2022 Hyundai Kona

100 complaints on file, page 1 of 5.

1. Filed Oct 1, 2026Failure Oct 1, 2026Gilbert, AZPower train, Vehicle speed control

   I purchased this 2022 Hyundai Kona used in May 2025 with approximately 55,000 miles. Within about one to two months of purchase, in June 2025, the transmission began to malfunction. When I pressed the accelerator, the speedometer and engine speed would climb but the vehicle would not accelerate, resulting in a sudden loss of acceleration while driving. This happened in traffic on a public road, which put me at serious risk of being rear-ended and left me unable to safely merge, cross intersections, or maintain speed. The vehicle was taken to a Hyundai dealership service center, which diagnosed a transmission failure and performed a transmission repair in August 2025. In October 2026, about 14 months after that repair and about 17 months after I purchased the vehicle, the exact same symptom returned. When accelerating, the speedometer surges while the vehicle fails to accelerate and loses drive. This has again occurred on public roads. The vehicle now has approximately 78,000 miles. This is a serious safety concern, not only for me but for everyone driving around me. The loss of acceleration is sudden and unpredictable, and it occurs while the vehicle is in motion, including in traffic. It puts the driver and surrounding vehicles at risk of a collision. I have stopped driving the vehicle until it is repaired. Warning signs: No warning lights or messages appeared before the failure. The first symptom was the speedometer surging with no corresponding acceleration. Confirmation and inspection: The first failure was diagnosed and repaired by a Hyundai dealership service center in August 2025. The current failure will be taken to the same service center for diagnosis. The vehicle and transmission are available for inspection. I am reporting this because the same symptom has led to transmission failure twice in only about 17 months of ownership.

   NHTSA complaint 11768313
2. Filed Sep 29, 2026Failure Sep 29, 2026Eagle Mountain, UTAutomatic emergency braking

   Today, my Kona tried to kill me. I was traveling on a freeway in a construction zone. Road conditions were clear: no fog, precipitation, potholes or obstructions. Traffic slowed down to 30 mph as the rightmost lane becomes an exit only lane (and people exchanged between the middle and right lane). Traffic continued to flow freely around 50 mph in the left lane. I was in the middle lane, and after passing the off ramp my lane was clear for at least an eighth of a mile ahead (all visible traffic in front of me had taken the exit). I began to accelerate back up to freeway speeds when the "Automatic Emergency Braking" engaged for no reason. There was a curved driving path on the display (which read "Automatic Emergency Braking"), and it seemed like the car was trying to force me into the left lane (underneath a semi truck). I could feel the same motored pull that the Kona has while using the "lane keeping assistance" feature. But unlike the lane assist which takes 20 pounds to manually override, this took approximately 80 pounds of force to fight. Even fighting the turn, I was multiple feet into the left lane. The only reason I was not crushed by the wheels of the semi trailer is because the driver was hugging the left side of their lane. I was nearly rear-ended and the 4 cars behind me nearly had a pile-up because of this as well. My best guess is that it detected the cement barrier along the side of the curved road and incorrectly determined that I was on a collision path with it. Since it was a construction zone, the cement barrier was approximately 3 feet outside of the lane. In reality, this feature is not production ready and needs to be fixed/removed from the fleet.

   NHTSA complaint 11767691
3. Filed Sep 21, 2026Failure Sep 1, 2026Shelton, WAEngine

   My radiator has coolant leak. I noticed the fluid getting low and the smell. I had to put fluid in 2-3 times the last month. I took it into the shop and they confirmed that it is the lower left part of the radiator that it’s leaking from and it has to get replaced. I did notice on a campaign 24\-EM\-005H\. for the Hyundai Kona 2022. But my VIN number wasn’t part of that. It is having the same leak and I have to get the radiator replaced. My car has 65000 miles on it so it wasn’t covered under warranty. It is in the auto shop now and will cost me over 1200 to get it fixed.

   NHTSA complaint 11765879
4. Filed Sep 11, 2026Failure Sep 1, 2026Blacksburg, VAPower train

   Transmission (7 speed DCT) partial failure causing intermittent lack of acceleration, bucking, violent shifts. No warning lights are displayed. Despite being only days and about 1000 miles beyond the warranty neither Hyundai nor the dealer show interest in repairing this except at my cost, which is not feasible.

   NHTSA complaint 11763673
5. Filed Aug 5, 2026Failure Aug 3, 202627,000 milesMarlboro Township, NJPower train

   The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as intended. No warning lights illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was serviced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V746000 (POWER TRAIN); by the owner, but the remedy failed to fix the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure had occurred after the recall repair was performed. The contact stated that the failure had occurred twice. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the issue would be escalated. The failure mileage was 27,000.

   NHTSA complaint 11755087
6. Filed Jul 30, 2026Failure Jul 27, 2026Bergenfield, NJElectrical system, Engine

   COMPONENT/SYSTEM: Air Conditioning (HVAC) / Climate Control System and closed-loop refrigerant lines. The vehicle and all climate control components are available for immediate inspection. SAFETY RISK: Total loss of cooling in peak summer heat (90°F-95°F+) causes cabin temperatures to rapidly exceed 110°F. This sudden heat trapped in the vehicle caused me (the driver) acute heat exhaustion, culminating in a medical fainting episode. The vehicle regularly transports my newborn baby and toddler, subjecting them to severe heatstroke risks. Additionally, an ongoing 4-year chemical refrigerant leak inside an enclosed EV cabin creates an active toxic inhalation hazard for all passengers. DEALER CONFIRMATION: Yes. The failure has been repeatedly confirmed and documented by authorized Hyundai dealerships, including Paramus Hyundai, Garvey Hyundai, and Liberty Hyundai. Technicians repeatedly measured zero refrigerant charge/pressure, performed UV dye tests, and completed major repairs including AC line and radiator rebuilds without resolving the leak. INSPECTION HISTORY: Yes. Inspected multiple times by authorized Hyundai dealership technicians under official Corporate Case Nos #42549212, #41020884, and #23781133. WARNING LAMPS/SYMPTOMS: No dashboard warning lamps or error messages ever appeared. The only symptom was the AC suddenly blowing boiling hot air as refrigerant leaked out. This failure first appeared in Summer 2022 (shortly after vehicle purchase) and has recurred every summer for 4 consecutive years despite repeated warranty repair attempts.

   NHTSA complaint 11753892
7. Filed Jun 9, 2026Failure Jun 9, 2026Cape Coral, FLTiresCrash

   The tread came off the tire on the highway causing me to crash off I 75. The tires were made 6 of 2025 and the pressure was 31.5 according to the highway patrol officer on scene. I have the paperwork for the tires I purchased at Sams Club in Cape Coral Florida on 7/29/25. The tires are less than 11 months old and this shouldn't have happened. The tread damaged multiple parts of my car.

   NHTSA complaint 11743054
8. Filed Jun 3, 2026Failure May 29, 2026San Diego, CAUnknown or other

   Charging port door will not open. Not sure if it is an issue with acuator, which employee in service dept at dealer said that is common problem. Seems like if this issue with less than 20k, perhaps should also be recall item.

   NHTSA complaint 11741721
9. Filed Jun 3, 2026Failure Jun 1, 2026San Diego, CAUnknown or other

   Recall with car regarding coolant. Last year Hyundai apparently addressed; however, coolant light came on, despite coolant being full. Told by different dealership that with these issues, it needs to be checked and rechecked multiple times; otherwise, issues arise again (as in my case). Want this addressed by dealership. They are charging me a diagnostic fee of $198. Previously, when brought car in for recall work, equipment not always working.

   NHTSA complaint 11741719
10. Filed May 19, 2026Failure Feb 2, 2026Beaverton, ORElectrical system, Unknown or other

    The vehicle trunk doors pops open. This has been happening for several months. We’ve taken it to the dealership. They said that it was not covered and there has been no recall on this, but it’s still happening and it’s very dangerous. It’s happened on the freeway on the back roads at night it doesn’t matter it just when it feels like it wants to open up it beeps loudly and light comes on the dashboard as something is wrong and It will just pop open.

    NHTSA complaint 11738915
11. Filed May 19, 2026Failure Oct 14, 2024Meridian, MSEngine

    I purchased my 2022 Hyundai Kona on August 28, 2024, and I am the first registered owner. Only 48 days after purchase, the vehicle suddenly broke down without warning while stopped at a red light in [XXX] after traveling from [XXX] . The vehicle had to be towed. Since then, the vehicle has repeatedly experienced dangerous engine and timing-related issues despite major repairs, including an engine replacement, timing chain repairs, and multiple dealership inspections. The most dangerous incidents involve sudden power loss and large clouds of smoke while driving. On January 1, 2026, while attempting to pass a semi-truck on a multi-lane highway, the vehicle suddenly lagged, lost acceleration power, and emitted a large cloud of white smoke from the exhaust. This created an extremely unsafe situation because I was actively passing traffic at highway speeds and could have been struck by surrounding vehicles. I have also experienced these failures late at night on busy highways while traveling between [XXX] and [XXX] . In March 2026, the vehicle again emitted a large cloud of smoke and resumed lagging during acceleration. On April 23, 2026, Hyundai of Meridian informed me they personally witnessed the vehicle emit another large cloud of black smoke during test driving. These smoke events can reduce visibility for surrounding drivers and create hazardous roadway conditions. The vehicle has spent approximately 149 days in repair facilities, nearly 24% of the time I have owned it. Multiple dealerships documented timing chain slack, cam timing issues, and major engine concerns. Despite the recurring failures and safety concerns, Hyundai denied replacing the engine again and denied buying back the vehicle. I no longer feel safe operating this vehicle due to the risk of sudden power loss, engine failure, and smoke emissions while driving in traffic. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

    NHTSA complaint 11738820
12. Filed Apr 13, 2026Failure Jan 23, 2026Ridgeland, MSEngine

    In January 2026, my engine light illuminated and the vehicle lost power. The dealership found a sudden loss of compression across all four cylinders, requiring a total engine replacement. This occurred without warning, only two months after a routine oil change at the same facility where no issues were reported. Despite opening a case with Hyundai corporate, there has been no progress. My research indicates that while NHTSA Recall 21V301 (Safety Recall 203) specifies 2019–2021 models, the 2022 model shares the same engine design and identical reports of stalling and compression loss. My vehicle has been at the dealership for three months with no resolution. The dealership says they are running tests requested by tech line without providing documentation of the tests or the results. Although, the initial test performed indicated that it was a compression ring issue.

    NHTSA complaint 11730758
13. Filed Mar 13, 2026Failure Mar 12, 2026San Diego, CAEngine, Power train

    I found a lot of shaved metals when I did the oil change for the Gear Reduction. It made a lot of noises when driving or the wheel of fortune sounds whether the car is in Regenerative Braking. The sounds developed as time goes on but Hyundai failed to recall this issue. I found this has been an ongoing issue since 2019 when Hyundai make this Kona EV, but their engineers didn’t fix this type of issue and continue to manufacture the Kona EV with the same Gear Reduction Assembly and it caused a lot of noises with these shaving metals found in the oil changes. This is abnormal for a GRU to have so many metals found in the oil. Thus, it made a lot of noises. Now my car can’t even drive because of this. The GRU has been broken because of this issue that Hyundai didn’t even fix since 2019.

    NHTSA complaint 11724172
14. Filed Jan 20, 2026Failure Jan 19, 2026Dearborn Heights, MIEngine

    The vehicle displayed a warning lamp indicating a Cooling System Performance failure. The specific defect relates to the Integrated Thermal-Management Module (ITM) and the thermostat opening prematurely, corresponding to Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) P218100. This issue requires a repair outlined in Technical Service Bulletin 25-EM-007H, involving a spring installation and ECU update. This failure creates a serious safety concern because improper thermal management can cause the engine to overheat or force the vehicle into a reduced-power 'limp mode' without warning. A sudden loss of acceleration or engine stall while driving in traffic significantly increases the risk of a crash.

    NHTSA complaint 11712162
15. Filed Dec 10, 2025Failure Dec 9, 2025Howard Beach, NYElectrical system, Unknown or other

    December 2025: Yet ANOTHER horn failure. Pressed the vehicle's horn to alert another driver that they were drifting into my lane on the highway, and it FAILED to produce the loud sound that it is SUPPOSED TO make. It needed to be replaced again for the FOURTH time. Part 96611-J9500 was replaced—AGAIN. This is a continued safety issue that Hyundai has neglected to address and fix. Spontaneous horn failure is a HAZARD. The horn is there to warn others of possible danger.

    NHTSA complaint 11704314
16. Filed Dec 10, 2025Failure Aug 20, 2024Howard Beach, NYElectrical system, Unknown or other

    August 2024: Horn malfunction/failure. Pressed the car's horn, and it FAILED to produce the loud sound that it is SUPPOSED TO make to warn others of possible danger. It continued to not work and needed to be replaced for the third time. Part 96611-J9500 (Horn Assembly) was replaced for the THIRD time on this vehicle.

    NHTSA complaint 11704312
17. Filed Dec 10, 2025Failure Jan 22, 2024Howard Beach, NYElectrical system, Unknown or other

    JANUARY 2024: HORN FAILURE. Pressed the car's horn, and it FAILED to produce the loud sound that it is SUPPOSED TO make to warn others of possible DANGER. It continued to not work and needed to be replaced. Part 96611-J9500 was replaced AGAIN.

    NHTSA complaint 11704307
18. Filed Dec 10, 2025Failure Feb 27, 2023Howard Beach, NYElectrical system, Unknown or other

    February 2023: horn failure. Pressed the car's horn, and it FAILED to produce the loud sound that it is SUPPOSED TO make to warn others of possible danger. It continued to not work and needed to be replaced. Part 96611-J9500 was replaced.

    NHTSA complaint 11704305
19. Filed Nov 1, 2025Failure Nov 1, 2025Dunedin, FLElectrical system

    Hyundai has multiple complaints regarding Horn malfunction in the Hyundai Kona. I went to use my horn today to prevent an accident and found my horn does not work. I have checked my fuses and relays and neither are blown leading to the horn to be unable for use

    NHTSA complaint 11696969
20. Filed Oct 30, 2025Failure Aug 1, 2025Sarasota, FLElectrical system

    Horn was going in and out of working for the first few months after purchase. Now the horn does not work at all. It is not the fuse. As seeing through other complaints this is a very common problem and should be on Hyundai to fix.

    NHTSA complaint 11696653