3 complaints reported

2018 Hyundai Kona POWER TRAIN,ENGINE

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
3
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Jan 2026

My vehicle started was burning oil having to add oil frequently. Then a knocking noise started coming from the engine (2.0 L MPI NU).It began to have trouble starting and was not accelerating properly and the check engine light came on . Within two days I brought my car to my mechanic and he stated that there was no sign of an oil leak and felt it was a deeper problem. I brought it to a Hyundai dealership and they stated that the engine needed to be replaced/rebuilt. I feel that the lack of acceleration could have been a safety issue on the highway as it could have prevented me from passing in a timely fashion or just lose all power in traffic. There is an active recall for this type of engine starting with model year 2019.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 HYUNDAI KONA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Sep 2026
Jan 2023

According to the garage Piston Ring failure causing engine damage and oil consumption. Vehicle shut off while excelling on a high traffic route. Vehicle has been in the garage since 1/13/23. As of today 2/1/23 still awaiting news of engine replacement.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 HYUNDAI KONA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Dec 2023
Jan 2020 Fire

WAS DRIVING HYUNDAI KONA DOWN THE FREEWAY. I SMELLED A BURNING SMELL, I SAW THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BLINK ONCE. THE CAR WENT INTO LIMP MODE AND I STARTED PULLING OVER TO THE SHOULDER. STOPPING ON THE SHOULDER, I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. I EVACUATED THE CAR AND WITHIN A FEW MINUTES, FLAMES WERE PRESENT. IT WAS BETWEEN 2-3 MILES START TO FINISH.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 HYUNDAI KONA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Sep 2020

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2018 Hyundai Kona has 3 POWER TRAIN,ENGINE complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.