Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government
holds on this vehicle.
Owners have filed 65 safety complaints
about the 2023 Hyundai Kona with the US government. Of those, 4 describe a crash, 3 people were injured and no death is recorded. One recall campaign is open against it, covering the power train.
The most complained-about system is the electrical system,
named in 26 complaints, 40% of the total.
The typical failure was reported at 34,072 miles,
the median across the 6
complaints that gave
an odometer reading.
Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files
· Covers November 2022 to September 2026 · How this is counted
What is on file
65 complaints on file
65
Complaints
4
Describe a crash
0
Mention fire
3
People injured
0
Deaths
A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a
finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts
them.
A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free.
Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can
answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a
model year.
Which system owners named
Complaints naming each system
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 26 · 40%
26 40%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 18 · 28%
18 28%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 13 · 20%
13 20%
POWER TRAIN 10 · 15%
10 15%
ENGINE 8 · 12%
8 12%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 7 · 11%
7 11%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 4 · 6%
4 6%
SERVICE BRAKES 3 · 5%
3 5%
LANE DEPARTURE 2 · 3%
2 3%
AIR BAGS 1 · 2%
1 2%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 1 · 2%
1 2%
SEAT BELTS 1 · 2%
1 2%
01223
Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it.
One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 65.
When the complaints arrived
By the year NHTSA received them
By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures
happened. They peaked in 2023 at 20.
24 18 12 6
222022232023242024252025262026
This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure
happened. The range runs from 2022 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program
NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what
happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2023 Hyundai KONA, and it is a separate
question from what owners report going wrong later.
Test
SUV AWD
SUV FWD
Overall
Frontal crash
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash
Side barrier
Side pole
Rollover
Chance of rollover
13.6%
14.1%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard
A rating belongs to a tested body style and drivetrain, not to the model as a whole, which is why more than one is listed.
A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.
Recall campaigns
1 on file
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:FLUID/LUBRICANT:PUMP
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.
The risk
An electric oil pump assembly that overheats increases the risk of a vehicle fire.
The 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.
Hyundai Motor America · up to 52,109 vehicles across all model years covered
In owners’ own words
Quoted from the complaint file
Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the
people who filed them, not findings of fault.
SERVICE BRAKES
2 injured · crash · towed
Vehicle was service at a Hyundai Dealer for routine required maintenance to continue the warranty. Less than 24 hours later I was driving my special needs, handicap daughter to breakfast and pulled into a handicap parking space and placed my foot on the brake. The pedal seemed to not have any tension and go to the floor. The emergency collision warning went off, but the brakes did not work. The vehicle jumped over a parking curb, knocking over a handicap sign, going across the sidewalk, hitting a garbage can and finally coming to a stop in a brick building.
NHTSA complaint 11636006. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
1 injured
Safety system that automatically puts the car in park if a door is opened while in gear failed to apply
NHTSA complaint 11708650. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
Within 1 mile of having windshield replaced the mirror broke free falling down completely distracted the driver, tried to grab mirror did not see the car ahead applied his brakes the forward collision warning and the automatic emergency braking did not warn of the danger or avoid it . the driver applied the brakes but not soon to avoid the accident
NHTSA complaint 11523497. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
AIR BAGS
crash
i was driving at 45mph and a deer came in front of my car . We hit the deer in front of car , deer approximitly 100 lbs no warning like brake sytem lane obstruction or air bags deployed ? I bought this car based Hyundai telling me how safe of car it is . When obiously it is not I notified Hyundai america of these things and they said everything worked correctly ?
NHTSA complaint 11516654. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ENGINE
56,144 miles
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 complaint 11764450. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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 complaint 11763162. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
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 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 …
NHTSA complaint 11753667, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
POWER TRAIN
94,000 miles
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 …
NHTSA complaint 11728608, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
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 complaint 11727689. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN
106,000 miles
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 complaint 11726817. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's
lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How
many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by
the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.
Complaints: NHTSA's ODI
complaint file, published October 2, 2026. One
complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.
Recalls: NHTSA's recall
campaign API, newest campaign on this vehicle filed July 27, 2023.
Investigations: NHTSA's ODI
investigation file, published October 2, 2026.
A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by
us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that
sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.
G
Compiled and maintained by guarledes Independent developer and analyst