Home · 2017 Hyundai Ioniq Electric · Complaints

What 9 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 Hyundai Ioniq Electric

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (9)Crash / fire / injury (1)Electrical system (7)Speed control (2)Steering (2)Transmission & drivetrain (2)Brakes (1)Wheels (1)

Newest first · 9 complaints

Jul 25, 2023Steering

The steering is "sticky" causing the vehicle to zig-zag, rather than track straight, especially at highway speeds. If you take your eyes off the road for a second, the vehicle will veer into other lanes. It requires constant vigilance beyond what is required for normal driving to remian in your lane. This is a well-documented issue online involving the ball bearings and lubrication of the intermediate shaft of the steering column.

NHTSA ODI 11534305

May 19, 2023Electrical system

Just before 3 PM on Sunday, 14MAY, my Hyundai Ioniq had been charging for a few hours as usual and I heard a circuit breaker "pop". I went outside to check on my car, and my car had started smoking. I immediately unplugged the charger and after the smoke cleared, found that both the charger I purchased months ago and the charge port on the Ioniq had melted. This rendered both items unusable. This is available for inspection. If I had not been home while the car was charging, if the car was inside, or if this had happened at any public charging station, this could of course cause any number of issues, from fire, to being exposed to the carcinogens of the burning/smoking plastics of the port and charger. The vehicle has been inspected by a GEICO insurance adjuster as well as Annapolis Hyundai.

NHTSA ODI 11522923

May 24, 2022Electrical system

The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Ioniq Electric. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V944000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. Several unknown dealers were made aware of the issue confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ODI 11465965

Aug 31, 2020Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemSpeed control

IF YOU ARE SLOWING DOWN WHILE REGENERATING, THEN NEED TO SPEED UP YOU CAN'T. THE ACTIVE FLAP SYSTEM LIGHT COMES ON AND MAKES THE CAR GO INTO A LIMP MODE. IT CORRECTS ITSELF ABOUT A SECOND OR MORE. HAVING TO SPEED UP FOR THE LIGHT THAT WAS RED AND NOW GREEN CREATED A DANGEROUS SITUATION. I COULDN'T GO.

NHTSA ODI 11352395

Aug 31, 2020Electrical system

12V BATTERY HAS FAILED EVERY YEAR SINCE OWNERSHIP. THE LAST BATTERY WAS BUBBLING AND HAD A HORRIBLE ODOR.

NHTSA ODI 11352398

Feb 19, 2020Electrical system

FOR APPROX. ONE WEEK THERE WAS AN UNPLEASANT SMELL NOTICED INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WHEN DRIVING. IT SEEMED TO BE MORE EVIDENT WHEN THE HEAT/AC SYSTEM WAS OFF AND OUTSIDE AIR WAS COMING IN THROUGH THE VENTS. AT THE END OF THE WEEK, ON THE WEEKEND THE ODOR WAS NOTICED WHEN THE CAR WAS DRIVEN HOME, AND AFTER IT GOT HOME. THE HOOD WAS OPENED AND IT WAS NOTICED THAT THE 12V AUX BATTERY WAS BLOATED ON ONE SIDE, WAS STEAMING VAPOR OUT OF ONE SIDE, AND WAS VERY HOT. THE CAR WAS POWERED OFF AND LOOKED AT AGAIN THE NEXT MORNING. THE CAR WOULD NOT OPEN AND HAD TO BE ACCESSED WITH THE MANUAL KEY. THE BATTERY VOLTAGE MEASURED WAS ONLY 2V. THE SAFETY CONCERN IS THAT THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF A 12V BATTERY ISSUE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. IN ADDITION TO THAT CONCERN, WHAT DOES THE CAR DO IF YOU ARE DRIVING AND THE BATTERY HAS A MAJOR FAILURE? DOES THE CAR CONTINUE TO DRIVE, OR BECOME DISABLED ON THE SPOT PUTTING THE DRIVER AT RISK?

NHTSA ODI 11310232

Oct 29, 2019Electrical system

BROUGHT VEHICLE IN TO DEALERSHIP MULTIPLE TIMES. WHEN USING THE BLUETOOTH CONNECTION IN THE CAR TO MAKE OR RECEIVE CALLS, THE PERSON ON THE OTHER END OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE, RECEIVING THE CALL, OR MAKING THE CALL, HEARA A TERRIBLE ECHO OF THEIR OWN VOICE. THE PERSON INSIDE THE VEHCILE DOES NOT HEAR AN ECHO. THIS IS NOT ONLY ANNOYING, IT CAN BE QUITE DISTRACTING.IT TOOK SEVERAL VISITS T CONVINE THE DEALERSHIP AND CORPORATE CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT THE ECHOING EXISTS. THE ECHO OCCURS REGARDLESS OF THE TYPE/BRAND OR CELL PHONE OR LANDLINE. I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO HAVE THE SERVICE TECH HEAR AN ECHO. STILL, THEY HAVN'T BEEN ABLE TO REPAIR THE ISSUE. THIS IS ALSO HAPPENING ON MY OTHER VEHCILE, A 2017 HYUNDAI SANTA FE SPORT.

NHTSA ODI 11278971

Dec 6, 2018SteeringElectrical systemWheels

CAR SKIDS AND LOSES CONTROL. TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ILLUMINATES DURING LOSS OF CONTROL. HARD BRAKING CREATES THE BRAKES TO LOCK UP. VEHICLE IS UNABLE TO EXECUTE CLIMBING INCLINED DRIVEWAYS. SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE AS ITS ESPECIALLY CONTROL LOSS DURING RAIN.

NHTSA ODI 11156553

Jul 31, 2018Transmission & drivetrainSpeed controlBrakesCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 HYUNDAI IONIQ ELECTRIC. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO HYUNDAI INLAND EMPIRE (25072 REDLANDS BLVD, LOMA LINDA, CA 92354) FOR A KEY REPLACEMENT. WHEN THE CONTACT PLACED THE GEAR IN REVERSE AND ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE HIS FOOT FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UP TO 20 MPH WHILE IN REVERSE. AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE SAME DEALER WAS INFORMED ABOUT THE FAILURE, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 600.

NHTSA ODI 11114947

Working with the data? Download all 9 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 19, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2017 Hyundai Ioniq Electric verdict →