Your vehicle report
2020 Hyundai Kona
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 162
- Received Mar 2020 to Oct 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Engine stalls and loses power while driving13 complaints · 8.0% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Engine suddenly shuts off while driving9 complaints · 5.6% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Engine burns excessive oil between changes8 complaints · 4.9% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #21V301000Hyundai 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.
- Recall #20V022000Hyundai 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."
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
- Engine suddenly shuts off while drivingFirst signal: Mar 2026
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 8 crashes, 3 fires, 12 people injured, 1 death.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 9 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 13 |
| 2021 | 61 |
| 2022 | 12 |
| 2023 | 14 |
| 2024 | 8 |
| 2025 | 27 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 27 |
| Total | 162 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine stalls and loses power while driving | 13 | 8.0% | 5.9× | NHTSA recall #21V301000 |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 9 | 5.6% | 4.1× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Mar 2026 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 1.5% |
| Engine burns excessive oil between changes | 8 | 4.9% | 4.9× | NHTSA recall #21V301000 |
| Engine knocking from rod or main bearings | 5 | 3.1% | – | |
| Automatic emergency braking applies without reason | 5 | 3.1% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 4 | 2.5% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 4 | 2.5% | – | |
| Steering wanders or pulls at highway speed | 4 | 2.5% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 3 | 1.8% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #21V301000April 28, 2021158,493 vehicles affected
engine
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.
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.
NHTSA recall #20V022000January 17, 2020477 vehicles affected
equipment: other: labels
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."
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.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2020 Hyundai Kona.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN