Hyundai Kona Complaints

964 consumer complaints on file.

#11767709September 29, 2026
ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that prior to purchasing the vehicle, the contact was informed that the vehicle had been previously repaired under recall. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25 – 35 MPH, and releasing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle independently accelerated. The contact stated that the dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed, and it was determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V301000 (ENGINE). The failure mileage was 90,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11767813September 29, 2026
ENGINE
COMPONENT THAT FAILED: The engine short block piston rings (related to NHTSA recall 203) failed, causing severe cylinder wall scoring. The vehicle is currently located at an authorized Hyundai dealership and is available for manufacturer or NHTSA inspection. SAFETY RISK; The defective piston rings caused severe internal oil consumption, resulting in hydraulic oil starvation. This creates a high risk of sudden engine stalling, catastrophic engine seizure, and complete loss of motive power while driving in traffic. CONFIRMATION AND INSPECTION: Yes, the defect has been confirmed. The current Hyundai dealership performed a boroscope inspection, which physically confirmed severe vertical metal scoring in cylinder 3. They also documented that the engine was 1.5q low on oil with zero external leaks, confirming internal consumption. Despite physical proof of the recall defect, the manufacturer is currently refusing to honor the recall repair. WARNING LAMPS/SYMPTOMS: The check engine light illuminated, logging exhaust camshaft timing correlation codes (P0017). This first April 2026 at 169,000 miles. This timing code is a secondary hydraulic symptom caused by the severe internal oil starvation originating from priary lower block cylinder scoring defect.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11767206September 27, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
sitting at a light, pressing the accelerator, the engine remaining on but the vehicle not accelerating.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11767214September 27, 2026
ENGINE
I was fortunate to check my daughter's oil and noticed that it was almost empty. I alerted the dealer because I recently got an oil change and thought there was a leak, but no oil was on the driveway. The dealer performed an oil consumption test. They said it was 1 quart per 1,000 miles and this is acceptable. There are other models that are on the recall list, but mine is not. The dealer and Hyundai said that they will not pay for repairs because it is out of warranty. The bigger issue here is that Hyundai is aware of this issue (oil burning fast in these vehicles) and they are not warning owners to check their oil. This is a cute car and it is driven by college age girls who do not think about checking oil. If the oil runs dry, the engine can seize up and the car will stop. This can cause an accident and possible fatality. I am very concerned about the safety of my daughter and others. I have 5 quarts of oil in my daughters trunk to top it off regularly. This information needs to be given to owners of these vehicles to increase awareness of the problem an prevent a tragedy.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11765879September 21, 2026
ENGINE
My radiator has coolant leak. I noticed the fluid getting low and the smell. I had to put fluid in 2-3 times the last month. I took it into the shop and they confirmed that it is the lower left part of the radiator that it’s leaking from and it has to get replaced. I did notice on a campaign 24\-EM\-005H\. for the Hyundai Kona 2022. But my VIN number wasn’t part of that. It is having the same leak and I have to get the radiator replaced. My car has 65000 miles on it so it wasn’t covered under warranty. It is in the auto shop now and will cost me over 1200 to get it fixed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11766004September 21, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES
While driving my 2022 Hyundai Kona Electric at a low speed, pulling into a parking space, the electronic braking system suffered an immediate, catastrophic failure. Upon pressing the brake pedal, the vehicle completely failed to provide power brake assistance or slow down, resulting in a low-speed collision. The airbags did not deploy. Immediately following the crash, a diagnostic scan of the vehicle’s chassis network revealed active diagnostic trouble code C160404 (ECU Hardware Error / Internal Self-Test Failure), confirming a hard electronic fault within the Integrated Electronic Brake (IEB) module. This vehicle platform has a documented history of dangerous IEB signal and software anomalies under past federal actions like NHTSA Campaign 20V748000, where regulators explicitly stated that these failures significantly reduce braking performance, extend stopping distances, and cause crashes. My vehicle suffered this exact failure mechanism, posing an immediate threat to life and property. I am requesting a formal federal investigation into this specific electronic brake computer failure to prevent further consumer injuries or collisions.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11765508September 19, 2026
ENGINE
car had an engine knock at 110,000 miles and took it to a repair shop and said they are pretty sure it was an engine rod and that the whole engine needed to be replaced still waiting to get it to the dealership to see what they are going to do due to this car being a leased car and it will not run anymore.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11765528September 19, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY
My Blue Hyundai Kona Ultimate paint is peeling from the roof. This can create a hazard if the paint chips in large pieces and flys obstructing visibility. The paint chipping is also close to the front windshield which can block the path of the wiper blades. Hyundai has acknowledged that certain year vehicles have a manufactures default of delaminated paint that could possible fly off in sheets. However, they have only recalled white colored vehicles for repair while doing nothing about other colored vehicles.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11764953September 17, 2026
STEERING, LANE DEPARTURE
See attached document for complaint.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11764823September 16, 2026
ENGINE
I took my vehicle to a dealership for a recall and they refused to honor it. They made excuses and performed an unrelated service.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11764450September 15, 2026
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that while driving 64 MPH, the vehicle experienced a loss of motive power with reduced acceleration. The check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that the valve and boost solenoid needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 56,144.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11764152September 14, 2026
ENGINE
Vehicle starting using extreme amounts of oil, lose acceleration and stalling while driving and making klicking noises. All symptoms point to Hyundai recall 203 (NHTSA campaign number 21V301000). Dealer and manufacturer refuse to fix it, citing lack of extended warranty and high mileage, as well as insist of oil consumption test that would require me to drive the vehicle for another 1000 miles for them to be able to determine the oil consumption. Because I don't fee it is safe to drive the vehicle, I declined the test, but was willing to allow the dealer's service employees to drive it. They refused. I ended up donating the vehicle to Kars for Kids and notified them about the situation.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11763547September 11, 2026
ENGINE
"The vehicle suffered sudden internal engine failure while in operation due to catastrophic oil starvation, presenting a severe risk of engine stalling and loss of propulsion on the road. Active diagnostic codes are P0014, P0017, and P0303. An independent mechanic confirmed the engine was found 3 quarts low on oil with absolutely no external leaks or pooling under the vehicle, indicating massive internal oil consumption. This vehicle has been meticulously maintained with 11 consecutive oil changes logged between 15,202 miles and 115,926 miles. This oil loss starved the hydraulic timing components of fluid pressure, causing immediate timing failure. The manufacturer's current safety recall campaign (Recall 203) fails to include this specific VIN despite the vehicle exhibiting the exact engine failure defect profile.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11763673September 11, 2026
POWER TRAIN
Transmission (7 speed DCT) partial failure causing intermittent lack of acceleration, bucking, violent shifts. No warning lights are displayed. Despite being only days and about 1000 miles beyond the warranty neither Hyundai nor the dealer show interest in repairing this except at my cost, which is not feasible.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11763162September 9, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I was in a rotary and there were two lanes and they both exited to a bridge. I was on the outside lane of the rotary and when exiting the rotary the car from the inside cut me off and I was unable to alert the driver because me HORN wasn't working. I blew out 2 tires hitting a curb and needed to be towed.State police arrived on the other side of the bridge. My HORN has been replaced by the dealer 3 times now.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11763068September 9, 2026
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Kona. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V301000 (Engine); however, the dealer was unable to perform the recall repair because the vehicle had not experienced a failure associated with the recall and there were no fault codes displayed or retrieved associated with the recall. However, an independent mechanic recommended that the engine be replaced. The contact provided the dealer with the fault codes and the failures that the independent mechanic had found; however, the dealer was unable to retrieve the same fault codes. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and agreed with the dealer and refused additional assistance. The vehicle was not repaired.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11762578September 7, 2026
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
My 2019 Hyundai Kona SE (2.0L Nu MPI/Atkinson engine) was previously subject to NHTSA Recall 21V301000 (Hyundai Recall 203) for defective piston oil rings that can chip and cause accelerated oil consumption, engine knocking, and stalling. That recall's remedy was performed under a prior owner in December 2021. In November 2025, a Hyundai dealership installed a Cylinder Noise Diagnostic System (CNDS) software update (Service Campaign 974) specifically meant to detect this defect's vibration signature before it causes engine damage. Approximately 7,000-8,000 miles and about nine months after that software update, the vehicle stalled unexpectedly while being driven on two separate occasions, with no check-engine light or other warning beforehand. A third stall left the vehicle unable to restart. It was towed to a service station, which found no engine oil and no external leak. A Hyundai dealership subsequently diagnosed cracked valves that allowed approximately 5 quarts of oil to burn through the engine, and determined the engine requires complete replacement. This is the same failure mode (oil consumption/engine damage leading to stalling) that the original recall and the 2025 software update were both meant to prevent, and the software gave no advance warning before the stalling occurred. The vehicle and dealership diagnosis are available for inspection upon request.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11762027September 3, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
This mainly concerns the forward collision detection sensor, if that’s even what it’s actually called. My vehicle is available for testing and inspection. I was driving on an interstate, with my adaptive cruise control set to 75 mph. I was in the left of 3 lanes when got to a curve that went to the right. As I came to the beginning of the curve, all of a sudden my dash is warning me of a forward collision and the car started braking hard on its own. There is a metal guardrail that separates the 2 sides of the interstate and cars are also coming from the other direction. There wasn’t anyone behind me, thank goodness. If there had been, I can’t say for sure what would have happened, but it would not have been good. It took a hot minute for me to figure out what it was doing so I could stop it and get back up to speed. It scared me when it happened. When I go the same way without my cruise control on, it doesn’t happen. That’s how I know it has something to do with how it’s all connected. This has happened twice at 2 different places since I got the car in May of 2024. I don’t use my cruise control hardly at all now because I’m scared it’s going to suddenly brake again. I wasn’t sure what could be done about it. I put the info on the Hyundai owner surveys but nothing ever happened. I found the NHTSA completely by accident. I want someone to inspect it and try to recreate it, but it’s an awfully dangerous thing to try. Nobody has yet. It’s not like it’s a noise or a rattle. The only thing that I would consider a warning was the crash detection warning on the dash screen that flashes red. That started right about the time that the brakes were activated.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11760900August 31, 2026
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V301000 (Engine); however, the recall repair failed to prevent the failure from occurring. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power and failed to restart using the ignition key. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, Capital Hyundai of Greensboro (801 E Bessemer Ave, Greensboro, NC 27405), where it remained for further diagnosis. The contact stated that during the prior recall repair, the Continuously Variable Valve Timing (CVVT) assembly, Engine Control Module (ECM), and Body Control Module (BCM) were replaced, a solenoid was installed, and the engine was inspected but not replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11759906August 27, 2026
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE
Leaking oil...burns exceptionally fast even with dealership services. Pistons not sealed, melts new spark plugs, misfire on cylinder 3
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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