Car Defect Radar
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Built from NHTSA complaints and recalls collected for this model, generated October 26, 2026. Totals reflect what has been collected, not every complaint ever filed.
Confirm 2 recalls before you buy.

Ask the seller for proof the repair was completed, or run the free VIN check. Recall repairs are done at no cost by a dealer.

Recalls

2 total · 2 to confirm

Safety issues the manufacturer must repair for free. A recall means confirm the fix was done, not walk away.

Electrical system recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 22V941000 · Dec 2022

Coolant contacting the EPCU circuit board may cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the EPCU, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 22, 2023. A second notice will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 239.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Brakes recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 20V748000 · Dec 2020

Reduced braking power could lengthen the distance required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will update the IEB software, free of charge. The recall began January 25, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 199.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Owner complaints by system

26 total

Unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA, grouped by the part of the car. Useful for spotting patterns. Open a group to read recent examples.

Engine & powertrain

Minor
2

Most reports here involve unintended acceleration.

unintended acceleration 1sudden stalling 1
A recent report: 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…
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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 was not included in the initial similar recall earlier this year.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11541136 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Electrical & infotainment

Worth reading
17

Most reports here involve electrical shorts.

electrical shorts 3sudden stalling 3
A recent report: On February 3, 2026, while driving in a high-traffic turning lane, my Hyundai Kona Electric vehicle suddenly lost propulsion and would not accelerate. The vehicle shut down without warning and could…
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On February 3, 2026, while driving in a high-traffic turning lane, my Hyundai Kona Electric vehicle suddenly lost propulsion and would not accelerate. The vehicle shut down without warning and could not be restarted. Traffic was building behind me, creating a safety hazard. I felt unsafe due to surrounding vehicles expecting movement, I contacted the police for assistance. The vehicle had to be towed from the roadway. The vehicle was transferred between 3 dealerships before being diagonsed. On February 16, 2026, the issue was diagnosed as a motor position sensor failure affecting the propulsion system. The vehicle has remained inoperable since February 3, 2026, and there is no repair ETA due to parts availability. The vehicle remains at the servicing dealership and is available for inspection upon request. There were no prior warning lamps, dashboard messages, or noticeable symptoms before the sudden loss of propulsion. This incident involved a sudden failure of the vehicle’s propulsion system while operating in active traffic and presented a significant safety concern.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11719765 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Brakes

Minor
3

Most reports here involve unintended acceleration.

unintended acceleration 1software faults 1loss of braking 1
A recent report: After powering on the car, the dashboard displayed multiple brake system warnings, including the brake system warning light and a message on the LCD display that read "Check regenerative brakes." A…
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After powering on the car, the dashboard displayed multiple brake system warnings, including the brake system warning light and a message on the LCD display that read "Check regenerative brakes." A Hyundai dealer replaced the integrated electric brake unit assembly (invoice attached).

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11669350 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Airbags & seat belts

Worth reading
1

Most reports here involve airbags not deploying. Of these, 1 mention a crash.

airbags not deploying 1
A recent report: 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…
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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 Hyundai. They sent an inspector to examine the vehicle, and I also showed them photos and a copy of the police report, but they claim that my car was hit on the side, and the pre collision system doesn't detect imminent side impact. That's completely outrageous. I don't know what their inspector wrote in their report, but the photos and police report are irrefutable proof that my wife had a frontal collision with the side of another vehicle. Hyundai kept denying it because they didn't want to help financially. I attached a copy of their determination letters (the second one was after I submitted a copy of the police report to prove that my wife's car is the one that hit the other vehicle, but Hyundai refused to see it as it happened). This is a link to see the interior and exterior photos of the vehicle: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11665430 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Structure & body

Minor
1

Most reports here involve other issues.

other issues 1
A recent report: Sunroof exploded. On 19 January 2022 around 15:45 (Pacific Time) while driving approximately 65mph in my 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric on Hwy 60 (Moreno Valley, California), west-bound I experienced a…
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Sunroof exploded. On 19 January 2022 around 15:45 (Pacific Time) while driving approximately 65mph in my 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric on Hwy 60 (Moreno Valley, California), west-bound I experienced a loud explosion sound in my Kona and glass raining down on me and the inside of the car. I looked up and noticed there was a hole in the sunroof (see attached photos). I immediately found a safe place to exit the highway and stopped.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11449155 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Other systems

Minor
2

Most reports here involve other issues.

other issues 2
A recent report: Hyundia has had my car in for the SAME recall 4 to 5 times . 6 total weeks this time around. The ""refill inverter coolant" light kept coming back on . The last time I got it home it had more issues…
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Hyundia has had my car in for the SAME recall 4 to 5 times . 6 total weeks this time around. The ""refill inverter coolant" light kept coming back on . The last time I got it home it had more issues than when I took it in and wouldn't even catch a charge . (EV) They fried my compassitor trying to fix the inverter coolant recall . I then took had to pay 450 for a diagnostic ' (Kerry hyundai alexandria) They said electric motor is bad and will cost 8000 to 9000. Got a 2nd diagnostic (Jeff wyler hyundai cincinnati) Completely different result- Zero mention of motor ' said Ac compasitor failed. (Had no issues prior to them working on the original recall ) The light for the recall is still on by the way and they want me to pay 3500 for new AC capacitor . (600 diagnostic included in that price ) " The dealership’s failure to properly perform the inverter coolant refill recall directly caused the AC compressor failure in my 2021 Hyundai Kona EV. Before taking the vehicle in for the recall, the AC system was fully functional, delivering cold air without any issues, and the car experienced no charging problems, indicating the battery and cooling systems were operating normally. The recall, intended to flush the inverter cooling system and replace the crystallizing BSC-1 coolant with BSC-2, was not completed correctly, as evidenced by the dealership’s admission that they couldn’t fix it. This botched service likely left air or debris in the cooling system, which, in Kona EVs with a heat pump, could overwork the AC compressor used for battery cooling during charging. The compressor’s failure shortly after the recall service, despite no prior issues, strongly suggests that the improper coolant flush caused undue stress on the compressor, leading to its $3,000 failure, which should be covered under warranty or as a goodwill repair due to the dealership’s error". [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11674690 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Is 26 complaints a lot? They were filed between 2021 and 2026, roughly 5 a year, which is fewer than the typical model in this dataset. We do not have sales figures for this model, so treat this as a rough volume, not a rate per car on the road. Popular, high-volume models naturally collect more complaints over time.

How does it compare with other years? The 2021 has 26 complaints on file, fewer than the 2020 (27) and more than the 2022 (20). Of the 5 model years of the Hyundai Kona Electric we cover, the 2019 has the most (54). Older model years have had longer to collect complaints.