Hyundai Lawsuit Claims ICCU Malfunction in Certain Electric Vehicles Increases Crash Risks

Plaintiffs allege the manufacturer engaged in deceptive practices and failed to disclose defects in the vehicles’ charging control units that could cause accidents and injuries.

A newly filed class action lawsuit claims that certain Hyundai, Genesis and Kia vehicles contain defective Integrated Charging Control Units (ICCUs) that may cause sudden loss of power, dangerous driving conditions and substantial economic losses for owners.

The complaint (PDF) was brought by Hayes Young and Roy A. Williams in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey on April 21. It names Hyundai Kefico Inc. as the defendant.

The plaintiffs indicate that Hyundai Kefico knew about the affected vehicles’ ICCU defect, failed to fix it despite recalls and repairs, and misled consumers, resulting in the potential class members suffering economic losses. 

A vehicle ICCU is responsible for charging the auxiliary battery and powering low-voltage accessories. However, Young and Williams allege the device may fail in the affected vehicles due to fuse-related issues, potentially leading to sudden battery depletion and loss of motion while driving.

Hyundai ICCU Recall

The allegations come after Hyundai, Genesis and Kia electric vehicle owners previously faced recalls over similar ICCU problems, which federal regulators warned could interfere with the vehicles’ ability to keep the 12-volt battery charged.

In November 2024, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced a recall involving certain Hyundai, Genesis and Kia electric vehicles, indicating that an ICCU defect could cause the 12-volt battery to stop charging. If that occurs, drivers may experience warning lights, reduced power or a sudden loss of motive power, increasing the risk of a crash.

Young and Williams indicate that the class action lawsuit involves the same model years, makes and vehicles identified in the recall. However, they allege the recall and related repairs failed to fully address the underlying ICCU defect, leaving owners with cars that may still be unsafe and worth less than they otherwise would be.

The affected models include approximately 180,000 Hyundai, Genesis and Kia electric vehicles, including:

• 2022-2024 KIA EV 6 
• 2022-2024 Hyundai IONIQ 5 
• 2023-2025 Hyundai IONIQ 6 
• 2023-2025 Genesis GV 60 
• 2023-2025 Genesis GV 70 “Electrified” 
• 2023-2024 Genesis GV 80 “Electrified”

Hyundai ICCU Lawsuit

The lawsuit indicates Young purchased a 2023 Hyundai IONIQ 5 with a defective ICCU that affected the vehicle’s performance. It goes on to say that Williams’ 2025 Kia EV6 eventually entered “limp” mode on the highway, which was accompanied by a loud explosive sound. At the time of the incident, the vehicle only had approximately 3,000 miles on its odometer. The filing indicates this occurrence was also the result of a defective ICCU.

According to the complaint, Hyundai first investigated ICCU warranty returns and traced the issue back to the ICCU device itself in October 2022. Since then, there have been at least two recalls, in March 2024 and November 2024. These followed the identification of ongoing failures with the vehicle ICCUs. 

Plaintiffs allege Hyundai failed to resolve the issue through software updates and instead replaced or attempted to repair the ICCUs without fixing the underlying defect.

“As a proximate cause of Defendant’s design defect, misrepresentations, omissions and warranty breaches detailed in this complaint, Plaintiffs and sub-class members purchased Defective Cars and were damaged.”

— Hayes Young et al v. Hyundai Kefico Inc.

The lawsuit further alleges that Hyundai Kefico engaged in deceptive, unfair and misleading marketing of defective ICCUs, failing to disclose issues and instead marketing the devices as an upgrade from existing onboard charging. It also claims consumers would have paid less or not purchased the vehicles had they known of the alleged defects.

The plaintiffs raise allegations of breach of express and implied warranties, as well as violations of various New Jersey and Kentucky state statutes, claiming the company financially benefited from its deceptive conduct and misrepresentations.

They seek certification of the filing for class action status, damages and any other relief the court deems appropriate.

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