2020 Hyundai Kona: raw data

Every record we hold for this vehicle, as plain tables, with nothing added. The consumer page shows the same records with the maintenance schedule, price ranges and nearby shops around them.

vehicle2020 / hyundai / kona
known issues7 clusters (reviewed 2026-08-23)
complaints158 on file (2020-03-04 → 2026-09-09)
recalls2
investigations2
fars17 occupant deaths, crash years 2010-2024 (legacy-code)
indexedyes
licenseCC BY 4.0 (derived)

Known Issues clusters all years →

DCT hesitation and jerking at low speedPOWER TRAIN11 complaints2021-11 → 2026-01kona-2020-dct-hesitation-jerking
  • 11708967 While driving under normal conditions, the vehicle’s dual-clutch transmission (DCT) failed to engage properly, causing a sudden and unexpected loss of propulsion
  • 11559897 SUBJECT: 2020 Hyundai Kona DCT disengages and/or makes loud banging noise upon normal acceleration from standing stop. Occurrence is random but more prevalent in warm weather
  • 11577828 The issue is when I'm decelerating to around 5 mph and go to accelerate again, there is a horrible grinding sound from the transmission and I can no longer accelerate
Electric power steering wander and unexpected pullSTEERING6 complaints2020-07 → 2023-04kona-2020-steering-wander
  • 11342139 WHILE DRIVING OVER 40MPH, VEHICLE WANDERS FROM LEFT TO RIGHT WITHOUT DRIVER INPUT
  • 11519189 When this happened again I told Manly Hyundai, and the service advisor said it was the worm gear. However I still had to pay for a diagnosis and repair ($225.09)
  • 11360770 VEHICLE WANDERS FROM LEFT TO RIGHT WITHOUT DRIVER INPUT; REQUIRING CONSTANT CORRECTION WHILE TRAVELING ON A STRAIGHT 4 LANE HIGHWAY
Driver door latch failureSTRUCTURE2 complaints2022-07 → 2026-05kona-2020-door-latch-failure
  • 11738158 2020 Hyundai Kona, ~36,300 miles. Driver's side door latch assembly. On or around May 9, 2026, an abnormal mechanical noise began coming from inside the driver's door whenever the key fob lock/unlock button was pressed, consistent with a failing latch actuator
  • 11475293 My driver's side door would not unlock, either electrically, or mechanically today. I was in the car and could not exit. I'm 70 years old and a big guy. crawling over the console in a Kona to get out of the passenger side was a struggle
Engine stall and oil consumption from piston-ring defectENGINE103 complaints2020-10 → 2026-08kona-2020-engine-stall-oil-recall
  • 11748215 The Kona was driven a 1/2 hour before parking the vehicle. The Kona was turned off. Within 5 minutes smoke began wafting from under the hood. When I opened the hood to inspect I found the engine & underside of the hood was engulfed in flames
  • 11725552 My 2020 Hyundai Kona (VIN: [XXX] ) has a persistent engine stalling safety defect that matches Recall 203 (22-01-042H, NHTSA Campaign 21V301000 – Nu 2.0L Atkinson Engine Inspection and Replacement)
  • 11677887 I am the original owner of a 2020 Hyundai Kona equipped with the 2.0L Nu MPI engine. This engine has been subject to known manufacturing defects, including excessive oil consumption, timing component wear, and premature failure
Forward collision warning false activation with brakingFORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE7 complaints2021-03 → 2026-02kona-2020-fca-false-braking
  • 11507764 I was driving on the highway and there was no one around me and the forward collision warning went off. The car then braked on my behalf going 70 mph on the highway. THis has happened twice so far
  • 11501418 I have a 2020 Kona SE AWD and have a problem with a Check Forward Collision Sensor error that happens infrequently
  • 11400028 WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY, A MESSAGE "COLLISION DETECTION SYSTEM FAILURE" FLASHED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, AND THE BRAKES SLAMMED ON FULL, FOLLOWED BY THE TRANSMISSION STUCK IN 4TH GEAR
Headlight, battery, and instrument cluster failuresELECTRICAL SYSTEM6 complaints2021-07 → 2025-11kona-2020-electrical-malfunctions
  • 11699982 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
  • 11678493 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
  • 11436204 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
Sudden unintended acceleration resulting in crashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL3 complaints2020-03 → 2026-04kona-2020-unintended-acceleration
  • 11733726 I stopped my car foot on brake put it in park and it accelerated on its own and forced me to crash into a concrete wall still not wanting to stop
  • 11419113 On 30 May 21, I was getting ready to pull into my driveway, stopped the vehicle to let a passenger out of car, when suddenly the vehicle accelerated at a high speed crashing into my house
  • 11315963 ON TUESDAY, MARCH 2020, I PULLED INTO A PARKING SPACE AT A LOCAL CVS STORE SHORTLY AFTER 5 PM, ABOUT TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND SHIFT INTO PARK, WHEN MY 2020 HYUNDAI KONA SUDDENLY AND INEXPLICABLY ACCELERATED, JUMPED THE POLICEMAN, THEN THE CURB AND RAMMED

NHTSA complaints (summary) all years →

countearliest_datelatest_datecrash_flaggedfire_flaggedtop_components
1582020-03-042026-09-0983ENGINE:105; POWER TRAIN:20; UNKNOWN OR OTHER:17; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:11; VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:7

Recalls all years →

campaign_numberreport_received_datecomponentsummaryconsequenceremedy
21V30100028/04/2021ENGINEHyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Elantra, 2019-2021 Kona and Veloster vehicles equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engines. The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which could result in engine damage.A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, oil may leak onto hot exhaust components, increasing the risk of a fire.Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the engine, free of charge. In addition, Hyundai will deploy Piston Ring Noise Sensing System (PNSS) software. Owner notification letters were mailed August 24, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460.
20V02200017/01/2020EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELSHyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020 Kona vehicles. The certification label may indicate incorrect Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 567, "Certification" and 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."An incorrect GAWR could result in the vehicle being overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will install new label stickers displaying the correct GAWR over the affected areas of the certification label, free of charge. The recall began March 2, 2020. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 187.

Investigations all years →

action_numberstatussubjectcomponentsopenedclosedrecall_campaignsummary
DP22003closedLoss of Motive PowerENGINE2022-09-122023-12-12·The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021. The Petitioners cited examples of complaints indicating that the subject vehicles were experiencing rapid loss of engine oil due to oil drain plug back outs, resulting in loss of motive power and/or catastrophic engine damage. Additional complain
DP22005closedPedestrian alert soundsELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM2023-01-272023-08-0722V063000NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after Marc

FARS occupant deaths all years →

crash_yearsoccupant_deathsmatch_typevpic_recovered
2010-202417legacy-code0

FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road.

Cite this

Derived data is CC BY 4.0. Link back to the page you used. Text and BibTeX below.

Wrench.Pro (2026). 2020 Hyundai Kona vehicle data [dataset]. https://www.wrench.pro/data/vehicles/2020/hyundai/kona
@misc{wrenchpro_2020_hyundai_kona_2026,
  author = {Wrench.Pro},
  title = {Wrench.Pro vehicle data: 2020 Hyundai Kona},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {\url{https://www.wrench.pro/data/vehicles/2020/hyundai/kona}},
  note = {Derived from NHTSA public records. CC BY 4.0.}
}

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