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Okay, Lesson Learned The Hard Way and Specific Advice For My Fellow Ioniq 5 Owners When You Ask For Hyundai Roadside Assistance

Stranded in the cold with a dead Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kevin’s shocking roadside ordeal reveals crucial advice every EV owner needs to know before it’s too late.

Yesterday, while scrolling through the Ioniq 5 Forum group on Facebook, I stumbled across a post by Kevin Shultz that every Hyundai Ioniq 5 owner should read. Kevin shared a story that’s equal parts cautionary tale and practical advice: a hard-earned lesson about EVs, roadside assistance, and preparedness. Here's what Kevin wrote, in his own words:

“Okay so, lesson learned the hard way / advice for my fellow Ioniq 5 owners:

  1. If your car is dead on the side of the road and you ask for Hyundai roadside assistance, you should specifically ask for a TOW.
  2. Keep a winter hat, gloves, and a blanket in the back of your car.

For any Hyundai employees reading this: You should just know that if someone with an EV / Ioniq 5 asks for roadside assistance, a jump start is NOT going to fix it and you need to send a tow truck.

I used the Hyundai app and just requested ‘roadside assistance.’ I did not specify what service was needed. It asked for comments/description of the problem, and I wrote in the comments ‘dead 12V battery.’ That resulted in them sending the first tow truck (ETA 90 minutes) with a jump-start battery. The car did start as long as the jump-start battery was connected. As soon as he disconnected the jump-start battery, the car died again. He said I would have to submit ANOTHER request for Hyundai roadside assistance and specify I needed a tow.

I submitted a second request for roadside assistance, and they assigned it to a different tow truck than the one that was there with the jump-start battery. ETA 120 minutes on the second tow truck. The second tow truck driver had to connect his jump-start battery and leave it connected to the car so he could drive the car onto the flatbed. It died again when he disconnected it. After we arrived at the Hyundai dealer, he had to hook up the jump-start battery again so he could drive the car off the flatbed.

It was pretty interesting and sad how completely nonfunctional the car is without the 12V battery. In a gas car, once you got the car jump-started, the alternator would provide power and you could at least drive to the nearest place to get service. In the Ioniq 5 with 72% propulsion battery but a dead 12V, the hazard lights didn’t work, the doors wouldn’t lock or unlock, nothing worked at all.

Also, I was not dressed for cold weather, and my hands and face are numb and hurt from the cold. In the future, I think I will keep a winter hat, gloves, and a blanket in the back of the car.”

Kevin’s post is a wake-up call for Ioniq 5 owners—and really, for any EV driver. It’s easy to overlook just how critical that humble 12V battery is to keeping your car functional, even when the propulsion battery is brimming with energy. Kevin’s ordeal also underscores the importance of preparation and clear communication when dealing with roadside assistance.

Key Takeaways for Ioniq 5 Owners

  1. Always Specify “Tow Truck” When Requesting Roadside Assistance – As Kevin discovered, Hyundai roadside assistance doesn’t automatically know what’s needed for an EV. Jump starts are ineffective for resolving a dead 12V battery in the Ioniq 5. Be explicit: you need a tow truck, not just a jump-start service.
  2. Keep Emergency Supplies in Your Vehicle – Kevin’s numb hands and face serve as a reminder that you never know when or where your car might break down. A winter hat, gloves, and a blanket are simple, inexpensive additions to your emergency kit that could save you a lot of discomfort (or worse) in a similar situation.
  3. Understand How Critical the 12V Battery Is – Unlike internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, where a jump start can get you moving until you reach a service station, EVs like the Ioniq 5 rely on the 12V battery for almost every function—hazard lights, locks, even basic car operation. A dead 12V battery essentially renders the car unusable, no matter how much charge the propulsion battery has. For tips on extending your Ioniq 5 battery life and insights into whether you should charge it every night, check out this detailed guide here.

Attempt to jump start a Hyundai Ioniq 5 with a dead 12v battery

What Can Automakers Do to Improve This?

Kevin’s story raises a fair question: why can’t EVs function like ICE vehicles when the 12V battery is dead? Here are a few ideas automakers like Hyundai could consider:

  • Propulsion Battery to 12V Backup: Allow a small amount of energy from the main propulsion battery to automatically recharge or power the 12V system temporarily, enabling basic functionality.
  • Built-In Diagnostics: Equip EVs with smarter diagnostics that alert the driver to a weakening 12V battery well before it fails entirely.
  • Enhanced Roadside Assistance Training: Ensure that roadside assistance teams are thoroughly trained on EV-specific issues and equipped to handle them properly, including dispatching the correct type of service vehicle.
  • Redundant Power Systems: Introduce a secondary power source within the EV that kicks in when the 12V battery fails, allowing limited functionality until help arrives.

Kevin’s experience underscores areas where EVs, including Hyundai's Ioniq 5 lineup, could innovate. As Hyundai pushes the boundaries of EV performance with models like the 2025 Ioniq 5 N, it's clear that performance advancements come with tradeoffs. If you're curious about how Hyundai is balancing muscle car-level performance with practicality in the Ioniq 5 N, check out this in-depth analysis here.

The Moral of the Story

Kevin’s experience highlights the growing pains of transitioning to EVs. Despite these challenges, many Ioniq 5 owners praise its reliability and unique features, as highlighted in this article comparing it to the Tesla Model Y.

While these electric vehicles offer incredible benefits, they also come with unique challenges that drivers must understand and prepare for. As EV adoption grows, so too must the infrastructure and systems that support them—from automaker innovations to better roadside assistance protocols.

So, what’s the lesson here? Be proactive. Know your car, prepare for the unexpected, and always communicate clearly when requesting help. And if you’re an automaker, listen to stories like Kevin’s and use them as opportunities to improve.

Over to You

Have you ever experienced a dead 12V battery in your EV? How did you handle it, and what advice would you give to fellow drivers? Also, what improvements do you think automakers should prioritize to make roadside assistance smoother for EV owners? Share your thoughts in the comments below—your insights might just help someone else avoid the same frustration!

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 TwitterFacebookLinkedin, and Youtube. He has more than a decade of expertise in the automotive industry with a special interest in Tesla and electric vehicles.

Comments

Duke Woolworth (not verified)    December 28, 2024 - 9:53PM

What kind of bad batteries (and incandescent taillight bulbs) do the Koreans put in their cars? We have two little '19 Chevy Bolts with evidently fine original batteries. Bolt forums have no 12V battery complaints I could find. I'd like to move up to a '25 I5, but trouble with this simple component puts me off.

Richard Williams (not verified)    December 29, 2024 - 9:55AM

I had my 3 year old 12v battery go bad in my Mustang Mach-E. Someone gave me a jump and it was able to run and I drive it home without a tow. It turns out that the large propulsion battery only recharges while the car is not on for Ford EVs. I was able to purchase a replacement 12v battery and I installed it myself.

Stephen Eades (not verified)    December 29, 2024 - 4:32PM

I've he'd exactly the same thing when my alternator in a petrol car failed.
12v battery eventually died, car stopped.

RAC sent a truck as I correctly diagnosed the problem.

No I didn't have a spare 12v battery with me, or a booster!

Derrick Lewis (not verified)    December 29, 2024 - 4:40PM

My Hyundai ionic six 2023 died on me while I was driving on the highway. I had to call my brother to take me to buy a brand new battery that we put in and after driving 1 mile the car died again. It took an additional three hours for Hyundai assistance to arrive with a tow truck. This was by far the worst experience I have had with my EV.
I would recommend Hyundai develop some type of warning system when your 12 V battery is going to fail that would allow the EV owner time to drive to a safe place or perhaps make it to the nearest dealership.

Jon (not verified)    December 30, 2024 - 2:30AM

My 2013 LEAF 12v battery died after about 8 years. The Nissan basically charges the low voltage system just like an alternator, but it has to have enough power to close the main contractor. A jump got it running and I could drive it home, but I had to use a dumb lead acid jump pack because the smart lithium ion pack I had detects the voltage drop of an ICE ignition and only then provides the boost, but EVs don't create a big enough voltage drop to be detected.

Solutions:
1. Always carry a compatible jump pack. That means you have to try it out before you need it.
2. Get a voltage gauge. You can get ones that plug into the cigarette lighter/accessory port for like $5. Learn how/when your vehicle charges the 12v battery. Anytime the idle voltage drops below about 11v, be prepared to replace the battery.

Things manufacturers can improve:
1. Error messages. Almost everything electrical in the LEAF is reported as a drive system failure. There's a big difference between dead traction battery, dead 12v battery, and the charger lost power while charging, but that 5 all get the same error.
2. Eliminate single points of failure. The idea that any system is always going to be working and it's failure doesn't need to be designed around is inexcusable. Give owners solutions. Provide a user switchable means to manually charge the 12v battery, or run off a backup dc-dc converter if the voltage is to low.

Joseph Cohen (not verified)    December 30, 2024 - 3:01AM

I have a 2018 Ioniq phev and had similar issue. In spring 2022 the 12v battery died. The car was locked and I could not access any part of it using the car remote. I called local Hyundai dealers and the hq and all suggested that they do not have a replacement battery and don’t have a date when they will have it and they suggested the only solution is to get new car. After internet search I found that one of the car parts seller has a replacement battery, it took a couple of days to get it. It was not 100% identical but was able to get it installed. So the issue applies not to EV only cars but to PHEV as well. And most important that’s my last Hyundai as I need a company that have a US stock of frequently needed consumable parts.

Phil Moorehead (not verified)    December 30, 2024 - 4:10AM

I own a Kia EV6 that's gone through 8 12v batteries in the last 12 months. So, don't worry, future Hyundai/Kia E-GMP drivers, using roadside assistance will be old hat in no time at all!

I have a suggestion for WHY Hyundai should innovate: it's probably cheaper to design a robust ICCU with fully baked logic than to install a new HV fuse, subpar ICCU, and software patch every 6 months on every one of your EVs until everybody's warranty runs out (or they decide to join a class-action lawsuit).

Duncan Noble (not verified)    December 30, 2024 - 10:34AM

Not always true. When the 12V battery in my Ioniq 5 died, a battery boost allowed me to drive home, where I charged the battery overnight and drove to the dealer to replace it. BTW, the 12V battery in EVs is *always* charged by the main high voltage traction battery. There is no other way to charge it. If the 12V dies, it indicates a fault in the charging system or the battery. Under certain conditions, the main battery stops charging the 12V battery (e.g., too many failed attempts, battery won't hold charge, etc.).

Ben Drinkwater (not verified)    December 30, 2024 - 11:04AM

The saga of the Ioniq 5 12 volt auxiliary battery and related Integrated Charge Control Unit (ICCU) continues, and is the hot topic on Ioniq 5 forums. Hyundai has been trying to solve these issues for as long as we have owned our 2023 Ioniq 5 AWD Limited. We finally experienced the dreaded total failure of the ICCU and associated safety fuse, the subject of the most recent safety recall No. 272 this past Holiday season. I was lucky to have the "limp mode" failure occur just a few blocks from home in a quiet neighborhood, not on a deadly freeway. Hyundai Roadside Assistance sent a very qualified flat bed tow truck with a smart technician with a portable 12 vac quick charge pack, eventhough he admitted they don't get many calls for stranded EV drivers. The big problem with Ioniq 5s and their similar architecture siblings when the ICCU fails is that the dead 12 volt battery is needed to unlock the car (if locked... mine was not thankfully!) and to unlock the parking brake so the car can be loaded onto the flat bed without squealing the tires! My guy figured that out. Then, as you said the process needs reversal at the destination dealership.
After waiting two weeks during the holidays the new Hyundai 12 volt battery arrived (they wanted a factory replacement battery so it was covered under the warranty) they went to work on the recall 272 ICCU and fuse replacement and got it running again after 5 weeks. I'm just worried that the fundamental design and manufacturing errors with the ICCU system will reoccur until an updated and redesigned part is available for new cars and in the spare parts pool. Fingers crossed 🤞 to enjoy all the great features we love about our Ioniq 5.

Mike Chern (not verified)    December 30, 2024 - 11:12AM

Will the car start if the 12v battery is replaced on the road? Couldn’t the tow truck bring a replacement battery with it?

Lise Sorensen (not verified)    December 30, 2024 - 12:16PM

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 Ioniq5’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 Thunderbay 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 Thunderbay, we ended up buying a CAA membership in order to get our ioniq to the dealer.

Lise Sorensen (not verified)    December 30, 2024 - 12:44PM

Oops- just sent you a post where I mentioned that Hyundai replaced defective parts and 12 V battery, but forgot to mention that they did all that completely free of charge.(and within five hours of receiving my car!)

CW (not verified)    December 31, 2024 - 6:02PM

This is not just an Ioniq problem. Even my Ford Fusion hybrid would not start with a dead 12V batttery, even though the main battery had a full charge.
The hybrid could be jumped though, and the ICE would remain running.
Yes, you would think, in an emergency, the main battery could supply the 12V needed.

CanI6 (not verified)    January 1, 2025 - 8:57AM

My Ioniq 6 had a catastrophic ICCU failure on a major highway in Canada. So bad it caused a system disconnect which left no propulsion to get another 10ft to a shoulder. We were stuck in the live lane, unable to turn the car off, unable to move.

Roadside delegates to a specific tow company up here. However because it was a major highway and dangerous, the highway cameras picked us up and sent a tow. It was supposed to be a flat bed, it wasn't. It was underpowered for the job. Also, because we were so close to the wall, the tow operator struggled to get it on dollies.

The closest Hyundai dealership refused to receive the tow so we were taken to the selling dealership. All in, 4hrs from failure to receiving a loaned car (that I had to arm wrestle a bit for).

Been in the shop for 54 days and likely to be over 60 due to ICCU shipping delays. There are a lot of lessons to learn from these cars, their failure modes, the lack of driver presented information, the lack of bluelink connected information (mine never showed an error), the lack of dealer understanding, the lack of redundancy withing the two power systems, the lack of urgency from the brand to get these cars fixed in a timely fashion, the list goes on. It's embarrassing for the brand. I love the car but at some point there has to be an end and it hurts the brand severely as people find out timeline to repair. They've lost several purchases of I5 / I6s due to my issue.

My concern is a lack of engagement and accountability from Hyundai corporate and their engineering team. I've asked for a call between my dealership, a Corp team and engineering to discuss all this (in far more detail) but it's unlikely.

Until repair times are down to days, the brand will struggle to gain EV adoption or additional customers from word of mouth if there's ever an issue.

Steve (not verified)    January 3, 2025 - 6:54AM

Do yourself a favor ... Get rid of the lead acid battery and go with the GMA when you replace it. The lead acid battery lifespan is ridiculously low for the amount of load and recharge the EV places on the 12v.

Also watch your warranty and timing. Mine was 2 months past the 2 year warranty and Hyundai said nope to covering it.

Canadian tire has a better warranty (5 years) and the install is simple. Need a 12mm and 10mm sockets and 10 minutes.

EV manufacturers need to get away from ICE thinking.

Paul D. (not verified)    January 3, 2025 - 8:17AM

I own a Kona Ekectric. After one crisis with dead 12 volt battery when I couldn't unlock the car, I now carry a small lithium battery replacer. When my battery died, I clipped it on and drove to the dealer no problems.