fussed - seems very cautionary on behalf of Hyundai.

Cheers
Bryce

[Maustrauser]

I picked my Kona up from the Canberra Dealer on 15 October and he assured me that the 2020 Kona imported into Australia is not affected. I'm not convinced but there you go...

[bje]

I wouldn't be telling anyone that their car isn't affected. I think the standard answer should be, "Enter your VIN into the Hyundai recall website and check to convince yourself that your car is not affected".

[dgh853]

Hyundai have stopped sales of all Kona electrics in the USA along with recalling all Kona electrics sold in the US and Canada (~11,000).

See https://www.greencarreports.com/news/11 ... a-electric

"Those deficiencies, Hyundai explains, could be related to damage to battery cells and/or faulty battery management system (BMS) control software. Altogether, the flaws could increase the risk of a short-circuit after fully charging the battery, Hyundai says."

Some of the Kona electrics that caught fire to date "were parked - each with a full state of charge".

Owners are advised “to park their vehicles outdoors and/or away from structures until their vehicle is remedied.”

[barwonev]

I sent the following FB message to Hyundai together with the quoted report. If they fail to respond within 72 hours I will also contact RACV and local motoring press.

What is Hyundai Australia’s position on Kona battery fires? We own a 2020 Kona Highlander Electric and are very concerned the car is garaged under our house.

See https://www.greencarreports.com/news/11 ... a-electric

[reecho]

I sent the following FB message to Hyundai together with the quoted report. If they fail to respond within 72 hours I will also contact RACV and local motoring press.

What is Hyundai Australia’s position on Kona battery fires? We own a 2020 Kona Highlander Electric and are very concerned the car is garaged under our house.

See https://www.greencarreports.com/news/11 ... a-electric

If you car is built after March 2020 it isn't subject to the recall. For the rest wait until Hyundai SK briefs HMCA on the fault and associated remedies.

[barwonev]

Unfortunately, our build date is January 2020.

[kartikatre]

I got a recall notice from Hyundai Australia. Have had the car only for a week. Build date is 1/3/2020. The recall goes till model build date 2/3/2020.

BUT.... The letter had the wrong VIN?

Go figure!
K

[Peter C in Canberra]

I got my recall notice today for my 2019 Kona. The notice has a link to an longer explanation of what the BMS update does. It sounds like they don’t want to scrap a whole of batteries that are probably fine. The updates sounds like it lets them find the extent of the problem. They charge to 80% then pause and check the cells, then go to 90% and again pause and check. There is a lot of cell level monitoring so they should be able to see any that charge up and then drop voltage more quickly than they should or than the others. Then they can flag a problem. A more rapid voltage drop near the top of the charge would indicate a partial or incipient short. That's my guess at least.

[bje]

Pausing for 10 minutes at 80% SOC is a real pain for 90% fast charging, adding 10 minutes to every charge. Pausing for 10 minutes at 90% SOC is a much smaller problem as it's rare to want to go above 90% due to the time taken to charge. It would be nice if, in the long run, it might be possible to back this change out in a future BMS software upgrade.

I also wonder if fast chargers will react fine to the pause, and not disconnect or show an error message.

[Peter C in Canberra]

I would not be surprised if, after a while of not showing any problems, a further update puts things back as they were, or something rather closer.

[reecho]

"Dear Hyundai Customer,

Hyundai is recalling certain Hyundai Kona Electric vehicles produced between January 31st 2018 and March 2nd 2020 Our records indicate that your Hyundai (VIN: KMHK381GULUXXXXXX) is affected by the safety recall, which requires a software update of the high voltage lithium-ion battery management system (BMS).

The high-voltage battery system in the subject vehicles might contain electrical deficiencies, such as internal damage to certain cells of the lithium-ion battery and/or faulty battery management system (BMS) control software that could increase the risk of an electrical short circuit after charging the lithium-ion battery. This could increase the risk of vehicle fire and therefore serious injury to occupants, bystanders and property. We recommend the vehicle is parked away from flammable structures, for example not in a garage.

As a precaution it is recommend to only charge the high voltage battery to a maximum level of 90% capacity and then the charge cable to be disconnected (no overnight charging), this is an interim measure and only required until the safety recall has been carried out.

To correct this potential concern we request that you contact an authorised EV Hyundai dealer to arrange a time to have this procedure performed. This work will be carried out free of charge.

A list of Hyundai dealer locations and service department contact details can be found at www.hyundai.com/au/en/find-a-dealer. Alternatively, you can contact Customer Care at 1800 186 306:
To locate your nearest dealership and book an appointment, select option 3
For all other enquiries, select option 4

As a result of the software update, the charge time may increase in certain circumstances. Additional information can be downloaded HERE.

Please present this notice to your Hyundai dealer when attending your appointment. Please contact your nearest dealer to confirm the process relating to Good Hygiene for coronavirus (COVID-19). The health and safety of you and Hyundai dealer personnel are the priority.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause you and assure you of our best efforts to maintain your driving pleasure and satisfaction with your Hyundai vehicle.

Yours sincerely,
Hyundai Motor Company Australia"

[tonyw]

That description certainly sounds like a software work-around for a hardware problem...

[bje]

That description certainly sounds like a software work-around for a hardware problem...

Definitely!

[Roger-c]

Yeah, I got this email today too.

I'm not going to do it. Especially as I would have to drive 300km to the dealer. They can come to me, at my house if they want to do it.