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U.S. public vehicle records

Hyundai KONA problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

780 owner complaints analyzed

9 distinct recall campaigns

17,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2018 to 2026 model years. Data snapshot: . 192 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 401 of 780 complaints (51.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Engine operation15219.5%
Braking behavior729.2%
Transmission and shifting607.7%
Electrical and battery issues587.4%
Steering behavior354.5%
Fuel system concerns50.6%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Engine
401
Unknown Or Other
136
Electrical System
119
Power Train
96
Vehicle Speed Control
42
Service Brakes
33
Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking
29
Fuel/Propulsion System
29
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Engine401
Unknown Or Other136
Electrical System119
Power Train96
Vehicle Speed Control42
Service Brakes33
Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking29
Fuel/Propulsion System29

Engine: 401; Unknown Or Other: 136; Electrical System: 119; Power Train: 96; Vehicle Speed Control: 42; Service Brakes: 33; Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking: 29; Fuel/Propulsion System: 29

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
110
25,000 to 49,999
23
50,000 to 74,999
16
75,000 to 99,999
20
100,000 to 149,999
21
150,000 and above
2
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,000110
25,000 to 49,99923
50,000 to 74,99916
75,000 to 99,99920
100,000 to 149,99921
150,000 and above2

Under 25,000: 110; 25,000 to 49,999: 23; 50,000 to 74,999: 16; 75,000 to 99,999: 20; 100,000 to 149,999: 21; 150,000 and above: 2

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (110). 588 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2018
10
2019
12
2020
23
2021
125
2022
89
2023
91
2024
117
2025
163
2026
150
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
201810
201912
202023
2021125
202289
202391
2024117
2025163
2026150

2018: 10; 2019: 12; 2020: 23; 2021: 125; 2022: 89; 2023: 91; 2024: 117; 2025: 163; 2026: 150

Pattern summary

Engine leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 152 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 72 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 60 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 11454255 · 2022-02-26 (February 26, 2022)

I purchased my Hyundai Kona SEL 2.0 new. I have maintained this vehicle exactly by owner's manual using only synthetic oil. This auto ran good for 110000 miles with no indicator lights present on the dashboard. After a personal trip I began to experience stalling issues without any warning or indicator lights or messages. This auto stalled a total of 10 times without warning almost causing rear end collisions. I just barely got the vehicle home. When I just made it into my driveway a loud noise emitted from engine and auto then stalled again. …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11454255 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11467856 · 2022-06-06 (June 6, 2022)

Vehicle engine randomly stalls when slowing down, at intersections, and while driving down the road in traffic. The lives of my children and I were directly put at risk by narrowly avoiding collisions due to the engine stalling. There are multiple lights that come on when engine stalls including the check engine light, and a car with a key, as well as several others. I have contacted the manufactures due to other vehicles of the same make model and year being under a recall for the exact same issue of engine stalling. Manufacturer is failing to…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11467856 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11363820 · 2020-10-11 (October 11, 2020)

WHEN GOING FROM GAS TO BRAKE, EVEN AT LOW SPEED THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD, EVEN AFTER THE BRAKE IS COMPRESSED. I HAVE BEEN IN TWO CRASHES NOW WITH THE SAME CAR TIS HAS HAPPENED. I SEE THAT IN AUSTRALIA, OVER 4000 OF THE SAME CARS WERE RECALLED FOR THIS ISSUE. TWO YEARS AGO I CRASHED INTO A TREE. THIS MORNING I CRASHED INTO MY GARAGE DOOR AND DEMOLISHED IT.

Owner-reported narrative. 32,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11363820 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11429039 · 2021-08-13 (August 13, 2021)

I have owned the car for a little over a month, full warranty still on car. Two weeks into owning I noticed the steering wheel would effect the navigation, radio, camera...the console would go into a loop and keep restarting. Took in for service, the stated they would order a part. Saturday, August 7th, I was looking for a parking space in the Publix that is less than 1/2 mile from my home. As I was turning into the next lane at, approx 2 miles per hour if that ,to find a space, the steerring held tight to the right, I felt the car lurch for…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11429039 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11693601 · 2025-10-15 (October 15, 2025)

The DCT(Dual Clutch Transmission) has always been an issue since I purchased the vehicle. Anytime I would be going at a slow pace in a drive-thru or traffic on the freeway the car would jolt and shake. I brought my car to a Hyundai dealership in 2021 at 36,000 miles and was told this was normal with the transmissions provided by Hyundai and there was no need to worry. Now, at 72,000 miles I was driving down CA-60 when my car transmission died. The car would not go when I was giving it gas and would make a whirring noise when trying to accelerat…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11693601 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11163353 · 2018-12-25 (December 25, 2018)

ONCE IN A WHILE WHEN YOU STEP ON GS PEDAL THE CAR DOES NOT GO FOR ABOUT 3 SECONDS,VERY DANGEROUS WHEN ENTERING HIGHWAY IN FRONT OF TRAFFIC.ENGINE OR TRANSMISSION DOES NOT ACT OR SOUND FUNNY JUST SEEMS LIKE FUEL SYSTEM DOES NOT KNOW GAS PEDAL HAS BEEN PUSHED.HAPPENS ONLY WHEN YOU STOP TO TURN AND START TO GO AGAIN ON STREET OR HIGHWAY. TOOK IT TO RICK CASE HYUNDAI IN WESTON FLORIDA THEY SAID AJUSTED TRANSMISSION BUT DID NOT FIX PROBLEM,STILL DOING SAME THING EVERY NOW AND THEN. IT HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 15 TIMES SINCE I BOUGHT CAR 3 WEEKS AGO IN EAR…

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 11163353 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11510813 · 2023-03-08 (March 8, 2023)

The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the oil and battery warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle would not accelerate as needed. The contact pulled over on the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The vehicle was restarted but the vehicle would not accelerate as needed. The contact became aware that there was no oil in the engine. Additionally, there was oil leaking underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that due to the oil leak …

Owner-reported narrative. 35,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 11510813 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11511771 · 2023-03-14 (March 14, 2023)

Oil change was on 1/13/2023 at 33,505 miles. On 2/25/2023 at 35,366 miles after driving on the highway for about 30 mins at 65 mph, the oil light came on and car was making a loud noise as I pulled in to park. My car was parked for about 1.5hrs at my destination. I attempted to drive home and get back on the highway when my engine stalled at about 40 mph and my engine and battery light came on. I had to pull over to the shoulder as my car would not drive anymore. My car was then towed to my house and later to the hyundai dealer where they dete…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11511771 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11382927 · 2020-12-10 (December 10, 2020)

TL* THE CONTACT OWN 2018 HYUNDAI KONA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED UNSTATED FAILURES WITH THE INTERIOR LIGHTING, HEADLIGHTS AND REAR TAIL LIGHTS. ADDITIONALLY, THERE WAS AN UNKNOWN STEERING FAILURE WITH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FORT MILL HYUNDAI (805 GOLD HILL RD, FORT MILL, SC 29708) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE RECEIVED SEVERAL UNKNOWN REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,894.

Owner-reported narrative. 44,894 miles reported. Look up ODI 11382927 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11254395 · 2019-09-10 (September 10, 2019)

LITTLE TO NO ACCELERATION WHEN GAS PEDAL IS DEPRESSED WHILE IN MOTION. LOSS OF POWER WOULD SUDDENLY OCCUR. TRANSMISSION WOULD NO LONGER SHIFT PROPERLY. THIS HAS OCCURRED TWICE SINCE NEWLY PURCHASED MAY 31, 2019. FUEL INJECTOR WIRING HARNESS WAS REPLACED AFTER THE FIRST OCCURRENCE. PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED AFTER THE SECOND OCCURRENCE.

Owner-reported narrative. 4,354 miles reported. Look up ODI 11254395 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11623149 · 2024-11-01 (November 1, 2024)

One day after I filled my gas tank, I noticed a strong gasoline smell outside the car. The next morning, I noticed a huge puddle on the pavement under the fuel tank. At least a gallon of gasoline must have leaked out overnight while the car was parked. I also noticed that gasoline continued to drip down from the fuel tank to the ground. I then had the car towed to the mechanic and they discovered a crack in the mounting flange on the top of the plastic fuel pump. The car was not in a collision and there was no external force that could hav…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11623149 at NHTSA ↗

Compare model years

Recalls by model year

All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.

Recall campaigns

Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.

2018
0
2019
1
2020
2
2021
1
2022
0
2023
1
2024
4
2025
1
2026
3
Recall campaigns data
CategoryCount
20180
20191
20202
20211
20220
20231
20244
20251
20263

2018: 0; 2019: 1; 2020: 2; 2021: 1; 2022: 0; 2023: 1; 2024: 4; 2025: 1; 2026: 3

Year-by-year records

Hyundai KONA model-year comparison
Model yearComplaintsRecallsChange in recalls
2018740Not available
20191881+1
20201572+1
20211151-1
2022960-1
2023631+1
2024504+3
2025281-3
202693+2