Hyundai is recalling more than 800 Inster electric cars under recall notice REC-006635, after finding a manufacturing defect in a three way coolant valve. The valve can crack, leak coolant and overheat the connector around it, and in the worst case that leads to a loss of motive power while the car is being driven.
What is wrong
It is the same shape of fault as the Toyota recall above: a component defect that can strand the car mid drive rather than a warning you can safely leave until the next service.
The fix
Hyundai says the fix is free and will be carried out at a dealer. The company is contacting affected owners directly rather than waiting for them to spot the recall notice, so if your Inster is affected you should hear from Hyundai first.
Cartell Assessment
Two new EVs, two power loss recalls, in the same week, and both from mainstream brands rather than the newer Chinese entrants that usually cop the reliability scrutiny. It is the second recall for the Inster since it launched in Australia in late 2024, a fast repeat for a car this new. The coolant valve fault also sits in exactly the part of an EV that is hardest to inspect yourself, a hidden component in the thermal management system, which is why Hyundai contacting owners directly rather than relying on them to notice something wrong is the right call here.
AU Outlook
If you bought an Inster and have not heard from Hyundai yet, do not wait, contact your dealer and ask whether your VIN is on the REC-006635 list. Watch whether this is the last fix needed for the Inster's coolant system or whether a third recall follows, because two in under two years is the number that will actually shape how buyers see this car next to the BYD Dolphin and MG4 in the sub $40,000 EV class.
