Hyundai Recalls The Ioniq 5 N Over Left-Foot Braking Feature
Hyundai is asking owners of the 2025 Ioniq 5 N to stop using one of its most aggressive driving tools until the car has been inspected by a dealer. In a recall affecting 1,508 examples of the sporty EV built from December 2023 to December 2024, Hyundai says the left-foot braking function can cause the ABS system to malfunction, demanding greater pedal effort from the driver and resulting in longer-than-expected stopping distances. Luckily, the fix is both simple and immediately available: a software update.
Tail-Happy Braking Mode Is The Culprit
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the recall stems from the aforementioned Left Foot Braking mode, one of the Ioniq 5 N’s best features. When it’s activated, the car’s integrated electronic brake (IEB) and vehicle control unit (VCU) can malfunction, depressurizing the anti-lock brakes. That could result in inconsistent pedal behavior and braking distances, which would be most concerning on a track (where Left Foot Braking is most likely to be used). NHTSA first reported the recall on February 6, and by the end of the month, Hyundai had figured out a remedy for the malfunctioning braking systems.
In a technical service bulletin issued to the brand’s dealers, Hyundai says that the fix requires updating the software for both the IEB and the VCU, giving them revised logic that will keep the ABS system consistent and pressurized even during left-foot braking maneuvers. Luckily for Ioniq 5 N owners, the flaw is only tied to the hooning mode, so the cars are safe to use in any other situation. As a result, Hyundai is requesting that they avoid using the Left Foot Braking function until they carry out the recall at a dealership.
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Trail Braking Shows How Serious Hyundai Is About Performance
Many modern cars have a brake-accelerator interlock, where if both pedals are pressed, the engine (or EV motor) will cut power so the car can stop safely. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is no different, although the automaker included a Left Foot Braking mode to allow driving experts (or tail-happy hoons) to have some fun at the racetrack. When activated, that interlock logic takes a backseat to car control, because left-foot braking (or trail braking) through a corner is a sophisticated way to balance a car’s weight, aim it toward the apex, and ensure a traction-rich launch at the turn’s exit.
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Hyundai intends for Left Foot Braking to be used on a track only, since the system requires the electronic stability controls to be fully disengaged. But as we learned driving the Ioniq 5 N at Laguna Seca last year, the car is more than willing to play if the driver wants. Left-foot braking and advanced torque vectoring have a genuinely impressive effect on the Ioniq 5 N’s controllability on the tarmac, while the goofy-fun simulated shifts and propulsion sounds add a bit of driver engagement, just for the hell of it.
