The 12V battery in electric vehicles (EVs) like the Kia EV6 can sometimes be a weak point, even though the main high-voltage battery is very robust. If you’re experiencing issues with the 12V battery, here are some reasons and solutions to help address the problem:
Why the 12V Battery in EVs Can Be a Problem:
High Usage of Electronics: EVs rely on the 12V battery to power many of the car’s electronics, including the infotainment system, lights, locks, and sensors. Even when the car is off, these systems can drain the 12V battery.
No Regular Recharging: Unlike gas-powered cars, which frequently recharge the 12V battery via the alternator, EVs don’t always recharge the 12V battery as effectively during use, especially if the car isn’t driven frequently.
Limited Battery Size: The 12V battery in EVs is often smaller than those in gasoline cars, making it more vulnerable to draining quickly, especially with additional features running in the background.
Cold Weather Impact: Just like traditional 12V batteries, cold weather can reduce the capacity and performance of the battery, causing it to discharge faster or not hold a charge well.
Solutions for a Weak 12V Battery:
Monitor the 12V Battery Voltage
Many EVs allow you to monitor the health of the 12V battery through the car’s diagnostic settings. If the voltage drops too low, it may be time to charge it or replace it.
Keep the Car Plugged In
Keeping the car plugged in to a charger can help maintain both the main battery and the 12V battery, as some EVs will use the main battery to top off the 12V battery while charging.
Use a 12V Battery Charger
If the 12V battery discharges frequently, consider using a trickle charger or battery maintainer designed for 12V batteries. This can help keep the battery charged during periods of low or infrequent use.
Replace with a High-Quality Battery
If the 12V battery fails frequently, consider upgrading to a high-quality AGM (Absorbent Glass Mat) battery, which is known for better performance and durability in EVs.
Limit Power-Draining Functions
Disable or limit features like auto-updates, Wi-Fi, and always-on systems that may drain the 12V battery when the car is off.
Regular Maintenance
Check the 12V battery terminals for corrosion or loose connections, as this can impact battery performance. Cleaning the terminals and ensuring tight connections can sometimes resolve performance issues.
Consider a Lithium 12V Battery
Some EV owners replace their traditional lead-acid 12V battery with a lithium-ion 12V battery, which offers better longevity and faster recharge rates. Be sure to check compatibility with your EV6 before making this switch.
If the 12V Battery Frequently Dies:
Software Update: Sometimes a software issue can cause the 12V battery to drain. Check with your dealer for any firmware or software updates that might improve 12V battery management.
Service Check: If your 12V battery drains frequently or unexpectedly, it may be worth visiting the dealership to check for any underlying issues with the car’s power management system.
Though the 12V battery in EVs can be a weak spot, taking proactive measures can help extend its life and improve reliability.
Hey community, so I’ve had my one owner 2022 Kia EV6 Wind AWD for about a month and a half.
The GOOD: Fast car, No gas needed, decent infotainment system, fits a decent amount of stuff, and looks great.
The BAD: My A/C is useless in anything above 84 deg F and I used the included electric tire pump for my kids bike ONCE and basically killed the 12V battery, and finally my dealer was affected by the recent cyberattack so they have no idea when a loaner is available to look at my issues. (Quoted me SEVERAL weeks, which is 60% of summer)
The A/C issue on a car with less than 3 summers of driving and under 30k miles is WILD, but the fact that I’ve had to jump the car 4 times in as many weeks is making me question EV cars altogether because apparently this isn’t limited to Kia’s. (Tesla and other EV owners I’m not sure how useful the 12V is when the car is off) In one instance I was charging a phone via USB, went into a store for 5 min and came out to the 12V Battery LOW warning. Nothing like asking for a jump in your 2022 EV! Honestly I bought a portable jump starter after the first time it died, but still it’s crazy work to rely on that device just to keep my 2022 car going. Feels like something I would have done in my teens and early 20’s when I drove 15+ year old cars. Anybody else have these issues? Any advice?
you dont need to turn the car off to power a tire pump, charge your phone, etc. just leave it on. it’s an EV. you’re not idling, wasting gas, etc. you can just … leave the car on. the 12V being “useful” when the car is off is for gas cars, because EV’s can just be left on
dont wait for the dealership to replace your 12V battery. they’re just going to replace it with the same shitty battery. replace it with an AGM battery. my 12V battery shit the bed after 2 years of ownership and i didnt bother with the dealership. i just went straight to my local Advance Auto Parts and replaced it myself. took 10-15 min. $250 out-of-pocket but beats waiting for a tow, waiting for a diagnosis, waiting for the dealership to order the battery, waiting for the dealership to install the battery, etc and all for it to die again in 1-2 years
Ive never had any of these issues with my 22 Wind AWD, I have 32k miles. AC blows Ice cold, zero issues and feels more robust than most car AC’s ive had. Mine is pearl white with heavily tinted windows so that may be helping a lot. I didnt even want tint but it came that way when I bought it used and its honestly been amazing.
Zero 12 volt issues ever, you need to get the latest recall software update done for sure. Always make sure you are getting the latest software updates/recalls and TSB’s done. I have done this with both of my EV6 and never once had any issues. SC302 improves 12 volt charging logic, you really need this one. I also have run an air compressor many times with no ill effect on the OEM batteries. I always keep a lithium jump pack with me just in case, I feel like this is something all people should do.
Should be able to eliminate the brake squeak with doing a bedding procedure. Even in regen 0, the car will still use blended braking with regen, it’s just very little at 0, and the first “10 or so” uses of brakes at regen 0 are zero blended braking, specifically for brake cleaning. If you mostly use higher regen levels and i-pedal, then the friction brakes aren’t getting a lot of work out and getting buildup on them. Doing a few bedding runs will probably help a lot. Could also just try using regen 0 for the next few times, but if there is a lot of buildup, the extra friction force/heat of a bedding process may be necessary.
Get an AGM battery. That’s what I’m planning to do when mine dies. I bought my EV6 used, and based on CARFAX history the 12v battery has been replaced twice already so it’s on its 3rd battery now. At first sign of failure I’m putting an AGM one in.
You sure the AC isn’t in ECO mode? There is a power saving setting under some driving settings. Look in your manual if you can’t find it. 110f (car temperature so it’s a bit off) No issues cooling. If that’s not it. Something is wrong.
You bought someone else their car, you may have inherited their problems they didn’t want to fix or also had no clue about. Some periodic maintenance at 2 years and mileage is to be expected. Take people’s advice and get a good battery. Also you might also be almost out of tires at that mileage if the previous owner drove it like he stole it.
They are definitely low quality batteries among the landscape of 12V lead acid battery quality, but the ICCU issues with maintaining the 12V are what is causing pre-mature failures.
My opinion is that once these lead acid batteries die a single time, they are toast and should be replaced as soon as possible. I would not say that about any decent 12V lead acid battery, as 1 dead event from something like leaving accessory lights on or similar would not spell doom. But these Kia/Hyundai are just bottom barrel that I would never trust one after its first dead event.
Your 12V battery needs to be replaced, zero question about it. I wouldn’t even bother with Kia to get a warranty replacement, because the “test” they do is a joke and it will pass and they will say they can’t replace it. Get a H5/Group47 AGM from Costco or Walmart for $180 and that problem will be solved. Make sure you get SC302 (and SC311 while you are in there) software updates when you can get your car in. I’d even go and get those done before they can look at the A/C, if they can commit to doing those quick (it’s 1 hour of work max).
AC would be something else, coolant leak, compressor issue, etc. No one certainly expect that kind of problem after only a few years, but shit happens sometimes.
I also started to always keep a portable jump pack in my car as Li-Ion jump packs got super cheap (many years ago). It’s just part of my normal in-car kit. Way more convenient than jumper cables and no need to rely on someone else with a vehicle, and you get the bonus of an emergency source for charging a phone or other devices. I will top up the charge 2-3 times a year.
For the AC, turn off eco AC mode when eco is on. It helps. Otherwise, get your AC checked.
If you’re using something like Optiwatt to handle saving you money, that is likely murdering your battery. It polls the EV every minute looking at the status of the car. It prevents the Kia from deep sleeping, which folks don’t realize until their 12v is toast.
That’s ridiculous to have had so many batteries. I forgot that I had a battery in my 6 year old Malibu Hybrid. Kia must be getting culls. I have seen my battery charge light on several times on my '23 EV6. I hope to have a couple more years, if all is normal.
Yes, the 12v battery is trash, which is why accessory mode should never be used. Just turn on the car or use utility mode. It’s absolutely stupid that Kia has kept this old way of thinking in their EVs. Once these non-AGM batteries are drained, they will never be able to hold a charge again. The battery had to be swapped. Do it yourself instead of wasting your time for the dealer to diagnose.
Never had a problem with the AC in 100+ weather over 2 summers of owning the car. Not good for the efficiency since the system is running at 1.5 kwh the entire time but it definitely keeps the cabin cool. Auto 2 at 69-70 degrees FYI. The ventilated seats aren’t great though.
I also bought a 2022 Wind AWD (in march) with 20k mi. black. no a/c issues (90F + temps here with heat indexes in the 100+ range daily). i saw someone suggested looking into your settings for any eco mode for the a/c. check that. also i’ve inadvertently touched the capactive buttons with a knuckle or something before and turned the actual A/C button off a time or two and not noticed until i was getting warm. That’s different than pushing the knob. So at first glance you think the A/C system is still on. the first time I sort of panicked and thought the A/C was going out or something and later realized that while the thermostat was saying the setting was 62F, the A/C button didn’t have the orange line on above it. if your problem has been persistent i’m sure you’ve ruled that out by now.
Replace the 12V yourself with the AGM. look for the A/C settings. fingers crossed for you. it’s a great car if you get a good one. I had another EV for 7 years before this and it was a great low-cost car too. virtually no maintenance except 12V battery a couple times and tires. electricity cost is way cheaper than gas, so if you don’t pay too much buying it used instead of new, it can be a really cost effective alternative to a gas car.
I have had lead acid car batteries that lasted 10 years, 2 years is garbage for any automotive lead acid battery. The issue with the EV6 12 volts were that they were not charged as much as they should have been. Depending on how you used the car it would result in abuse towards the battery which was then followed by quick death.
Climate is a factor for lead acid battery life, and 3-5 years is the industry norm. 10 years is very much an exception.
Quality of lead acid car batteries has also gone down in recent years. Covid led to shortages and stretching of materials has led to lower quality products.
The charging situation with the ICCU is certainly the contributing factor, but whoever is making Hyunda/Kia seems to particularly be making super low quality batteries. If they were using a higher quality lead acid, there would probably be less failures. Sizing up a larger battery would have probably helped as well, but since EV’s don’t need to drive a starter like in an ICE vehicle, they can get away with smaller/lower CCA batteries to save cost/weight.
Ultimately, all EV manufacturers need to be shipping cars only with AGM batteries (or Li-Ion, but that’s quite a cost jump that’s probably not warranted). The EV9 shipping only with AGM is hopefully that sign that they won’t use lead acid’s going forward. If the refresh EV6/Ioniq 5 show up with AGM, I think we’ll have our answer.