Basically normal driving the car stalled. It slowed to a stall. I had to restart the car. This has happened a couple to times.
2020 Hyundai Kona
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Kona years
Owner complaints for the 2020 Hyundai Kona are substantially higher than the model-year median of 74.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Kona 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
47 reports with mileage · 111 unknown
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.
- Engine. Review the 105 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Unknown Or Other complaints
17 reportsOn 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 …
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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 car only had 44,900 miles on it and was only serviced by West Nyack Hyundai. The last service was on 1/19/26. If you have any questions, you can email me at [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Car keeps stalling no matter what speed you're driving. Took the car to NTB and they said nothing is wrong with it. It continues to happen even in busy highways where someone almost ran into the back of me. Not safe to drive. Concerned as numerous forums suggest this is a problem with 2019-2021 Hyundai Konas.
The air conditioning system has a drain for condensation. If it gets plugged up, from debris, algae, etc., it accumulates and sprays it into the passenger cabin. In my auto it sprays considerable water onto the floor boards of both the driver side and passenger side. I encountered such spraying onto my right foot making it sl…
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The air conditioning system has a drain for condensation. If it gets plugged up, from debris, algae, etc., it accumulates and sprays it into the passenger cabin. In my auto it sprays considerable water onto the floor boards of both the driver side and passenger side. I encountered such spraying onto my right foot making it slip off the accelerator pad while turning left. While turning right it sprays onto the passenger side. This is an actual spray of water. The dealer reports this is an owner maintenance item. This is not addressed in owner manuals. A search of google issues shows this to be a very big issue. To issues exists. Water onto the accelerator and the brake pedal are safety issues. Wet carpeting causes mold. It is a very bad design.
The horn stopped working. I have owned several cars and never had a horn malfunction. This is an important safety feature and is mandated, like airbags. They should work.
Loss of power to speed unable to acceleration had to pull over
Muffler pipe fell off while car was sitting in my driveway
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
I have a 2020 Kona SE AWD and have a problem with a Check Forward Collision Sensor error that happens infrequently. When it happens, you get a ding then on the dash in a large graphic "check forward collision sensor" then BANG the brakes are applied for a split second and the car violently drops into a lower gear and revs until …
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I have a 2020 Kona SE AWD and have a problem with a Check Forward Collision Sensor error that happens infrequently. When it happens, you get a ding then on the dash in a large graphic "check forward collision sensor" then BANG the brakes are applied for a split second and the car violently drops into a lower gear and revs until you turn the car off and "reset" the system. This has happened 4 times in the last 2 thousand miles. Been to the dealer twice and they cannot recreate the problem, so they can not fix anything. When this happens, its feels like a collision. It is scary and magnified at highway speed. It has happened at highway speed and low speed, both day and night.
After driving the car for several hours, I arrived at my destination and as I was parking the vehicle, it would not move when put in reverse. I received a message on the dashboard that said, “transmission problem detected.” I had the car towed the nearest Hyundai dealer. They diagnosed the issue as a transmission failure. They…
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After driving the car for several hours, I arrived at my destination and as I was parking the vehicle, it would not move when put in reverse. I received a message on the dashboard that said, “transmission problem detected.” I had the car towed the nearest Hyundai dealer. They diagnosed the issue as a transmission failure. They ordered and replaced the transmission with a rebuilt unit under warranty. I picked up the vehicle approximately 3 weeks later when the repair was completed. I drove the vehicle for 1 week before a similar problem occurred. While driving the vehicle, I received a warning message on the dashboard and the vehicle stopped on the road. The symptom of this subsequent failure was that the vehicle could not go over 2-3 mph. I had the vehicle towed to the nearest Hyundai dealer approximately 10 days ago. It is currently sitting in the dealer's lot waiting for them to "get around to check it".
Official recalls
221V301000 · Engine
Apr 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 & remedy
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.
20V022000 · Equipment:other:labels
Jan 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 & remedy
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.
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
2DP22005 · 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.
DP22003 · Loss Of Motive Power
Opened Sep 12, 2022 · Closed Dec 12, 2023
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021. The Petitioners cited examples of complaints indicating that the subject vehicles were experiencing rapid loss of engine oil due to oil drain plug back outs, resulting in loss of motive power and/or catastrophic engine damage. Additional complaints were provided which alleged that the oil drain pans lack sufficient structural integrity and are susceptible to cracking. The petition itself can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI number 11481745. On September 12, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Defect Petition (DP22-003) to evaluate the Petitioners’ request. The Petitioners have provided additional complaints within four supplemental letters dated January 31, 2023, March 21, 2023, May 23, 2023, and August 4, 2023. ODI’s evaluation included the review and analysis of the complaints and supporting information submitted by the Petitioners, as well as additional complaints submitted directly to NHTSA which referenced either the oil drain plug or a crack in the oil pan. After reviewing the available data, ODI has not identified evidence that would support opening a defect investigation into the oil drain pan assemblies of the subject vehicles. Based on a review of the available information, a loss of motive power resulting from an oil drain plug back out has not occurred between the initial sale of a vehicle and the completion of its first oil change. If during an oil change service, a technician fails to remove the existing drain plug gasket before installing a new gasket, it is likely that a proper seal between the drain plug and the oil pan will not be made. An improper seal between the drain plug and oil pan could lead to the backing out on the drain plug, resulting in the sudden loss of oil while driving. Additionally, the provided examples of oil pan cracks were localized to the immediate vicinity of the oil drain plug and/or appeared to be the result of direct-contact with a tool during servicing. There is no information to support that a vehicle-based defect exists relating to the oil pan assembly, and instead the documented incidents are related to the failure to follow the proper maintenance procedures during oil change service. In October 2023, Hyundai published a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) that provided detailed instructions for oil change service on its gasoline powered vehicles, specifically highlighting the need to remove and replace the existing drain plug gasket prior to reinstalling the drain plug. After a thorough review of the material submitted by the petitioner, the information already in NHTSA's possession, and the potential risks to motor vehicle safety implicated by the petitioners' allegations, NHTSA does not believe that a formal investigation is warranted. Therefore, the petition is denied. A Federal Register Notice (FRN) further detailing NHTSA’s reasons for denial of the petition will be published. The reference numbers for the complaints to NHTSA cited by the petitioner can be found in the petition submission documents in the public file for DP22-003. To review those complaints and the additional complaints ODI added to its evaluation which are cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
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