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KLUNK
KLUNK

2019 Hyundai Kona

The Verdict

57 Proceed with Caution

The 2019 Hyundai Kona has 184 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are engine (138 complaints) and body (22 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 57/100, it earns a "Proceed with Caution" rating. If you're shopping for a Hyundai Kona, consider the 2025 model year which has 85% fewer complaints.

Safe Bet

The 2025 has 85% fewer complaints

View the 2025 Hyundai Kona dashboard →

57

Klunk Score: Proceed with Caution

About average for complaint volume. Research the specific issues before buying.

How is this calculated?

The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.

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Under the Hood

Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.

YearBodyBrakesElectricalEngineTransmission
20182109411
2019222131389
2020272910410
20212215749
202227720319
20232132097
2024662073
202593923

By Category

Engine
138
Body
22
Electrical
13
Transmission
9
Brakes
2

By Severity

1
102
2
69
4
13

Worst Problems

Complaints

Body 2

First notice was exterior top railing coating wearing down after just 3 years of having car. Notified dealership of this issue and was stated that my car was out of warranty. (Now 7yo) Exterior Paint is peeling off hood; exposing primer layering, as well as in some spots, the main body itself. This is a known defect caused by factory laquer coating and of which dealership states they STILL will not cover repair.

10d ago
Engine 1

My 2019 Hyundai Kona has been burning oil, I’ve done great upkeep on it, including topping the oil off in between services. This is because it obviously has been burning oil, well recently it started stalling, then starting/turning it over has been acting up. The RPM’s have not been stable at all an I’ve ran two diagnostic test on it, they came back as a “camshaft error” I can’t remember the exact code at the moment. However the mechanics I have questioned said it’s probably from the oil pressure being messed up from the oil burning up. Whether it be the sensor not regulating properly or the engine itself not getting enough lubricant. I have heard from others with Hyundais an it’s not just Kona’s, people are saying they burn through their oil fairly quickly compared to other cars they’ve had. With that being said, the car now stalls in traffic and the check engine light came on finally, that’s when we first ran diagnostics. Which I have had diagnostics ran at one place I go to for oil changes, a one at a Meineke, and soon to be a third at Autozone because I need to get the exact code again. I’m worried because my mom an I have been sharing this vehicle and the stalling makes it dangerous, it can be put in neutral and restarted but I have a service appointment with a dealership to see what they can do, however I feel this is happening from something caused straight from the manufacturer, not improper care or overuse. So I’m filing a complaint because if you stall while crossing traffic and could not restart, or know how to restart it, you could get in a wreck. This all seemed to start happening as well right after the vehicle rolled over 100,000 miles, go figure right? An if you needed to inspect this happening it would not be hard to do, all you would have to do is turn over the engine, then drive it for a bit an it will eventually stall, an you could also see the RPM’s bouncing and the noises it makes.

22d ago
Engine 2

The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced excessive oil consumption. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH on the highway, the vehicle stalled. The contact was unable to pull over to the side of the road. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and continued driving. The contact stated that the failure recurred while driving into a parking lot. The battery warning light illuminated on several occasions. Additionally, the contact stated that the check engine and low oil pressure warning lights were intermittently illuminated. The vehicle was taken to Auto Zone and to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the piston oil ring failure had caused low oil pressure, which resulted in the timing failure. The failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V301000 (ENGINE). The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure but denied a loaner vehicle or towing assistance to the dealer located 75 miles away. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 113,000.

1mo ago
Engine 1

The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, the AWD warning light illuminated and was reset each time the vehicle was restarted. The contact also stated that over a couple of months, while downshifting, stopping, or decelerating, the vehicle stalled on several occasions. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving at approximately 30 MPH, the Check Engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was then taken to an AutoZone, where a handheld diagnostic machine retrieved diagnostic trouble codes: P0017 (crankshaft) and P0171 (system too lean), and it was observed that the oil reservoir was empty. Two quarts of oil were added to the vehicle. The contact stated that after being serviced, the vehicle was idling high and stalled while driving at unknown speeds on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed with a sheared timing pin, and it was determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

1mo ago
Engine 1

The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that while making left turns on several occasions, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was shifted into park (P) and restarted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. However, during routine maintenance, an independent mechanic noticed that the oil reservoir was empty, and an oil change was completed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.

1mo ago
Engine 2

Vehicle (2019 Kona) is subject to Recall 203 (piston ring/bore defect). On XXX Puente Hills Hyundai refused the mandatory physcial inspection, instead attempting to charge $1,100 for 'leak repairs.' An independent inspection by Valvoline on XXX confirmed the engine is dry with no leaks, proving the dealer's claim was fraudulent. Following a recent ECU update, the vehicle triggered a P0420 code—a known symptom of the internal engine damage covered by Recall 203. My Hyundai Corporate Case (#XXX) is currently stalled as the dealer refuses to provide technician notes or perform the safety inspection. I am operating an unsafe vehicle with documented internal mechanical failure. Requesting immediate intervention for a physical cylinder inspection. Please refer to the attached document (SUMMARY OF EVENTS) for the full chronology, supporting evidence, and email correspondence related to the dealership's refusal to perform Recall 203. See attached PDF (Evidence_Email_Correspondence) for documentation of the dealership's refusal to provide technician notes and their unprofessional communication regarding this safety recall. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

1mo ago
Engine 1

The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Kona. The contact observed excessive oil consumption, which has progressively caused the vehicle to stall 2 to 3 times per week. While the engine can be restarted, it idles and runs roughly immediately afterward. Additionally, the contact noted a distinct smell of burning oil exiting from the exhaust system. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V301000 (ENGINE) however, the VIN was not included in the recall repair. The vehicle was taken to a independent mechanic where it was diagnosed to have excessive oil consumption. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 78,000.

1mo ago
Engine 2

The contact owns a 2019 HYUNDAI Kona. The contact stated while driving the vehicle at an undisclosed speed, he noticed he had an engine knock, and noticed that the engine was consuming a good amount of oil with no warning lights or oil leaks. The contact pulled over to the side when the knock started and noticed the vehicle was starving of oil although a recent oil change shows it was recent. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed to have poor service, and engine sludge although dealer stated there was none. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 120,132.

1mo ago
Engine 1

96,247 mi Engine knock and complete oil loss within 3,000 miles of last oil change Symptoms consistent with NHTSA Recall 21V301 (Hyundai Recall 203) and Warranty Extension TXXM coverage

1mo ago
Engine 1

Vehicle frequently and quietly stalls while driving in active traffic, creating an immediate safety hazard. Vehicle is a 2019 Kona with the 2.0L Nu MPI engine, which is the exact subject of NHTSA Safety Recall 21V301 (Recall 209). Hyundai Motor America (Case #42541672) is actively refusing to honor or inspect the vehicle under the safety recall mandates, claiming a lack of dealership service history overrides a federal safety defect.

1mo ago
Engine 1

Engine blew a head gasket so had to have the engine rebuilt @ a cost of $13,000. Car only had 22,500 miles on it. I think that should instigate a recall.

2mo ago
Engine 1

The vehicle burns oil faster and the vehicle began to stall at highway speeds. Upon further research, a campaign recall for the same vehicle is open but only for specific VIN. Although this vehicle was not part of the recall campaign 21V301000 the vehicle shows issues aligned with the recall.

2mo ago
Engine 2

Last week just driving to school, my engine started to knock. So the next day we take it to a local mechanic shop and it exploded while they were test driving it and they diagnosed it with rod bearing failure. So I contact Hyundai and get it towed to the Hyundai dealership for them to inspect it and eventually do an engine swap, but after it got dropped off I was told it’d be $360 to get it diagnosed and filed and they said that I have no warranty. I explained to the rep that the class action lawsuit regarding the Theta 2 GDI engines extends the warranty to 15 years/150,000 miles for all subsequent owners especially since I’ve had the KSDS installed. They’re refusing to cover damages even though my car was affected by a manufacturing issue on their end and was part of major recall campaigns. My car failed at 94,000 miles while up to date on services and the representative was recommending I ask Hyundai for “good-will funding” but I don’t need their “good will” I need them to make the situation right and cover all my expenses related to my blown engine

3mo ago
Engine 1

My 2019 Hyundai Kona is equipped with a 2.0L Nu MPI engine covered under Recall 203 (NHTSA Campaign 21V301) for defective piston oil rings. The recall inspection was performed and closed at a Hyundai dealership in September 2023. The engine was passed and not replaced. Following that recall closure, the vehicle has required the same repair four times: replacement of the CVVT Assembly-Exhaust, Camshaft Assembly-Exhaust, and Timing Chain Tensioner. Each repair was performed under warranty. The recurring diagnostic code is P0017 (Crankshaft/Camshaft Position Correlation - Exhaust). Total warranty expenditure on these repeated repairs exceeds 7,800. During one of these visits (January 2025), the technician noted the CVVT had a "slight hold on rotation" and flagged possible exhaust camshaft damage. The vehicle has also experienced stalling while driving, creating a direct safety risk to the driver and others on the road. An independent repair facility has evaluated the vehicle and provided a written assessment concluding that full engine replacement is required, and that an underlying engine defect is causing the repeated component failures. It is my position that the Recall 203 inspection was performed inadequately — the defect was present at the time of inspection and was not identified. The recall remedy did not resolve the condition it was designed to address. Hyundai has since declined to replace the engine despite the documented failure pattern and independent shop recommendation. The vehicle is available for inspection. The problem has been confirmed by both a Hyundai dealer and an independent shop.

3mo ago
Electrical 4

I am reporting this for my daughter, [XXX] , while she's recovering on pain meds. She is the owner and driver of the car. no passengers in this 1-car accident. the weather and road conditions were terrible. car skidded of side of road into a ditch. When the airbags deployed, the plastic frame on the drivers side A-pillar broke and exploded out towards the driver. it appears the sharp edge of the broken plastic frame struck driver in left eye, slicing it cornea area of her eye causing a ruptured globe. thankfully, she has no other injuries. the plastic frame on the passenger side A-pillar did not break when it's airbag deployed. reporting by [XXX] . please contact me at [XXX] . [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

3mo ago
Engine 2

Vehicle struggling to accelerate and rolling back when brake is not being used. It stays at a few miles per hour even with full pressure on the gas pedal. A mechanic reviewed and stated the problem was due to low compression in the engine, causing the pistons to misfire. This issue has happened a total of 5 times and has almost caused other vehicles to crash into me due to sudden loss of speed and not being able to accelerate fast enough to properly get to safety

3mo ago
Engine 1

The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a knocking sound coming from the vehicle with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V301000 (ENGINE); however, the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 94,634.

4mo ago
Body 1

The rear left passenger will not open. The dealer thinks it is a faulty door latch actuator ($530 parts and labor). They said this is a common problem and they have a special tool to open the door, but they couldn't get it to work on my car. They think they will damage the interior door panel trying to fix this (approximately an additional $1,000). Warranty expired last year. This is a safety issue because in an emergency a passenger could be trapped in the vehicle or at best delayed in their escape. Also, the dealer said it is a common problem and online forums confirm that across several models and years. Also, it seems to be common for multiple doors to fail.

4mo ago
Engine 2

Engine smoke’s every now and then I go through a quart of oil every 600-1000 miles doubt it’s supposed to do that one time I went the full oil change limit I was completely out of oil the car was ticking and all this other stuff scene then I’m topping off my oil every 1000 miles till I need a oil change and it don’t stop ticking now so that’s a defect I don’t know if it’s apart of the 19-21 recall or not but this is not an okay engine

4mo ago
Engine 1

The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving 45 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle shut off. The driver pulled over to the side of the road and the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The mechanic related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V301000 (ENGINE); however, the vehicle was towed to a dealer and the dealer declined to honor the recall repair due to sludge in the oil cap. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,220.

4mo ago

184 total

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