2020 Hyundai Kona engine problems
105 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the engine on the 2020 Hyundai Kona — 66% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Kona. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V301000 (Engine); however, the dealer was unable to perform the recall repair because the vehicle had not experienced a failure associated with the recall and there were no fault…”
filed Sep 9, 2026
“The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V301000 (Engine); however, the recall repair failed to prevent the failure from occurring. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power and…”
filed Aug 31, 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% |
| 2019 Kona | 131 | 69% |
| 2018 Kona | 41 | 55% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2020 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.