How to avoid a flat 12v battery in a Kia EV6 or Ioniq 5

[@Mancozeb100]

Soul EV owner here, car currently at dealer to see if they can sort this problem - I will be very surprised if they do ! All those things you are saying, dash cam, boot light, seat adjustment ... should not be causing this to happen- they don't happen in an ICE car with normal use. And also, the ICE car has to then, crank an engine. A dashcam feed should be done with the correct feed cable, with inbuilt voltage cutoff. NextBase and Blackvue supply these. In any case - my car battery still died whether dashcam was connected or not! Also, I took the bulb out of the boot light, and turned off the inner dome lights (even removing those bulbs for a while ) ... battery still died. It should be possible to run infotainment for at least a short while - 10-15 minutes at least, without causing battery collapse. A battery collapsing like this, is baloney. There is some other problem going on. I used the Battery Monitor (same as Andrew Till) which was very useful to get some data about what was happening. Sometimes battery would hold charge for a long time, then suddenly voltage and power in battery would collapse. Some of the EV forums talk of a 5 Amp draw on these batteries - after car is shutdown. That's like 2 or 3 standard 21Watt brake light bulbs working. An ICE car starter motor draws in the region 100 to 250 Amps while cranking an engine. So, either, there's something very odd drawing this current to flatten the battery. Or the batteries are rubbish. Certainly, on the Soul/Niro/Kona they are too small. The new 2022+ Niro EV has a larger 12 volt battery than the previous Niro (about 30% more power ). Also, your assertion that replacing the lead-acid battery with a lithium one, would be too expensive ... should not be an issue with a car at the price point of an EV6 ?? In any case, it looks like this debate is going to go on for a while until a more solid solution is found.

[@evodessey]

You make valid points. Could well be the quality of the battery. One commenter above had the problem when the dealer in workshop kept the bonnet on his EV6 open for 20 hours not realising that was draining 12v. Also the telematics was waking up and sending messages saying bonnet open which was also draining 12v. So many situations i can not even dream of could be doing this.

[@Mancozeb100]

@@evodessey Yes, except my contention is that "telematics" is consuming very small amounts of power - when compared with an ICE car cranking an engine! And using incandescent bulbs until recent advent of LEDs. Our mobile phones and laptops last a lot of hours on batteries a fraction of the size of the aux battery in our cars. We have to be able to use our cars without wrapping them in cotton wool.

[@evodessey]

@Mancozeb100 true

[@evodessey]

@Mancozeb100 I’ve found that the telematics use is not that minimal. It wakes up the head unit computer and turns on all 12v systems & sockets every time it’s used so it’s more than you would think. I found out this the hard way when leaving my carsify adapter plugged into USB. Every time i used the app the car would connect to my phone in the house and try to start playing the last music i played to the car.😂 Also on the EV6 you can hear various relays cutting in when you use then app right next to the car. I would love to have the great 12v drain mystery cured. It’s been going on dar too long.

[@Mancozeb100]

@@evodessey Yup, it may fire up a lot, but again, electronics / telematics are generally drawing fairly low currents. Unless they're switching on something else, that is drawing much larger amounts of current. Also, as I think someone said in another comment - the system should be recharging on a level-of-electric-charge-basis, rather than at predetermined times. Not very "Smart" !! That little Bluetooth Battery Monitor for instance, draws minuscule amounts of power. Yes, I'm labouring the point (!!) - modern electronics just doesn't have the current draw that Old School electrical circuits do ( heating elements, large bulbs, starter motors etc..)

[@MictheVegan]

Thanks, this confirms all of my imagined battery draining from opening the tailgate, etc. Kia EV6 is going in for a free recall next week but we will see if the software updates work or if it's going to be an out of pocket AGM switch.

[@jm9371]

Kia EV6 here. That was a very informative video. I recently picked up a NOCO X45 jump kit to avoid the lockout issue; also handy for jumping other cars without straining my own car's electronics.

[@JWFas]

Owners on the Kia EV6 forums recommend getting an Ohmmu LFP 12V battery. It's not cheap at $500, but it's a long term solution, and it weighs 20 pounds less than the factory lead-acid battery. It also has a larger reserve capacity.

[@jcb31340]

Hello from France. New owner of an EV6, your videos are VERY helpful 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@neilmantell8977]

Hi I’m new to a Kia Soul EV and have found it quite a steep learning curve! I’ve looked at a number of KZbin clips and not found them very helpful. Then, I stumbled across yours and find them excellent, very clear and helpful…thank you!🙏

[@evodessey]

Thank you.

[@jonathanowen-jones8135]

Hi Brian, Having watch this video , and followed your advice , I was prepared when my EV 6 12v. battery started to die. Last week it decided to do it on the I O W ferry! The guy in the car behind me seemed quite impressed. Keep up the good work. Jonathan

[@evodessey]

Glad my knowledge can be of service and thank you for the Superthanks

[@BenMcDermott-s7l]

Hi Brian - getting my ev6 next week. Thanks for the videos.

[@stephenclay6852]

Great video. I agree with you the jump starter is a must have accessory. I bought mine as a precaution in case I get a flat battery but as yet not needed on my e Niro thank goodness . But had to use it on my sons car not to long ago. Plus you get a power brick to charge your phone / iPad in an emergency. I plug my dash cam into the cigarette / 12v socket so as the car is turned off the power is cut to the dash cam.

[@teamnotleafy6887]

After two years I had my first 12v problems, packing the car for the trip home from a holiday in France the power tailgate wouldn't shut. I thought it was the stuffed boot at first but then the car wouldn't start. Fortunately I carry a jumper battery in the frunk and was going in no time. The annoying thing was that I knew I was opening and closing a lot so I looked at my battery monitor and, seeing it was low, I plugged in the V2L adapter and charged it until it reached 90%, yet still it drained down to 5% in no time after that. Watching it from then on, I notice that it can go from 95% to 70% in about 4 tailgate openings. It was in for a service today so I got them to check the battery and the say it's good so this is a design flaw. It's a PITA to have to watch the battery while packing especially since I actually don't find much benefit to a power tailgate, and you'd think they'd start charging the 12v battery as soon as it get below 12v. I have the latest ICCU update. So, a big thank you Brian for priming me to a) know what was happening b) have the solution to a flat 12v immediately to hand. Anyone with a power tailgate should keep a jumper battery in the frunk

[@evodessey]

Sorry to hear about the 12v. I got away with 18 months. I always put it in Utility Mode or leave V2L plugged in whilst packing & unpacking the car for holidays these days. No surprises then.

[@wbmcmurr]

Great video! My 12V battery wouldn't start my '22 EV6 Wind here in the US. The same thing happened about a year and a half ago, and the Kia Roadside Assistance folks sent out a service person who jumped the car and things had been well. This time I tried to jump the car with a 12V battery that I use on my boat. The jump "worked", but once I unplugged the battery I got a message that the 12V battery was low, and the car went dead again. I called Kia Roadside Assistance again and was told to NOT JUMP THE BATTERY. They sent a tow truck and the drive had explicit instructions to NOT JUMP THE BATTERY. Car is at a dealer and it will be interesting to see if they replace the battery for free or do anything to the charge control system.

[@evodessey]

Hope it’s not your ICCU causing the 12v failure. My original 12v battery only last a year and a half before they swapped it under Warranty for a slightly larger one. Once 12v has been fully drained even just once it’s never the same and just gets more unreliable. There is actually an official Kia Video on how to jump start so i’m surprised a that.

[@wbmcmurr]

@@evodessey understood. It is so frustrating. About to just go back to ICE. I bought a Kia thinking it was a "real" company. I guess in some ways they are for the times.

[@sydjaguar]

excellent video. clear step by step procedure.

[@andybrown3715]

I have a Kona EV had this issue twice now, second time the 12V battery was dead and wouldn't hold a charge at all, which on an 18 month car is not very good at all. There are loads of videos online with similar problems, still amazing that Kia haven't got this sorted. The battery booster should be a standard accessory supplied with the car in my view, better still the manufactures should sort it out once and for all.

[@warmonked]

Thanks for the video. Seems really important to know the difference in accessory mode. It is a 12v lead acid automotive battery though... Any basic one should be able to run the light (led or not) in your trunk for a day. Seems like the real ev6 battery drain problem is related to its electronics or it's onboard computer not shutting off.

[@wilkothewiz]

Sydney Ioniq 5 driver here, Just had my first flat battery the other week, My Car drive battery was left at 10% over the weekend whilst away. AND I think I left the "Set Interior Temp" to ON which I assume was my drain.. Returned to the car when I returned and it was dead, Couldn't charge the car either without the 12v actually working. So Needed a jump start and went for a quick drive before charging the car.. Otherwise no other issues love the car too..

[@evodessey]

Sorry to hear that. All lights get turned off when the car shuts down so the issue is more likely the traction battery being at 10%. The car’s VCMS ( Vehicle Charging Management System) only keeps the 12v battery topped up when the traction battery is greater than 20% state of charge. (unless it’s got an update to make ot 10%) I’d keep an eye on your 12v voltage. Once 12v has been drained beyond a certain point it becomes permanently damaged and may need replacing. You might be lucky though.

[@AlexWhittemore]

@5:00 or so that’s not quite right that the accessory battery has no BMS. My apologies if you’ve already found all of this out since this video is a bit old, I know some of it came up in your next video. The 12V battery doesn’t have a BMS built into it like a GoPro or drone battery, but the car implements one in the VCMS based on the voltage and a current sensor on the negative terminal that monitors all current in and out. CSP actually has a 12V battery SOC PID reported by the car, which is the source of the in-app telemetry you mentioned as well (the API actually gives precise SOC, even though the app doesn’t). I know you found the 12V dashboard in the next video. Watching it closely reveals that the LDC doesn’t merely top-up the battery and come what may as for load - it takes a very active role in managing charge in and out, often I’ve seen going as far as to keep a precise mild drain or charge on the battery for whatever reasons it has. Finally, the car does NOT have to be on for top-up, and the overnight orange light isn’t scheduled. The VCMS continuously monitors 12V SOC and activates the LDC to charge it any time the SOC hits 80% or below. Why, then, does it seem to go flat so often? Unfortunately, the system logic (called Aux Battery Saver+) is just rather dumb. It will ONLY top the battery up 10 times in a row (meaning no drives or other power-ons between), and when it hits 10 it blindly assumes the battery is faulty and stops trying ever again (this is spelled out in the manual, not that it makes any sense to a layperson or indeed even an engineer). It doesn’t matter whether the load is legitimate (like using the app a lot) or third-party (like a dash cam), even though the VCMS can directly measure real current in and out of the battery.

[@evodessey]

Cheers for the info Alex as you say more info became available after making this video. Whatever the car has got implemented as a 12v management system it is still not enough. There is still some flaw in the system. There are still dozens of EV6 UK Facebook Group users with flattened 12v batteries mostly linked to telematics status being flogged to death by a Kia Beta version of Octopus Energy Intelligent API (this gives Octopus Energy control of stopping and starting of charging of the car).

[@AlexWhittemore]

@@evodessey yeah, I can imagine that doing the trick. I had accidentally set my telematics logging infrastructure to force-poll the car once every 4 hours which is how I know exactly how long it takes to hit 10 ABS+ cycles and flatten the battery under “heavy app usage” scenarios. It’s insane that the car could simultaneously know it’s awake for telematics and also still short change it’s own 12V charging.

[@andrewnicholson9857]

I believe leaving the bonnet open for long periods also drains the 12v battery. Recently I had to take my EV6 in because it wasn't charging (this took 6 weeks to fix but that is another story). I got a notification from my Kia connect app warning of a low 12 volt battery whilst the car was at the dealership. I also noticed on the app that the bonnet had been open for about 20 Hours so rang the dealership. Unfortunately I got through to a sales guy who was less than helpful. Being a Saturday he said there were no service guys available and there was nothing he could do. He advised me to ring back on Tuesday when the service team would be available. When I pointed out the battery would be dead by then he said to ignore the notifications. At this point I asked to speak to a manager. After putting me on hold for about 60 seconds he then agreed to walk the 20 meters into the service area and close the bonnet. Not very good customer service I have to say

[@evodessey]

That’s very interesting. Could be the open bonnet is keeping the telematics & head unit awake to send the messages and then draining the battery. Once completely drained it would probably never be the same.I also forgot to cover electric window open and closing but the video is quite long enough😂

[@andrewnicholson9857]

@@evodessey I think the bonnet bay has a light in it so I believe this is what caused the 12 volt battery drain warning. Thanks again for the informative video.

[@evodessey]

@@andrewnicholson9857 Cheers. Frunk has one as well if that is also open.

[@ronfacciol4904]

My experience with my EV6: Under normal circumstances, the high voltage battery management system (BMS) should take care to keep the 12 volt battery topped up. I have installed a battery monitor device on my 12 V battery and I can see this happen when the car is parked in the garage. HOWEVER, if you plug in the type 2 charging connector, the BMS will no longer manage the 12 Volt battery. It is assuming that the 12 volt battery will be charged from the incoming charging voltage. That is all fine if there is actual charge coming in. The problem is that if you have a smart charger such as Zappi, it might be waiting for enough excess solar output and thus not actually charging the vehicle. So if you have parasitic loads on the 12 Volt battery, they will drain the battery if the car is left waiting for charge. If the type 2 connector is unplugged, the BMS will resume management of the 12 battery charging and will top it up as needed. There are threads about this in the Zappi forum, where a bug in the Zappi (now rectified) was discharging the 12 battery when the Zappi was put in STOP mode. Just my two bits worth... 🙂

[@evodessey]

Good point and i have a Zappi and remember that bug from a while back.

[@teams3345]

LOL ! Too funny. Can you imagine going through that on your way to the hospital?

[@terrywilliams7240]

Just FYI, in the states, the Kia app does not have a 12v battery status, at least anywhere I have found.

[@evodessey]

Cheers, i’d heard that. That’s not much use😞

[@dermot1575]

Happens very regularly, I have purchased jump leads as it has happened to me at least 6 times this , month and it is only 24 th. Taking the 2012 Volvo S 80 again today😢

[@garywhitaker9854]

I have had to use my Noco GB40 about 5 times in the past month. Works great on my Kona EV. Not too much of a pain, but am concerned that eventually it won't work. 110 K on the battery and thinking it may just be time for a new one. I've had to fast charge enroute numerous times in ~-10C weather, therefore, I am running the heat while the main battery is not on and able to charge the 12v. Suspecting this is why it my just be time for new.

[@evodessey]

How old is your Kona?

[@garywhitaker9854]

2019, but bought new in 2021. I had a 260 km round trip commute for two years and in winter, I would have to stop and charge at least 15 minutes, so with heat on while charging. I think this may have lead to premature 12v battery failure. Also had to have the main battery replaced under warranty as it started losing it's ability to charge @ about 60K. They said it was at risk of overheating and wouldn't let me take it off the lot once diagnosed.@@evodessey

[@evodessey]

12v is only warranted for 2 years on Kia's you're lucky it lasted that long.

[@dennox1]

Great explanation but Worth pointing out this sometimes this doesn’t do the trick. Had it today you have to disconnect the negative battery terminal to reboot the car then charge the battery. So worth keeping a 10mm spanner in the car as well.

[@evodessey]

Already covered 10mm spanner in a later episode cheers.

[@dennox1]

I just had another battery failure today 3 x in a week. The battery pack I have didn’t work. The AA guy said if it’s too low the packs won’t charge. So it’s important to get a pack that works from very low flat battery. New pack on order for me. Just passing on my experience.

[@evodessey]

@@dennox1 that happened once last week with my booster pack and I had to borrow a battery charger. I'm now keeping the 12v conditioned by keeping my V2L adapter plugged in when I'm not charging. Also turned off all of auto greeting functions that drain it faster like mirrors,door handle popping and auto power tailgate. If I do have to open tailgate then I make sure car is on using the car key

[@dennox1]

@@evodessey well I think I have resolved my 12v battery issue I put it on battery monitor and it went from 100 to 50% to 30% and 9v in minutes. Only accessed the app opened the doors. So swapped the battery for a YBX5027 Yuasa Silver High Performance. It’s barely dipped below 90%. I think my problem was exasperated as I didn’t have a home charger that I now have. But I can only equate the battery issue to like an old mobile phone. It charges to 100% but after 10 mins of use is down to 20%. I will speak to Kia but I didn’t have time for them to be looking at it for a week.

[@evodessey]

@@dennox1 Yes that’s just like mine is behaving. Just leaving the bonnet up for 10-15 minutes is also enough to kill it because it displays bonnet open on the binnacle and sends a message to Kia Connect servers which uses the 12v. The mad thing is that Kia Connect app never detects any problem. Just says normal. It may be happening too quickly for VCMS to detect it which seems like a major failing in the VCMS.

[@karencarpenter8275]

Thanks for the video. Very helpful. My issue (again with EV6) was precondition for departure, and charging schedule set to off peak only ending at 4:30 am. Resulted in draining the 12v battery to pre condition the car. As I have not been to work this week, the battery is now completely flat - even though the car is fully charged

[@evodessey]

Sorry to hear that. It does top up 12v when charging unless the 12v is faulty or DC-DC converter is not working to top it up. Very strange. Maybe a dealer visit is required.

[@karencarpenter8275]

Happened again. This cannot be a coincidence. Something is draining the 12v battery when the car is parked. Suspect it is comms with Energy supplier (who keep trying to charge the car during full cost hours rather than off peak).

[@evodessey]

@@karencarpenter8275 Damn,sorry to hear that .I’ve recently heard it could do that. Some get the error in Kia Connect too many updates in in one day.I bet it’s hammering the telematics and then the 12v

[@karencarpenter8275]

Honestly I think the car is going to have to go back. Dead 12v battery again this morning. Dealer suspects it is the Kia connect app- but I am not peppering the car with requests - so why is the app trying to connect to the car ? I can’t be the only one with this problem?

[@evodessey]

@@karencarpenter8275 Sorry to hear this. The only reports i’m seeing are people on Intelligent Octopus causing this & where Octopus are controlling the charging via Kia’s Beta test API. The battery could be faulty. Problem is once it’s been deep discharged too often it damages the battery so is likely to happen again.www.lifewire.com/car-batteries-are-made-to-die-534765

[@geekyajumma5365]

We just took our 7-month old EV6 for a complimentary maintenance yesterday. They found the 12V battery only at 30% capacity and replaced it under warranty. One of the advice they gave is to keep the car fobs distance away from the parked vehicle when at home. Because the fobs remain "communicating" with the vehicle even when it is parked and locked, sitting in the garage. :(

[@evodessey]

In the UK theft of cars using relay attacks is common so my key is kept in a Faraday box to block the signal as a precaution. Also the EV6 Keys had new technology where the key goes to sleep after a timeout period where the key has not detected movement. If you have the same key as me then i think this advice may be incorrect.

[@EV_OBD]

There are more 12V battery parameters in CarScanner: Aux. Battery State of Charge (SOC), Aux. Battery Current and temperature. If you update the Dashboard (Dashboard/Reset to default), 12V sensors are displayed on one of the screens.

[@evodessey]

I did notice that but some of those 12v sensors were just not getting updated when i tried them so i did not use them.

[@EV_OBD]

@@evodessey 12V sensors refresh very fast in real time, unless you put too many sensors on single screen. All Sensors menu is very slow, because all 300+ sensors are scanned at the same time.

[@ismailweber1899]

@@evodessey Do you recomend to update to a higher quality battery? Im getting my ev6 soon and thinking of just getting the excisting one swapped for peace of mind

[@evodessey]

@Alan Brown How to you reset the Dashboard?

[@EV_OBD]

@@evodessey Settings > Dashboard > Reset Dashboard to default.

[@LowOnCash]

Good Video - Just a thought but the OBD reader could very well be killing the 12 volt battery - thanks

[@evodessey]

It does not use that much but will flatten battery if you leave it plugged in and switched on 24/7. There is a direct cause and effect between Kia Connect use and battery drain. In the UK users on Intelligent Octopus where control of charging is done using a beta of kia connect api integration have ended up with flat 12v batteries after too many status update requests

[@mylesthomas6914]

Another really useful video. Thanks!

[@SirHackaL0t.]

Any car that can’t top up it’s 12v battery without needing to be turned on is just wrong. Some cars are capable of using the HV battery to charge the 12V battery when needed.

[@rahula3083]

Have you considered adding a remote battery kill switch (used in old petrol cars having parasitic battery drain)

[@evodessey]

Not really as I need Kia Connect to work. Interesting idea though

[@danchambers5517]

Hi great video , daft question but will any regular 12v charger work for this ?

[@evodessey]

Cheers. I think so yes.

[@MrsDukey]

Great video, thank you. Question ...is there a switch / setting to enable the 12v battery to be recharged from big battery ? used my booster pack for the first time yesterday bought after having RAC out 5 times in a week.

[@evodessey]

There is no switch to make it charge no. It’s fully a automatic charging system. Problem is if your 12v battery has been fully drained even just once for any reason then it’s been permanently damaged by being discharged too far and will ultimately need replacing. I do have a personal cheat to make the 12v charge though and that is to leave the V2L (vehicle to load adapter ) plugged in with nothing plugged in. You can only do this if the car is now being charged obviously. If the car is being charged over night then the charging system is supposed to also too the 12v battery charge up. See this video for the V2L 12v charge trick kzbin.info/www/bejne/oZnXkGx8q8SXrdE

[@MrsDukey]

@@evodessey Thanks for quick reply. EV6 had a couple of days with Kia garage they say battery is good. I've just watched Mr EV videos re subject. If I am understanding correctly top is not applied when 12v level drops but happens on a schedule. I'm investing in a 12v monitor will check whats going on. Is it a world wide issue?

[@evodessey]

@@MrsDukey the EV6 system is much improved compared to mr EVs e-Niro and is supposed to charge 12v if it drops below a certain level. Also be aware that if the main traction battery is

[@MrsDukey]

@@evodessey Yes I've been blocked from signing up to IO so had to stay on GO paying more for less hours off peak. The car is so good I can't understand why the clever people at Kia haven't sorted the problem. Keep the videos coming. Thanks again.

[@haydavie1]

Thanks so much EV Odessey. 👏🏼 Received my EV6 GT Line S in June after a 14month wait. 🚗⚡️ Been following you for about 6months. With great interest. This Sunday I experienced the 12v battery frustration. No response from remote. Manually opened the door but dead inside, no response. 🔋🪫🤷🏻‍♂️ Followed your links and ordered what looks like the Battery booster from Amazon for £50. Connected it up and got the green flashing lights. Took me far to long to find the boost button on the connector not the booster battery 🤦🏻‍♂️ i had the emergency light flashing away. 🔦 EV6 responded and took it for a 40min drive. Next morning no response again 🤦🏻‍♂️ so boosted and drove to local train station for work. Return 11hrs later and car started perfectly!? 🤷🏻‍♂️ Working from home Fri but will check it out as i plan in using on Sat. ⏳🤷🏻‍♂️🤞🏼

[@evodessey]

I’d back that up with a battery monitor as well. That’s not long at all for the 12v battery to fail. Are you in Intelligent Octopus?

[@haydavie1]

@@evodessey yeah sorry we were on Intelligent Octopus afore any recommendations appeared 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@evodessey]

@@haydavie1 That’s probably the cause. I want those prices but i don’t want to risk another 12v. Mine lasted 18 months in just normal use without IO. They were supposed to be reducing the polling time to protect the 12v battery but all i see even today on Facebook groups are problems with folk trying to get on IO with Kia EVs.

[@haydavie1]

@@evodessey got this from IO on 6th July and advised it had been resolved a few days later… We’re currently having an issue with Kia vehicles, so we’re unable to smart charge your car. For now, we suggest setting a schedule in your vehicle or charger to the off-peak times of 23:30-05:30. No need to worry, you will stay on the Intelligent Octopus tariff and continue to get cheap off-peak rates. We’re sorry for any problems caused, we’ll let you as soon as your smart charging is back online. Our boffins are working hard behind the scenes to get this fixed. Thank you for supporting the future of smart energy, and being part of the change we all need.

[@gordonbradford4054]

There is another way of checking your 12V battery. I bought a cigarette socket Voltmeter, this monitors the 12V system whilst the car is running. I have seen the voltages down to 11v! It also has a USB socket into which I plugged my Dash Cam.

[@evodessey]

Yes Gordon now you’ve said it i think i do remember you doing it on one of the Facebook groups. The downside of that way is both USB sockets and Cigar Lighter socket are powered off after the car goes off after about 10 minutes. My Dashcam is also plugged into the 12v socket. That’s how i know that it powers down with the car. It is more accessible than messing with battery terminals though so a good point.

[@gordonbradford4054]

I put this voltmeter on last year when I heard of the 12V battery problems. It gives me a little bit peace of mind that the 12V system is OK.

[@Hitstirrer]

This has been an issue for eight years to my personal knowledge. I have always preferred to use preventative maintenance rather than cope with an inconvenient failure. I use a smart charger at least once per month that initially puts the 12v battery under test - then goes through a conditioning phase to repair any issues seen and only then goes through a series of planned charging regimes to fill the 12v battery. An old dumb charger wont do that and neither will a trickle charger. I know it shouldn't be necessary but life's too short to stress over such things.

[@tvman8]

My Hyundai Ioniq 5 is at the shop for an on-going battery issue. My 12 volt is dying regularly. My booster device worked a couple of times, but now, it fails to start my car.

[@evodessey]

Wow never known one of these boosters to fail to start.

[@karencarpenter8275]

Are you on intelligent octopus by any chance?

[@PeterKyllesbeck]

The Bluelink for IONIQ 5 does not show the status of the 12 V battery. Hyundai left that out. :-(

[@evodessey]

That’s annoying.

[@colmbr1]

Hi Brian..Thanks for another great video..I have a question for you my ev6 front windscreen keeps fogging up do you have the same issue with your ev6 and is there any way around it.. tried all different options and settings with no joy any help much appreciated 🙂 👍 keep up the great work 👍

[@evodessey]

Cheers. Mine is mostly OK. Try turning on Auto Defog in the Climate settings then set Auto Climate to lowest level or get one of those Car silica gel packs that absorb moisture.

[@colmbr1]

@EV Odessey Thanks very much for your reply Brian..did all of the above but still no joy at the minute but thanks again 👍

[@StuartJ]

All Kia needs to do, is add a hidden button in the cabin, that starts up the DC-DC converter, and charges up the battery to get you out of trouble.

[@evodessey]

But that requires 12v power to switch all of the relays to actually get at the traction battery power…

[@ArtiePenguin1]

If the car & 12 V are dead then there's no way for the car's computers to power on and complete that circuit.

[@PeterSephton]

Thanks Brian for this very helpful posting. Here's a question: I had a Lotus M100 S2 Elan, which used a sizeable amount of 12v power when switched off and was a nightmare to get into when the battery was flat. I used to spend 3 months away from home so to avoid the battery problem, fitted a recommended CTEK XS battery charger & conditioner permanently wired to the 12volt, left it plugged into the mains when away, and never had another problem. Having seen Andrew Till's flat battery problems, when I bought my wonderful EV6, I got the dealer to connect the CTEK to the 12v terminals and it sits neatly in the frunk. I have never used it to top up the battery but next year will be a month away from home. Would you recommend plugging it into the mains when I spend that long away, just to keep the 12v battery tuned up?

[@evodessey]

Cheers Peter. I would monitor state of it to see if it was holding 14+ volts before hand. If not then do it. It’s more likely to happen after 4 years though. The telematics also will shut down after a few days of non use to stop it draining. As Gordon Bradford pointed out in comments above you can also get an12v battery monitor that displays it on a little screen that plugs into cigar lighter so that is even easier. The car should just look after itself as long as the traction battery has a decent amount of charge in it and the 12v is healthy. This is Gordon’s drive.google.com/file/d/17eT_8vr4iuexyoRq6yYQLtyBQL-D-2Zq/view?usp=drivesdk

[@PeterSephton]

Thanks for your reply and advice - much appreciated. What would we do without you !!

[@alexboyce1469]

Great question Peter, I wondered about that. I did a similar thing with my MX5 as you did with your Lotus - leads permanently connected at the battery terminals with SAE plug on the end, with the wire tucked down and cable tied behind the lower front grille. When parked up at home, plug the smart charger into the SAE connector and rest easy that I'd be able to start the car at the weekend! Also bought a lithium ion jump starter to chuck in the boot for trips away - excellent thing to have.

[@evodessey]

Peter after a few of the comments on here i’ve got another video to make. Discovered a few more things it would seem.

[@PeterSephton]

@@evodessey that's excellent Brian. It all helps to extend our knowledge. I'm fascinated by the differences between owning an ICE and an electric vehicle. The EV is in a different league and simple to own, charge and drive for those not wanting complication. But for those wanting to understand all aspects of electronic design, the options to get the most out of this technology are fascinating.

[@mrvaportrailz]

The cabin heater element should run off the main battery and the blower fan should run off the 12v battery. The small 12v battery does not have the capacity to run an energy hungry heater element for extended periods. 👍

[@TheAegisClaw]

8x AA batteries should start an EV. There's no load from a starter motor.

[@evodessey]

You’re not wrong. Very true.

[@joskikken807]

@@evodessey nonsens

[@iansaint3503]

I've never had any issues with our Air, probably because it doesn't have things like powered tailgate, electrically adjustable and heated rear seats. ICE car batteries have always been iffy in the winter, even though they benefit from an alternator topping them up whenever the engine is running.

[@葉大全]

thanks for your video. I just wandering if we can recharge our EV6 12V using charger like other non-EV？

[@evodessey]

Yes you can

[@葉大全]

@@evodessey thanks for your answe. Do you ever consider to upgrade it to Lifepo4？

[@evodessey]

It would affect my 7 year warranty so even though I'd like to try a different 12v I can't

[@Ray.842]

Kia put a substandard 12v battery in there ev,s, I changed mine to a better battery and since then I have had no problems with mine going flat ever since.

[@paulsomerville3816]

The 12v battery is simply not being stresses or stired. on a ICE car the act of starting the car causes a short circuit in the battery and asks for its maximum draw / output this prolonged action stops sulphation of the battery plates and keeps the battery fresh in a EV the current draw is very low so sulphation starts. if you purchased two battery's fitted one to a car and stood one in the corner of your garage the stood battery will be totally useless within 1 year battery's that are used every day will last longer. the long term answer for this issue is to move to a lithium 12v which internally works in a different way and will cope with this issue.

[@harvey66616]

Actually, for the EV application, lead acid is a better choice, as lead acid tolerates and even prefers to remain fully charged as much as possible. Lithium ion will degrade over time if left/kept at 100% charge indefinitely. It needs the discharge/charge cycle to remain in good health, and of course also really prefers to not be fully charged or discharged at all (better to keep the Li-ion battery above 10-20% and below 80-90%). The scenario you describe where the battery will degrade over a year when unused happens because the battery self-discharges, this happens more quickly for lead-acid than for Li-ion, and lead-acid batteries can fail quickly if allowed to fully discharge, especially those not specifically designed for that use (there are deep-discharge lead-acid batteries that are intended to be used in applications where discharging the battery is part of the normal operation, but these aren't used in automobiles).

[@harvey66616]

Interesting stuff. However, you don't quite get the voltage observations right. Maybe you're just not speaking precisely, or maybe you misunderstand, but... Nominal voltage for a 12V lead-acid battery is 12.6V. When you see higher voltages on your display, that's because some component in the electrical system is charging the 12V battery. Thus, when the car is turned completely off, the voltage drops immediately to something in the 12 to 13 volt range. Likewise, when you turn the car back on after depleting the 12V battery somewhat, the voltage jumps up to 14V. This is not indicating that the 12V battery has actually been "topped up" immediately, as you state in the video, but rather that the 12V battery is receiving a higher charging voltage to restore its charge state back to full. I don't know all the details about how the EV6 12V battery charging system works, but it's conceivable that once the 12V battery is completely full, you'll see a voltage higher than nominal, but lower than a regular charging voltage, if the system does any sort of "trickle" charging. I doubt this is the case because the owner's manual and other documentation always discuss the charging system making decisions to charge the 12V battery when it gets too low, rather than just trying to keep it topped up all the time. But I don't really know for sure.

[@evodessey]

This video is quite old now. A lot has happened and a lot has been learned since then.For example 12v charging system behaves very differently when it’s faulty like mine was then.😂

[@yesmilady7525]

Do you know what actuates the little light in the frunk/froot of these Kias? I wonder if sometimes it's stuck on and that drains the 12v? Maybe if a car seems to drain too quick perhaps record video with your cell phone and pop it in the frunk and close it. If it records the light is still on, that's a problem.

[@evodessey]

I’ve had a quick look. I think the bulb is LED so would not be a very big drain if it was on. I can’t see where the switch is so more investigation required once my decorating is finished…

[@ericgregori]

Has Hyundai / Kia fixed this yet? I am considering the purchase of an Ioniq 5.

[@evodessey]

In the UK one of the big causes of this was use of the Intelligent Octopus smart electricity tariff where Octopus starts & stops charging via a beta version of a telematics API connection.This connection would poll the status of the car so often that the 12v battery would flatten faster than the 12v could be re-charged. Octopus has now suspended this method (just last weekend) because of the problems. For the most part the majority have zero 12v battery problems. I’ve personally never had any problem on my e-Niro or EV6 in 3 years of driving. The problem with the Octopus smart charging was that it was creating a problem that the 12v battery charging was not designed for.

[@mikes6853]

If you going to be home for extended periods of time example off work days so two days home car parked in garage no usage…couldn’t we start the car and “idle” it for 5-10mins will make the main battery charge the 12v battery? Sorta like the alternator charging or keeping a combustion engine battery alive till you get a replacement or full charge… Any thoughts?

[@evodessey]

In theory the car should take care of it’s own 12v topping up as long as Traction battery %SOC is greater than 20%. It has a built in system called the VCMS that takes care of this. If traction battery %SOC is less than 20% then it does not top up 12v battery. 12v battery gets topped up when you do the following manual things. 1) Turn the ignition on 2) plug in the vehicle to load adapter into the charge port with nothing plugged in 3) During remote parking assist when the car is remotely turned on 4) during AC/DC Charging 5) During driving of the vehicle

[@nortonr]

Octopus Energy has suspended its intelligent tariff while investigating why it is killing the 12v battery. As I'm a member and experienced this I'm still able to charge for the 6 hours between 11.30PM - 5.30AM. I've disabled any intelligence for now 🙂

[@evodessey]

Cheers was aware of that but the news came out just after my last news Episode in February. A very useful thing to still have access to.

[@gerrymccormack8066]

Hi can you advise which OBD1 do you use? Thank you

[@evodessey]

It’s a Konwei which you can’t get any more. There is a list of current compatible ones on the car scanner site. www.carscanner.info/choosing-obdii-adapter/

[@Visualhead_Spacer]

is it safe without disconnecting the Main battery to 12v connector in the fuse box while doing this?

[@evodessey]

It’s just a jump starter like you would use on any other ICE car and safe as far as i know. Many EV drivers have used these to get them out of the mire. Designed to be used this way as long as instructions are followed. Plenty of videos on KZbin of this not least all of Mr EV’s Andrew Tills.

[@jamestownson3970]

You say don’t get the dashcam wired in to the fuse box. What is the best way to run a dashcam in an ev6?

[@evodessey]

Via an adapter that provides power from the radar unit behind the mirror. See this Garry Whitaker video kzbin.info/www/bejne/hGOZeKGri8eqjsU

[@jamestownson3970]

@@evodessey thank you for this!

[@Visualhead_Spacer]

Also I thought, you are not suppose to connect the Negative battery.. you clamp it on a grounded metal within the chasis.. You only connect the positive to positive.

[@harvey66616]

You are correct. Connect positive terminal first, then use a metal component of the car further from the battery, to reduce the chance of a spark that occurs when connecting the battery from igniting any hydrogen gas that might be leaking from the battery. However, note that using the battery pack as in this video, the cables connected to the battery are not actually live when being connected, so no spark would occur. In this case, it's perfectly safe to connect directly to the battery. Even beyond that, most modern lead acid batteries are non-serviceable and well-sealed, and so the likelihood of there being any gas leaking is much lower than it has been in the past. So even in the usual "risky" case, it's not really as much of a problem as it used to be. That said, better safe than sorry! :)

[@karencarpenter8275]

Status / Others / details on the connect app does not show the 12v battery. Only doors, tailgate, bonnet, charging door and lamps. How do I get the 12v battery status to appear?

[@evodessey]

Assuming you have latest head unit software (October 2022) and Kia Connect i think you can get it back by rebooting the head unit. Mine used to disappear as well but not for while. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fGeoiXiEa86bd6c

[@SCRAMPLER]

Can you jump from an ICE 12v battery?

[@evodessey]

Yes

[@duainabbott7746]

Is it true that if the Li battery is below 20% the starter battery may not charge?

[@evodessey]

Yes it is as far as i know. James Lemon Tea on discovered it on his Ioniq5 last year. EV6 is on same platform kzbin.info/www/bejne/rnK9dnWdaL1_qZIsi=JAIwdHBK9drmQzcq

[@mrTrekirk65]

Thanks

[@danielsimpson8371]

Do all dashcams drain power when connected directly to the 12v ? I ask cause my kia dealer offer to connect a dashcam they sell when we collect car?

[@evodessey]

Yes it does but different models will drain by different amounts. Kia’s official solution available on EV6 in Korea is a 2nd USB port in the glovebox which you can plug a flash drive into with a separate Lithium Ion Battery which the Dashcam works off and that in turn get’s topped up when you are driving it.Nothing to stop you using a little USB powerbank to implement that apart from you need the USB port for Carplay or AA until they turn wireless AA on if ever😂

[@danielsimpson8371]

@@evodessey yep that's a personal gripe of mine that the Korean Market allows that functionality. Shame given the quality if the ev6 cameras. Ruddy EU! What I don't understand is how tesla seems to be allowed to circumvent the law for its sentry cams.

[@evodessey]

@@danielsimpson8371 Exactly

[@zhecatube]

all ev6 have V2L, is it not easier to use this function and a standard starter or battery charger? Or v2L is not active with 12v battery empty?

[@evodessey]

For safety all Electric cars use a high powered relay called a contactor to switch the High Voltage battery on so that the car can use it. It uses low voltage 12v battery to do that.

[@zhecatube]

@@evodessey got it, thank you.

[@abenteuerelektrisch8977]

Had this 7 times so far- a car dealer changed something so that I dont need 12V anymore. Energie comes from main battery directly

[@BigEightiesNewWave]

I avoided the issue, I didn't buy one! UPDATE 7/10/2023: NHTSA has opened an investigation into the 2022 Kia EV6, which joins the Hyundai Ioniq 5 under a probe of loss of power during driving. Both EVs have been the subject of owner complaints that power is reduced or lost completely while the vehicle is being driven.

[@niph670]

Keep car charge at least to 35% to avoid 12v issues

[@evodessey]

It’s actually 20% SOC. That’s an old video. So much more has been learned since then.

[@fernandinand]

My 2020 ioniq 38 it's the third (3) 12V battery unit... shameless Hyundai/Kia

[@evodessey]

Wow that’s terrible

[@fernandinand]

@@evodessey On the other hand, my 2014 Nissan leaf still on the original battery unit...

[@GeoffBee1]

If you have your car parked at home and the 12v is flat, can you open the charge port door to plug in your home charger? I'm assuming it will need power to open it unless you can use the manual release by dropping the back seats and crawl inside to access. I fitted a BM2 to the 12volt on my Ioniq 5 and it does show it charging at regular intervals, so far without issue. I checked with my local Hyundai service manager who said that fitting such a monitor wouldn't affect my warranty but connecting any sort of monitoring device to the panel inside the car might, ( as shown in your video). He said that Hyundai's diagnostic equipment can tell if you've previously plugged in such a device. It might be worth asking your own service department before fitting such a device so you don't give them an excuse to deny a warranty claim!

[@evodessey]

My dealer know that i use an OBD it’s never been an issue. As for the charge door when there is no 12v i don’t know if you can manually open for sure.

[@harvey66616]

It is possible to squeeze your finger under the outer edge of the charge port door and pull it open. However, the owner's manual says to not do this, presumably because it puts stress on the motor and gears that operate the door. Also, there's not really any need to, since you can and should be recharging the 12V battery first before attempting to connect any charging to the car. The car's charger won't operate without the 12V power supply anyway.

[@GeoffBee1]

@harvey66616 good point!

[@jonathanowen-jones8135]

Thanks