I'm currently at 120 days waiting on a 2017 PHEV Kia Optima battery pack replacement.....
2017 PHEV: engine died in traffic, code P0DE7, repeated system temperature warnings
I am midstream getting a pretty strange PHEV issue addressed, so I thought I'd start a thread with what has happened so far and update it extemporaneously, since these sorts of threads often help people later. Also, maybe someone here has seen something similar.
CONTEXT FIRST: This is a 2017 PHEV with about 45k miles, and I've posted a few other threads here before about battery issues I've had. Short version of those: Battery capacity has been degrading faster than it should, was around 72% last I looked, and 70% of spec is the "magic" line where Kia replaces the pack under warranty (10 years). Also have had issues on and off with getting warnings of "System Temperature High, switching to HEV mode" or the like.
New story...
The system temperature warnings have become more regular, especially on longer drives. But something totally new happened Saturday: I am maybe a mile into a drive from home, come to a light, press the brakes to slow just like normal. Then a few things happen all at once. The brake pedal seems to suddenly give under my foot, like the brakes had failed - but only for a fraction of a second, then the resistance came back. At the same time of the brake thing, I get a bunch of warning lights on the dash, and a pop-up that says I need to stop the car, turn off the engine, and check the hybrid system. Yikes. So I slow down to a stop at the light, in a left turn lane into a parking lot. Light turns, I go to hit the gas and pull into the lot, and realize the car is dead. Engine shut itself off apparently. Restarted the car (took two or three tries on the button), started OK but still had the check engine light on. Pulled into the lot and parked it up kept the car on.
Fortunately, I have an ODB Link device (I got it mostly for the PHEV Watchdog for the battery capacity issue). So I plugged that in and code the codes out. The car had thrown an error P0DE7. When I clicked on that error to get the detail, it says that it is a PowerTrain issue, and the ECU was "BECM-B+EnergyCtrl ($7E4)". When I look up the P0DE7 error, it must be quite an unusual occurrence because there were maybe 2 or three citations of it anywhere I could see on Google. It means High Voltage detected from HEV battery module (or cell). When I search that BECM thing, I get zero exact hits, but if I break it up I get info that it is about the battery control unit. The high voltage thing seems really strange, since the battery issues I have had so far are about the battery not having enough energy capability. Not the other way around!
So I drove it back home, check engine light still on. Yesterday (Monday) I drove it up to the dealer (Liberty Kia). Sadly the check engine light was off. But on the way up there (maybe a 15 mile drive) I got that recurring "High System Temperature" warning yet again. So I pulled it into the bay, kept it on, and watched them download all the various codes.
With battery capacity dropped way more than it should, repeated heat warnings, loud fan sounds from the back, and now this new issue, clearly there is a substantial problem with the EV aspects of the car. Shop sent the data and info to Kia, who came back today and asked them to do a "flight test", which apparently involves turning everything electrical in the car on at once and run the wheels in EV mode too, to see what the system does at stress. I was also told by the mechanic that it seems like Kia was leaning towards replacing the battery pack. I am pretty sure we were headed this way soon anyway (one more Chicago winter likely would have done it), but now it isn't just a battery capacity issue.
Because this is a warranty thing on the EV system, if they do indeed need to replace the pack, they cannot release the car back to me until they do. And Kia dealers don't just keep these packs lying around - they have to be ordered. So it seems I might be down a car for a while!
I'll update here when I get more info etc. Feel free to comment if you have any input, advise, questions, whatever.
CONTEXT FIRST: This is a 2017 PHEV with about 45k miles, and I've posted a few other threads here before about battery issues I've had. Short version of those: Battery capacity has been degrading faster than it should, was around 72% last I looked, and 70% of spec is the "magic" line where Kia replaces the pack under warranty (10 years). Also have had issues on and off with getting warnings of "System Temperature High, switching to HEV mode" or the like.
New story...
The system temperature warnings have become more regular, especially on longer drives. But something totally new happened Saturday: I am maybe a mile into a drive from home, come to a light, press the brakes to slow just like normal. Then a few things happen all at once. The brake pedal seems to suddenly give under my foot, like the brakes had failed - but only for a fraction of a second, then the resistance came back. At the same time of the brake thing, I get a bunch of warning lights on the dash, and a pop-up that says I need to stop the car, turn off the engine, and check the hybrid system. Yikes. So I slow down to a stop at the light, in a left turn lane into a parking lot. Light turns, I go to hit the gas and pull into the lot, and realize the car is dead. Engine shut itself off apparently. Restarted the car (took two or three tries on the button), started OK but still had the check engine light on. Pulled into the lot and parked it up kept the car on.
Fortunately, I have an ODB Link device (I got it mostly for the PHEV Watchdog for the battery capacity issue). So I plugged that in and code the codes out. The car had thrown an error P0DE7. When I clicked on that error to get the detail, it says that it is a PowerTrain issue, and the ECU was "BECM-B+EnergyCtrl ($7E4)". When I look up the P0DE7 error, it must be quite an unusual occurrence because there were maybe 2 or three citations of it anywhere I could see on Google. It means High Voltage detected from HEV battery module (or cell). When I search that BECM thing, I get zero exact hits, but if I break it up I get info that it is about the battery control unit. The high voltage thing seems really strange, since the battery issues I have had so far are about the battery not having enough energy capability. Not the other way around!
So I drove it back home, check engine light still on. Yesterday (Monday) I drove it up to the dealer (Liberty Kia). Sadly the check engine light was off. But on the way up there (maybe a 15 mile drive) I got that recurring "High System Temperature" warning yet again. So I pulled it into the bay, kept it on, and watched them download all the various codes.
With battery capacity dropped way more than it should, repeated heat warnings, loud fan sounds from the back, and now this new issue, clearly there is a substantial problem with the EV aspects of the car. Shop sent the data and info to Kia, who came back today and asked them to do a "flight test", which apparently involves turning everything electrical in the car on at once and run the wheels in EV mode too, to see what the system does at stress. I was also told by the mechanic that it seems like Kia was leaning towards replacing the battery pack. I am pretty sure we were headed this way soon anyway (one more Chicago winter likely would have done it), but now it isn't just a battery capacity issue.
Because this is a warranty thing on the EV system, if they do indeed need to replace the pack, they cannot release the car back to me until they do. And Kia dealers don't just keep these packs lying around - they have to be ordered. So it seems I might be down a car for a while!
I'll update here when I get more info etc. Feel free to comment if you have any input, advise, questions, whatever.
21 - 40 of 52 Posts
Any updates on your battery?
It's been a few more weeks.
It's been a few more weeks.
Yah, after raising **** for a while all I get is a phone call from the Kia Escalations rep every 2 weeks to tell me that they still don't have an ETA for mine....Zero updates. Struggling to get ahold of Hyundai corporate for updates..
Reading these posts, it seems I got lucky with when I got my replacement battery pack. Apparently I got it just before the COVID-related supply and shipping issues really slammed things. I'm sorry you folks are going through this.
I just reread this thread, and I'm getting worried. I'm planning a drive to the beach (4 hours each way) in a couple of weeks. I've been getting the "HV battery overheated, switching to HEV mode" message fairly frequently, and my EV range is down to around 20 miles or so. I'm afraid the car's going to die on the highway, or I'll get stuck far from home.
What happens when the sudden failure kicks in? Can the car limp home, or is it completely undriveable?
What happens when the sudden failure kicks in? Can the car limp home, or is it completely undriveable?
Well I'm not sure if the car even has a limp home mode. But I can tell you that the one time I got the big error and the car shut down, it just shut down entirely. Fortunately, it restarted, after a couple tries. And I was able to drive the couple miles home normally, except for a check engine light.I just reread this thread, and I'm getting worried. I'm planning a drive to the beach (4 hours each way) in a couple of weeks. I've been getting the "HV battery overheated, switching to HEV mode" message fairly frequently, and my EV range is down to around 20 miles or so. I'm afraid the car's going to die on the highway, or I'll get stuck far from home.
What happens when the sudden failure kicks in? Can the car limp home, or is it completely undriveable?
I would take your car in ASAP, before you get the bigger problem. The overheat issue I had on and off for a few months before the big problem. But better to solve the issue now, especially given the risk, and the likely wait time for a new battery pack.
Yah, on day 182 waiting on our replacement battery pack here......the likely wait time for a new battery pack.
4 months, still waiting for sonata phev battery. Hyundai does not care.
They told us that they expected our Kia Optima PHEV battery to be avlaiable in January 2023. (I suspect your Sonata uses the same battery).4 months, still waiting for sonata phev battery. Hyundai does not care.
How are you dear brother
I have the same thing that happens to you in every detail, but according to the type of car I am riding, it is a Hyundai Sonata, a 2016 hybrid model. Everything in detail happens to me as well, and I do not know the reason for this moment, but I think that the problem is in the brake pads on the hybrid battery, because there is a malfunction because it is the reason The main balance and the intersection of the car with the battery
I have the same thing that happens to you in every detail, but according to the type of car I am riding, it is a Hyundai Sonata, a 2016 hybrid model. Everything in detail happens to me as well, and I do not know the reason for this moment, but I think that the problem is in the brake pads on the hybrid battery, because there is a malfunction because it is the reason The main balance and the intersection of the car with the battery
This just happened to my Kia phev 2017 model 70k km Range dropped off severely spring 2022, ev power was lower. Suspected a battery issue 2 weeks at the Kia shop and they’ve come to same conclusion I did. They have been responsive, polite helpful. I get a rental car mid week. Does this happen as a common occurrence ? im assuming l won’t have my car for weeks to months but I’ll almost have a new car after this. I’ve done 2.5km/L so far which means about 1/3 of my driving is gas 2/3 electric mark
Sonatalane I’m not surprised they are doing this, I’m a little surprised that they did not do this before. I’m wondering if I will end up in a similar position as you. I assume they will treat you reasonably you should be able to figure out a reasonable price for your car based on the market and push for a good deal on a trade in
I too received a call from Hyundai consumer affairs saying battery is expected March 2023. . Hyundai did not offer me anything as far as repurchasing, or deal for a different vehicle. They've had my car since April 2022. They provided rentals since then..have to be imagine this gets more costly than the value of the car at some point.
Did you get an update about the battery replacement other than the email saying no ETA updates on the back ordered part we all seem to be getting? My cars been sitting at the dealership since December waiting for a new battery and it seems like it may be there until next year.
I too received a call from Hyundai consumer affairs saying battery is expected March 2023. . Hyundai did not offer me anything as far as repurchasing, or deal for a different vehicle. They've had my car since April 2022. They provided rentals since then..have to be imagine this gets more costly than the value of the car at some point.
My 2017 Kia phev has been with kia since dec. 2022 they Gave me a new Kia soul as a loaner. It’s a nice little car but gas version ssdly they told me that a new ev battery is being shipped from Korea. They think I’ll havethe car fixed in April If this happens it would be a 5-6 month turn around which is faster than I expected so I’ll let you know
Kia finally agreed a month or two ago that my car needs a new HV battery. The battery's on backorder, and I've still been driving the car while I wait. Alas, the bad battery for some reason causes the check engine light to come on, which means it can't pass inspection, which is due this month. They've said they don't do loaners, and that they might reimburse me for a rental. This seems nuts. If they don't pay for a replacement while I wait, they have no incentive to ever deliver the battery. I'll keep y'all posted.
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