Technical Details
Hyundai has announced the recall of 54,337 hybrid Elantra sedans from model years 2024-2026 due to a potentially hazardous issue with the hybrid power control unit (HPCU). The cause of the recall is related to the use of a MOSFET transistor in the HPCU, which can overheat under high loads. In most cases, this leads to relatively 'mild' consequences: the vehicle either does not start or goes into emergency mode. However, in rare situations, overheating can cause local thermal damage and a risk of fire.
Background and Context
The investigation showed that the problem is related not to the hardware, but to the software: the control system, according to regulators, may not effectively cool the HPCU under load, which leads to overheating. The company began studying the issue in late 2024 and in 2025 conducted a teardown of the incident vehicle and several technical teardowns, where it identified a recurring pattern of failure of the same component.
Industry Impact
To date, there have been 4 incidents, only one of which was accompanied by a fire. There have been no reported injuries or accidents. Hyundai plans to fix the defect through a software update for the HPCU, which will improve cooling management.