Holy cr@p, that sounds awful! I don't have any insight but I hope some others with knowledge of such things can chime in.

What amazes me a bout these kinds of issues is that it invariable seems to be the case that nothing is logged and no faults can be found. Seems like a very minimalist event logging system.

 

You have every right to "go on so much". Ridiculous that the only option is through the back hatch with something hard enough to push into that slot. Without power seats working, I would assume you would have to squeeze between the two front seats because you could not recline them.

A few weeks back I was in my back cargo area trying to test to find where a squeak/crack sound was coming from. I closed the hatch by reaching up an pushing the button to listen when it closed from the inside. It ended up squashing me into an uncomfortable position. I too started to panic until I realized I had left the smaller rear seat slightly unlocked and was able to push myself through.

Some type of update should made to include a method to open the doors manually from the inside.

I feel for you, I would have **** a brick.

 

I had something similar, but I was locked out. I had left my 12V battery jump pack in the trunk of my Ioniq 6 (not accessible unless you put back seats down from the trunk/boot). I used the emergency key to access the cabin and open the hood/bonnet to be able to access the 12V.

A friend came by with a 12V battery charger, nothing. Then we put it in jumper mode, everything came to life. My best guess, the car has a tendency to go into a deep sleep, perhaps after many proximity unlocks. I was working in my garage just before it froze up, with my fob in my pocket.

Hyundai puts a liquid lead acid battery in these cars. It doesn't tolerate deep discharges. Some have upgraded to AGM batteries which are a bit more tolerant to deep discharges.

My advice, keep the fob out of your pocket until ready to drive it. Keep it on a charger at all times, it will charge the 12V on occasion with the charger connected. And drive the car more often. I sometimes go several days without venturing out, but try to get the car out every 2-3 days, at least for 10-20 mile round trip which seems enough to top off the 12V. And if so inclined, consider upgrading to an AGM battery.

Sorry to hear about your troubles, glad it worked out.

 

It's not the cheapest way to escape, but if no one had been there, this would have let you out. Every car should have one in case you land in a pond or a creek and can't get out any other way. Still, the inside handle should work without power. The outside one does. That needs to be a safety law.

Getting stuck like that had to be mighty scary.

By the way, next time you want to check the odometer, there's no need to start the car to check it. I just open the driver's door and look at the odometer. It pops up in just a few seconds. Far faster and easier.

 

In this case its actually good he does not have this simple, but quite expensive way to get out of the car.
Panic is bad, it overwhelms and prevents one to think for easy solutions were available.

• The second key you wife had in the house can open door manually
• Hatch can be manually opened, I think you need something like a credit card to fit there.

 

It's distressing to read about this happening. I thought Tesla was the only car that overcomplicated emergency egress with little concern of the consequences. But more relevantly a similar incident happened here in 2021 with a Kia Hybrid resulting in a fatality.

I had photographed the article at the time and was able to find it on a backup.

 

it's distressing to read about this happening. I thought Tesla was the only car that overcomplicated emergency egress with little concern of the consequences. But more relevantly a similar incident happened here in 2021 with a Kia Hybrid resulting in a fatality.

I had photographed the article at the time and was able to find it on a backup.

View attachment 58879

Thanks so much for copying me into the article from NZ. How on earth can a car manufacturing not have a fail safe way of getting out of an electric car in the event that all electrics fail?
I intend to take my story to the Local/ National News outlets.

 

Oh geez, I just came here to find out about this same issue. Since I had the ICCU issue addressed, my car’s 12v battery has died 4 times. I called AAA twice and then found a guy who jumped it for me. I put a charger in the back of the car just in case. I couldn’t get into the trunk but luckily doors were not locked. I called my service guy and he told me that after the recall fix my battery was needing to be replaced. Is 2 years the expected 22v battery life?

 

searched and found 20 posts in the forum from 2021-22 on a thread headed "laminated side windows"...

 

Thanks for posting this, @AckyT !

I just climbed into my I5 trunk to experiment and discovered it to be not at all easy to open this emergency latch, and I'd strongly encourage others for purposes of preparedness to try the same. After first trying a household-sized flat-blade screwdriver (too thick) and then a key (as suggested by the owner's manual, but too short to get any leverage) to zero success, I was finally able to get it to momentarily pop open via a small electronics repair screwdriver, see photo below. (Geezer points to anyone who knows what a Versatec is!) It immediately relatched closed and it took me another few more minutes of futzing around to get it open enough that it would not instantly relatch. I never did get it fully open -- I have an SEL power liftgate (and a functional 12v) and did not want to damage the car by forcing an opening wide enough to crawl out, although I assume that would be doable in the event of emergency with no regard for potential liftgate damage. I would not want to attempt this while in a state of borderline heat exhaustion or hypothermia.

It's truly scandalous that carmakers are not providing ready means of emergency egress in the event of full electrical failure for anyone other than a twenty-something professional contortionist with a proper toolkit at hand.

 

I'm confused... aren't our car doors mechanical from the inside?

 

Seems so in my I6. To test, with the car responding properly to the fob and phone app, left the fob out of range and locked from the inside (with my phone as a backup plan). Then pulled the handle, it opened right up, and felt like a mechanical action. Maybe it is electronic? But when my car was out for the count (described above), it seems I opened the door from the inside at least once while the car was otherwise non-responsive.

Maybe US regulations require a mechanical door mechanism from inside? There was a report of a Tesla owner who was locked in her car while doing an OTA update in high temps. She knew how to operate the manual door opening mechanism, (most owners use the electronic opening method), but feared it would cause a problem with the update.

 

Having recently taken off my door panels, I know for sure my US-market Ioniq 5 has mechanical linkages from the interior handles to the latches. That's what the green sleeved cable in the photo is.

Based on OP's story, perhaps this is a difference between markets? But if so, it is a truly baffling design decision from Hyundai.

 

Having recently taken off my door panels, I know for sure my US-market Ioniq 5 has mechanical linkages from the interior handles to the latches. That's what the green sleeved cable in the photo is.
View attachment 58887

Based on OP's story, perhaps this is a difference between markets? But if so, it is a truly baffling design decision from Hyundai.

That's what I expected. I've had several doors with power locks apart. They all had a cable or rod. Perhaps that's why I couldn't get Google to answer my question about getting out of a car with a dead 12V. No matter how I tried to phrase and filter, it was alwasy about how to get IN.

I have some free time today. Gonna open the driver's window, lock the doors, take the fob in the house, disconnect the 12V and make sure it actually does work as it should.

 

Well, that was easy. Here are more details than anyone needs, step by step.

2024 Ioniq 5 RWD LR SEL. US model.

1. I got in the car and put it in READY.
2. I opened the driver's window. I shut off the car.
3. I released the hood.
4. I got out and closed the door.
5. I reached in and locked the doors with the button on the driver's armrest.
6. I took my fob inside, just for insurance although I was sure it wouldn't be a factor.
7. I lifted the hood and popped the cover off the battery.
8. I disconnected the negative clamp from the battery post and moved it away from the post.
9. I reached in the open driver's window and pulled the inside driver's door handle
10. One ping pull only, Vasily. One pull only, please.
11. The door opened.
12. I closed the door.
13. The outside handles all stayed in the retracted position.
14. I opened it again using the inside handle.
15. Again, the outside handles stayed in the locked position.
16. Worked every time. You can feel and hear the mechanism moving.
17. I put it all back together.

There is no logic in making it so the door ONLY opens electrically when that makes it so obviously unsafe.

 

I can assure you that my Ioniq 5 in the UK, would not open with the handle. I tried several times and there was no way out. Windows and everything electrical was dead. No horn either to bring attention to the situation. Certainly would be interesting to know why Hyundai have different specifications for door handle system in different countries, if that is indeed the case..

 

Eagerly awaiting @Hitstirrer report on a UK Ioniq repeating @JerryP experiment.

This could be a great safety thread assuming there is a difference in how the door latch operates in different regions.

Another important factor may be more details on the model from @AckyT, namely model year and trim in the event there are differences there?

 

Yes. Go @Hitstirrer!!
It’s unlikely that there’s a difference, though. 🤞

 

Certainly intend to do that. Wish there was a direct contact to Hyundai top brass.

Certainly intend to do that. Wish there was a direct contact to Hyundai top brass.

UK CEO - ashley.andrew@hyundai.co.uk

 

This needs a more definitive and comprehensive test to be sure. Anomolies are :- The key fob was away from the car during the test. A window was open. The door being locked by the fob also folded in the mirrors as a full lockdown when parked.

It needs a test simulating the events in the first post. But that's hard to do. Presumably the fob worked to open the car and get in to check the odometer reading. Then the dash said that wanted the fob to be used to start the car. Normally, that is an indication that the fob battery is very low and nothing to do with the 12v battery. But another screen flashed up about the 12v battery. Then, mysteriously, the door was locked and wouldn't open manually.

I can't simulate those conditions for a test.

I can try this. Open normally and sit in the car. Close the door and leave windows closed. Then remove the fob battery to make the car request that 'fob on start button' trick'. Then pull the hood release and get someone else to disconnect the battery. Then see if I can get out using the door handle. That's about as close I can think of to replicate the initial circumstances.

When I have someone to assist with the disconnect and reconnect side of things I'll give that a go.

 

#Hitstirrer Your attention to detail and assistance is greatly appreciated.

 

This is a grave issue. Couple of days ago on 3/19/2025 a Xiaomi SU7 EV sedan ran to concrete barriers on highway in China. 3 young ladies were burnt inside car with all 4 doors locked. Mechanical door opening function is important especially in an EV. Hope Hyundai is listening before it’s too late.

 

Being a 'belt-n-braces' type of guy, I have always carried a spring loaded window breaking tool close to hand in all my cars.

And lately I modified a small toffee hammer to grind the head to a sharp point - just in case the spring loaded gizmo had seized up from lack of use.

 

And since ICE cars are far more likely to catch fire than EVs, the window breaking and seatbelt cutting tool is even more important for them. One example from last month:

An hour after I passed the exact spot where that Tesla sits in the picture below, an Infinity driver traveling at ridiculous speed couldn't hold the gentle curve. Went airborne and upside down over the median, and killed the Tesla driver. People who don't appreciate how easy it is to ignite the liquid that ignites in their engines expect the much less ignitable batteries to catch fire. Nope. Tesla's shredded and driver dead. Infinity incinerated and driver hospitalized. (Road closed for hours.)

 

An hour after I passed the exact spot where that Tesla sits in the picture below, an Infinity driver traveling at ridiculous speed couldn't hold the gentle curve.
View attachment 58913

If the Infinity driver was travelling at "ridiculous speed" they are indeed an idiot - notice the SPACE-SAVER Tyre on the rear left.

 

That is ridiculous!! I would’ve passed out from panic, totally unacceptable. Please keep us posted what Hyundai says.

 

Certainly will. Currently seems like they have no sense of urgency about this and still awaiting a response.

 

I've just tried this with our Australian 2022 Ioniq 5 RWD. Window open, doors locked with fob which was then placed out of range. Battery then disconnected and the doors opened easily with the interior handle. The action of the handle certainly feels like a mechanical link. I have been in a friends Tesla M3, and there is a different feel between the electric and mechanical door latches.

 

Last week I went to my Ioniq 5 to check my mileage for insurance renewal. The car opened as normal.
When I attempted to start the car, I got a message on screen to press start key with the key fob. Not had it before.
The screen went on briefly and showed a warning about the 12v battery. It quickly went off. I tried to start the vehicle again - but nothing happened.
I tried to leave the car but the handles would not work. It was a very sunny morning and warm in the car. After trying handles a few times without success I tried to open the windows. Nothing. Everything was dead.
I did not have my mobile with me and had left house without telling my wife where I would be.
I began to panic and our car was not visible from any road to alert passers by. The temperature raised in the car and I began to hyperventilate.
After around 20-30 minutes my wife came out of the house to find out where I was. By this time I was in a bit of a state. She sought help from my neighbour who immediately called the Fire Brigade & Ambulance services.
When they arrived I managed to tell them of the brief warning for the 12v battery. The Fire Service were prepared to break windows but my neighbour had a spare 12v battery which fortunately could be hooked up to my car as I was able to release the bonnet. ( Good job that wasn’t electric) After hooking up to the battery they electrics came on and the doors could be opened.
I rang Hyundai when I overcome the shock. They said I had to contact Hyundai Assist who called out the AA.
The AA done quick test on battery and could not detect the issue.
The car was taken to Hyundai. After a day they contacted me to say the cannot find any issues on their diagnostic systems and said the 12v battery was OK.
I told them that this could have been a fatality if I had not been found, as the temperature in the car had raised dramatically , as asked them to provide information on escaping from the car when all electrics went dead.
The answer from them was that a driver would have to climb over front and back seats and then release the tailgate by sliding a flat instrument into the manual release hole on the inside of the tailgate. I’m 71 years of age with limited mobility.

So sorry to go on so much but I want to know if anyone else has had a similar event.
I’m waiting to hear back from Hyundai Customer services who I have registered my concern and complaint with them. I really don’t think they are taking this very 😦

When I first got the car I climbed into the rear seat to check it out. I was shocked to find the door locked with no release to get out. I eventually climbed over the front seat and reached the unlock button. I complained to the dealer that I was trapped in the car. They just shrugged their shoulders. This is a real safety issue.

 

That sounds like the child safety lock was engaged. I recall seeing a review somewhere that complained that the button to engage this feature was too easy to accidentally push on pre-2025 Ioniq 5s, but it's slightly improved in that respect for 2025 (but it can still be accidentally engaged). Here's a Hyundai video about this feature:

 

There is IOS Scriptable app that a script that has been written to show the 12 volt state of charge
alternative-ios-bluelink-app-us-canada-and-europe-support.51956

If that helps.

 

There is IOS Scriptable app that a script that has been written to show the 12 volt state of charge
alternative-ios-bluelink-app-us-canada-and-europe-support.51956

If that helps.

It does help, yesterday I noticed in that app that my 12V was down to 69% SOC after sitting a few days. Today, it is 91% after driving about 40 miles yesterday.

Haven't used it enough to see clear trends, but it would seem daily driving might be a key to maintaining a healthy 12V?

 

Quick update. I chased up Hyundai UK Customer Services since no one called back. I have a case manager who is responsible for investigating this issue. I’m informed that the case has been Escalated to Management Level. I informed them of the helpful comments received on this Forum and said that Hyundai must try to replicate the situation I experience and come up with answers and solutions. I shall keep you all posted.

 

I carry a portable 12V battery jumper pack inside the car just in case I have an issue like this.

I wonder if there’s a location inside the car to connect the battery jumper pack? Maybe near a fuze box or something? Since you don’t need high current to “start” the car, it might be possible to power up the 12V system from within.

Something to look into…

 

I carry a portable 12V battery jumper pack inside the car just in case I have an issue like this.

I wonder if there’s a location inside the car to connect the battery jumper pack? Maybe near a fuze box or something? Since you don’t need high current to “start” the car, it might be possible to power up the 12V system from within.

Something to look into…

Don’t know, but if you had the right adapter, could you plug the jump pack into the cigarette lighter socket?

 

Thanks. I meant to say UK. I'll fix that.

 

I edited your edit, the Aussie (post 47) claims the latch is mechanical down unda.

 

Oh! The same as the US, not the UK. Gotchya. Thanks.

 

Sorry I was referring to @Arob's comment on whether the 12V gets maintained (which has been endlessly discussed before) not the horrific experience you went though. I should have been clearer. Hopefully you will get an explanatio
@JerryP[/Udemonstrated (in post #19) that in US the door can be unlocked from the inside with a dead 12V. Likewise [USER=41318]@David J. has shown (in post #47) in Australia it can be unlocked from inside with dead 12V. I don't think some of the later posters have picked up it seems to vary by market.

It does seem very strange that the UK is dangerously different. I am really surprised that would even be legal in the UK - it is indeed a death trap and needs to be urgently addressed by Hyundai.

Again sorry if it sounded like I was trivializing your experience. That was absolutely not my intention.

Sorry I was referring to @Arob's comment on whether the 12V gets maintained (which has been endlessly discussed before) not the horrific experience you went though. I should have been clearer. Hopefully you will get an explanation from Hyundai UK.

@JerryP Has demonstrated (in post #19) that in US the door can be unlocked from the inside with a dead 12V. Likewise @David J. has shown (in post #47) in Australia it can be unlocked from inside with dead 12V. I don't think some of the later posters have picked up it seems to vary by market.

It does seem very strange that the UK is dangerously different. I am really surprised that would even be legal in the UK - it is indeed a death trap and needs to be urgently addressed by Hyundai.

Again sorry if it sounded like I was trivializing your experience. That was absolutely not my intention.

Understood and accepted