Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 5 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2021 Hyundai Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid, most frequently naming the brakes, driver assistance and electrical categories. 7 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
When owners filed reports about this model year
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 2022 | 1 | 1 |
| Jul 2022 | 1 | 2 |
| Jul 2025 | 2 | 4 |
| May 2026 | 1 | 5 |
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
No recalls in our database for this model year
That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
Installing a car seat and the belt buckle failed. The plastic part split and no longer holds the belt together. This was under regular pressure with standard leverage that the car seat design calls for. Nothing was ever on top of the buckle and it is not damaged in any other way at all other than the failure. They refused to replace it via warranty.
Auto Hold/EPB lights come one while driving. Deactivates cruise control of on. Turns off auto hold. Ongoing issue with many reports but no recall or dealership knowledge. Ongoing issue since purchase.
The "Auto Hold" feature on my Hyundai Ioniq malfunctioned, displaying a dashboard warning: "AUTO HOLD conditions not met. Press brake pedal." This message randomly appears while driving or stopping, and it deactivates the Auto Hold and Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) functions. In some cases, the car rolls after stopping because the system fails to hold the vehicle. This issue compromises vehicle safety, especially on inclines or during stop-and-go traffic. It puts me, passengers, and other drivers at risk. The problem has occurred multiple times and is unpredictable. It appears to be linked to a faulty brake switch or sensor, as noted in Hyundai’s TSB 23-BR-001H. I discovered this issue is affecting many other Hyundai Ioniq owners, as seen in this discussion: [XXX] The dealer has not yet inspected the vehicle, but the symptoms match the TSB. No accident has occurred, but the safety risk is serious due to brake failure behavior. There were no visible warning lights before the issue started, just the "Auto Hold" message when the failure happens. I bought the car from a used car dealer when it had 39,000 miles. Now it has around 74,000 miles. I’m not sure if it’s still under warranty. I haven’t taken it to the dealer yet, but the symptoms match exactly what other people are reporting online. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
During a highway trip that was bumper to bumper traffic at approximately 15mph, the car suddenly would not accelerate while operating on gasoline (not electric). The engine revs would increase to maximum without movement from the car (as if the car was in neutral). After checking the gear lever to make sure it was still in D, tried to accelerate again and engine rev high without movement. Eventually car came to stop with brakes, and the car could move on electric power (in hybrid mode), pulled over and turned off the car to visually inspect. After not identifying anything, turned on car and operation resumed to normal and would accelerate on gas power.
The contact leased a 2021 Hyundai Ioniq Electric The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, he attempted to open the driver’s side door using the key fob; however, the door would not open. The contact contacted Hyundai roadside assistance who assisted him in jumpstarting and recharging the batteries. The contact was still able to drive the vehicle. The contact stated that a couple of days later, the vehicle failed to start after several attempts. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the mechanic switch that applied the emergency brake was not completely closed and kept the electrical circuit for the emergency brake activated causing the two batteries to drain. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised the contact that they would reimburse him for the vehicle rental expenses under the condition that he surrendered his rights to pursue reimbursement for the vehicle repair expenses. The failure mileage was approximately 3,400.
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
AIR BAGS
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the presence of substandard and dangerous driver’s-side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co., Ltd. (DTN). These inflators were not supplied, approved, or authorized by the vehicle manufacturers and have primarily been found in vehicles that previously experienced a crash and underwent airbag replacement using non-genuine parts. These dangerous inflators have ruptured during deployment, posing a serious risk of injury or death due to metal fragments entering the vehicle cabin. To date, Hyundai is aware of three people who have died while driving a Hyundai vehicle with one of these substandard replacement airbag inflators that deployed in what likely would have been a survivable crash. NHTSA has issued a public advisory urging vehicle owners and service professionals to have vehicles inspected if there is reason to believe that a non-genuine replacement airbag may have been installed. Vehicles with salvage or rebuilt titles, prior airbag deployments, or unknown repair histories may present a higher risk. NHTSA strongly cautions against self-inspection by vehicle owners and recommends inspection by trained technicians.
AIR BAGS
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent safety advisory regarding dangerous, counterfeit driver‑side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co., Ltd. (DTN), that have been identified in U.S. vehicles following prior crashes, theft, or non‑certified airbag replacements. These inflators are not approved for use, may rupture during deployment, and have caused serious injuries and fatalities. Please see attached announcement, provided by NHTSA, for more details.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the headlamp, rear combination lamp, daytime running lamp (DRL), or fog lamp. This TSB illustrates the various causes of condensation inside the lamp assembly. Lamp assembly replacement is NOT necessary in most cases. This condition can be eliminated by turning on the lamps with the engine running for several minutes or during normal driving operation.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
This bulletin provides information related to the changes introduced in the 2025 1st Navigation Map and Software Update. The changes may vary depending on vehicle type, model, and navigation system as described in this TSB.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
This bulletin provides information related to the changes introduced in the 2024 2nd Navigation Map and Software Update. The changes may vary depending on vehicle type, model, and navigation system. Refer to the 2024 2nd Navigation Map and Software Update Improvements section in this TSB for a list of specific changes. The software can be downloaded via Navigation Updater (NAU) and updated by USB. The NAU website is https://update.hyundai.com/US/EN/navigationUpdate. For certain models equipped with a relevant Bluelink package, the software may be downloaded and applied via OTA update.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Some vehicles may exhibit a loss of connectivity or interruptions in the middle of using Bluelink Service functions. This may be due to an irregular disconnection on Verizon’s communication network. Follow the procedure in this TSB to reestablish the connection via the AVN pinhole reset method.
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.