2020 Hyundai Kona Electrical Problems

many times a year, without warning, vehicle dash lights turn off and light up like a christmas tree, followed by fca warning sound and lights going off, and a loud mechanical thud. Lose engine throttle going highway speeds. This can occur at nearly any speed without warning. Car must be powered off and back on to get normalcy. This puts me, everyone in the car and everyone on the highway at risk. Dealership was not able to reproduce or pull error codes.

NHTSA ID

11715307

Incident

Jan 25, 2026

the headlights in this model Kona keep burning out after 9 months or so. I have replaced them multiple times in the last 5 years on both left and right sides. I use glove to put in the bulbs and are very careful not to let my hands touch the bulb. I have never had this happen with any other car I have owned. I suspect an electrical system issue, or perhaps wiring, but that is speculation. I have not had this inspected by the dealership. The latest date of failure is listed below.

NHTSA ID

11699982

Incident

Nov 15, 2025

Back up camera had not worked since purchase. It is now August been dealing with the dealership and Hyundai National with a case number and zero help to rectify this issue. It is not my fault the sales man who sold me this car left two days later. anyone I speak to at the dealership, is not there again the next week. even hyundai usa are consistently unable to even get a manger to call me back. This is unacceptable. at this point any warranty is expired, this car was sold with a faulty camera.

NHTSA ID

11678493

Incident

Aug 5, 2025

Vehicle has problems shifting between 1st and 2nd gear. Stutters and has issues accelerating. Has almost caused me to be hit while turning left against traffic. Was serviced at Hyundai dealership today and they cannot replicate the issue or find anything wrong and reprogrammed the clutch touch point engagement. It happened again on the way home.

NHTSA ID

11640412

Incident

Feb 3, 2025

In May 2023 after washing and vacuuming my car, it would not start. The battery appeared dead. I waited and tried periodically, and after about three tries, It started. This happened a couple more times, but always restarted and appeared to recharge. I did not drive the car from June - October, and asked my son to start it periodically while I was away. He tried in Mid June and battery was dead and had to be jumped. The same thing happened in Aug and Sept. Unfortunately, by the time I returned and could get in into Hyundai, it had been 38 months since my purchase. in October the battery seemed to be okay, but the horn did not work. Also, the windshield washer only trickled out and then nothing came out. I made appointment as I had also had a recall on the safety/theft issues. In November, Hyundai of Bradenton, Florida's Serviceman, Mark told me that I needed a new battery which was no longer under warranty and they replaced the horn as it was covered. He said the windshield washer unit was clogged. I chose not to pay $340 for a battery and $80 to unclog windshield washer unit from them. I just feel something is off. On my drive home, the radio came on without prompt. I turned it off, and it came back on seconds later. I turned it off again, and it stayed off. My car is immaculate, and covered when not in use. There is definitely and issue. My Kona only has 21,000 miles on it. Thank you for helping me with this. Please advise. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11556710

Incident

May 10, 2023

Since the October 2020 recall requirements, I have been told not to park in my garage (thereby exposing my car exterior paint and plastic to the elements) and I have not been able to use my battery at 100% (forced to change limit to 80%). I would not have bought this car if I was going to be limited to 80% of the estimated mileage and gone with a Tesla instead. I live in a desert climate so exposing my car each day to sand and sun is aggravating when I normally park in my garage to protect my car's plastic elements and paint. It has been 16 months without a resolution to the issue and no reasonable compensation for loss of use of vehicle and increased damage to exterior of car since October 2020. Hyundai sold 2020 Kona EV owners a defective car. Had I known I would have been limited to about 200 miles, I would have chosen a different car.

NHTSA ID

11447669

Incident

Oct 30, 2020

I was getting onto the highway the other night and all of a sudden my whole instrument panel went completely black, speed,rpm, fuel level, and water temperature were not registering on the panel. I tested my turn signals and noticed those weren’t working as well. I also lost my lane keep assist in the process. I pulled off to a safe spot turned the car off, let it sit for 5 minutes. Turned it back on and the instrument panel was still black and nothing was reading. I shut the vehicle off for 20 minutes locked/unlocked the car. Started the car back up and the instrument panel came back on but now have the check engine light on. The check engine light had never been on prior to this incident. I have reached out to Hyundai USA as well to find a solution to the issue.

NHTSA ID

11436204

Incident

Oct 8, 2021

2020 Hyundai KONA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO BATTERY DEFECT. THE CONSUMER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME TO COMPLETE THE RECALL REPAIR,

NHTSA ID

11425074

Incident

Jul 16, 2021

My Car Has Had Problems With The Starter It Would Not Start At Times My Car Has Been Checked By Priority Acura On They My Starter Needed To Be Replaced At At Times My Car Has Trouble Picking Up Speed Consumer stated vehicle was diagnosed in June 8th, 2021. Today different issues occurring all windows not down at the same time and when 2 are down the car shakes.

NHTSA ID

11424245

Incident

Jun 5, 2021

GOT A NOTICE ABOUT ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM TO TAKE CAR TO DEALERSHIP. PREVIOUS WE WERE HAVING POOR GAS MILEAGE. WAS TOLD BY DEALERSHIP IT HAD TO BREAK IN. WE PURCHASED IT AT THE END OF MAY. FIRST NOTICE CAME IN EARLY MARCH AND CALLED DEALER FOR APPT. WAS TOLD TO WAIT AS MILEAGE WAS NOT YET 6,000 MILES, TOO EARLY FOR SERVICE. LATE MARCH BLUE LINK AGAIN NOTIFIED ME ABOUT THIS DTC PROBLEM. THEN HAD ENGINE LIGHT COME ON PLUS IT STALLED OUT WHILE DRIVING. CALLED SERVICE DEPT AGAIN AND WAS TOLD APRIL 9TH WAS EARLIEST APPT. ON MARCH 29TH WAS ON RTE 495 AND CAR STALLED AGAIN. MARCH 30 TH I CALLED AND SPOKE TO SERVICE MANAGER. HE TOLD ME TO DROP OFF CAR FOR A WEEK AND THEY WOULD LOOK AT IT. I WAS TO RENT A CAR FROM HERTZ AND IF THEY FELT IT WAS NECESSARY THEY WOULD REIMBURSE ME. I CALLED HYUNDAI CUSTOMER CARE AND THEY SAID I SHOULD FILE A COMPLAINT WHICH I DID. IT IS CASE NUMBER 18115897. WE NOW ARE HAVING IT CHECKED OUT AT ANOTHER HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP. FEEL IT IS NOT HANDLED PROPERLY FOR THE PROBLEM OF STALLING WHICH COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. AT THIS TIME YOU LOSE CONTROL OF CAR DUE TO LACK OF POWER.

NHTSA ID

11405511

Incident

Mar 30, 2021

Mileage

5,000 mi

BOUGHT NEW CAR JULY 2020, WAS GOOD FOR A LITTLE WHILE THEN STARTED TO HAVE LOUD TICKING NOISE UNDER HOOD. BROUGHT CAR IN FOR SERVICE AT 3100 (APPROX) MILES HAD A FEW ISSUES AT THIS SERVICE, MAIN WAS NOISE. WAS TOLD MECHANIC LOOKED UNDER HEARD NOISE (AS DID FRONT DESK REP) AND MECHANIC SAID IT WAS NORMAL ON THIS CAR. I TOOK CAR BACK AGAIN FOR SAME ISSUES APPROX 2 WEEKS LATER (THEY HEAR NOISE DONT KNOW WHERE ITS COMING FROM I WAS TOLD, THEY HAVE TECH ADVICE LOOKING INTO IT NOW). THEY NOW HAVE HAD MY CAR FOR 6 DAYS. 6TH DAY I GET CALL TELLING ME THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH MOTOR, EVERYONE IS INVOLVED NOW, HYUNDAI MOTOR CORP, TECHNICAL SERVICE AND DEALERSHIP, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF ITS JUST A REPLACEMENT PART OR NEEDS WHOLE NEW MOTOR. REP SAID THEY WERE GOING TO BE RUNNING 3 MORE TESTS AND WOULD LET ME KNOW WEDNESDAY. NOISE IS CONSTANT WHILE IN PARK OR DRIVE DOES NOT MATTER.

NHTSA ID

11375178

Incident

Jul 20, 2020

Mileage

35 mi