2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5 problems

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

I am reporting a suspected safety defect involving inconsistent deceleration behavior in my 2026 Hyundai IONIQ 5. I regularly use Hyundai’s i-PEDAL one-pedal-driving mode. In this mode, releasing the accelerator produces strong regenerative deceleration and can bring the vehicle to a stop. However, the vehicle does not retain this selected driving behavior after it is turned off and restarted. It reverts to a mode requiring substantially more use of the brake pedal. The behavior also changes in connection with shifting into reverse. In a Costco parking lot in [XXX], I stopped near the customer pickup area while using i-PEDAL. I briefly turned off the vehicle while a passenger loaded groceries. When I restarted and began moving, I expected the strong accelerator-release deceleration the vehicle had provided immediately before shutdown. Instead, the vehicle continued moving because i-PEDAL had been reset. A crosswalk ahead contained pedestrians, and I had to apply the brake pedal to avoid striking them. No collision or injury occurred, but this was a serious near-miss. The concern is not simply that the vehicle offers different regenerative-braking settings. The safety concern is that a driver-selected setting that materially affects accelerator-release deceleration changes automatically after a brief shutdown or simply backing up. A driver who has adapted to i-PEDAL may reasonably expect the vehicle to decelerate as it did moments earlier. The regeneration level should be set and remain as the driver prefers, not reset on each start or backup of the vehicle. I request that NHTSA evaluate whether this inconsistent default behavior creates an unreasonable risk of unintended vehicle movement or pedestrian collisions and whether the vehicle should retain the selected mode or provide a prominent warning requiring driver acknowledgment whenever the deceleration behavior changes. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11760015 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SERVICE BRAKES

I am reporting a suspected safety defect involving inconsistent deceleration behavior in my 2026 Hyundai IONIQ 5. I regularly use Hyundai’s i-PEDAL one-pedal-driving mode. In this mode, releasing the accelerator produces strong regenerative deceleration and can bring the vehicle to a stop. However, the vehicle does not retain this selected driving behavior after it is turned off and restarted. It reverts to a mode requiring substantially more use of the brake pedal. The behavior also changes in connection with shifting into reverse. In a Costco parking lot in [XXX], I stopped near the customer pickup area while using i-PEDAL. I briefly turned off the vehicle while a passenger loaded groceries. When I restarted and began moving, I expected the strong accelerator-release deceleration the vehicle had provided immediately before shutdown. Instead, the vehicle continued moving because i-PEDAL had been reset. A crosswalk ahead contained pedestrians, and I had to apply the brake pedal to avoid striking them. No collision or injury occurred, but this was a serious near-miss. The concern is not simply that the vehicle offers different regenerative-braking settings. The safety concern is that a driver-selected setting that materially affects accelerator-release deceleration changes automatically after a brief shutdown or simply backing up. A driver who has adapted to i-PEDAL may reasonably expect the vehicle to decelerate as it did moments earlier. The regeneration level should be set and remain as the driver prefers, not reset on each start or backup of the vehicle. I request that NHTSA evaluate whether this inconsistent default behavior creates an unreasonable risk of unintended vehicle movement or pedestrian collisions and whether the vehicle should retain the selected mode or provide a prominent warning requiring driver acknowledgment whenever the deceleration behavior changes. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11760015 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The vehicle will not turn off. I returned it to the Dealer, Oakland Hyundai, and their service department has had the vehicle since 7/27/26. When I brought the vehicle in to service it had 2,519 miles. Service rep has advised that technicians are trying to find the faulty part and have been unsuccessful to date. A technician from another location is scheduled to see the vehicle during the week of 8/31/26. I have filed a case with Hyundai America and will send a demand for restitution on 8/28/26. I view this situation as a clear safety issue - the car will not turn off.

NHTSA complaint #11759443 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

While driving on the freeway with adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assistance on heading east into the morning sun my car suddenly attempted to veer strongly to the left as I exited the shadow of an overpass. I was able to stop the lane assist because I had a firm two handed grip on the steering wheel. Even with the firm grip and attentive driving I nearly left my lane as the wheels suddenly and strongly jerked to the left.

NHTSA complaint #11759157 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST

While driving on the freeway with adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assistance on heading east into the morning sun my car suddenly attempted to veer strongly to the left as I exited the shadow of an overpass. I was able to stop the lane assist because I had a firm two handed grip on the steering wheel. Even with the firm grip and attentive driving I nearly left my lane as the wheels suddenly and strongly jerked to the left.

NHTSA complaint #11759157 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

- unintended acceleration problem (VCU malfunction?); happened 8/16/26 - safety at risk - yes; drove a little ways with brakes on; brakes started to smell like they were burning; then vehicle screen said to stop (with loud warning noises), which i did - tow truck took it to dealer; haven't heard yet from service staff - hopefully will be seen today at San Bruno Hyundai - no warning or problems earlier in the day yesterday; see above

NHTSA complaint #11757411 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

See attached document for complaint.

NHTSA complaint #11752384 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VISIBILITY

See attached document for complaint.

NHTSA complaint #11752384 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Control box on main battery (iccu)

NHTSA complaint #11750575 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The vision panel, located between the windshield and the moonroof, exploded and shattered into a ton of pieces. There are a multitude of fractures throughout the panel and the edges of the panel are falling apart, exposing the wiring underneath.

NHTSA complaint #11746191 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS:AUTONOMOUS/SELF DRIVING

An AVRIDE vehicle made a right-hand turn from a middle lane. It did not use the appropriate lane for right-hand turns.

NHTSA complaint #11744301 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS:AUTONOMOUS/SELF DRIVING:SOFTWARE

An AVRIDE vehicle made a right-hand turn from a middle lane. It did not use the appropriate lane for right-hand turns.

NHTSA complaint #11744301 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING

Vehicle: 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Description of Safety Defect:The Reverse Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist (PCA-R) system exhibits a severe software logic flaw that creates an immediate traffic hazard. When a standard, hitch-mounted bike rack is installed, the vehicle’s rear sensors detect the rack as an imminent collision obstacle while in reverse. The system responds by executing an abrupt, violent emergency brake application, bringing the vehicle to an unexpected dead stop. The primary safety failure is a lack of non-volatile memory retention for driver settings. In the infotainment system under "Parking Safety," a driver can manually deselect or disable the "Rear Safety" automatic braking feature to accommodate hitch accessories. However, this setting completely resets to "Enabled" by default every single time the vehicle is restarted. Safety Risk & Real-World Consequences:This defect has caused multiple documented near-miss incidents. Specifically, when attempting to reverse off a main roadway into a driveway with cross-traffic present, the vehicle suddenly slams on the brakes due to the bike rack. This leaves the vehicle unexpectedly stranded and protruding into active lanes of traffic, nearly causing severe rear-end and T-bone collisions with passing vehicles. Requested Corrective Action: Hyundai must issue a software update changing the ADAS memory logic. The Reverse Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist state should persist in the exact state it was in when the vehicle was last turned off (Last-Mode Memory). If a driver explicitly disables the feature to safely operate a bike rack or hitch accessory, it must remain disabled until the driver intentionally re-enables it.

NHTSA complaint #11740966 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS

Vehicle: 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Description of Safety Defect:The Reverse Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist (PCA-R) system exhibits a severe software logic flaw that creates an immediate traffic hazard. When a standard, hitch-mounted bike rack is installed, the vehicle’s rear sensors detect the rack as an imminent collision obstacle while in reverse. The system responds by executing an abrupt, violent emergency brake application, bringing the vehicle to an unexpected dead stop. The primary safety failure is a lack of non-volatile memory retention for driver settings. In the infotainment system under "Parking Safety," a driver can manually deselect or disable the "Rear Safety" automatic braking feature to accommodate hitch accessories. However, this setting completely resets to "Enabled" by default every single time the vehicle is restarted. Safety Risk & Real-World Consequences:This defect has caused multiple documented near-miss incidents. Specifically, when attempting to reverse off a main roadway into a driveway with cross-traffic present, the vehicle suddenly slams on the brakes due to the bike rack. This leaves the vehicle unexpectedly stranded and protruding into active lanes of traffic, nearly causing severe rear-end and T-bone collisions with passing vehicles. Requested Corrective Action: Hyundai must issue a software update changing the ADAS memory logic. The Reverse Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist state should persist in the exact state it was in when the vehicle was last turned off (Last-Mode Memory). If a driver explicitly disables the feature to safely operate a bike rack or hitch accessory, it must remain disabled until the driver intentionally re-enables it.

NHTSA complaint #11740966 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL

I am a tall driver (6'4") and I need to wear sunglasses when driving most of the time. The eye tracking device seems generally incompatible with both of these conditions. When the eye tracker fails to recognize my eyes are looking at road it disables driver assist features such as lane centering which can occur unexpectedly and has almost caused me to wreck once. I have tried without sunglasses and squinting at the glare also causes the system to fail. I often have to lift my glasses and stare at the sensor to make the warning go away (in effect forcing me to take my eyes off the road. If sunlight hits it, it also fails. So in summary, this device does not work in the daytime. I have contacted the dealer, and they basically read the Hyundai response I've found online verbatim: summarized, you can't wear sunglasses, prescription glasses, be over 6 foot tall and several other conditions and expect the system to work. There is no way to disable the tracker. There is an option the dealer pointed to, but it is ignored when you turn on any of the assist features. Since this system is currently so unreliable, at best, this is an expensive feature I am unable to use. At worst, the distractions it is causing is going to cause an accident. This is an ongoing issue, date indicates first time issue was noticed.

NHTSA complaint #11737531 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST

I am a tall driver (6'4") and I need to wear sunglasses when driving most of the time. The eye tracking device seems generally incompatible with both of these conditions. When the eye tracker fails to recognize my eyes are looking at road it disables driver assist features such as lane centering which can occur unexpectedly and has almost caused me to wreck once. I have tried without sunglasses and squinting at the glare also causes the system to fail. I often have to lift my glasses and stare at the sensor to make the warning go away (in effect forcing me to take my eyes off the road. If sunlight hits it, it also fails. So in summary, this device does not work in the daytime. I have contacted the dealer, and they basically read the Hyundai response I've found online verbatim: summarized, you can't wear sunglasses, prescription glasses, be over 6 foot tall and several other conditions and expect the system to work. There is no way to disable the tracker. There is an option the dealer pointed to, but it is ignored when you turn on any of the assist features. Since this system is currently so unreliable, at best, this is an expensive feature I am unable to use. At worst, the distractions it is causing is going to cause an accident. This is an ongoing issue, date indicates first time issue was noticed.

NHTSA complaint #11737531 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING

I am a tall driver (6'4") and I need to wear sunglasses when driving most of the time. The eye tracking device seems generally incompatible with both of these conditions. When the eye tracker fails to recognize my eyes are looking at road it disables driver assist features such as lane centering which can occur unexpectedly and has almost caused me to wreck once. I have tried without sunglasses and squinting at the glare also causes the system to fail. I often have to lift my glasses and stare at the sensor to make the warning go away (in effect forcing me to take my eyes off the road. If sunlight hits it, it also fails. So in summary, this device does not work in the daytime. I have contacted the dealer, and they basically read the Hyundai response I've found online verbatim: summarized, you can't wear sunglasses, prescription glasses, be over 6 foot tall and several other conditions and expect the system to work. There is no way to disable the tracker. There is an option the dealer pointed to, but it is ignored when you turn on any of the assist features. Since this system is currently so unreliable, at best, this is an expensive feature I am unable to use. At worst, the distractions it is causing is going to cause an accident. This is an ongoing issue, date indicates first time issue was noticed.

NHTSA complaint #11737531 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

My car would no longer charge after testing various chargers at home and different public charging stations. If this had happened away from home, and without cell service, I might have been stranded. I took I into the Hyundai service center, and they said the ICCU had failed. They replaced if after waiting a week for the part.

NHTSA complaint #11734126 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

ICCU and fuse broken

NHTSA complaint #11733677 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEATS

Upon delivery of a brand new 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5 with 13 miles on the odometer, the washer fluid warning illuminated the next day. Reservoir was refilled on 3/29 and was completely empty by 3/30. Vehicle was brought to the authorized dealer on 3/31. The technician confirmed via repair order that the washer fluid hose was actively spouting directly above the ICCU — Integrated Charging Control Unit — a safety-critical high voltage component. Washer fluid was confirmed present in the ICCU floor pan. The cause was a nail severing the washer fluid line. The dealer confirmed the vehicle sat on their lot approximately 70 days before the 3/23/26 delivery date and that washer fluid is factory pre-filled. This indicates the leak was active for approximately 70 days before delivery, during which washer fluid leaked above the ICCU and surrounding electronics. Repair required complete interior disassembly — seats, carpet, center console, floor trim — on a 156-mile brand new vehicle. A full floor wire harness was replaced under Hyundai Techline authorization. Soaked carpet and insulation were salvaged outside rather than replaced. Hyundai Motor America declined to proactively replace the ICCU despite documented fluid exposure above it and denied an extended warranty request covering affected electronics. Safety concern: internal corrosion from extended fluid exposure may not present immediately but can cause sudden loss of drive power — a known ICCU failure mode on this platform subject to multiple prior recalls. Loss of drive power at highway speed poses serious safety risk.

NHTSA complaint #11732290 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Upon delivery of a brand new 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5 with 13 miles on the odometer, the washer fluid warning illuminated the next day. Reservoir was refilled on 3/29 and was completely empty by 3/30. Vehicle was brought to the authorized dealer on 3/31. The technician confirmed via repair order that the washer fluid hose was actively spouting directly above the ICCU — Integrated Charging Control Unit — a safety-critical high voltage component. Washer fluid was confirmed present in the ICCU floor pan. The cause was a nail severing the washer fluid line. The dealer confirmed the vehicle sat on their lot approximately 70 days before the 3/23/26 delivery date and that washer fluid is factory pre-filled. This indicates the leak was active for approximately 70 days before delivery, during which washer fluid leaked above the ICCU and surrounding electronics. Repair required complete interior disassembly — seats, carpet, center console, floor trim — on a 156-mile brand new vehicle. A full floor wire harness was replaced under Hyundai Techline authorization. Soaked carpet and insulation were salvaged outside rather than replaced. Hyundai Motor America declined to proactively replace the ICCU despite documented fluid exposure above it and denied an extended warranty request covering affected electronics. Safety concern: internal corrosion from extended fluid exposure may not present immediately but can cause sudden loss of drive power — a known ICCU failure mode on this platform subject to multiple prior recalls. Loss of drive power at highway speed poses serious safety risk.

NHTSA complaint #11732290 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Upon delivery of a brand new 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5 with 13 miles on the odometer, the washer fluid warning illuminated the next day. Reservoir was refilled on 3/29 and was completely empty by 3/30. Vehicle was brought to the authorized dealer on 3/31. The technician confirmed via repair order that the washer fluid hose was actively spouting directly above the ICCU — Integrated Charging Control Unit — a safety-critical high voltage component. Washer fluid was confirmed present in the ICCU floor pan. The cause was a nail severing the washer fluid line. The dealer confirmed the vehicle sat on their lot approximately 70 days before the 3/23/26 delivery date and that washer fluid is factory pre-filled. This indicates the leak was active for approximately 70 days before delivery, during which washer fluid leaked above the ICCU and surrounding electronics. Repair required complete interior disassembly — seats, carpet, center console, floor trim — on a 156-mile brand new vehicle. A full floor wire harness was replaced under Hyundai Techline authorization. Soaked carpet and insulation were salvaged outside rather than replaced. Hyundai Motor America declined to proactively replace the ICCU despite documented fluid exposure above it and denied an extended warranty request covering affected electronics. Safety concern: internal corrosion from extended fluid exposure may not present immediately but can cause sudden loss of drive power — a known ICCU failure mode on this platform subject to multiple prior recalls. Loss of drive power at highway speed poses serious safety risk.

NHTSA complaint #11732290 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS

On April 12, 2026, I was using the parallel parking assist feature on my 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Limited AWD. I was parking on perfectly level ground with a parked vehicle behind the empty space I was attempting to enter. During the maneuver, the collision sensors activated, but the vehicle continued accelerating toward the parked car. I had to press the brake to stop the vehicle and avoid a collision. This created a safety concern because the system appeared to continue the maneuver despite the active collision warnings.

NHTSA complaint #11730691 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

While driving at most speeds vehicle feels like it is pulsing in power. It’s an EV and I can best describe the feeling to be like when a gas powered vehicle has a severe skip in the engine

NHTSA complaint #11729532 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING

I am writing to report a serious safety concern regarding the “Consider Taking a Break” driver alert system in my new 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Limited, which currently has 515 miles. This notification is presenting itself in a way that I believe creates a distraction and potential hazard while driving. The alert appears frequently and without clear justification, even when I am fully alert and in control of the vehicle. Rather than enhancing safety, it draws unnecessary attention away from the road and contributes to driver frustration. From a safety standpoint, any system that interrupts driver focus—especially without accurate or consistent triggering criteria—can increase risk rather than reduce it. This is particularly concerning in real-world driving conditions where attention needs to remain uninterrupted. Due to this issue, I am seriously considering returning the vehicle, as I do not feel confident in a system that behaves unpredictably and may compromise safety. I strongly urge Hyundai to: - Investigate this behavior immediately - Issue a recall or software update to correct it - Provide owners with the ability to disable or customize this alert I have also included NHTSA on this email, as I believe this warrants broader review as a potential safety defect. Please advise on next steps and whether a fix is currently in development. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. Sincerely, [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11727726 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.