2021 HYUNDAI KONA ELECTRIC

2 recalls — 34 complaints — 33 TSBs

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY:THERMAL MANAGEMENT:FLUID/COOLANT

Defect Description

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021 Kona EV vehicles. The Electric Power Control Unit (EPCU) may have been improperly sealed and may leak coolant internally.

Consequence

Coolant contacting the EPCU circuit board may cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will inspect and replace the EPCU, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 22, 2023. A second notice will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 239.

853 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:ELECTRIC:CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWARE

Defect Description

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Nexo Fuel Cell and 2019-2021 Kona Electric vehicles. The Integrated Electronic Brake (IEB) system may detect an abnormal sensor signal and as a result, may significantly reduce braking performance.

Consequence

Reduced braking power could lengthen the distance required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will update the IEB software, free of charge. The recall began January 25, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 199.

8,176 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America

Complaint Statistics

34 total complaints 2 crashes 1 fires

Top Reported Components

Component	Complaints
ENGINE	5
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	5
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	3
POWER TRAIN	3
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE	3
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	2
SERVICE BRAKES	2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC	2
STRUCTURE:BODY	1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:CHARGING:MODULE:ACCESSORY	1

Incident date: Feb 3, 2026

Check

Incident date: Feb 3, 2026

On February 3, 2026, while driving in a high-traffic turning lane, my Hyundai Kona Electric vehicle suddenly lost propulsion and would not accelerate. The vehicle shut down without warning and could not be restarted. Traffic was building behind me, creating a safety hazard. I felt unsafe due to surr... Read more

Incident date: Aug 12, 2024

The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle shuddered before losing automotive power. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine and... Read more

Incident date: Nov 6, 2024

Please reference the NTSB tracking # 11683952 and review the two attached documents which are all listed below: 2017 Ford Escape Black Style: SE 4dr SUV AWD (1.5L 4 cyl. Turbo 6A) VIN: [XXX] Style: SE Sport Utility 4D Engine: 4-Cyl, EcoBoost, 2.0T Transmission: Auto, 6-Spd w/SelShft Drivet... Read more

Incident date: Jun 27, 2025

The trim panel (color black on my vehicle and approximately 4” wide by 18” high) between the driver’s window and the driver side passenger window continues to come loose and almost fly off at highway speeds. The clips are not holding it in properly.

Incident date: Jul 4, 2025

Stopped for gas, vehicle started but would not go into gear, engine lights indicated 'Check hybrid system', warning lights shown. 1/2 hr on the phone with dealership to assist. No problem detected when returning to home dealer. Second episode occurred, vehicle at dealer for the past 4 weeks. Episode... Read more

Incident date: May 31, 2025

The contact owns a 2008 Dodge Charger. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start as intended. An abnormal cranking sound could be heard coming from the engine. The contact stated it would take several attempts to start the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact sta... Read more

Incident date: May 31, 2025

The contact owns a 2023 GMC Terrain. The contact stated while driving 15 MPH, the message "Engine Power Reduced” was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the vehicle the lost motive power in the middle of the roadway. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicl... Read more

Incident date: Aug 16, 2024

Vehicle: 2021 Cadillac Escalade ESV Engine: 6.2L V8 Mileage at failure: 84,000 miles Problem: Complete engine failure Description: I own a 2021 Cadillac Escalade ESV with a 6.2L V8 engine. At only 84,000 miles, the engine failed and had to be completely replaced. The symptoms and failure are ident... Read more

Incident date: Sep 1, 2024

High-voltage traction battery / propulsion system repeatedly malfunctions. First incident – Aug 2023 (~91,000 mi). Vehicle displayed “EV System No Power” with DTC P31E7. After parking, the car would not restart; I was stranded > 2 hours on a surface road until towed. Nissan dealer (Napleton S... Read more

Incident date: Sep 1, 2024

My wife's car t-boned another vehicle, but the air bags didn't deploy. Luckily, she wasn't hurt badly, but the vehicle was deemed a total loss, so you can imagine the force of the collision. The forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking didn't activate either. I reported it to Hyunda... Read more

Crash

Incident date: Apr 28, 2025

1. Vehicle automatic transmission failed during routine highway driving. Significant drivetrain vibration and limited gear availability. Warning lights included: ESC. - Electronic Stability Control TSC - Traction System Control Emergency Brake Fault light Power Steering assist reduced Flashing Yell... Read more

Incident date: Dec 13, 2024

ANSWERS: 1) VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD CRASHING INTO A GARAGE DOOR AND VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. VEHICLE IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. 2) CRASHING INTO GARAGE DOOR COULD HAVE CAUSED BODILY INJURY. 3) THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN REPRODUCED OR CONFIRMED AT THIS TIME. 4) THE VEHICLE/COMPONENT HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED... Read more

Crash

Incident date: May 3, 2024

The sunroof has a recall due to the fact that it has a bad seal, which could fly off due to this issue. I know the seal is bad because the whole roof leaked a few years ago and fried all the electronic; e.g. lights, sunroof controls, trunk light controls, side door controls. I went to the dealership... Read more

Incident date: Aug 8, 2023

The contact owns a 2022 Mercedes-Benz AMG C43. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V445000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the reca... Read more

Incident date: Aug 8, 2023

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Renegade. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle lost automotive power. The vehicle was unable to properly accelerate; however, the contact was able to pull over to side of the roadway. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed t... Read more

Incident date: Aug 25, 2023

The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the rough road ahead message was displayed instead of the tachometer. Additionally, the contact stated that there was constant beeping coming from the instrument panel. The vehicle w... Read more

Incident date: Feb 1, 2023

The contact owns a 2010 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH on an icy road, while approaching a stop sign, the brake pedal was depressed but only responded when it was pressed to the floorboard. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had been reo... Read more

Incident date: Jul 10, 2022

The contact owns a 2017 Land Rover Discovery Sport. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at an independent mechanic for an oil change, the mechanic informed him that the brake pads were worn. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the rear brake pads were worn due ... Read more

Incident date: Dec 15, 2022

While braking I have had multiple cars almost crash into the rear of my vehicle due to the breaking system of the vehicle. The break lights are too low and people expect the “running lights” on the rear to indicate breaking. I have also had multiple people tell me my break lights are out due to ... Read more

Incident date: Dec 15, 2022

Component: MMI inconsistently plays parking collision chimes. Safety: Inconsistent chime playback may result in collision with objects during parking. Reproduction: Not reproduced by dealer. Sporadic 1 to 3 times weekly. Inspected by dealer: No. Difficult to reproduce on demand. Warning indicato... Read more

Incident date: Dec 15, 2022

The headlights even though they are LED they have a terrible beam pattern with noticeable dark spots in your field of view. Also I get flashed from oncoming traffic because of the low mounting position of the head lights easily blinds on coming traffic with the slightest bump or incline in the road.... Read more

Incident date: Sep 3, 2022

My 2021 Hyundai Kona EV battery need to be replaced. But the dealer would not have estimated time when my Kona EV get new battery. It could take 1 month or 3 months. No clues. I would not make a mistake to buy another car like Hyundai EV.

Incident date: Sep 3, 2022

Incident date: Aug 26, 2022

I have a 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric Vehicle with approximately 20,000 miles. On August 26, 2022 several warning lights came on indicating that the lithium battery was inoperable but fully charged in danger of catching fire. The dealer immediately towed my vehicle and disconnected the battery. The... Read more

Incident date: Jul 14, 2022

I was parking my Hyundai Kona electric car going very slow when without warning it took off going over 100 miles per hour. I couldn't control the vehicle. The brakes didn't stop the car. It ran over a wood parking beam, hit two light posts, and went over a concrete structure before finally stoppin... Read more

Incident date: Jun 6, 2022

Check regenerative brake warning comes on and the emergency brake applies while driving also when I come to a stop. When I started my car the immediately the light came on. When I cut my car off the light clears. It happens when I’m braking. The regenerative brake light warning is becoming more fr... Read more

Incident date: Jan 19, 2022

Sunroof exploded. On 19 January 2022 around 15:45 (Pacific Time) while driving approximately 65mph in my 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric on Hwy 60 (Moreno Valley, California), west-bound I experienced a loud explosion sound in my Kona and glass raining down on me and the inside of the car. I looked up a... Read more

Incident date: Oct 26, 2021

The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric. The contact stated that while his wife disconnected the charger, the vehicle caught fire without warning. There were no reported injuries. The installation plug was melted. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed the connection... Read more

Fire

Incident date: Jul 15, 2021

After charging the vehicle at home with level 2 charger to 100% it would not go into drive or reverse. It can go to neutral or Park only. The car is at the dealership and they told the battery must be replaced when one is available. It is a safety concern because one can get stranded on the road w... Read more

Incident date: Jul 15, 2021

Incident date: Aug 11, 2021

On 8/11/21, I tried to start my Hyundai Kona EV, and it displayed the high voltage warning . The car would not start or go into gear and had to be towed to the dealership. We purchased the car in May 2021, and it had about 3000 miles on it at the time. At the dealership, the mechanic diagnosed it ... Read more

Incident date: Apr 17, 2021

I WAS ENTERING MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND SLOWED DOWN AS WE NEARED OUR HOUSE WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKES SO THAT I CAN OPEN MY GARAGE DOOR, AS I RELEASED THE BRAKES, THE CAR STARTED ACCELERATING BY ITSELF REALLY FAST AND I HAD TO SLAM ON MY BRAKES TO STOP THE CAR FROM SPEEDING UP ON ITS OWN.

EPA Fuel Economy — 2021 HYUNDAI KONA ELECTRIC

Trim / Engine	City MPG	Highway MPG	Combined MPG	Fuel Type	Annual Fuel Cost
Automatic (A1) (Front-Wheel Drive)	132.0	108.0	120.0	Electricity	$600

CO2 Emissions: 0.0 g/mile (Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD)

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Actual fuel economy may vary based on driving conditions.

Technical Service Bulletins — 2021 HYUNDAI KONA ELECTRIC

33 manufacturer communications from 21 unique bulletins. TSBs describe known problems and recommended fixes from the manufacturer.

Most Affected Components

Component	Bulletins
110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	6
100000 POWER TRAIN	6
010000 STEERING	4
350000 EQUIPMENT	3
060000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	3
190000 TIRES	2
030000 BRAKES (PWS)	2
356000 EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY	2

130000 VISIBILITY/WIPER (PWS)

This bulletin contains information about the proper removal of the windshield wiper blade protective cover on all models. If the protective cover is not removed correctly, there is a possibility of the rubber insert and rail spring becoming

130000 VISIBILITY

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Some vehicles equipped with the AVN 5th Gen Wide system may exhibit a condition where the radio app crashes frequently when entering radio mode and/or displays a message that reads a??Uneven Road Ahead, Drive carefullya?? on the cluster alo

100000 POWER TRAIN

Certain 19-23MY Kona Electric (OS EV) vehicles may experience a condition of EV warning light ON with Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) P1AA6 to P1AAF found stored. The Battery Management System (BMS) software update will be performed to enhanc

100000 POWER TRAIN

Certain 19-23MY Kona Electric (OS EV) vehicles may experience a condition of EV warning light ON with DTC P1AA6 to P1AAF found stored. The Battery Management System (BMS) software update will be performed to enhance battery diagnostics logi

060000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

This bulletin provides important checkpoint guidelines when performing engine oil and filter change services.

100000 POWER TRAIN

This bulletin provides instructions to correct a condition with BSC-1 blue coolant flow restriction by debris causing abnormal high EWP (electric water pump) speed in certain 2020-21MY Ioniq Electric (AE EV) and 2019-22 Kona Electric (OS EV

060000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

162000 STRUCTURE:BODY

Hyundai applies a Paint Protection Film (PPF) on new vehicles before delivery to dealerships. It provides a barrier between the paint and contaminants, such as rail dust, acid rain, and industrial fallout. In rare cases, the paint can becom

130000 VISIBILITY

This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the headlamp, rear combination lamp, daytime running lamp (DRL), or fog lamp. This TSB illustrates the various causes of condensation inside th

100000 POWER TRAIN

This bulletin outlines the necessary inspection and repair procedures for certain 2019-2021MY Kona EV (OS EV) vehicles, exhibiting abnormal rumbling noise from the electric traction motor.

190000 TIRES

Effective June 2, 2008, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 110 (FMVSS 110) established a threshold for correcting load carrying capacity information indicated on tire placards when vehicle weight has been increased before retail sale

010000 STEERING

Certain vehicles may develop a bearing noise within the Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS) column worm shaft assembly. If bearing noise is heard, follow the procedure in this bulletin to replace the worm shaft bearing.

010000 STEERING

350000 EQUIPMENT

This bulletin provides the service procedure for engine connecting rod bearing clearance testing. Perform the procedure outlined in this bulletin to fulfill the Bearing Clearance Test inspection requirements to determine next required steps

060000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

030000 BRAKES (PWS)

This bulletin provides best practice recommendations when performing brake service procedures.

356000 EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY

This bulletin provides best practice recommendations when performing brake service procedures.

350000 EQUIPMENT

This bulletin provides best practice recommendations when performing brake service procedures.

350000 EQUIPMENT

This bulletin provides information related to the VCULDC(Vehicle Control Unit & Low DCDC Converter) software update for KONA Electric(OS EV) vehicles. This update is also part of the high voltage battery monitoring logic improvement by opti

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

356000 EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY

This Service Information bulletin provides the instructions on how to adjust the maximum EV battery charging threshold in the radio head unit.

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This Service Information bulletin provides the instructions on how to adjust the maximum EV battery charging threshold in the radio head unit.

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This Service Information bulletin provides the instructions on how to adjust the maximum EV battery charging threshold in the radio head unit.

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This bulletin provides information related to inspection of KONA Electric (OS EV) vehicles and to perform a BMS (Battery Management System) software update to latest revised level.

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

When using Wireless CarPlay, the system may intermittently auto disconnect. When Wireless CarPlay is disconnected, a pop up message a??Phone Not Responding. Please reconnect it and try againa?? will appear on the radio screen.

030000 BRAKES (PWS)

This bulletin describes the procedure to inspect and identify fluid which may appear around the brake caliper area.

190000 TIRES

This bulletin provides tire vibration service procedures, including how to optimize vehicle vibration performance. For all wheel/tire balance claims, the a??Tire Balance Data Sheeta?? must be fully completed including imbalance and Road For

200000 WHEELS

HYUNDAI KONA ELECTRIC — All Years Overview

Complete safety history for the HYUNDAI KONA ELECTRIC across all model years (2019–2021).

8 Total Recalls

206 Total Complaints

0 Investigations

8 Reported Crashes

6 Reported Fires

0 Reported Deaths

HYUNDAI KONA ELECTRIC — Year by Year

Compare recalls and complaints across model years. Click any year to see full details.

Year	Recalls	Complaints
2025	0	1	View
2024	0	25	View
2023	0	7	View
2022	0	29	View
2021 (current)	2	34
2020	3	37	View
2019	3	73	View

Other HYUNDAI Models

Model	Recalls	Complaints
SONATA	184	21,863	View
SANTA FE	153	9,962	View
ELANTRA	133	11,853	View
PALISADE	124	2,704	View
TUCSON	95	8,074	View
SONATA HYBRID	67	1,129	View
IONIQ 5	66	1,865	View
ACCENT	64	2,745	View

Vehicle Safety

Consumer Safety

Infrastructure

Public Health

2021 HYUNDAI KONA ELECTRIC

Complaint Statistics

Top Reported Components

EPA Fuel Economy — 2021 HYUNDAI KONA ELECTRIC

Technical Service Bulletins — 2021 HYUNDAI KONA ELECTRIC

Most Affected Components

HYUNDAI KONA ELECTRIC — All Years Overview

HYUNDAI KONA ELECTRIC — Year by Year

Other HYUNDAI Models