Hyundai Kona Complaints

964 consumer complaints on file.

#11730285April 9, 2026
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
The Kona barely wants to accelerate and stalls out while driving. Even though I recently got a oil change there’s oil consumption and the oil is black as if I never got a oil change. I took it to a hyundai dealer ship, i told them what was wrong they said it’s the timing belt. When that’s not the issue. I recently took it to a mechanic to get a third opinion and to see and fix what is wrong. He declined fixing it saying there’s more to it that is wrong and looks like there’s an engine defect and even complained that the oil was so black. I told him that doesn’t make sense because I’ve been getting my oil consistently. He couldn’t fix it. So now I’m stuck with a vehicle that barely drives and stalls out while I’m on the road and it keeps burning more oil. No one knows what is wrong with it.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11730099April 9, 2026
ENGINE, SERVICE BRAKES, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I have already replaced the transmission out of pocket 7k its began to do the same thing immediately was flushed a 2nd time and told it could be the motor. Also my battery i have bought 2 new batteries in 2 yrs now to find out its a false warning.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11729808April 7, 2026
ENGINE
My 2019 Hyundai Kona is equipped with a 2.0L Nu MPI engine covered under Recall 203 (NHTSA Campaign 21V301) for defective piston oil rings. The recall inspection was performed and closed at a Hyundai dealership in September 2023. The engine was passed and not replaced. Following that recall closure, the vehicle has required the same repair four times: replacement of the CVVT Assembly-Exhaust, Camshaft Assembly-Exhaust, and Timing Chain Tensioner. Each repair was performed under warranty. The recurring diagnostic code is P0017 (Crankshaft/Camshaft Position Correlation - Exhaust). Total warranty expenditure on these repeated repairs exceeds $7,800. During one of these visits (January 2025), the technician noted the CVVT had a "slight hold on rotation" and flagged possible exhaust camshaft damage. The vehicle has also experienced stalling while driving, creating a direct safety risk to the driver and others on the road. An independent repair facility has evaluated the vehicle and provided a written assessment concluding that full engine replacement is required, and that an underlying engine defect is causing the repeated component failures. It is my position that the Recall 203 inspection was performed inadequately — the defect was present at the time of inspection and was not identified. The recall remedy did not resolve the condition it was designed to address. Hyundai has since declined to replace the engine despite the documented failure pattern and independent shop recommendation. The vehicle is available for inspection. The problem has been confirmed by both a Hyundai dealer and an independent shop.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11729398April 6, 2026
ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Basically normal driving the car stalled. It slowed to a stall. I had to restart the car. This has happened a couple to times.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11729419April 6, 2026
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was unaware of the warning lights that were illuminated during the failure. The vehicle was unable to be restarted. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the piston rings had failed and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the piston rings had failed and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was opened. The approximate failure mileage was 82,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11728953April 2, 2026
ENGINE
VIN: [XXX] 2021 Hyundai Kona experienced sudden engine failure at approximately 103,000 miles. The engine began knocking without any prior warning, and the check engine light came on at the same time the knocking started. The vehicle was not driven for an extended period after the issue began. There were no earlier warning indicators or drivability issues that would suggest neglect or lack of maintenance. The failure was immediate and unexpected. This vehicle had previously received Hyundai recall T8Y, which involved an ECU update related to engine monitoring and performance. Despite this manufacturer intervention, the engine still experienced sudden failure. Hyundai has denied warranty and goodwill coverage for this failure. This appears to be a premature engine failure and raises concerns about reliability and safety due to the sudden nature of the issue. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11728721April 2, 2026
ENGINE
Engine is consuming oil and developed piston slap, per the mechanic I took it to. Currently it sounds like there is gravel inside the engine and it does not seem safe to drive. The Malfunction Indicator Lamp has also come on, the codes were cleared by my mechanic but they told me it likely will return. The piston slap developed a week ago today (Thursday), the MIL started flashing 3 days later (Sunday), mechanic did the oil change on Tuesday and noted the Piston Slap at that time. All symptoms point to the issues noted in #21V-301, but my VIN is not included in that recall per the NHTSA website.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11728446April 1, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
On 3/29/26 my Kona caught fire while parked in the front left side of the engine and burned completely within eight minutes. This is not an electric car. Prior to that I drove the car all day with no incident. It was later in the evening around 5:40 PM. I had driven from my house to a restaurant which is about 6.8 miles from my house. I parked my car and then my son-in-law noticed that my engine was smoking. My husband went to check to see if it was the radiator, but he noticed that it was fire and we called [XXX] . I know there are no recalls for my car, but I wanted to report it to you. The car only had 44,900 miles on it and was only serviced by West Nyack Hyundai. The last service was on 1/19/26. If you have any questions, you can email me at [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11728511April 1, 2026
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
See attached document for complaint.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11728608April 1, 2026
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that while stopped at a traffic light, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle hesitated before driving forward. The Engine START/STOP feature was engaged. The contact stated that the ESC warning light was illuminated temporarily. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent, but was a recurring failure. The check engine warning illuminated and remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the electric oil pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact had not informed the manufacturer about the failure. The contact researched online and associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V526000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11728210March 31, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Much like in the NHTSA bulletin concerning 2024-25 Hyundai's Santa Fe, Santa Cruz, and Tuscan, my 2024 Hyundai Kona SEL has a glitching/flashing infotainment screen. Perhaps it is due to the Coaxial shield as in the bulletin for other same model years Hyundais. The screen flickers and the pace at which it flickers and becomes static-y increases, and eventually turns all snowy and sometimes goes blank. A simple pushing of the reset button does not fix the issue. It is distracting, and dangerous, especially if one is relying on the maps for guidance, because there is no way to get the screen to stop the glitching when it occurs. But, it is very random when it happens. Maybe once out of every 10 drives. Seems to be an issue with other drivers with the same 2024 Hyundai Kona.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11727689March 28, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My horn is not working again. It was replaced when I initially got the Kona in 2023. It did not work coming out of the dealership. And now again it is back to not working. This is a liability and also a danger to my children.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11727112March 25, 2026
ENGINE
My car was taken in as a part of recall bulletin 203 for improperly heated piston rings treated pistons rings that result in premature engine failure and possible fire on 12/5/25. The knock sensor test was performed and the KSDS software was installed. On 3/12/26 my daughter who was on the way home from a trip called because her checking engine light started flashing and the engine was knocking. We had it towed to Hyundai and they are denying service under the recall stating improper codes yet one of the codes is P1327 KSDS detection which is related to the rod bearing failure the car currently has. They are trying to make me pay $4600 out of pocket plus the tow bill when this is directly related to the recall.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11726951March 25, 2026
AIR BAGS
I am reporting this for my daughter, [XXX] , while she's recovering on pain meds. She is the owner and driver of the car. no passengers in this 1-car accident. the weather and road conditions were terrible. car skidded of side of road into a ditch. When the airbags deployed, the plastic frame on the drivers side A-pillar broke and exploded out towards the driver. it appears the sharp edge of the broken plastic frame struck driver in left eye, slicing it cornea area of her eye causing a ruptured globe. thankfully, she has no other injuries. the plastic frame on the passenger side A-pillar did not break when it's airbag deployed. reporting by [XXX] . please contact me at [XXX] . [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11727138March 25, 2026
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE
I am reporting a persistent and unresolved excessive oil consumption issue that I began to notice at approximately 61,000 miles. I follow all routine maintenance and oil change schedules, but my car has returned to the dealership I purchased from (only owner), three times for this specific problem. - First Visit (64,074 miles): I shared my observations of excessive oil consumption to the dealership, they stated there was an oil leak at the timing cover and oil pan. They repaired the leaks, however this did not resolve the consumption issue. - Second Visit (65,273 miles) - The oil change done by Mobil at 75,238 miles, before I brought my car in for the third time to Hyundai for the consumption issue, documented that my oil level was at the 'Low'(L) level, this is the case each time I get an oil change around 3,000 miles - The third time bringing my car to Hyundai my mileage was at 78,913, less than 3,000 miles since my last oil change. Before making the appointment my cars engine sounded like it was running rough so we took a look at the oil level, which was at L - The first two times I did the 1000 mile oil test, Hyundai reported that my oil level remained above Full when I returned for a check, shortly after, within an additional 2000 miles, my dipstick would show L. The third reading is TBD.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11726817March 24, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN
The contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that the horn was working intermittently. The horn occasionally operated but had become permanently inoperable. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11726240March 23, 2026
ENGINE
Vehicle struggling to accelerate and rolling back when brake is not being used. It stays at a few miles per hour even with full pressure on the gas pedal. A mechanic reviewed and stated the problem was due to low compression in the engine, causing the pistons to misfire. This issue has happened a total of 5 times and has almost caused other vehicles to crash into me due to sudden loss of speed and not being able to accelerate fast enough to properly get to safety
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11726081March 21, 2026
ENGINE
The vehicle has 82.000 miles on it, and the engine started to rattle as I entered the street to my house, and the motor quit running. I had the vehicle hauled to a repair garage for analysis, and they said the piston rings failed. The vehicle is in perfect shape except for the broken engine.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11725552March 19, 2026
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN, STEERING
My 2020 Hyundai Kona (VIN: [XXX] ) has a persistent engine stalling safety defect that matches Recall 203 (22-01-042H, NHTSA Campaign 21V301000 – Nu 2.0L Atkinson Engine Inspection and Replacement). The recall addresses improperly heat-treated piston oil rings causing cylinder bore scuffing, accelerated oil consumption, abnormal knocking, and potential engine stall while driving (increasing crash/fire risk).I first brought the vehicle to Corona Hyundai for repeated stalling while driving. They performed the recall vibration inspection and software update (Campaign 974), stated the test passed, and declared the vehicle "fixed", safe and "good-to-go" Immediately after pickup, the stalling returned worse: approximately 60-80 miles later on XX near the XXX exit (four-lane high-speed highway), the engine completely stalled at 65 mph while merging for an exit. This caused vehicles and semi-trucks behind me to swerve dangerously and very nearly collide with me. The vehicle stalled four more times on the way to my destination in [XXX] .I then took it to the nearest dealer, Carlsbad Hyundai for safety reasons. They performed the vibration inspection again, which also "passed," yet the real-world symptoms would continue unchanged: accelerated oil consumption (I monitor the dipstick and refill regularly), sputtering, knocking noises, and complete engine stalls (dozens of incidents, especially on local roads and turns). The vehicle remains undrivable due to imminent stall risk while moving and putting myself, my passengers and other commuters at high risk of severe injury or death.Both dealers and Hyundai Customer Care (Case #XXX) have refused further action, stating the vibration test passed, they cannot duplicate the concern, and no additional claim can be submitted for engine replacement. Hyundai's TSB [XXX] requires only the vibration inspection; engine replacement is authorized if "NO PASS" – no separate oil consumption test or monitored drive INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11724172March 13, 2026
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE
I found a lot of shaved metals when I did the oil change for the Gear Reduction. It made a lot of noises when driving or the wheel of fortune sounds whether the car is in Regenerative Braking. The sounds developed as time goes on but Hyundai failed to recall this issue. I found this has been an ongoing issue since 2019 when Hyundai make this Kona EV, but their engineers didn’t fix this type of issue and continue to manufacture the Kona EV with the same Gear Reduction Assembly and it caused a lot of noises with these shaving metals found in the oil changes. This is abnormal for a GRU to have so many metals found in the oil. Thus, it made a lot of noises. Now my car can’t even drive because of this. The GRU has been broken because of this issue that Hyundai didn’t even fix since 2019.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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