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Advice For Other Hyundai Ioniq Drivers: Get The ICCU Recall Work Done ASAP, And It Should Be Smooth Sailing

One Ioniq 5 owner turned a frustrating recall issue into a smooth-sailing EV journey and offers practical tips you don’t want to miss.
Advice For Other Hyundai Ioniq Drivers Get The ICCU Recall Work Done ASAP, And It Should Be Smooth Sailing

After publishing our recent article about Kevin Shultz’s hard-learned lesson with Hyundai Roadside Assistance, several Ioniq 5 owners chimed in with their own experiences. Among them was Lise Sorensen from Thunder Bay, Canada, who left a detailed and enlightening comment about her encounter with a dead 12V battery—and how it tied to Hyundai’s ICCU recall. Her insights are a must-read for every Ioniq 5 owner.

Here’s what Lise shared:

“We had a similar experience with our 2023 Ioniq 5, however, ours happened just a week after Hyundai issued a recall on the ICCU’s (integrated charge control units) for Ioniq 5’s. The ICCU acts like an alternator in a gas car and ensures that the 12 V battery gets charged from the traction battery whenever needed. A defective ICCU results in the 12 V battery running down repeatedly and eventually becoming so dead that it doesn’t even respond to a boost. Anyone with an Ioniq 5 should be getting a notification by mail to have the dealership perform the recall repair. Our Thunder Bay dealer replaced our ICCU, the fuse, AND our 12V battery. It’s been smooth sailing ever since! Leading up to the recall work, we found our car “bricked” on several occasions, but were able to boost it easily.

Advice for other Ioniq drivers: get the recall work done asap, make sure your 12 V battery also gets replaced if it has been damaged by a defective ICCU, and carry a small power pack just in case.

There is no denying that the Ioniq 5 is wonderful to drive, and it seems like Hyundai is taking full responsibility for the ICCU issue. My only complaint - one that is definitely not a dealbreaker because the car itself is fantastic - is that Hyundai‘s roadside assistance is limited to 130 km when other car manufacturers offer 200 km. Because we live 200 km from Thunder Bay, we ended up buying a CAA membership in order to get our Ioniq to the dealer.”

Like Lise said "there is no denying that the Ioniq 5 is wonderful to drive. Hyundai is taking a responsibly for its vehicles and honestly, it’s not hard to see why so many drivers love this EV. With its futuristic design, smooth handling, and impressive range, the Ioniq 5 has generated a lot of buzz.

What Lise’s Experience Teaches Us About ICCU's Critical Role in The Ioniq 5

Lise’s story sheds light on the critical role the ICCU plays in the Ioniq 5. Much like an alternator in a gas-powered car, the ICCU ensures that the 12V battery remains charged using the propulsion battery’s energy. When it fails, the 12V battery repeatedly drains until it becomes completely unresponsive, essentially immobilizing the car. Hyundai has issued a recall to address this issue, but as Lise notes, the fix involves more than just the ICCU replacement—it often requires replacing the 12V battery and other components as well.

Hyundai's ICCU in its EV platform

Her advice is both practical and urgent: if you haven’t already, schedule the ICCU recall work with your dealership and insist on checking the condition of your 12V battery. It’s also smart to carry a portable power pack for emergencies, especially if you’re traveling far from home.

Why Hyundai Roadside Assistance Fell Short

Lise’s comment also highlights a limitation in Hyundai’s roadside assistance program: a 130-km service radius, which can be inconvenient for drivers living in remote areas. For Lise, who lives 200 km from the nearest Hyundai dealership in Thunder Bay, this meant purchasing a separate CAA membership to cover the extra distance.

This raises important questions for EV owners, particularly those in rural areas. Should automakers reconsider the geographic limitations of their roadside assistance programs as EVs become more mainstream? And could Hyundai’s current policy be deterring potential buyers in regions where dealerships are sparse?

The Bigger Picture: How Hyundai Can Improve

Lise’s experience, combined with Kevin’s earlier ordeal, underscores the growing pains of transitioning to electric vehicles. While the Ioniq 5 is a fantastic car to drive, as Lise herself points out, the ICCU issue and limited roadside assistance reveal areas where Hyundai can improve. Here are a few suggestions:

  • Expand Roadside Assistance Coverage: Increasing the service radius to 200 km or more would accommodate rural drivers better.
  • Proactive Recall Communication: Ensuring that all affected owners are notified promptly and clearly about the recall work needed.
  • Comprehensive Service Checks: Dealerships should automatically assess and replace 12V batteries damaged by defective ICCUs during recall repairs.

While Lise’s advice is essential for Ioniq 5 owners, her story also highlights the car’s unique charm—something that continues to win over drivers, even in circles dominated by Tesla owners. In fact, one Ioniq 5 owner shared how its smooth ride and distinct appeal made them choose it over Tesla, despite the brand's ubiquity. You can read their story here: Surrounded by Tesla Owners, I’m Choosing the Hyundai Ioniq 5 for Its Smooth Ride and Unique Appeal.

The Moral of the Story

The takeaway here is clear: staying proactive can save you a lot of trouble. If you’re an Ioniq 5 owner, don’t wait for the ICCU issue to escalate—schedule your recall repair, insist on checking your 12V battery, and keep an emergency power pack handy. Hyundai seems committed to addressing these issues, but it’s up to owners to follow through.

Over to You

Have you had your ICCU recall work done yet? Did you experience any issues with your 12V battery before or after the repair? Share your story in the comments below—we’d love to hear how you’ve navigated this challenge and what advice you have for fellow Ioniq 5 drivers.

Armen Hareyan is the founder and the Editor in Chief of Torque News. He founded TorqueNews.com in 2010, which since then has been publishing expert news and analysis about the automotive industry. He can be reached at Torque News Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, and Youtube. He has more than a decade of expertise in the automotive industry with a special interest in Tesla and electric vehicles.

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Comments

Timothy Stevenson (not verified)    December 30, 2024 - 10:13PM

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I recently went for the 2nd recall and no issues so far, also Hyundai installed 2 updates, so not sure what they were for.

Brian Hill (not verified)    December 31, 2024 - 9:45AM

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I have had the recall work done. I have carried a portable battery charger in my frunk up front and will continue to do so just for piece of mind.

David Reese (not verified)    December 31, 2024 - 9:56AM

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I've had all of the TSBs/recalls done. The ICCU tested fine each time. I do have one recall outstanding that increases the speed when you're in limp home mode that came out the day after my last ICCU software update.

After the second update, my 12-volt battery failed. The dealer charged it, tested it and told me it was fine. I told them I'd see them tomorrow when it failed again because I had done the same thing and the battery was dead again the next day. They asked if they could keep the car overnight and test again in the morning. The 12-volt registered around 9 volts the next day and was replaced. I'm fortunate that I live close to a dealer with a good service department. I know dealer experiences vary tremendously.

The only non-recall issues I've had was a hood strut leaked and a gear in my sun shade broke and needed replaced. It's been a blast to drive. I can't imagine going back to an ICE vehicle. I have two "fun" cars, a 1988 Merkur XR4Ti and a 1989 Merkur Scorpio that have only been driven about once every four months since getting the Ioniq 5. They have about 280,000 and 200,000 miles each on them, and were chosen first over my very nice 2007 Camry before I got my EV to further illustrate how enjoyable the Ioniq is.

Kent L Wimmer (not verified)    January 1, 2025 - 9:19AM

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We purchased a new 2023 Ioniq 6 at the end of Nov 2024. As we were taking delivery, the 12V battery died after the dealership updated the software and supposedly responded to the two recalls. The dealership first replaced the 12 volt battery, but the 6 still didn't recognize the battery so they had to order and replace a computer along with the updates and recall items. A week later we were able to take delivery. In the past month, we haven't had any issues, and the 6 has been a wonderful car to drive. We did purchase a jump start battery to carry in the frunk just in case.

Ron Anderson (not verified)    January 1, 2025 - 10:59AM

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I’ve been trying to get this recall service done for almost 2 months now but here in eastern PA there seems to be a supply chain problem, my dealer says they are having problems getting the parts.

Gareth (not verified)    January 1, 2025 - 1:35PM

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The recall is a software update, there are no parts to get. However if they find your ICCU is failing / throwing error codes during the update they may need to order a replacement unit and replace the fuse as well. But that should only happen once they've already attempted the update so the fact that your dealer hasn't applied the update sounds like BS to me.

Kevin Fisher (not verified)    January 1, 2025 - 12:25PM

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Happy New Year group!

I love my 2022 Limited and coming up on 64k miles.
I have had a few issues with the 12v battery lately.
I took the Limited in recently for the updates and they insisted everything was done, two days later the 12 V battery died again.
I took the advice this group and purchased the AGM battery from O’Reillys and so far so good keeping fingers crossed, but I do love the car and it’s been really good to us.

Oh- I did reach out to corporate Hyundai and have not received any word back about the 12th issue after it was serviced so we’ll see.

Gareth (not verified)    January 1, 2025 - 1:44PM

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I didn't get a chance to get the November recall update applied before my ICCU failed in early December. I have an early 2022 Ioniq 5 AWD LR Preferred, one of the first to arrive in Canada. It happened when I got home and plugged the car into my Level 2 EVSE (charger). It tripped the breaker for the unit, and the EVSE started throwing an error code after I restored power indicating it's relay was stuck / damaged. I have had this charger since 2018 so it's well out of warranty so I'm now looking at a bill of several hundred $ to get it replaced with a comparable unit. I've read comments from others who have had a similar issue. Some have only had to reset the breaker but others have had to send their units back to the manufacturer for replacement under warranty which unfortunately I don't have the option of doing.

I couldn't charge the car from the Level 1 charger either, but I could still charge at public DCFC units (which bypasses the ICCU). Car continued to drive and charge the 12V just fine (as confirmed by my bluetooth 12V battery monitor)

Otherwise the process of getting the ICCU replaced was fairly smooth - my local (Ontario, Canada) dealer saw me the next day and confirmed it needed replacement and they had the parts 4 days later however they weren't able to get me back in for the work for another 10 days so I had a partially functional car for over 2 weeks.

I had already replaced my 12V battery about 8 weeks prior to this with an aftermarket AGM unit. It had been going for some time, the yellow light on the dash was coming on just about every time I opened the door. I suspect the 12V's life was shortened by the malfunctioning ICCU. I did have the previous recall in August 2023 done but obviously that didn't solve the issue. Who knows if this latest one will either, I suspect not.

I have heard rumours that the replacement ICCU is a new and improved design but I have no way to verify this.

Bruce Wells (not verified)    January 1, 2025 - 8:23PM

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Also watch out for the USB 2 port up front. It is always on and will drain the 12 volt battery if connected to a device that draws power. I had a AAWireless 2 unit connected for a few weeks, then the 12v died, even after the recall work was done. The AAWireless 2 has a setting to turn off the unit if it detects the IONIC Bluetooth connection is not found. Make sure that is set if you leave the AAWireless 2 unit plugged in.

Steve (not verified)    January 2, 2025 - 2:05PM

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2022 Ioniq 5 was fine until took it to dealer for the Nov recall. A week later 12V died. Got the latest ICCU software update in Dec and dealer said battery was fine. Noticed the yellow dashboard indicator light was blinking, indicating the 12V was being recharged by the traction battery. Great.

Two weeks later didn't see that light anymore. Sure enough a couple of days later 12V died again.

any tips for dealing w dealer?

Going to dealer tomorrow-- pretty sure I need ICCU unit replaced and maybe the 12V too. Will likely have to fight to get it.