2020 Hyundai Kona Problems & Owner Complaints

Engine 100 2 crash 1 fire 3 injury

“On 30 May 21, I was getting ready to pull into my driveway, stopped the vehicle to let a passenger out of car, when suddenly the vehicle accelerated at a high speed crashing into my house. I nor the braking assist could stop the vehicle, resulting in the collision with house. I and my passengers sustained seat belt injuries.”
NHTSA complaint #11419113, 2021 · crash · 3 injury(ies)

“The Kona was driven a 1/2 hour before parking the vehicle. The Kona was turned off. Within 5 minutes smoke began wafting from under the hood. When I opened the hood to inspect I found the engine & underside of the hood was engulfed in flames. I closed the hood immediately. The Kona fully ignited with minor explosions & burnt completely to the metal frame within 25 minutes.”
NHTSA complaint #11748215, 2026 · fire

“I am filing a safety complaint against Scott Stark’s South Point Hyundai for selling me a vehicle with an active open safety recall, a blown transmission, an A/C failure, and a dry-rotted tire. Before returning the car for service under a promised 1,000-mile warranty, my sister, who has worked for Corporate Hyundai for 15 years, helped me conduct a full intake baseline inspection at her dealership. We performed a recorded 360-degree video inspection, took high-resolution photos of every square inch, and ran full computer diagnostics, which confirmed zero tool marks on any bolts under the hood…”
NHTSA complaint #11754634, 2026

Power Train 19 1 fire

“The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated while driving the vehicle stalled. The gear shifter was stuck in reverse and drive. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who informed the contact the vehicle was working as designed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where it was diagnosed the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but, the failure recurred. The vehicle failed to turn on and there was an abnormal odor of fire. Additionally, The vehicle failed to start. The manufacturer was notified however, no…”
NHTSA complaint #11448690, 2020 · fire

“I am filing a safety complaint against Scott Stark’s South Point Hyundai for selling me a vehicle with an active open safety recall, a blown transmission, an A/C failure, and a dry-rotted tire. Before returning the car for service under a promised 1,000-mile warranty, my sister, who has worked for Corporate Hyundai for 15 years, helped me conduct a full intake baseline inspection at her dealership. We performed a recorded 360-degree video inspection, took high-resolution photos of every square inch, and ran full computer diagnostics, which confirmed zero tool marks on any bolts under the hood…”
NHTSA complaint #11754634, 2026

“The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that during a regular maintenance visit, the contact was informed that there was a leak coming from the front axle transfer case, which was initially unrepaired. The vehicle was subsequently taken to a dealer in Colorado, where the seal was replaced. However, while an oil change service was being performed later, it was discovered that the failure recurred because the previous repair was performed incorrectly. The first failure was for an inoperable seal, and the second failure was due to an improper repair. The third inspection confirme…”
NHTSA complaint #11730363, 2026

Unknown Or Other 17 1 crash 1 fire 1 injury

“The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated while driving at 20 MPH, the AEB system inadvertently engaged causing the vehicle to decelerate and accelerate on its own. As a result, the contact lost control of the vehicle and crashed into another vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. The contact stated several warning lights were illuminated and there was smoke coming from the hood. The contact sustained injuries on the neck and shoulder but did not seek medical assistance at the time. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot, then to the dealer but was not diag…”
NHTSA complaint #11421832, 2021 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

“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…”
NHTSA complaint #11728446, 2026 · fire

“Basically normal driving the car stalled. It slowed to a stall. I had to restart the car. This has happened a couple to times.”
NHTSA complaint #11729398, 2026

Electrical System 11

“many times a year, without warning, vehicle dash lights turn off and light up like a christmas tree, followed by fca warning sound and lights going off, and a loud mechanical thud. Lose engine throttle going highway speeds. This can occur at nearly any speed without warning. Car must be powered off and back on to get normalcy. This puts me, everyone in the car and everyone on the highway at risk. Dealership was not able to reproduce or pull error codes.”
NHTSA complaint #11715307, 2026

“the headlights in this model Kona keep burning out after 9 months or so. I have replaced them multiple times in the last 5 years on both left and right sides. I use glove to put in the bulbs and are very careful not to let my hands touch the bulb. I have never had this happen with any other car I have owned. I suspect an electrical system issue, or perhaps wiring, but that is speculation. I have not had this inspected by the dealership. The latest date of failure is listed below.”
NHTSA complaint #11699982, 2025

“Back up camera had not worked since purchase. It is now August been dealing with the dealership and Hyundai National with a case number and zero help to rectify this issue. It is not my fault the sales man who sold me this car left two days later. anyone I speak to at the dealership, is not there again the next week. even hyundai usa are consistently unable to even get a manger to call me back. This is unacceptable. at this point any warranty is expired, this car was sold with a faulty camera.”
NHTSA complaint #11678493, 2025

Forward Collision Avoidance 7

“many times a year, without warning, vehicle dash lights turn off and light up like a christmas tree, followed by fca warning sound and lights going off, and a loud mechanical thud. Lose engine throttle going highway speeds. This can occur at nearly any speed without warning. Car must be powered off and back on to get normalcy. This puts me, everyone in the car and everyone on the highway at risk. Dealership was not able to reproduce or pull error codes.”
NHTSA complaint #11715307, 2026

“Loud beep then a warning that collision warning had been disabled and the side mirrorsno longer indicated someone was beside me. . First time it's done this and I was on the way to the dealer for service. I mentioned to him and he said it was probably the light rain we had and it had blocked the camera. On the way home it did the same thing and now it was sunny, clear and they had just washed my car. So back to the dealer to have them actually check the sensor.”
NHTSA complaint #11542322, 2023

“UNKNOWN I was backing out of a parking space using the back up camera when I bumped a vehicle behind me. Also, when driving on the highway, the cruise control doesn't always respond properly I just want to know if my car has the latest safety updates available for insurance purposes”
NHTSA complaint #11539947, 2023

Steering 7 1 crash

“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,…”
NHTSA complaint #11725552, 2026

“I was hearing a weird sound when turning the steering wheel and it reminded me of the same noise that happened before in March 2020 when the column and housing (part number 56390-39000)as well as bolt-safety lock (part number 81919-31000) were replaced at Boulder Hyundai (now called Foundation). This was covered under warranty then as the mileage was 24,928. The notes say: Customer states that there is a sound when turning the wheel. Technician confirmed customer complaint. Sound coming from steering wheel described as “growling”. Found TSB that states if sound is heard to remove and replace s…”
NHTSA complaint #11519189, 2023

“TRYING TO PULL OFF THE FREE WAY TO THE RIGHT AND IT DECIDED TO GO LEFT IN FRONT OF A TRUCK. IT LIKES TO TAKE CONTROL. SCARY. I HAVE NOT HAD THE CAR EVEN 2 MONTHS.”
NHTSA complaint #11513717, 2023

Vehicle Speed Control 7 3 crash 5 injury

“On 30 May 21, I was getting ready to pull into my driveway, stopped the vehicle to let a passenger out of car, when suddenly the vehicle accelerated at a high speed crashing into my house. I nor the braking assist could stop the vehicle, resulting in the collision with house. I and my passengers sustained seat belt injuries.”
NHTSA complaint #11419113, 2021 · crash · 3 injury(ies)

“I stopped my car foot on brake put it in park and it accelerated on its own and forced me to crash into a concrete wall still not wanting to stop”
NHTSA complaint #11733726, 2026 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

“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 ANY CHARGES. MY VEHICLE SUSTAINED MEDIUM DAMAGE TO…”
NHTSA complaint #11315963, 2020 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

Engine And Engine Cooling 4

“The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the turbocharger was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 65,000.”
NHTSA complaint #11691257, 2025

“The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The contact stated there was a pinging sound inside the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer for a multi-point inspection, and it was confirmed that the oil level was extremely low. The contact stated that an oil consumption test was performed. The vehicle had consumed ¾ quarts of oil in a month. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to seek legal assistance…”
NHTSA complaint #11685674, 2025

“The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, there was a knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who replaced the turbocharger, but the failure persisted. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The vehicle was later examined by an independent mechanic who determined that the pistons were faulty. No further information was available. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failures. The contact was inf…”
NHTSA complaint #11685967, 2024

Fuel/Propulsion System 4

“The car failed to accelerate on highway on multiple occasions, including when slowing down and then trying to accelerate when pulling out on highways.”
NHTSA complaint #11745092, 2025

“Ignition, speed and driving halts. I've had this Kona repaired a couple years ago and it took about 6-8mos to get my vehicle back, the this year 2025 the vehicle again is giving me problems. I thought of applying the lemon law however the week of the 6-8months being in the repair shop, I got the vehicle back, and the owner(mr. Crisostomo was very kind and understanding) so it made me be more patience nonetheless there's only so much he could do if he is not the one repairing the vehicle. I was offered carpets for my patience yet still have not gotten them and feel like a bother when I call t…”
NHTSA complaint #11688598, 2025

“While driving on the highway, our vehicle suddenly stopped accelerating without warning, forcing us to pull over immediately. There were no warning lamps, messages, or prior symptoms before the failure occurred. We had to stop on a narrow shoulder with no guardrails, leaving us exposed to fast-moving traffic and putting our safety at serious risk. The vehicle was inspected by a local dealership, who diagnosed the issue as a failed fuel injector. This component is available for inspection upon request. The problem has not been reproduced, but the diagnosis has been confirmed by the dealer.”
NHTSA complaint #11676648, 2025

Service Brakes 3 1 crash 1 injury

“I stopped my car foot on brake put it in park and it accelerated on its own and forced me to crash into a concrete wall still not wanting to stop”
NHTSA complaint #11733726, 2026 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

“I am receiving an intermittent "check regenerative brake" message. The message will clear automatically and then reappear every three to four weeks. An internet search reveals this is a common error for the Kona. Most people report no repair by the dealer. In several cases, the brakes stopped working, resulting in collisions. The hydraulic breaks do not work if the regenerative brake system fails leaving you with no way to stop the car. The manufacture has no solution.”
NHTSA complaint #11740362, 2026

“WHILE BRAKING FORWARD OR BACKING UP THEIR IS A CONTINUOUS SCRAPED NOISE AND IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT RAIN ,DRY ,HOT OR COLD WEATHER.IT MY NOISE WHILE BRAKING ALL THE TIME. IT STARTED AT 1,000 MILES AND NOW IT HAS 8,000 MILES.BROUGHT IT IN FEBRUARY 2020.TEST DRIVE ONE 6,000 AND NOISE WAS WORST.THEY SAID ALL OF THEM MAKE SAME NOISE.HELP”
NHTSA complaint #11378381, 2020

Air Bags 2 2 crash 4 injury

“TL* THE CONTACT'S CLIENT OWNS A 2020 HYUNDAI KONA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CLIENT WAS GONG THROUGH AN INTERSECTION AND ANOTHER DRIVER RAN A RED LIGHT AND BROADSIDED THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. BOTH THE CLIENT AND HER PASSENGER WERE INJURED AND HAD TO BE TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. THE DRIVER HAD NECK AND BACK PAINS AND HER RIGHT HAND HAD A BUMP. THE PASSENGER HAD HEAD AND NECK INJURIES AND HAD A BRAIN BLEED ISSUE AND HIP INJURIES. THE PASSENGER ALSO HAD A KNOT ON THE SIDE OF HER HEAD. THE OTHER DRIVER HAD A SMALL CUT ON HIS ARM AND DID NOT HAVE TO BE TRANSPORTED BY AMBULANCE. A POLICE REPORT W…”
NHTSA complaint #11382989, 2020 · crash · 2 injury(ies)

“2020 HYUNDAI KONA. CONSUMER WAS IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT WHERE THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED I AN ACCIDENT WHERE THE SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE PASSENGER WAS SEVERELY INJURED. *JS*DT*JB”
NHTSA complaint #11376613, 2020 · crash · 2 injury(ies)

Lane Departure 2

“Loud beep then a warning that collision warning had been disabled and the side mirrorsno longer indicated someone was beside me. . First time it's done this and I was on the way to the dealer for service. I mentioned to him and he said it was probably the light rain we had and it had blocked the camera. On the way home it did the same thing and now it was sunny, clear and they had just washed my car. So back to the dealer to have them actually check the sensor.”
NHTSA complaint #11542322, 2023

“I was getting onto the highway the other night and all of a sudden my whole instrument panel went completely black, speed,rpm, fuel level, and water temperature were not registering on the panel. I tested my turn signals and noticed those weren’t working as well. I also lost my lane keep assist in the process. I pulled off to a safe spot turned the car off, let it sit for 5 minutes. Turned it back on and the instrument panel was still black and nothing was reading. I shut the vehicle off for 20 minutes locked/unlocked the car. Started the car back up and the instrument panel came back on but n…”
NHTSA complaint #11436204, 2021

Structure 2

“2020 Hyundai Kona, ~36,300 miles. Driver's side door latch assembly. On or around May 9, 2026, an abnormal mechanical noise began coming from inside the driver's door whenever the key fob lock/unlock button was pressed, consistent with a failing latch actuator. I booked a service appointment, and on May 15, 2026, an authorized Hyundai dealership confirmed the defect and recommended full replacement of the driver's door latch assembly. The vehicle is available for inspection. A latch that does not reliably operate is a serious safety risk. The driver's door is the primary egress point. An inte…”
NHTSA complaint #11738158, 2026

“I found the shark fin cover of antenna located on rear roof area was no longer there exposing the antenna and base to the elements. There appeared to be no damage surounding the area to show how cover might have come off. I have not taken the vehicle through any automated car washes and have not been in any accidents. I took the vehicle to the dealership to see if the warrantee would cover replacement but they determined that it was theft. I am wondering if this is a common problem for other Kona owners.”
NHTSA complaint #11423860, 2021

Suspension 2

“I am filing a safety complaint against Scott Stark’s South Point Hyundai for selling me a vehicle with an active open safety recall, a blown transmission, an A/C failure, and a dry-rotted tire. Before returning the car for service under a promised 1,000-mile warranty, my sister, who has worked for Corporate Hyundai for 15 years, helped me conduct a full intake baseline inspection at her dealership. We performed a recorded 360-degree video inspection, took high-resolution photos of every square inch, and ran full computer diagnostics, which confirmed zero tool marks on any bolts under the hood…”
NHTSA complaint #11754634, 2026

“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.”
NHTSA complaint #11343979, 2020

Wheels 2 1 crash

“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.”
NHTSA complaint #11349952, 2020

Back Over Prevention 1

“UNKNOWN I was backing out of a parking space using the back up camera when I bumped a vehicle behind me. Also, when driving on the highway, the cruise control doesn't always respond properly I just want to know if my car has the latest safety updates available for insurance purposes”
NHTSA complaint #11539947, 2023

Electronic Stability Control (Esc) 1

“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 HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED IN WRITING ABOUT THIS SAFETY ISSUE…”
NHTSA complaint #11360770, 2020

Exterior Lighting 1

“For the last 2 weeks I’ve been hearing weird engine noises. Like metal pieces being grinded. The car has issues accelerating. Will not change gears properly causing the car to redline on the tachometer. Just today I hear noises a lot more frequently and as I’m driving and coming to a slow turn the car stalled out on me. I quickly put the car in park and started the car and it started back up. But now I feel a loss in power In the car. The car stalled on me more than six times. Every time I came to a complete stop the car would stall. So every stop sign and red light the car was stalling. The c…”
NHTSA complaint #11497174, 2022

Seats 1 1 crash 2 injury 1 death

“The Hyundai Kona was struck head-on by another vehicle. There was one driver and one minor passenger in the right rear seat in the Hyundai Kona. The driver had minor injuries while, unfortunately, the accident was fatal to the passenger. The impact of the collision caused the right rear seat to snap forward, fracturing the passenger's neck. The cause of death for the passenger was blunt force trauma caused by the neck fracture. If the seat had stayed in place during the impact, the passenger's neck would not have been fractured. The vehicle is no longer available for inspection. To our knowl…”
NHTSA complaint #11574843, 2021 · crash · 1 death(s)

Visibility 1

“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 INFORMED THAT HIS COMPLAINT WAS A PART OF NORMAL VEHICLE…”
NHTSA complaint #11355579, 2020

Visibility/Wiper 1

“I was getting onto the highway the other night and all of a sudden my whole instrument panel went completely black, speed,rpm, fuel level, and water temperature were not registering on the panel. I tested my turn signals and noticed those weren’t working as well. I also lost my lane keep assist in the process. I pulled off to a safe spot turned the car off, let it sit for 5 minutes. Turned it back on and the instrument panel was still black and nothing was reading. I shut the vehicle off for 20 minutes locked/unlocked the car. Started the car back up and the instrument panel came back on but n…”
NHTSA complaint #11436204, 2021