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
Safety issues the manufacturer must repair for free. A recall means confirm the fix was done, not walk away.
Seat belts recall
A seat belt buckle that fails to properly restrain an occupant in a crash increases the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Passengers are advised not to use the rear center seat until the recall remedy is performed. Dealers will replace the seat belt buckle assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 2, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 306. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 15, 2026.
- 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
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
2
Most reports here involve sudden stalling.
Read full complaint
The contact owns a 2024 Hyundai Kona Electric. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the failure worsened while driving up an incline. The contact stated that on one occasion during the failure, the vehicle hesitated and the driver behind had to swerve and ended up striking the rear of another vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a dealer however, the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and was in communication with the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 6,000.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11630438 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
Electrical & infotainment
10
Most reports here involve software faults.
Read full complaint
While driving the instrument panel, headlights and infotainment screen all went black. Has happened multiple times but difficult to replicate. Vehicles head lights turned off while driving in the early morning (dark) but turned back on within a second or two. No warnings, no lights, no errors.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11683772 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
Brakes
1
Most reports here involve sudden stalling.
Read full complaint
Hyundai engages emergency parking brake EPB) automatically when in parked on an incline. The EPB will disengage under normal operation if all doors are closed. If doors are open, EPB will not disengage. If going from park to drive, this is not a problem. However, if in drive, traveling with trunk open for oversized cargo, the vehicle will drive normally until a stop on an incline, when the EPB will engage automatically, and then when the driver tries to proceed from the stop, their vehicle is disabled. The driver can provide power to drive train and burn the EPB. The driver must manually intervene after every stop on an incline to disengage the EPB to avoid being disabled at an intersection.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11678615 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
Steering, suspension & tires
1
Most reports here involve loss of steering.
Read full complaint
The steering wheel locks while driving. The headlights have gone out randomly on this car a few times. The steering locked up in a turn and I went into another guys lane and almost caused a major accident. The dealerships say they can’t recreate the issue but never really tried. The vehicle has been lemoned law but the manufacturer now is playing games and not following through on the lemon law replacement vehicle. I do have multiple reports from being towed off the highways and from the police having to chase me down to help avoid a major accident.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11638436 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
Other systems
1
Most reports here involve other issues.
Read full complaint
On June 5, 2025 I picked up a passenger who couldn't sit in the passenger seat because the headrest is canted at an unsafe angle so the passenger looks down and cannot look straight through the windshield. There is a page in the manual that shows the headrest is adjustable; this is wrong because the headrest is not adjustable. On July 2, 2025 I took it the vehicle in for recalls and asked about this; the service worker said there is no solution because replacement headrests are the same.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11677562 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
How does it compare with other years? The 2024 has 15 complaints on file, fewer 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.