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2023 Hyundai Kona

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2023 Hyundai Kona do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 74.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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: 6 of 65 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 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Forward Collision Avoidance. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

4 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports

What owners actually said

65 reports
56,144 miles · Sep 15, 2026
Engine

The contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that while driving 64 MPH, the vehicle experienced a loss of motive power with reduced acceleration. The check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that the valve and boost solenoid needed to be replaced. The vehicle w…

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The contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that while driving 64 MPH, the vehicle experienced a loss of motive power with reduced acceleration. The check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that the valve and boost solenoid needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 56,144.

NHTSA ODI #11764450

Mileage unknown · Sep 9, 2026
Electrical SystemUnknown Or Other

I was in a rotary and there were two lanes and they both exited to a bridge. I was on the outside lane of the rotary and when exiting the rotary the car from the inside cut me off and I was unable to alert the driver because me HORN wasn't working. I blew out 2 tires hitting a curb and needed to be towed.State police arrived on …

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I was in a rotary and there were two lanes and they both exited to a bridge. I was on the outside lane of the rotary and when exiting the rotary the car from the inside cut me off and I was unable to alert the driver because me HORN wasn't working. I blew out 2 tires hitting a curb and needed to be towed.State police arrived on the other side of the bridge. My HORN has been replaced by the dealer 3 times now.

NHTSA ODI #11763162

Mileage unknown · Aug 11, 2026
Electrical SystemForward Collision Avoidance

Dear Hyundai Motor America Consumer Affairs, My name is [XXX], and I am submitting this correspondence as a formal safety and customer-service complaint concerning my 2023 Hyundai Kona SEL, the recurring failure of its horn, and the treatment I received at Capitol Hyundai in San Jose, California. I am requesting that Hyundai Mot…

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Dear Hyundai Motor America Consumer Affairs, My name is [XXX], and I am submitting this correspondence as a formal safety and customer-service complaint concerning my 2023 Hyundai Kona SEL, the recurring failure of its horn, and the treatment I received at Capitol Hyundai in San Jose, California. I am requesting that Hyundai Motor America immediately open a corporate case, investigate the dealership’s handling of this matter, preserve all relevant records, and provide me with a written resolution. This complaint involves an unresolved vehicle safety concern. My vehicle’s horn has failed repeatedly. I previously presented the vehicle to Hyundai for this same horn issue in 2024. One of those visits was properly documented. I subsequently returned regarding the horn again, and the horn was made operational; however, to the best of my knowledge, that subsequent visit and/or work was not properly documented in my service history. The horn has now failed again. A functioning horn is an important vehicle safety device. Without it, I cannot reliably warn another driver, cyclist, pedestrian, or other road user when immediate warning may be necessary to avoid a collision. On August 11, 2026, I brought my vehicle to Capitol Hyundai, 1050 Capitol Expressway Auto Mall, San Jose, CA 95136, seeking assistance with this recurring problem. What occurred is particularly concerning because Capitol Hyundai’s own Repair Order documents the situation. The Repair Order states: “CUSTOMER STATES HORN IS NOT WORKING PLEASE CHECK AND ADVISE” and also states: “DEALERSHIP IS REFUSING TO SERVICE CLIENT DUE TO CUSTOMER ISSUE.” I am attaching a copy of this Repair Order. Therefore, there should be no dispute that Capitol Hyundai had actual written notice on [XXX] that I reported an inoperative horn and that the dealership documented its refusal to service me. Instead of resolving the safety concern, I left without the horn being repaired. I was also told that the dealership would INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT

NHTSA ODI #11756321

Mileage unknown · Jul 30, 2026
Engine

I was driving to work on a normal day under normal circumstances when a check engine light won my dashboard. Seconds later my car started showing car is over heating. I immediately swayed from the speed lane to the side of the road almost getting into a crash as other vehicles were at full speeds behind me. I immediately call…

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I was driving to work on a normal day under normal circumstances when a check engine light won my dashboard. Seconds later my car started showing car is over heating. I immediately swayed from the speed lane to the side of the road almost getting into a crash as other vehicles were at full speeds behind me. I immediately called dealership and made an appointment. My vehicle experienced a premature failure of the cooling coolant valve, a critical component of the engine cooling system. This failure resulted in diagnostic trouble codes, warning messages, and concerns regarding the reliability of the vehicle. A component of this importance should not fail on a vehicle that is only three years old and has been properly maintained. When I brought the vehicle to an authorized Hyundai dealership, I was required to pay a $248 diagnostic fee simply to identify the failed component. After the diagnosis, I was presented with an estimated repair cost of approximately $1,600 to replace the defective coolant valve and associated parts. I believe these charges are unreasonable because the failure appears to involve a defective component rather than normal wear and tear. Consumers should not be expected to pay significant diagnostic and repair costs for a major cooling system component that fails prematurely. I have also learned that Hyundai has issued recalls and/or service campaigns affecting certain other vehicles for cooling system-related issues. However, my vehicle is apparently not included in those actions, despite experiencing a similar premature failure. While I understand that recalls apply only to specific vehicles and conditions, I respectfully request that investigators determine whether the defect affecting my vehicle is related to those existing actions or whether additional vehicles, including my 2023 Hyundai Kona, should be evaluated for expanded coverage. My research also indicates that other Hyundai Kona owners have reported similar coolant valve fail

NHTSA ODI #11753667

94,000 miles · Apr 1, 2026
Power Train

The contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that while stopped at a traffic light, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle hesitated before driving forward. The Engine START/STOP feature was engaged. The contact stated that the ESC warning light was illuminated temporarily. The contact stated that the f…

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The contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that while stopped at a traffic light, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle hesitated before driving forward. The Engine START/STOP feature was engaged. The contact stated that the ESC warning light was illuminated temporarily. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent, but was a recurring failure. The check engine warning illuminated and remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the electric oil pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact had not informed the manufacturer about the failure. The contact researched online and associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V526000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.

NHTSA ODI #11728608

Mileage unknown · Mar 28, 2026
Unknown Or Other

My horn is not working again. It was replaced when I initially got the Kona in 2023. It did not work coming out of the dealership. And now again it is back to not working. This is a liability and also a danger to my children.

NHTSA ODI #11727689

106,000 miles · Mar 24, 2026
Electrical System

The contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that the horn was working intermittently. The horn occasionally operated but had become permanently inoperable. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000…

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The contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that the horn was working intermittently. The horn occasionally operated but had become permanently inoperable. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.

NHTSA ODI #11726817

Mileage unknown · Feb 28, 2026
Unknown Or Other

Liftgate was clicking leaving interior lights on Drained battery- had to buy new battery! NOW Liftgate wil NOT open at all.

NHTSA ODI #11721170

Mileage unknown · Feb 10, 2026
Electrical SystemUnknown Or Other

Dear Hyundai Motor America Consumer Affairs, I am formally escalating a safety defect involving my 2023 Hyundai Kona, VIN [XXX] , purchased [XXX]. Since the purchase, the vehicle’s horn has repeatedly failed. I have brought the car in for service multiple times, and the issue is thoroughly documented in service records and ema…

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Dear Hyundai Motor America Consumer Affairs, I am formally escalating a safety defect involving my 2023 Hyundai Kona, VIN [XXX] , purchased [XXX]. Since the purchase, the vehicle’s horn has repeatedly failed. I have brought the car in for service multiple times, and the issue is thoroughly documented in service records and email correspondence. Despite these efforts, the defect has not been permanently resolved. A non-functioning horn is a serious safety issue. This defect is not isolated; identical horn failures in Hyundai Kona vehicles are widely documented across public Internet forums, consumer complaint sites, and owner reports, further underscoring the seriousness of this issue. Given the repeated repair attempts and ongoing safety risk, I am requesting immediate corporate-level review and a clear, permanent resolution. This matter requires prompt attention. [XXX] , service manager, informed me today that my horn was changed/serviced 4 times already. As of today, 2-10-2-26 he is ordering me another horn. Please respond in writing with next steps. Sincerely, [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #11716965

Mileage unknown · Feb 3, 2026
Electrical SystemForward Collision AvoidanceUnknown Or Other

Rear latch unlocks while vehicle is running or not running up to 30 times at once. Rear latch unlocks without key being in vehicle. This has been reported to Hyundai Motor America since August 2025. The front collision warning goes off at random times, left side departure goes off at random times.

NHTSA ODI #11715395

Official recalls

1

23V526000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:fluid/lubricant:pump

Jul 27, 2023

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Palisade Tucson, 2023 Sonata, Elantra, and Kona vehicles. The electronic controller for the Idle Stop & Go oil pump assembly may contain damaged electrical components that can cause the pump controller to overheat.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An electric oil pump assembly that overheats increases the risk of a vehicle fire.

Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will inspect and replace the electric oil pump controller, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed starting September 7, 2023. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 246.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.