Hyundai / Kona / 2018

2018 Hyundai Kona problems

Owners have filed 116 complaints about the 2018 Hyundai Kona with NHTSA. Engine accounts for 35.3% of them — far more than any other system, ahead of power train at 9.5%. A further 21.6% were filed without a specific system named.

Complaints116

Crashes14

Fires19

Injuries24

Deaths0

What owners report breaking

Engine 35.3% · 41

Unknown or other 21.6% · 25

Power train 9.5% · 11

Electrical system 6.9% · 8

Fuel/propulsion system 3.4% · 4

Exterior lighting 2.6% · 3

Vehicle speed control 2.6% · 3

Engine and engine cooling 2.6% · 3

Severity

Of those complaints, 14 describe a crash, 19 describe a fire and 24 report an injury.

Reading the numbers

Across the 6 model years of the Hyundai Kona in this data, 2018 draws comparatively few complaints; 2019 is the outlier year.

Filings are rising — 56 in the last three years against 36 in the three before. For a vehicle this age that usually points to a wear-related failure owners are hitting now.

The median odometer reading at the time of complaint was 17,000 miles.

In owners' own words

The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that while driving it began to smoke, a noise was hear, put in neutral to coast down a hill and had to pull the parking break to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with defective piston oil rings, and the engine was rebuilt. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was.98,000. Engine · reported at 98,000 miles

Was driving Hyundai Kona down the freeway. I smelled a burning smell, I saw the check engine light blink once. The car went into limp mode and I started pulling over to the shoulder. Stopping on the shoulder, I noticed smoke coming from underneath the hood. I evacuated the car and within a few minutes, flames were present. It was between 2-3 miles start to finish. Engine · reported at 29,000 miles

8/29/20002, the ABS brakes system and Fuel Injection system 10/31/2022, Battery 11/8/2022, car stalled on the freeway 11/9/2022, Car stalled on the freeway 11/19/2022, Timing Control and camshaft position sensors 12/2/2022, Engine fire, the smell of burning plastic 1/9/12, Grinding noise near the right rear tire. I can provide the invoices under separate cover . Engine

Verbatim from NHTSA filings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Safety recalls

Checking NHTSA for open recalls…

Other Hyundai Kona years

2019 246 complaints · 52.0% engine 2020 196 complaints · 51.5% engine 2021 148 complaints · 50.7% engine 2022 142 complaints · 22.5% engine 2023 100 complaints · 26.0% electrical system

Compare all 6 model years →