2019 Hyundai KONA

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2019 Hyundai KONA has 240 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 3.0x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (55% of all complaints), specifically: a couple hundred miles after purchasing a new kona, i had started having acceleration issues going from a dead stop into first gear .as the car starts to go, this is under 5 mph, the car then hesitates as if someone is hitting the brakes. i have almost been rear ended several times due to this. it . ⚠️ 5 fire reports filed.

5 fire reports 14 crash reports 10 injuries

240

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

3.0x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

133 complaints

55%

• A COUPLE HUNDRED MILES AFTER PURCHASING A NEW KONA, I HAD STARTED HAVING ACCELERATION ISSUES GOING FROM A DEAD STOP INTO FIRST GEAR .AS THE CAR STARTS TO GO, THIS IS UNDER 5 MPH, THE CAR THEN HESITATES AS IF SOMEONE IS HITTING THE BRAKES. I HAVE ALMOST BEEN REAR ENDED SEVERAL TIMES DUE TO THIS. IT
• AS I WAS COMING TO A STOP LIGHT I PRESSED MY BRAKE PEDALS I FELT A SHUDDER THROUGH THE BRAKE PEDAL AND MY CAR DIED. THIS OCCURRED THREE TIMES IN A SHORT. OF TIME. THIS OCCURRED THREE TIMES IN A SHORT. OF TIME I WAS ON A HIGHWAY AND IT WAS VERY DISCONCERTING I WAS ABLE TO FINALLY GET IT BACK HOME.
• VEHICLE STALLS WITH A/C RUNNING ON TURNS. IT IS INTERMITTENT ISSUE. BY PUTTING VEHICLE BACK IN NEUTRAL VEHICLE RESTARTS RIGHT AWAY. THIS HAPPENS NORMALLY IN HOTTER WEATHER. CALLED DEALER AND TAKEN VEHICLE IN AND CAN NOT DUPLICATE. SO NO FIX. THIS IS A 2019 HYUNDAI KONA WITH 19,500 MILES. OTHERS ON H

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“A COUPLE HUNDRED MILES AFTER PURCHASING A NEW KONA, I HAD STARTED HAVING ACCELERATION ISSUES GOING FROM A DEAD STOP INTO FIRST GEAR .AS THE CAR STARTS TO GO, THIS IS UNDER 5 MPH, THE CAR THEN HESITATES AS IF SOMEONE IS HITTING THE BRAKES. I HAVE ALMOST BEEN REAR ENDED SEVERAL TIMES DUE TO THIS. IT ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

20 complaints

• STARTUP AND DRIVING FOR 15 MINUTES BCW WARNING SYSTEM DISABLED RADAR BLOCKED MESSAGE COMES ON, YIELD SIGN WITH EXCLAIMATION POINT COMES ON, AND THE BUTTON THAT TURNS THE SYSTEM ON/OFF LEFT OF STEERING WHEEL GOES OUT ERROR STAYS APPROX 20-25 MINUTES AND THEN RESETS ITSELF PULLING OFF ROAD, AND RESTA
• UPON COLLISION (FRONT END) AT ABOUT 35 MPH THE VEHICLE BURST INTO FLAMES AND CONTINUED TO BURN UNTIL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SHOWED UP. IN ADDITION, THERE MAY BE AN ISSUE WITH THE SEAT BELT MECHANISM. DRIVER'S CLAVICLE WAS FRACTURED AND DISPLACED UPON IMPACT.
• This vehicle has stalled five (5) times while driving, twice at highway speeds and three times at neighborhood speeds. The warning light comes on, the car stalls but then will restart normally. Have been lucky in that there have been no accidents. The dealer had the car for a week and can dia

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 3 crashes

“STARTUP AND DRIVING FOR 15 MINUTES BCW WARNING SYSTEM DISABLED RADAR BLOCKED MESSAGE COMES ON, YIELD SIGN WITH EXCLAIMATION POINT COMES ON, AND THE BUTTON THAT TURNS THE SYSTEM ON/OFF LEFT OF STEERING WHEEL GOES OUT ERROR STAYS APPROX 20-25 MINUTES AND THEN RESETS ITSELF PULLING OFF ROAD, AND RESTA”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

18 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 HYUNDAI KONA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM SUDDENLY ACTIVATED, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ABRUPTLY SLOW DOWN. ALSO, WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER'S SEAT HEATER ERRONEOUSLY ACTIVATED AND THE DOORS WOULD NOT AUTOMATIC
• DURING REGULAR DRIVING THE VEHICLE LOSES POWER, WILL NOT ACCELERATE AND STALLS OUT COMPLETELY. AFTER SITTING A FEW MINUTES THE VEHICLE WILL RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE REPAIR SHOP BUT NOTHING SEEMED WRONG. WITHIN A SIX MONTH PERIOD IT AGAIN OCCURRED TWICE. ONCE AGAIN NOTHING WAS OBSERVED
• Speedometer is not measuring correctly to the actual speed of car. Was actually driving about 15 mph faster than found on the analog gauge without knowing. The dealer confirmed that speedometer was reading 15 MPH under the actual speed of the car. Do not now if the car component was inspected by

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

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 HYUNDAI KONA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM SUDDENLY ACTIVATED, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ABRUPTLY SLOW DOWN. ALSO, WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER'S SEAT HEATER ERRONEOUSLY ACTIVATED AND THE DOORS WOULD NOT AUTOMATIC”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

17 complaints

• CAR AT TIMES WILL NOT ACCELERATE FROM A STOP FOR 2 TO 3 SECONDS AFTER ACCLERATER IS PUSH.
• WHEN LEAVING HOME THE VEHICLE HAD LITTLE ACCELERATION AND POOR SHIFTING. TOOK TOO MUCH TIME MERGING INTO TRAFFIC. AFTER CONTACTING THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP THE PROBLEM CLEARED UP AS IT HAD DONE BEFORE. DROVE TO THE LOCAL HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP. OBDII CODE READ P0193.
• WHEN I COME TO A SLIGHT UPHILL INCLINE, SLOW DOWN WITHOUT FULLY STOPPING, AND THEN ATTEMPT TO ACCELERATE, THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FEELS AS IF IT IS IN NEUTRAL. THE ENGINE WILL REV UP TO APPROXIMATELY 2000 RPM BUT THE VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE FOR APPROXIMATELY 1 SECOND. THEN ALL OF

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

“CAR AT TIMES WILL NOT ACCELERATE FROM A STOP FOR 2 TO 3 SECONDS AFTER ACCLERATER IS PUSH.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS

15 complaints

• 2019 HYUNDAI KONA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DEFECTIVE BRAKING SYSTEM. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM WAS INOPERABLE. THE SYSTEM DOES NOT RESPOND TO SPEED LIMITS, DOES NOT ALARM, DOES NOT DISPLAY PICTURES, AND DOES NOT APPLY ANY BRAKING FORCE TO AVOID A CRASH.
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 HYUNDAI KONA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM SUDDENLY ACTIVATED, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ABRUPTLY SLOW DOWN. ALSO, WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER'S SEAT HEATER ERRONEOUSLY ACTIVATED AND THE DOORS WOULD NOT AUTOMATIC
• After I had the car for about 10 months, the front collision warning system light came on while I was driving 65mph. There was a huge jolt, as if I'd hit something large and metal, and the engine revved as if stuck. I pulled over and found nothing in the road. It was terrifying, and I can't imagine

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“2019 HYUNDAI KONA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DEFECTIVE BRAKING SYSTEM. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM WAS INOPERABLE. THE SYSTEM DOES NOT RESPOND TO SPEED LIMITS, DOES NOT ALARM, DOES NOT DISPLAY PICTURES, AND DOES NOT APPLY ANY BRAKING FORCE TO AVOID A CRASH. ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 240 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: A COUPLE HUNDRED MILES AFTER PURCHASING A NEW KONA, I HAD STARTED HAVING ACCELERATION ISSUES GOING FROM A DEAD STOP INTO FIRST GEAR .AS THE CAR STARTS TO GO, THIS IS UNDER 5 MPH, THE CAR THEN HESITATES AS IF SOMEONE IS HITTING THE BRAKES. I HAVE ALMOST BEEN REAR ENDED SEVERAL TIMES DUE TO THIS. IT
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: STARTUP AND DRIVING FOR 15 MINUTES BCW WARNING SYSTEM DISABLED RADAR BLOCKED MESSAGE COMES ON, YIELD SIGN WITH EXCLAIMATION POINT COMES ON, AND THE BUTTON THAT TURNS THE SYSTEM ON/OFF LEFT OF STEERING WHEEL GOES OUT ERROR STAYS APPROX 20-25 MINUTES AND THEN RESETS ITSELF PULLING OFF ROAD, AND RESTA
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 HYUNDAI KONA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM SUDDENLY ACTIVATED, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ABRUPTLY SLOW DOWN. ALSO, WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER'S SEAT HEATER ERRONEOUSLY ACTIVATED AND THE DOORS WOULD NOT AUTOMATIC
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: CAR AT TIMES WILL NOT ACCELERATE FROM A STOP FOR 2 TO 3 SECONDS AFTER ACCLERATER IS PUSH.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)