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U.S. public vehicle records

2020 Hyundai KONA: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

157 owner complaints analyzed

2 distinct recall campaigns

12,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2020 model year. Data snapshot: . 47 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 104 of 157 complaints (66.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Engine operation3824.2%
Transmission and shifting1710.8%
Braking behavior106.4%
Steering behavior63.8%
Electrical and battery issues53.2%
Fuel system concerns21.3%

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
104
Power Train
20
Unknown Or Other
17
Electrical System
8
Steering
7
Vehicle Speed Control
7
Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings
6
Fuel/Propulsion System
4
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Engine104
Power Train20
Unknown Or Other17
Electrical System8
Steering7
Vehicle Speed Control7
Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings6
Fuel/Propulsion System4

Engine: 104; Power Train: 20; Unknown Or Other: 17; Electrical System: 8; Steering: 7; Vehicle Speed Control: 7; Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings: 6; Fuel/Propulsion System: 4

Reported problems by failure mileage

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

Under 25,000
35
25,000 to 49,999
2
50,000 to 74,999
4
75,000 to 99,999
0
100,000 to 149,999
6
150,000 and above
0
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,00035
25,000 to 49,9992
50,000 to 74,9994
75,000 to 99,9990
100,000 to 149,9996
150,000 and above0

Under 25,000: 35; 25,000 to 49,999: 2; 50,000 to 74,999: 4; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 6; 150,000 and above: 0

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (35). 110 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.

2020
13
2021
61
2022
12
2023
14
2024
8
2025
27
2026
22
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
202013
202161
202212
202314
20248
202527
202622

2020: 13; 2021: 61; 2022: 12; 2023: 14; 2024: 8; 2025: 27; 2026: 22

Pattern summary

Engine leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 38 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 17 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 10 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.

Examples from the source records

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

Owner report 11315963 · 2020-03-04 (March 4, 2020)

ON TUESDAY, MARCH 2020, I PULLED INTO A PARKING SPACE AT A LOCAL CVS STORE SHORTLY AFTER 5 PM, ABOUT TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND SHIFT INTO PARK, WHEN MY 2020 HYUNDAI KONA SUDDENLY AND INEXPLICABLY ACCELERATED, JUMPED THE POLICEMAN, THEN THE CURB AND RAMMED INTO THE WALL OF CVS STORE. MY AIRBAG WAS ACTIVATED AND THE CAR ROLLED BACK AFTER THE IMPACT. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE WALL AND THE SHERIFFS DEPUTY WHO ARRIVED AFTER THE CAR'S EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM WAS ACTIVATED DID NOT MAKE A REPORT SINCE THE EMPLOYEES AT CVS DECLINED TO PRESS …

Owner-reported narrative. 1,450 miles reported. Look up ODI 11315963 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11342139 · 2020-07-29 (July 29, 2020)

WHILE DRIVING OVER 40MPH, VEHICLE WANDERS FROM LEFT TO RIGHT WITHOUT DRIVER INPUT. THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING REQUIRES CONSTANT DRIVER INPUT TO CORRECT DIRECTION OF TRAVEL AND IS MOST EVIDENT ON STRAIGHT 4 LANE HIGHWAY, CONDITION WAS SHARED WITH HENDERSON (NEVADA)) HYUNDAI SUPERSTORE ON 20 MILE DRIVE. PURCHASED NEW 6/27/20

Owner-reported narrative. 519 miles reported. Look up ODI 11342139 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11343979 · 2020-08-07 (August 7, 2020)

WHEN I DRIVE THE CAR ON THE STREET AND FREEWAY I HAVE TO HOLD THE STEERING WHEEL IN PLACE SO I DON'T GO INTO THE NEXT LANE. THE CAR FEELS LIKE IT HYDROPLANES AND SHIFTS ON THE FREEWAY. WHEN TURNING THE CAR SHIFTS AS WELL. THE CAR BOUNCES WHEN DRIVING AND ON THE FREEWAY WHEN I GO OVER A BUMP I HAVE TO PULL THE WHEEL SO THE CAR DOESN'T GO INTO THE NEXT LANE. THE CAR LAGS WHEN ACCELERATING. ONE TIRE WASN'T HOLDING AIR SO I TOOK IT TO THE TIRE CENTER TO HAVE IT FIXED. THE CAR DRIVES THIS WAY EVERYDAY.

Owner-reported narrative. 44 miles reported. Look up ODI 11343979 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11349952 · 2020-08-17 (August 17, 2020)

NEXEN NPRIZ AH8 215/55R17 94V NEW CAR AND TIRES LESS THAN 800 MILES. DRIVING ON HIGHWAY ABOUT 65 MPH , SUDDEN EXTREME DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING CAR WITHOUTY WARNING, PULLED OVER. LEFT FRONT FLAT NOTED. TOWED TO DEALER. NO SCREW OR OTHER ITEMS FOUND IN TIRE, NO RIM DAMAGE DETECTED PER DEALER. NO DAMAGE TO CAR NOTED. NEW TIRE ORDERED.

Owner-reported narrative. 790 miles reported. Look up ODI 11349952 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11355579 · 2020-09-17 (September 17, 2020)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 HYUNDAI KONA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, MOISTURE ON THE INSIDE OF THE PASSENGER'S AND DRIVER'S WINDOWS OBSTRUCTED HIS VISION AND CAUSED HIM TO LOSE VISION IN BOTH SIDE MIRRORS. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO ROLL BOTH WINDOWS DOWN TO CLEAR THE WINDOWS HOWEVER, HIS VISION REMAINED OBSTRUCTED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO HYUNDAI OF NEW PORT RICHEY (3936 US-19, NEW PORT RICHEY, FL 34652) WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AS WELL AS TWO OTHER VEHICLES, AND WAS INFORME…

Owner-reported narrative. 160 miles reported. Look up ODI 11355579 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11360770 · 2020-09-21 (September 21, 2020)

VEHICLE WANDERS FROM LEFT TO RIGHT WITHOUT DRIVER INPUT; REQUIRING CONSTANT CORRECTION WHILE TRAVELING ON A STRAIGHT 4 LANE HIGHWAY. CONDITION WAS PRESENTED TO DEALER. FOLLOWING A TEST DRIVE BY DEALER SERVICE MANAGER WITH MY DEMONSTRATION OF WANDER, SERVICE MANAGER TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE WITH ME AS A PASSENGER. HE DECLARED THE WANDER CONDITION AS "NORMAL" FOR ELECTRONIC ASSIST POWER STEERING. HE DID, HOWEVER, CHANGE THE STEERING DEGREE WIT A MARGINAL IMPROVEMENT BUT CONDITION HAS CONTINUED. HYUNDAI MOTORS AND HENDERSON (NEVADA) SUPERSTORE HAV…

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 11360770 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11367063 · 2020-10-29 (October 29, 2020)

IN JUNE I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE OF A LOUD TICKING NOISE. I THEN THOUGHT IT WAS THE OIL LEVEL WAS LOW... WHEN THEY CHECKED TO SEE IT I NEEDED AN OIL CHANGE THEY STATED I NEED TO HAVE AT LEAST 7500 MILES ON THE VEHICLE BEFORE I CAN GET AN OIL CHANGE. THEY STATED THAT MY OIL LEVEL WAS GOOD AND TO COME BACK , I EXPLAINED TO THE ADVISOR THAT THIS SOUND (TICKING) WAS NOT NORMAL HE STATED THAT ALL THE 2020 KONA HAS THAT SOUND... SO THEY RELEASED THE CAR BACK TO US THEN 2 WEEKS LATER THE CLICKING NOISE GOT LOUDER WE MADE ANOTHER A…

Owner-reported narrative. 11,008 miles reported. Look up ODI 11367063 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11372615 · 2020-11-02 (November 2, 2020)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 HYUNDAI KONA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, AN UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHT FLASHED ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT LOOKED IN THE OWNERS MANUAL AND BECAME AWARE OF A FAILURE OF THE ELECTRIC STEERING SYSTEM. THE MANUAL INSTRUCTED THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO PRIDE HYUNDAI OF SEEKONK (11 TAUNTON AVENUE, SEEKONK, MA 02771, [phone removed] HOWEVER, THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. ANOTHER DEALER DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE BUT WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE OR…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 11372615 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

20V022000 · Equipment:Other:Labels

Reported: 2020-01-17 (January 17, 2020)

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020 Kona vehicles. The certification label may indicate incorrect Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 567, "Certification" and 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

Consequence: An incorrect GAWR could result in the vehicle being overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will install new label stickers displaying the correct GAWR over the affected areas of the certification label, free of charge. The recall began March 2, 2020. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 187.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
21V301000 · Engine

Reported: 2021-04-28 (April 28, 2021)

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Elantra, 2019-2021 Kona and Veloster vehicles equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engines. The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which could result in engine damage.

Consequence: A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, oil may leak onto hot exhaust components, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the engine, free of charge. In addition, Hyundai will deploy Piston Ring Noise Sensing System (PNSS) software. Owner notification letters were mailed August 24, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460.

NHTSA campaign record ↗