What breaks most · 2019 to 2025 model years
Hyundai Kona Electric problems by year
Owners have filed 148 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Hyundai Kona Electric across model years 2019 to 2025. Three years stand out: 2019 for electrical system complaints, 2020 for electrical system complaints and 2021 for electrical system complaints. The quietest years are 2023 and 2022.
- Years to check closely: 2019, 2020, 2021
- Fewest complaints: 2023, 2022
- Complaints on file
- 1482019 to 2025, all trims
- Worst year
- 201954 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 53 fires · 1 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 7kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 10Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 54 | 2 | 3 | Electrical system (42) | |
| 27 | 1 | 3 | Electrical system (17) | |
| 26 | 1 | 2 | Electrical system (10) | |
| 20 | 1 | 0 | Electrical system (15) | |
| 5 | 0 | 0 | Electrical system (3) | |
| 15 | 0 | 1 | Electrical system (10) | |
| 1 | 0 | 1 | Electrical system (1) |
What fails on the 2019 Hyundai Kona Electric
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 78% |
42 | 0 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2019 Hyundai Kona Electric |
| Fuel systemFuel pumps and injectors | 19% |
10 | 0 | Shop all fuel system parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 9% |
5 | 0 | Shop all engine parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 9% |
5 | 1 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| BrakesBrake pads, rotors and calipers | 7% |
4 | 1 | Shop brakes parts for the 2019 Hyundai Kona Electric |
| Unknown or other | 7% |
4 | 0 | — |
| Wheels | 2% |
1 | 0 | — |
| Speed control and throttleThrottle and pedal sensors | 2% |
1 | 1 | Shop all speed control and throttle parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
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2019 hyundai kona ev. Consumer writes in regards to design/manufacturer problems. The consumer traded-in the kona ev due to the battery issues. The consumer leased a ioniq but, stated it was a downgrade from the kona. The consumer requested to be released from the lease without penalty or charge.
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Car battery not longer allows for the car to drive The electric system stop working due to failure of the battery A new battery needs to be order Car not longer works
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The car was unable to charge using level 3 DC fast chargers, necessitating the use of a level 2 charger for an extended length of time in order to be able to return home. A Hyundai dealer replaced the charging inlet lock actuator (invoice attached).
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Hyundai Kona Electric years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2019, 2020, 2021 carry the most filings on the Hyundai Kona Electric. The 2019 alone has 54 complaints, led by electrical system.
What is the most common Hyundai Kona Electric problem?
On the 2019 model year, the most-reported component is electrical system with 42 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Hyundai Kona Electric problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Hyundai Kona Electric complaints that include mileage is about 7,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.