Illustration-the gear drive was diagnosed as needed to be replaced -the GRU may lock up during driving causing the vehicle to stop -dealer confirmed needs replacing -no warnings or lights on vehicle, it was noticed that the vehicle made a louder noise while driving but could be confused with tires or normal air noise while driving.
2019 Hyundai Kona Electric
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2019 Hyundai Kona Electric do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 20.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Kona Electric years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 10 of 54 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 42 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
2 crash reports2 fire reports1 injury reports
Power Train complaints
5 reportsThe contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated while driving at 10 MPH, the steering wheel became stiff without any warning, causing the contact to lose control of the vehicle. The vehicle drove into a parking lot. The contact desperately pressed the brake pedal, but the vehicle would not stop. The contact jumped out o…
Read full complaint
The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated while driving at 10 MPH, the steering wheel became stiff without any warning, causing the contact to lose control of the vehicle. The vehicle drove into a parking lot. The contact desperately pressed the brake pedal, but the vehicle would not stop. The contact jumped out of the vehicle and the vehicle struck a pole, causing minor damages to the bumper of the vehicle. The contact had minor injuries but did not seek medical attention. The contact mentioned being shocked after the events. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the police impound. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The dealer was contacted and advised to contact the manufacturer. The manufacturer was contacted but did not provide any assistance. The failure mileage was 70,000.
Hyundai has failed to replace the battery after more than a year.
The car has been recalled because incidents worldwide of the high voltage battery catching fire and/or exploding. Supposedly Hyundai is going to replace the batteries in affected cars, but to date has NOT done so.
4/7/21 while in Las Vegas parked at the Venetian Hotel, my 2019 Hyundai Kona EV battery failed causing the vehicle to be inoperative. I am still waiting for Hyundai to replace the recalled EV battery
Official recalls
321V127000 · Electrical System:propulsion System:traction Battery
Mar 1, 2021
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Kona Electric and 2020 Ioniq Electric vehicles. The lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery may short-circuit.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An electrical short in the Li-ion battery increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park their vehicles outside and away from structures until the interim action is complete. Hyundai will notify owners, and as an interim action, owners have the option to follow provided instructions to perform a battery update through the vehicle's infotainment system or request a Hyundai dealer to provide the update. Once parts are available, dealers will inspect the Battery System Assembly (BSA), and replace it if necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owners were notified of the safety risk, and the interim action, with a letter mailed April 9, 2021. Final owner notification letters were mailed June 17, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 200.
20V748000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist:electric:control Module:software
Dec 1, 2020
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Nexo Fuel Cell and 2019-2021 Kona Electric vehicles. The Integrated Electronic Brake (IEB) system may detect an abnormal sensor signal and as a result, may significantly reduce braking performance.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Reduced braking power could lengthen the distance required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will update the IEB software, free of charge. The recall began January 25, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 199.
20V630000 · Electrical System:propulsion System:traction Battery; Electrical System:propulsion System:traction Battery:management System/energy Control Module (bms/becm):software
Oct 13, 2020
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Kona Electric vehicles. The lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery may short-circuit.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An electrical short in the Li-ion battery increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will update the Battery Management System (BMS) software and inspect the Li-ion battery, replacing it if necessary, free of charge. Owners are advised to park their vehicles outside and away from structures until the repair is complete. The recall began November 13, 2020. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 196.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Electrical System:propulsion System:traction Battery:management System/energy Control Module (bms/becm):software
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Kona Electric vehicles. The lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery may short-circuit.
Consequence: An electrical short in the Li-ion battery increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will update the Battery Management System (BMS) software and inspect the Li-ion battery, replacing it if necessary, free of charge. Owners are advised to park their vehicles outside and away from structures until the repair is complete. The recall began November 13, 2020. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 196.
Electrical System:propulsion System:traction Battery
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Kona Electric vehicles. The lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery may short-circuit.
Consequence: An electrical short in the Li-ion battery increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will update the Battery Management System (BMS) software and inspect the Li-ion battery, replacing it if necessary, free of charge. Owners are advised to park their vehicles outside and away from structures until the repair is complete. The recall began November 13, 2020. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 196.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1DP22005 · Pedestrian Alert Sounds
Opened Jan 27, 2023 · Closed Aug 7, 2023
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System:propulsion System
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.