2019 Hyundai Kona Electric Electrical Problems

Component Failed: Electric transmission/drive unit failed twice before 150,000 miles. Still in vehicle, available for inspection. Safety Risk: Loss of propulsion while driving creates risk of being rear-ended or stranded in dangerous traffic conditions. Right now the car is not drivable Confirmed By: Problem confirmed by Hyundai dealership/service center on both failures. Inspection: Inspected by authorized Hyundai service center; manufacturer was notified. Warning Symptoms: Before the failure there was a screeching sound coming from the hood. In both failures, these warnings appeared shortly before or during the loss of propulsion.

NHTSA ID

11680934

Incident

Jun 24, 2025

The Charging unit made by Enel X called a JuiceBox 40 failed to complete a charge. Upon examination of the charger it was determined that the plug from the unit to the 240V receptacle was fused to the outlet and could not be removed. When my electrician opened the box he was able to force the plug out of the outlet. He found that the plug was burned as well as the copper wire that went to the plug from the electrical box.

NHTSA ID

11636790

Incident

Jan 8, 2024

I purchased a 2019 Hyundai Kona electric from dealership. They said they had to change the electric battery before selling it to us and now the emergency light went on the dash we brought it back to the dealership and they said the battery the installed is not safe and will take 6 months to get a new one and are not giving us a car to drive.

NHTSA ID

11518983

Incident

Apr 25, 2023

The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Kona. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V127000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID

11489330

Incident

Mar 1, 2021

The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Kona. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V127000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID

11475688

Incident

Mar 15, 2021

Hyundai has failed to replace the battery after more than a year.

NHTSA ID

11461436

Incident

Mar 1, 2021

There has been a battery recall on our Kona EV since March 2021. We were asked to keep the battery charged only to 80% to prevent problems. Hyundai is aware that we need a battery and we were contacted in late summer to set up an appointment to replace it. Every time we try to set something up they tell us that they don't have the battery or the proper parts. This is unacceptable. We have spoken with the service writer several times without resolution. At this point we do not trust Hyundai and are extremely unhappy with our vehicle purchase given the ongoing safety concern of continuing to drive a car with a batter that has been recalled.

NHTSA ID

11458393

Incident

Mar 1, 2021

The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that she initially received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V127000 (Electrical System). The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the battery was reduced to 80%. The contact was instructed to park the vehicle away from structures until a final remedy was available. The contact never received information about the final remedy from the dealer. Months later, the contact had taken the vehicle to the dealer for a maintenance repair and the battery was reset to 100%. After a few weeks of driving the vehicle, the EV warning light appeared on the instrument panel and the dealer was notified of the issue. The contact was then instructed to bring the vehicle back to the dealer where it remained in their possession. The manufacturer had been notified of the failure and provided the contact a case manager. The contact had not yet heard from the case manager regarding her vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 21,000.

NHTSA ID

11448096

Incident

Mar 1, 2021

Mileage

21,000 mi

I was directed by Jennifer Kruger at the NHTSA to complete this form. My 2019 Hundai Kona EV is part of the EV battery recall. On August 27, 2021, my local dealer took my car while waiting for a replacement battery. I do have use of a rental vehicle. I've reached out to Hyundai Customer Service many times in an attempt to find out when my care will be fixed and returned to me. I've not been able to get any answers. My car is 17 months old and they have now had it for over 4 months. That is unacceptable. I filed a Lemon Law request in July after months of 20% battery reduction with no indication of when that would be fixed. My request was denied. One month later they determined that my car was part of the recall. I'm not sure why the manufacturer gets to make that determination - that seems self serving to me. Can you help me find some resolution to this issue? Please let me know if you need any additional information from me.

NHTSA ID

11446867

Incident

Aug 27, 2021

Took my 2019 Hyundai Electric Kona into dealer on 7/30/21, re: Recall #200. They kept the car for 2 1/2 weeks, finally determining that the entire battery pack should be replaced. Five months later, I am still waiting. The maximum charge is at 80%, I have brought it in for all the other recalls. The dealership keeps telling me that they have some battery packs, but that those are for "other" customers, and that I must wait. Hyundai is building new electric cars, there are clearly battery packs available. As I lease my car, and the 3 year lease is up in Sept. 2022, I am beginning to wonder if the dealership is purposely delaying the battery replacement to force me into returning the car, rather than purchasing it, at the end of the lease. Why hasn't this safety recall been addressed by Hyundai? Please help me.

NHTSA ID

11446645

Incident

Jul 30, 2021

Hyundai has been unable to complete a recall on the Kona EV's battery for nearly a year, which is not "reasonable" by anyone's definition of the word. During that time, we've been unable to charge our car in our garage (where our charger is installed) and haven't been able to use the car on roadtrips as we have to limit the charging capacity (per the recall instructions). I requested a buyback under my state's lemon laws but they claimed it wasn't applicable (I disagree based on the law and will be filing a complaint with the state as well). I've been waiting months for the battery to arrive at the dealership. There have been no updates from corporate since they denied the buyback request. Local dealerships have complained that corporate keeps changing the rules and how they're supposed to handle the recall, and are of no help. We're going on a year without being able to fully utilize the car and Hyundai refuses to offer any help. They claim there are issues with the battery supply but are marketing brand new cars with batteries.

NHTSA ID

11445971

Incident

Jan 1, 2021

The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Kona. The contact received a notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V630000 (Electrical System) and 21V127000 (Electrical System). The dealer had been notified about the recalls; however, the contact was informed that the parts were not yet available. The manufacturer had also been notified of the recalls. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID

11441950

Incident

Feb 9, 2021

My car is subject to recall #200 (EV Battery replacement). I initially set my max charge level to 80% back in the spring, then was called by my local dealership for the battery replacement in early September. At that time, they checked my car in, but then sent me back out with it pending delivery of replacement batteries. I have reached out to the dealership several times since about the delay and they have responded that they're still waiting for batteries. It's been almost three months since my car was "checked in" for service.

NHTSA ID

11441865

Incident

Sep 9, 2021

This complaint is regarding our 2019 Electric Hyundai Kona. Hyundai had a Recall #200 that started last year 2020 if I’m not mistaken. They have sent us a lot of letters in the mail that they are still trying to find a solution to the battery issue of the electric car and will let us know once they come up with a solution. Last month, we went to Eckert Hyundai in Denton, TX and we tried to get the recall fixed but the tech said they can’t fix it since they do not have that much experience dealing with electric cars especially with batteries (which is the main issue due to risk of fire, explosion). I tried contacting McKinney and Plano Hyundai dealerships too but they tell me the same thing. As of the moment, the car does not fully charge, I don’t charge at home and there’s always a risk of fire whenever in use and while charging.

NHTSA ID

11440767

Incident

Dec 1, 2020

The contact's wife owns a 2019 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that upon warming the vehicle in cold weather, an abnormal, wire-burning smell would emit from the vehicle without warning. The manufacturer was initially notified about the failure and was informed that he would receive a callback; the contact had yet to receive a callback. The contact then took the vehicle to the dealer where they found no failure with the vehicle. The contact stated that he had a young child and that the odor could be toxic to his child's breathing. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 1,000.

NHTSA ID

11440056

Incident

May 1, 2021

Mileage

1,000 mi

The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Kona. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V127000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The dealer was made aware of the issue however, the contact was informed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID

11433696

Incident

Feb 1, 2021

I received recall 200 notice from Hyundai regarding my Kona EV 2019 in June.(my mileage was around 14,000) After calling the dealer I got the appointment on 07/16. On 07/16 the service advisor said she fixed all recalls as per the instructions from Hyundai and said recall 200 is also fixed. (see attached service record) I asked how you fixed the folded anode issue without replacing the battery. They said, they did the software update and the battery now doesn't have the fire risk. Called Hyundai and opened a case 18464387 asking them how is recall 200 is fixed without battery replacement. They admitted that recall 200 was not performed and they will replace the battery very soon. Its not still 2 months and they don't have any battery replacement plan. Also my car is making some strange sound while charging and abruptly stopping charging around 70%. I am asking nhtsa's help as I am not getting any response from Hyundai regarding battery replacement. They also rejected the buyback saying the lemon law of MA is not applicable even though my mileage was <15,000 when I took the service appointment. (see attached health report from Hyundai dated 07/08)

NHTSA ID

11432312

Incident

Jul 8, 2021

The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Kona. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V127000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that while the software was being updated, the mechanic was able to provide the full recall repair because the battery replacement portion of the recall was unavailable. The dealer informed the contact that they were unable to complete the recall repair due to the part not being available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID

11429391

Incident

May 10, 2021

The battery in my electrical vehicle is recalled due to the potential for shorting and fires. The dealer performed a software update but states that they cannot request a replacement battery because the manufacturer will reject it because a specific code was not generated during the software update. The manufacturer tells me to try to find a different dealer that will replace it. This doesn't make sense because the manufacturer should be in contact with the dealership telling them what to do.

NHTSA ID

11429387

Incident

Jun 24, 2021

The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that the battery warning light was illuminated. The contact stated he continued to drive to his destination with the warning light illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer and the mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V127000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer and Alexandria Hyundai (1707 Mt Vernon Ave, Alexandria, VA 22301: (703) 535-6840) and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. Parts distribution disconnect. The failure mileage was approximately 8,000.

NHTSA ID

11429272

Incident

Aug 1, 2020

Mileage

8,000 mi

The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Kona. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 21V127000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the recall and informed the contact that parts were not available and the equipment to perform the recall repair was not available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect. Range reduced to 80% of capacity. Car can not be garaged due to fire hazard and must be parked 50 feet from home and other vehicles.

NHTSA ID

11427736

Incident

Jun 1, 2021

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.

NHTSA ID

11427400

Incident

Aug 2, 2021

My vehicle is equipped with battery cells manufactured in the LG Energy Solutions China (Nanjing) plant in which the Anode (Negative) tab can be folded. Thus, this could result in my car catching on fire. I have had my car serviced for updates since March 2020. (Recall 196) As of today, the problem has not been fixed. My dealer tells me they are waiting for the Hyundai headquarters to remedy the problem.

NHTSA ID

11426290

Incident

Mar 1, 2020

The vehicle was purchased 11/6/2019. On 1/11/2020 while driving from Oregon to California the main computer shorted out causing complete shutdown of the vehicle. It took the Sacramento Hyundai dealership almost 3 weeks to deliver the vehicle back to me. Since then the vehicle has appeared to run well. However, my faith in taking the vehicle on long drives is at least shaken. Several recall notices have been issued for my vehicle. Most notably is number 200. A recall notice #196, received in November, 2020 states "The high-voltage battery system... may have been produced with internal damage to certain cells ... that could increase the risk of an electrical short circuit ... increase the risk of fire." On July 2020 I received another Service Campaign notice which stated "The HIgh Voltage Battery Monitoring System is being enhanced to include additional monitoring...". On April 23, 2021 the local Hyundai dealership set the maximum charge to 80% as a result of another recall notice. Early in July, 2021 I received yet another recall notice which stating that vehicles battery cell manufactured in the LG Energy Solutions China plant could suffer an electrical short ... increasing the risk of a vehicle fire. I need to have a vehicle that is free from dangerous conditions. It is now 21 months since the dangerous condition in my vehicle was brought to Hyundai's attention. In one of the last paragraphs of Hyundai's latest recall notice they state that if they have failed or are unable to remedy the defect within a reasonable time, I may submit a complaint to you, NHTSA. I believe this situation meets that criteria. Thank you for your assistance, David Steinberg

NHTSA ID

11424438

Incident

Jan 11, 2020

The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Kona. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V127000 (Electrical System) however, the dealer informed the contact that the part for the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure however, the dealer limited the charge of the battery of the vehicle to prevent a short-circuit. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID

11424419

Incident

Jul 12, 2021