An EV owner says he couldn’t even change his own brake pads, reigniting the Right to Repair debate in the electric era
- Ioniq 5 N owner says Hyundai’s software blocks brake pad changes.
- Access reportedly requires costly tools, a business login, and more.
- The story raises new concerns about Right to Repair in modern EVs.
Automotive enthusiasts aren’t the only ones who enjoy getting their hands dirty. Many regular drivers tackle oil changes, swap air filters, or fit new brake pads without a second thought. These are the sorts of jobs that make you feel connected to your car, a small ritual of maintenance and pride.
But every so often, a manufacturer decides to make things harder than they need to be. I once had to drop an entire subframe on my BMW just to replace oxygen sensors, an experience that left me wondering whether the engineers had ever tried it themselves.
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It’s rare to see a mainstream brand like Hyundai put similar hurdles on its customers when it comes to repairs. However, according to one owner, the brand isn’t just making a simple fix hard; it’s straight up declaring war on his (and your) right to repair his own car.
Is Hyundai Denying Right to Repair?
Two recent posts on Reddit’s r/Ioniq5N community have ignited a fierce debate. There, an owner claims Hyundai has drawn the battle lines. He’d set out to replace his rear brake pads, something he says he’s done countless times before on other vehicles, but soon discovered the automaker’s diagnostic tools had other plans.
According to the post, Hyundai’s digital systems effectively lock out anyone who isn’t a certified technician from performing even basic maintenance.
The rear brake pads are affected by the electric parking brake. To replace them, one must disengage the brake and get it to retract completely, otherwise, the new pads won’t fit. In addition, the car needs a diagnostic tool to recalibrate the motor on how far to move with the new pads in place.
In other words, even if you could manually disengage the parking brake, the car would still need calibration to work properly.
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The only way to accomplish this is allegedly to use Hyundai’s J2534 Diagnostic Tool, a Windows-based application available only through the automaker’s tech info portal.
The owner says the software requires a $60 weekly subscription, a $2,000+ approved hardware adapter, and a constant internet connection for authentication. Even then, it reportedly doesn’t work properly on newer models like the 2025 Ioniq 5 N.
No DIYers, Please – Only Pros
“I broke down and bought the subscription and special adapter,” the owner wrote. “Guess what? It didn’t work.” Only later did they find out why. “My blood is boiling at the moment. NASTF has blocked my account, saying “DIYers are not permitted access.”
They included a photo of a message from NASTF that says in part, “Please provide your business name and 9-digit Federal Employer Identification Number. DIYers are not permitted access.”
The irony, the poster points out, is that Hyundai dealers don’t even use this Windows tool. They reportedly have access to an entirely different Android-based software suite that works seamlessly.
While this all sounds like a bureaucratic mess, the underlying issue raises serious questions about Right to Repair access in the EV era. For decades, enthusiasts and independent mechanics have fought for access to diagnostic tools and repair data that manufacturers often guard tightly.
But when basic wear items like brake pads require proprietary authentication, the argument takes on a new urgency.
Has Hyundai Gone Too Far?
Nothing about this setup sounds reasonable. Replacing brake pads is as fundamental as car maintenance gets, yet Hyundai’s system allegedly makes it feel like breaking into Fort Knox.
If that’s true, the automaker has some serious rethinking to do because locking out the people who care most about maintaining their vehicles isn’t a good long-term strategy.
I have personally considered buying an Ioniq 5 and a Kia EV6, but will avoid both until this sort of thing is doable for folks like me. Hyundai tells us that it’s looking into the situation and will report back once it has more information.
