2021 Hyundai KONA ELECTRIC

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Above Average

Quick Summary

The 2021 Hyundai KONA ELECTRIC has 34 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.4x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is electrical problems (29% of all complaints), specifically: after charging the vehicle at home with level 2 charger to 100% it would not go into drive or reverse. it can go to neutral or park only. the car is at the dealership and they told the battery must be replaced when one is available. it is a safety concern because one can get stranded on the road w. ⚠️ 1 fire report filed.

1 fire report 2 crash reports

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

0.4x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ELECTRICAL

10 complaints

29%

• After charging the vehicle at home with level 2 charger to 100% it would not go into drive or reverse. It can go to neutral or Park only. The car is at the dealership and they told the battery must be replaced when one is available. It is a safety concern because one can get stranded on the road w
• The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric. The contact stated that while his wife disconnected the charger, the vehicle caught fire without warning. There were no reported injuries. The installation plug was melted. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed the connection
• I have a 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric Vehicle with approximately 20,000 miles. On August 26, 2022 several warning lights came on indicating that the lithium battery was inoperable but fully charged in danger of catching fire. The dealer immediately towed my vehicle and disconnected the battery. The

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“After charging the vehicle at home with level 2 charger to 100% it would not go into drive or reverse. It can go to neutral or Park only. The car is at the dealership and they told the battery must be replaced when one is available. It is a safety concern because one can get stranded on the road w”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

7 complaints

21%

• On 8/11/21, I tried to start my Hyundai Kona EV, and it displayed the high voltage warning . The car would not start or go into gear and had to be towed to the dealership. We purchased the car in May 2021, and it had about 3000 miles on it at the time. At the dealership, the mechanic diagnosed it
• I was parking my Hyundai Kona electric car going very slow when without warning it took off going over 100 miles per hour. I couldn't control the vehicle. The brakes didn't stop the car. It ran over a wood parking beam, hit two light posts, and went over a concrete structure before finally stoppin
• July of 2022, vehicle went in due to battery not charging. Vehicle kept at Temecula Hyundai repair until September 2022 for EV battery replacement. Upon return, EV battery still didn't change. September 2022 vehicle went back for repairs. Returned October 2022. Was told battery overheating sensor w

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“On 8/11/21, I tried to start my Hyundai Kona EV, and it displayed the high voltage warning . The car would not start or go into gear and had to be towed to the dealership. We purchased the car in May 2021, and it had about 3000 miles on it at the time. At the dealership, the mechanic diagnosed it ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

4 complaints

12%

• After charging the vehicle at home with level 2 charger to 100% it would not go into drive or reverse. It can go to neutral or Park only. The car is at the dealership and they told the battery must be replaced when one is available. It is a safety concern because one can get stranded on the road w
• My 2021 Hyundai Kona EV battery need to be replaced. But the dealer would not have estimated time when my Kona EV get new battery. It could take 1 month or 3 months. No clues. I would not make a mistake to buy another car like Hyundai EV.
• The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric. The contact stated that the battery had discharged. The contact stated that the 12-volt battery and “Bring in for Service, and key not detected messages were displayed. The contact stated that while his mother was driving at an undisclosed speed, the ve

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

— NHTSA complaint filing

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS

3 complaints

• The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the rearview camera became inoperable. The contact stated that the image on the rearview camera went blank. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and it was diagnose
• My wife's car t-boned another vehicle, but the air bags didn't deploy. Luckily, she wasn't hurt badly, but the vehicle was deemed a total loss, so you can imagine the force of the collision. The forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking didn't activate either. I reported it to Hyunda
• My wife's car t-boned another vehicle, but the air bags didn't deploy. Luckily, she wasn't hurt badly, but the vehicle was deemed a total loss, so you can imagine the force of the collision. The forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking didn't activate either. I reported it to Hyunda

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the rearview camera became inoperable. The contact stated that the image on the rearview camera went blank. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and it was diagnose”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SPEED CONTROL

2 complaints

• I WAS ENTERING MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND SLOWED DOWN AS WE NEARED OUR HOUSE WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKES SO THAT I CAN OPEN MY GARAGE DOOR, AS I RELEASED THE BRAKES, THE CAR STARTED ACCELERATING BY ITSELF REALLY FAST AND I HAD TO SLAM ON MY BRAKES TO STOP THE CAR FROM SPEEDING UP ON ITS OWN.
• While driving on the highway at 70 mph, cruise control engaged, there was a sudden loss of drive power. I could not accelerate, or return to the cruising speed. The speed just dramatically fell. The only remedy was to pull over to the side of the road, turn off the car, and start it again. This VIN

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“I WAS ENTERING MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND SLOWED DOWN AS WE NEARED OUR HOUSE WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKES SO THAT I CAN OPEN MY GARAGE DOOR, AS I RELEASED THE BRAKES, THE CAR STARTED ACCELERATING BY ITSELF REALLY FAST AND I HAD TO SLAM ON MY BRAKES TO STOP THE CAR FROM SPEEDING UP ON ITS OWN.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS(~50K mi)

$500

SPEED CONTROL(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 34 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ELECTRICAL: After charging the vehicle at home with level 2 charger to 100% it would not go into drive or reverse. It can go to neutral or Park only. The car is at the dealership and they told the battery must be replaced when one is available. It is a safety concern because one can get stranded on the road w
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: On 8/11/21, I tried to start my Hyundai Kona EV, and it displayed the high voltage warning . The car would not start or go into gear and had to be towed to the dealership. We purchased the car in May 2021, and it had about 3000 miles on it at the time. At the dealership, the mechanic diagnosed it
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: After charging the vehicle at home with level 2 charger to 100% it would not go into drive or reverse. It can go to neutral or Park only. The car is at the dealership and they told the battery must be replaced when one is available. It is a safety concern because one can get stranded on the road w
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS: The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the rearview camera became inoperable. The contact stated that the image on the rearview camera went blank. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and it was diagnose
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)