Kia EV6 Experiencing Potential Issues Reported by Owner, Investigation Underway

Photo: Kia EV6. (Doc. Kia)

JAKARTA - The Kia EV6, one of Kia's flagship electric vehicles, is reportedly facing potential problems faced by some owners of this electric crossover. This complaint has been submitted to the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) in the United States.

Reporting from Carscoops page, Monday, July 10, as many as 11 Kia EV6 owners reported that their vehicle made a loud popping sound while driving. The sound appears together with a warning that appears on the dashboard.

After the appearance of the sound and warning, the Kia EV6 car suddenly experiences a decrease or loss of power so that it stops operating.

Owners who provided ODI with information stated that the time interval between power loss and warning appearance varies, including power level drops.

Based on documents from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), this incident is related to a failure in the Integrated Control Charging Units (ICCU), which controls the charging of electric vehicle batteries with high and low voltage.

Preliminary reviews suggest that this problem may be caused by excess current within the ICCU which can damage the transistors (FET) in the DC-to-DC converter.

When this occurs, the 12V battery cannot be recharged, resulting in reduced or lost power and inability to use other vehicle systems. This issue is a concern for the owner, especially as this is not the first time a similar issue has occurred.

An investigation is currently underway to determine the severity of this issue and the impact it may have on the safety of Kia EV6 users.

It is possible that an initial evaluation conducted by ODI could lead to the recall, which could involve 19,824 units of the 2022 model year Kia EV6.

If a recall is made, this will be the first recall for the Kia EV6 in 2023. Previously, this crossover was recalled regarding an error in the software system used for parking in 2022.