Hyundai bulletin P33
What it saysIn response to this trend, we engineered a software upgrade that addresses the social media theft method and made it available to owners of eligible models free of charge at authorized Hyundai dealers since early 2023. NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Hyundai filed this with NHTSA as a manufacturer communication dated Dec 19, 2025, about the electrical system — 1 document under this number: P33 OL. It names 44 model years (2016–2022). A manufacturer communication is not a safety recall: it is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a condition, and whether the work is paid for depends on the warranty in force. Quoting the number at a service desk can save a diagnosis.
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What the bulletin says
Source: NHTSA's summary of the manufacturer's communicationPicked out of NHTSA’s summary below, word for word. The document itself is the record, and the dealer checks the VIN.
In response to this trend, we engineered a software upgrade that addresses the social media theft method and made it available to owners of eligible models free of charge at authorized Hyundai dealers since early 2023. In addition to the anti-theft software, we’ve developed a new zinc-reinforced ignition cylinder protector hardware upgrade that can be installed at the ignition cylinder location to provide additional protection against the social media theft method. Because your Hyundai vehicle with the VIN listed above (“Subject Vehicle”) was not factory-equipped with an engine immobilizer and was previously eligible for the software upgrade, you are now eligible until March 31, 2027 to have the ignition cylinder protector installed — if you request it — at no cost to you through an authorized Hyundai dealership.
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P33 OL | Other | Dec 19, 2025 | 11026704 | PDF, 204 KB |
The summary is NHTSA’s abstract of the document, as filed under 49 CFR 579.5. One communication is usually filed as several documents — the bulletin, a dealer notice, an owner letter — and the number on any of them finds this page. A PDF link is shown only once NHTSA’s own server has been seen to serve that document; the rest are checked over the following nights. Quote the number at a service desk; it is what the dealer’s system is keyed on.
Model years it names
Source: as the manufacturer filed themand 4 more on this site: 2017 Hyundai Veloster, 2016 Hyundai Veloster, 2021 Hyundai Venue, 2020 Hyundai Venue.
A vehicle page’s bulletin list shows the newest few communications filed against that model year; the count there is every one.
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What owners reported
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseOwners of the 44 model years this bulletin names have filed 14,183 complaints with NHTSA since 2015. 1,708 of them name Electrical System — the same broad component group this bulletin is filed under. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so that means the same area of the vehicle, not necessarily the same fault.
On the 2016 Hyundai Tucson, the 100 owners who gave an odometer reading for Electrical System reported it at a median of 60,000 miles. That figure is one model year’s, not the whole range this bulletin covers — medians from different model years are not averaged.
The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Veloster N. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the check the engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V258000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); however, the remedy failed to repair the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance.
2019 Hyundai Veloster · Electrical System · filed with NHTSA Oct 18, 2024 · ODI 11620668
While driving the car getting error message on dashboard "Check Hybrid System Turn Off Engine", The Gas engine turn off and switch to continue on electric till able to pull on the side of the road. Turn Off engine, wait a min. Start car again and working fine. This issue appears randomly many times in the last two years while driving.
2016 Hyundai Sonata · Electrical System · filed with NHTSA Mar 30, 2023 · ODI 11514685
6/17/2024 12 volt battery was dead; EV was fully charged 6/16/2024 using Level 2 charger in my home garage. AAA charged the battery; I drove to Crossroads Hyundai Loveland, CO and asked to have the converter to the main battery checked; this was not done. Crossroads checked the battery via CADEX with "good battery charge" as result.
2020 Hyundai Kona · Electrical System · filed with NHTSA Feb 10, 2025 · ODI 11641724
In depth: 2017 Hyundai Elantra electrical problems → · 2019 Hyundai Kona electrical problems → · 2021 Hyundai Palisade electrical problems → · 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe electrical problems →
A complaint is one owner’s account, not a defect finding, and a bulletin is not a recall. Nothing here says this bulletin was issued because of these complaints, or that the repair it describes fixed them. Complaint files on this site begin in 2015.
More bulletins about the electrical system
Source: same model, same component group95 other manufacturer communications filed against these Hyundai models under the same component group (electrical system), newest first. The eight newest are listed; the rest are on the Hyundai list.
| Number | Kind | Dated | NHTSA’s summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| P38 | Service bulletin | Oct 29, 2026 | Certain Tucson (NX4, NX4A), Tucson Hybrid (NX4 HEV), and Tucson Plug-in Hybrid (NX4 PHEV) vehicles may be eligible for the installation of t… |
| 26-GI-003H | Service bulletin | Oct 27, 2026 | This bulletin provides information related to the navigation and head unit software changes introduced in the 2026 2nd Navigation Map and So… |
| Z09 | Warranty extension | Sep 26, 2026 | Certain Santa Fe Hybrid (TM HEV) and Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid (TM PHEV) vehicles may have an inoperable horn that may be caused by foreign su… |
| 26-BE-021H | Service bulletin | Sep 18, 2026 | Some Venue (QX) vehicles may have an inoperative horn due to insufficient internal soldering of the horn assembly. This bulletin provides in… |
| 26-EM-014H | Service bulletin | Sep 16, 2026 | Some Tucson (TL) vehicles equipped with a 2.0L engine may exhibit a continued DTC P132600 after an ECM logic update has been performed per T… |
| 9C5 | Service campaign | Sep 9, 2026 | Certain Kona Electric (OS EV) and Ioniq Electric (AE EV) vehicles are eligible for a Battery Management System (BMS) software update. This u… |
| 9D4 | Service campaign | Sep 1, 2026 | Certain Palisade (LX3) and Palisade Hybrid (LX3 HEV) vehicles may experience Over-the-Air (OTA) update failures due to outdated Central Comm… |
| LA39 | Warranty extension | Aug 29, 2026 | Some Palisade Hybrid (LX3 HEV) vehicles may illuminate the hybrid system warning light with Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC) P0C381C when the… |
Quote the number at the service desk. It is what the dealer’s system is keyed on.
Every manufacturer communication NHTSA holds for Hyundai, by the number printed on the letter.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR 579.5Is Hyundai P33 a recall?
No. A manufacturer communication is a manufacturer communication filed with NHTSA under 49 CFR 579.5; a safety recall carries an NHTSA campaign number (two digits, a letter, six digits) and a federal duty to repair for free. Check the vehicle’s recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or on its page here.
Is the P33 repair free?
Not automatically. A service bulletin describes how to diagnose or repair a condition; who pays depends on the warranty in force, any extension, and the dealer. Quoting the number can save a diagnosis either way. Every Hyundai warranty extension on file lists the ones Hyundai has filed.
Which vehicles does P33 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 44 model years: 2022 Hyundai Accent, 2021 Hyundai Accent, 2020 Hyundai Accent, 2019 Hyundai Accent, 2018 Hyundai Accent, 2022 Hyundai Elantra and more. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.