– The reduction in value must be compensated, writes the Romerike and Glåmdal district court in a judgment that is now legally binding.
Three and a half years ago, a married couple bought a new Hyundai Ioniq for NOK 327,000 from the brand dealer Mobile at Kjeller in Romerike. A few months later the problems with the car started. From May 2021 to April 2023, buyers experienced a flat starter battery a total of nine times.
Several times the car had to be taken to the brand dealer. In total, the new electric car was in the workshop for 63 days.
The 12-volt battery was replaced twice. After the battery was changed for the second time, in April of 2023, there have been no problems with the starter battery.
Mysterious
Motor has written several articles about starter battery problems on Hyundai cars, which also partly apply to Kia. The buyer of a Hyundai Kona has been allowed to cancel the purchase following a decision by the Consumer Complaint Committee.
Two different brand workshops in Trondheim tried in vain to find the reason why the starter battery on the popular car model was mysteriously drained of power several times.
– When a new car has a fault which means that the 12-volt battery is constantly drained of power, it does not correspond to what the consumer has reason to expect, the Consumer Complaint Committee wrote in its decision.
Into the workshop
Hyundai Norway has stated to Motor that apps that often contact the cars can lead to a discharged starter battery. NAF believes the problems could have been avoided with more powerful batteries.
Earlier this spring, Hyundai confirmed that several Hyundai and Kia models, which are owned by Hyundai, need to be repaired and updated at a workshop.
According to an American traffic safety agency, there are problems with the cars’ so-called ICCU (integrated control charging unit) which can cause the 12-volt battery to drain and die. Then the cars can neither be opened nor started. The problem can also lead to errors with the car while driving.
Can’t find the answer:
Mysterious error drains the starter battery
Price reduction
Even if car owners get their cars repaired, they may still be entitled to compensation and/or price reductions from their dealer.
The trial in Romerike and Glåmdal district court ended with the owners of the Hyundai Ioniqen receiving a solid price reduction, even though a NAF test – which was taken after the battery on the Hyundai Ioniqen was changed for the second time – concludes that the battery is now faultless.
– It is naturally not in accordance with requirements for functionality and safety that a new car has such extensive starting problems as a result of a discharged battery. During a two-year period, the buyers were unable to start the car nine times, the district court points out in its judgment.
Not user error
The district court believes that it was most likely a fault with the starter battery when the car was handed over to the buyers, and that the problems are not due to user error, as the car dealer indicated in court.
The car has had a reduced value, according to the district court, which has given the buyers a discretionary price discount of NOK 40,000.
In addition, the car dealer must cover the buyers’ legal costs.
A tight-lipped general manager Tom Espeland at Mobile Kjeller says that they respect the verdict.
– Beyond that, we have nothing more to add, he writes in a text message.
