Hyundai Ioniq Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data
Comparing used Hyundai Ioniq options? We analyzed 6 model years (2017–2022) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.
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Model-year trends show patterns — they can't tell you whether this car was crashed, flooded, or rolled back. A VIN check can.
- Accident & damage history
- Odometer rollback records
- Open recalls & title brands
HYUNDAI IONIQ (2017-2022) has 88 NHTSA complaints and 3 recalls. Top issues include electrical system (34 complaints) and service brakes (21). The 2019 model year has the most complaints (26). Source: NHTSA owner complaints and recall records.
- Make
- Hyundai
- Model
- Ioniq
- Model years analyzed
- 2017–2022 (6 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 88
- Safety recall campaigns
- 3
- Crash-related complaints
- 13
- Fire-related complaints
- 1
- Worst model year (by complaints)
- 2019 (26 complaints)
- Best model year (fewest complaints)
- 2017 (9 complaints)
- Top reported issue area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Reliability signal
- Average
By model year
Hyundai Ioniq: which years to avoid & which to buy
Based on total NHTSA owner complaints per model year. Higher complaint counts indicate a riskier year to buy used — lower counts suggest a cleaner reliability record.
These years have the most owner complaints. Inspect carefully and always run a VIN check.
These years have the fewest owner complaints on record — lower risk starting points.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA NCAP crash test ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
NCAP crash test ratings for this model are not yet loaded or this vehicle was not tested in the years analyzed. NHTSA tests a subset of new vehicles each year. Check nhtsa.gov/ratings directly for the latest results.
What the complaint data suggests
AverageBased on NHTSA complaint data, the 2017-2022 Hyundai Ioniq shows notable issues in the electrical system (34 complaints) and service brakes (21 complaints). The 2019 model year has the highest complaint count (26), while 2020 has none. Source: NHTSA owner complaints and recall records.
- Electrical system accounts for 34 of 88 total complaints.
- Service brakes have 21 complaints, the second most.
- 2019 model year has the highest complaint count at 26.
- Electrical system failures
- Service brake malfunctions
- Vehicle speed control issues
The 2019 model year has the most complaints (26), driven by electrical system and brake issues.
The 2020 model year has zero complaints, suggesting it may be more reliable, though data is limited.
- Check for electrical system recalls and repairs.
- Verify all open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
- Request service records for brake and speed control components.
- Have a mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase.
Problems by model year (best vs. worst)
Source: NHTSA public complaints database. Updated: Jul 2026
Safety recalls
NHTSA safety recalls
3 recalls foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:CHARGING:MODULE:ONBOARD (OBCM)
HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM: INVERTER
HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM: INVERTER
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2017–2022. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
Common problems
What goes wrong most often
The vehicle systems owners complain about most, ranked from all 88 NHTSA complaints — these are the areas to inspect first on a used car.
Owner complaints
NHTSA complaint reports
88 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
My 2018 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid has a safety-critical transmission defect. The vehicle slips violently from 1st to 2nd gear, loses acceleration, and causes unpredictable hesitation. This creates a danger when merging onto highways or crossing intersections. Hyundai refused goodwill assistance, denied escalation, and directed me to BBB Auto Line, but BBB does not accept 2018 vehicles. This defect matches known DCT failures in Hyundai hybrid models and presents a significant safety risk, especially when transporting my two young children ( we lost mother during the childbirth .
The contact owned a 2018 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH with her aunt in the front passenger's side seat, another vehicle suddenly merged into the contact's lane, causing the passenger's side of the vehicle to crash into the driver's side of the other vehicle. The vehicle then veered into a ditch on the right side of the road. The air bags failed to deploy. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact and her aunt exited the vehicle through the rear doors because the front doors were blocked by the bushes. The contact sustained pain in the right knee and ankle. The contact's aunt sustained pain in the right knee. The ambulance transported both passengers to the hospital, where they were informed that no other injuries were found. A police report was filed, but the contact did not have the police report information available. The vehicle was towed and totaled by the insurance company. The dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened; however, the case was later closed. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.
The clutch failed and the clutch and I believe the clutch actuator had to be replaced. It was not available for inspection upon request. My safety and the risk of others were compromised by the constant jerking and sputtering, of the gears that took place during vehicle operation. My acceleration was laggy and at some points nearly unresponsive. The vehicle was inspected by service technicians. A warning light saying: Warning please check Hybrid Driving System, Do not drive vehicle was illuminated. Mid to late October 2023
The car engine started to stall, the engine light came on and advised me to shut off engine then I pulled over and smoke immidiatley filled the cabin and outside the hood. My engine could have blown up. Had I not pulled over so quickly my car would have caught fire and I would have died. Yes the Hyundai Folsom inspected the car and listed issue was a hole in the engine block. They stated it was caused by premature wearing of the rod bearings and refused to repair. The ONLY warning happened within seconds of the car stalling and failing to accelerate before I pulled over. The first symptoms was a noise I couldne place 5 days prior. It was a mild knocking sound that was subtle.
My lcd screen constantly goes black. A couple times the steering wheel locked the wipers and washer fluid went off at the same time. I had to hit the brakes and power the car on and off to reset it while making a turn. When having my window motor replaced for the SECOND time my dash where the speed is at all when black while driving on the freeway. I had to pull over and restart the car. My paint and my clear coat is separating on my trunk. It looks white not oxidation just separating and white. My driver side door button to lock the car kept getting stuck and was locking and unlocking. this left the possibilities of my car getting stolen from the door lock and the window motor leaving my window half down. My safety and the safety of others is obviously at risk with the electrical malfunctions. My local dealership left my issue’s unresolved for currently FIVE months with little to no compensation. I guess the life of my family and everyone else on the road is only $420.
There is a defect with the transmission control module (TCM) and dual-clutch transmission (DCT). This defect prevents the car from properly accelerating from a stop. The defect manifests in the following ways when pressing the accelerator: unresponsive or sluggish acceleration, jerking, shuddering, failure to shift, stalling and complete loss of power. Typically, the TCM defect manifests in two ways: shuddering/delayed brake release, which has happened over 20 times and loss of power/engine revving out of gear which has occured three times. These issues are unpredictable, unrepeatable and dangerous. I usually experience them while waiting at stop lights in busy intersections. Delayed and unpredictable acceleration and shifting could cause a traffic accident. I've notified the dealership three times and had it serviced once by licensed Hyundai technicians at the same dealership. They couldn't replicate the issue and claimed they had never heard of the problem. There are no warning lights when this issue occurs and the dealship said there were no diagnostic codes indicating the problem. Defective TCM & DCT software is a known issue that resulted in a recall campaign for the 2016 Hyundai Tucson. This issue has been documented in the following vehicles: 2017 Hyundai Elantra Eco, 2017 Hyundai Sonata Eco, 2016 – 2017 Hyundai Tucson, 2016 Hyunda Veloster Turbo. Hyundai issued the following service bulletins informing dealerships about the TCU software issue specific to the Tucson: #5NP-X7J3D-10, TSB# 16-01-035, #5NP- S9D9P-10
Read 14 more owner reports
VEHICLE BATTERY IS DEPLETED AND NEEDS SERVICING OR REPLACEMENT.
THE CAR SHIFTS FROM DRIVE MODE INTO SPORT MODE BY ITSELF WITHOUT THE DRIVER MANUALLY MOVING THE GEAR SHIFT FROM DRIVE TO SPORT. THIS HAPPENS RANDOMLY, BUT ALWAYS WHEN THE CAR IS IN MOTION AND ALWAYS IN A LOW GEAR( USUALLY FIRST GEAR ). IT HAS HAPPENED BOTH WHEN MAKING A TURN AND GOING STRAIGHT AHEAD , USUALLY WHEN THE CAR STARTS TO MOVE AFTER BEING STOPPED LIKE AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. I CAN GET THE CAR TO GO BACK INTO DRIVE MODE BY PHYSICALLY MOVING THE GEARSHIFT INTO SPORT MODE AND THEN BACK INTO DRIVE MODE AGAIN. UNFORTUNATELY, THE MOST RECENT EPISODE OF THIS HAPPENED WHEN I WAS PULLING INTO MY GARAGE. I WAS HALFWAY INTO THE GARAGE WHEN THE CAR SWITCHED TO SPORT MODE BY ITSELF. THE CAR WAS STILL IN MOTION INSTANTLY STARTED MOVING FASTER AND IN SECONDS IT HIT THE BACK WALL OF THE GARAGE.
IT BEGAN SHORTLY AFTER I PURCHASED THE CAR IN FEB 2018 WITH THE A/C WORKING ONLY INTERMITTENTLY AND THE SETTINGS ON THE CLUSTER HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM, AND THIS ELECTRICAL PROBLEM ESCALATED INTO A SAFETY ISSUE WHEN ON DEC 6 THE RKE FAILED (BATTERY ON FOB STRONG) AND A RE-START ON CAR DID NOT WORK, UNTIL THE SPARE KEY WAS TRIED. SINCE DEALER FOUND NO PROBLEM WITH EITHER KEY, THE SAFETY ISSUE REMAINS A MAJOR CONCERN FOR THE SENIOR CITIZEN OWNER WHO MIGHT GET CAUGHT AGAIN WITHOUT ACCESS TO THE CAR AND WITH A NON-FUNCTIONING ENGINE. THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM SHOWS ITSELF INTERMITTENTLY IN UNPROVOKED BEEPS OF THE PASSENGER DOOR, AS WELL AS IN THE CLUSTER SETTINGS. *JS
MANY ISSUES: 1. GETS STUCK IN PARK. 2. BACK UP CAMERA FUZZY EVEN AFTER CLEANED. 3. APPLE CAR PLAY DROPS OUT. AND OR SWITCHES FROM TO CURRENT PHONE CALL. 4. TIRE PRESSURE SYSTEM IS MESSED UP. THE TIRES SYSTEM DOESN'T TELL YOU WHEN THE TIRES ARE BELOW 30LBS. THESE ARE JUST A FEW ISSUES.
CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE EVERY TIME THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. SOMETIMES THE CLICKING NOISE WILL CONTINUE AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN PARKED AND LOCKED. THE FIRST TIME THE CLICKING STARTED, I PARKED MY CAR AND A WARNING "CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM" APPEARED BRIEFLY IN MY DASHBOARD DISPLAY BUT THE CLICKING PERSISTED. THE PEDAL FELT SLUGGISH WITH NOT MUCH RESISTANCE.
WHILE DRIVING THIS MORNING (SMART CRUISE CONTROL DISABLED BY THE WEATHER), I SET THE CRUISE CONTROL AND EVERYTHING WAS WORKING OK. I CANCELLED DUE TO TRAFFIC AND REENGAGED WITHOUT ISSUE. WHEN I REQUESTED ADDITIONAL SPEED WITH THE INCREASE CONTROL, THE CAR ACCELERATED AND CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AND DID NOT STOP ACCELERATING UNTIL I HIT THE BRAKES AND CANCELLED THE CRUISE CONTROL. THIS IS VERY UNSAFE. I EXPECT THIS FIXED AND WILL CONTACT THE NHTSA AND ALSO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THEM. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND IT IS ONLY DUE TO MY ABILITY TO QUICKLY REACT DID I AVERT AN ACCIDENT IN SNOWY CONDITIONS! ***** I AM CHECKING THE NO CRASH BUTTON ONLY BECAUSE MY QUICK ACTION AND RESPONSE AVERTED AN ACCIDENT, BUT THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS! *****
I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE CRUISE CONTROL. WHILE DRIVING THIS MORNING (SMART CRUISE CONTROL DISABLED BY THE WEATHER), I SET THE CRUISE CONTROL AND EVERYTHING WAS WORKING OK. I CANCELLED DUE TO TRAFFIC AND REENGAGED WITHOUT ISSUE. WHEN I REQUESTED ADDITIONAL SPEED WITH THE INCREASE CONTROL, THE CAR ACCELERATED AND CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AND DID NOT STOP ACCELERATING UNTIL I HIT THE BRAKES AND CANCELLED THE CRUISE CONTROL. THIS IS VERY UNSAFE. I EXPECT THIS FIXED AND WILL CONTACT THE NHTSA AND ALSO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THEM. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND IT IS ONLY DUE TO MY ABILITY TO QUICKLY REACT DID I AVERT AN ACCIDENT IN SNOWY CONDITIONS! -SCOTT
I am writing to dispute the denial of my paint defect warranty claim formally and to demand that Hyundai Motor America reconsider its decision. My 2018 Hyundai Ioniq (Silver, VIN: [XXX] ) is exhibiting significant paint bubbling — the identical defect that Hyundai has already acknowledged and accepted responsibility for in white-painted vehicles across multiple model years. Timeline of Events • I first contacted Hyundai Customer Care by phone, and was directed to visit an authorized dealership. • On May 8, 2025, I visited Tustin Hyundai, where Dealer Coordinator Alex Cervantes documented the paint bubbling by photographing the affected areas and submitted the claim to Hyundai Motor America on my behalf. Dealer Reference #: XXX. • On May 11, 2025, Alex called and mentioned that Hyundai has denied my claim. Basis of My Complaint Hyundai has publicly acknowledged that paint bubbling and delamination affecting certain 2017–2018 model-year vehicles constitute a manufacturing defect, not owner negligence or environmental damage. In response, Hyundai issued Warranty Extension TXXW and subsequently the broader Z05 extension (10 years/unlimited miles), covering affected vehicles with white paint. The paint defect on my silver 2018 Ioniq is identical in nature and presentation to the defect that Hyundai has already accepted responsibility for. The bubbling is occurring on body panels — not due to collision damage, improper maintenance, or environmental factors — and is consistent with the delamination pattern described in Hyundai's own Technical Service Bulletins. Denying my claim solely based on paint color, while acknowledging the same underlying manufacturing defect in other colors, is inconsistent and Hyundai not accepting responsibilty. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid. The contact stated that upon inspection, it was discovered that both the passenger’s side front and rear carpets had become soaked with water and condensation from the operation of the air conditioning unit. The contact was also concerned that mold was present due to the failure. The local dealer was contacted and a service appointment was scheduled. The manufacturer was not yet notified. The failure mileage was 12,000.
Sunglass holder would randomly come down and block rear view mirror completely. Unable to see the back.
I have put around 31K miles in my car. Day before yesterday ( Nov-2 ) when I was driving back home from work, suddenly I heard a noise. I pulled over and stopped the car. when I got down and checked, I noticed exhaust system or something similar to that fell off and touching the road. I have seen similar issues posted in Hyundai Ioniq forums https://www.ioniqforum.com/threads/very-dissapointed.37027/ https://www.ioniqforum.com/threads/first-issue-exhaust-fell-off-at-21k-miles-2019-phev.35092/ I will attach few pictures that I took during this incident.
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.
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.
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.
Showing 20 of 88 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Check the exact car
Before you buy, check the exact Hyundai Ioniq
These pages show model-year patterns across 6 years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.
The basics
How to read this data
Complaints, recalls, investigations — here’s what each number actually tells you about a used Hyundai Ioniq, in plain English.
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is — but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The Hyundai Ioniq has 88 complaints on record across 6 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The Hyundai Ioniq has 3 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 13 of the Hyundai Ioniq's 88 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions — a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?
The reliability verdict (Average) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable — simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all Hyundai Ioniq vehicles on the road — not any specific car. Two Hyundai Ioniq vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage — NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The Hyundai Ioniq has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.
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Hyundai Ioniq reliability — frequently asked questions
Is the Hyundai Ioniq reliable?
Average. The Hyundai Ioniq has 88 NHTSA owner complaints and 3 recall campaigns across model years. A commonly reported issue area is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. Use year-level data as a pattern guide, then verify the exact car with a VIN check before purchase.
Which Hyundai Ioniq years to avoid?
Years with the most NHTSA complaints: 2019 (26 complaints), 2022 (21 complaints), 2018 (17 complaints). Use these years as a shortlist for deeper inspection, and always run a VIN check on the exact vehicle before purchase.
What are the most common Hyundai Ioniq problems?
Top reported issues: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (34 complaints); SERVICE BRAKES (21 complaints); VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL (15 complaints).
Does the Hyundai Ioniq have recalls?
Yes — 3 NHTSA recall campaigns have been issued for the Hyundai Ioniq. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.