BrakeNewsOwner complaints, read early

Your vehicle report

2021 Hyundai Kona

The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.

NHTSA data through October 2026View original NHTSA data Change vehicle

Your vehicle at a glance

Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.

Owner complaints
120
Received Apr 2021 to Oct 2026
Official recalls listed
1
Naming this model year; check your VIN for applicability
BrakeNews flagged problems
0
Statistical signals, not official defect findings or recalls

Owner reports

Most reported problems

  1. 1
    Engine stalls and loses power while driving13 complaints · 11% of this vehicle’s complaints
  2. 2
    Engine burns excessive oil between changes10 complaints · 8.3% of this vehicle’s complaints
  3. 3
    Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips6 complaints · 5.0% of this vehicle’s complaints
See all reported problems

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.
View recall details

BrakeNews signals

Flagged complaint patterns

Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.

No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.

How flags are identified

Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 2 crashes, 3 fires, 3 people injured, 0 deaths.

Explore by system

Where do owners report problems?

Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.

Schematic car with five system shortcutsGeneric side view, with the front on the left. Numbered links explore engine, brakes, steering, electrical, and body complaints. Text controls below provide the same choices.12345FRONTSCHEMATIC VIEW

Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.

View selected problems

Showing all 9 listed problems by system.

Engine & powertrain

3 more problems

Brakes

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

Electrical & lights

Airbags, belts & seats

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

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.

Complaints received about the 2021 Hyundai Kona
5
Show as a table
MonthComplaints
April 20214
May 20211
June 20214
July 20214
August 20214
September 20214
October 20211
November 20210
December 20211
January 20222
February 20223
March 20220
April 20221
May 20222
June 20222
July 20220
August 20221
September 20221
October 20223
November 20220
December 20223
January 20230
February 20233
March 20231
April 20231
May 20231
June 20231
July 20230
August 20233
September 20231
October 20230
November 20230
December 20231
January 20242
February 20242
March 20241
April 20240
May 20241
June 20240
July 20242
August 20241
September 20242
October 20244
November 20240
December 20242
January 20252
February 20251
March 20253
April 20251
May 20251
June 20251
July 20252
August 20255
September 20252
October 20251
November 20251
December 20251
January 20263
February 20263
March 20265
April 20265
May 20261
June 20263
July 20262
August 20262
September 20262
October 20263
Total120

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.

ProblemComplaintsShareShare ratioStatus
Engine stalls and loses power while driving1311%10.9×NHTSA recall #21V301000
Engine burns excessive oil between changes108.3%9.1×NHTSA recall #21V301000
Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips65.0%–
Engine suddenly shuts off while driving65.0%–
Engine knocking from rod or main bearings54.2%–
Tires blow out or tread separates43.3%–
Horn fails with airbag warning light32.5%–
Vehicle catches fire from wiring32.5%–
Unintended acceleration despite braking32.5%–

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.

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 2021 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