2019 Hyundai Kona engine problems
131 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the engine on the 2019 Hyundai Kona — 69% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“I took my vehicle to a dealership for a recall and they refused to honor it. They made excuses and performed an unrelated service.”
filed Sep 16, 2026
“Vehicle starting using extreme amounts of oil, lose acceleration and stalling while driving and making klicking noises. All symptoms point to Hyundai recall 203 (NHTSA campaign number 21V301000). Dealer and manufacturer refuse to fix it, citing lack of extended warranty and high mileage, as well as…”
filed Sep 14, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related recalls
- Piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which could result in engine…Campaign 21V301000 · Apr 28, 2021
Related service bulletins
Some vehicles may exhibit difficulty starting in cold weather. This bulletin provides the procedure to perform an inspection on the starter magnetic switch for potential freezing and, if necessary, replace the starter…
26-EE-003H TSB · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 18, 2026
Engine problems in other Kona years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Kona | 2 | 7% |
| 2024 Kona | 9 | 18% |
| 2023 Kona | 8 | 12% |
| 2022 Kona | 32 | 33% |
| 2021 Kona | 77 | 66% |
| 2020 Kona | 105 | 66% |
| 2018 Kona | 42 | 56% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2019 Hyundai Kona
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.