14 Hyundai and Kia EVs Get Urgent Warning: Park Outside or Risk Fire

Hyundai and Kia have issued a rare, small-scale recall affecting just 14 electric vehicles, but the warning is anything but minor. Both automakers say misaligned battery electrodes could cause an internal short circuit and lead to a fire, even when the car is turned off. Owners are being told to park their cars outdoors and away from any structures until repairs are made.

The problem traces back to battery cells supplied by SK On. Hyundai says six Ioniq 5 models from the 2023 and 2024 model years may have the defect. Kia’s recall covers seven EV6s from 2022 through 2024 and one 2024 EV9 SUV. According to documents filed with the NHTSA, SK On blamed a quality deviation for the faulty electrodes.

Kia plans to replace the entire high-voltage battery pack with properly aligned cells. Hyundai hasn’t released its fix yet, but experts expect a similar approach given the shared supplier and identical issue. Until then, both automakers advise owners to limit charging to 80 percent and keep the vehicles far from homes and other structures.

While the recall is tiny compared to the nearly half-million Tellurides recalled the same day, the fire risk makes it just as urgent.