2018 Hyundai Kona Recalls and Problems

NHTSA lists 0 safety recalls and 75 owner complaints for the 2018 Hyundai Kona.

Most-described problem: stalling or shutting off (18 complaints, 24%). Most-reported area: engine (42 complaints, 56%).

One of the best Kona years by owner complaints

The 2018 drew 16 owner complaints in its first three years, against 55 for a typical Kona year. No open NHTSA investigation names it, and it has no recall telling owners not to drive or to park outside.

No Kona year stands out enough to avoid; best year: 2018. Based on owner complaints, not adjusted for sales.

Every Kona year ranked

0Safety recalls

75Owner complaints

9Complaints citing a crash

10Complaints citing a fire

Check your Kona for open recalls

Opens NHTSA's lookup in a new tab; your VIN goes to NHTSA, not to us. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard, the door jamb and your registration. Safety recall repairs are free at Hyundai dealers.

How to check a car for recalls, step by step

Get a vehicle history report from EpicVIN (opens in a new tab): a paid report with the car's title, odometer and salvage records, from an approved NMVTIS data provider. Affiliate link: we earn a commission if you buy. If you typed a full VIN above, the link sends it to EpicVIN and opens its checkout page for that VIN. Check the price before you pay: EpicVIN's $1 trial lasts 3 days, then becomes a monthly subscription until you cancel ($49.99 to $99.99 a month on its pages as of Oct 2, 2026). Disclosure

Data: NHTSA recall, complaint and investigation filesUpdated Nov 6, 2026

Excludes the Kona Electric.

0 safety recalls for the 2018 Hyundai Kona

NHTSA lists no safety recalls for the 2018 Hyundai Kona in its recall file dated Nov 12, 2026. Recalls can still be issued later, so check your VIN from time to time.

NHTSA investigations

NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2018 Hyundai Kona.

What owners report

Owners have filed 75 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Kona. Below, they are sorted by the problems owners describe and by the areas NHTSA files them under. NHTSA does not verify complaints.

Problems owners describe

Stalling or shutting off18 · 24%
Engine failure or replacement17 · 23%
Check engine light12 · 16%
Excessive oil consumption10 · 13%
Misfires or rough running8 · 11%
Smoke or a burning smell8 · 11%
Shaking, shuddering or vibration8 · 11%
Jerking, lurching or harsh shifting6 · 8%

Counted from the complaint text: a complaint counts once for each problem it describes (how we match them). Some complaints describe none of these. Compare other models in the problem owners report most for every model year.

Areas named in complaints

Engine42 · 56%
Powertrain11 · 15%
Electrical system8 · 11%
Fuel and propulsion system4 · 5%
Body structure3 · 4%

Most named: body (3)
Engine and cooling3 · 4%
Exterior lighting3 · 4%
Unknown or other25 · 33%

A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%.

Hyundai Kona recalls and complaints by model year

The highlighted bars are the 2018 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2020 Kona drew the most (86) and the 2018 drew 16.

Owner complaints

2018: 75 complaints

Show as a table

Owner complaints by model year, Hyundai Kona
Model year	Complaints
2018	75
2019	198
2020	162
2021	120
2022	109
2023	70
2024	53
2025	29
2026	11

Safety recalls

2018: 0 recalls

Show as a table

Safety recalls by model year, Hyundai Kona
Model year	Recalls
2018	0
2019	1
2020	2
2021	1
2022	2
2023	2
2024	4
2025	1
2026	3

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

Tested version	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover
Hyundai Kona SUV AWD	Not rated	Not rated	Not rated	Not rated
Hyundai Kona SUV FWD	Not rated	Not rated	Not rated	Not rated

2018 Kona MPG

EPA rates the 2018 Hyundai Kona up to 30 mpg combined.Every version and fuel cost

Questions

What are the most common 2018 Kona problems?

In the 75 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Hyundai Kona, the problems described most are stalling or shutting off (18), engine failure or replacement (17), and the check engine light coming on (12). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can describe several problems.

Is NHTSA investigating the 2018 Hyundai Kona?

No. NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2018 Hyundai Kona.

How do I check if my Kona has an open recall?

Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Safety recall repairs are free at Hyundai dealers.

Sources and method

NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Nov 12, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Nov 11, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026. Defect petitions, which ask NHTSA to open an investigation, are listed apart and only while open. Audit queries, which check whether a company met its recall and reporting duties rather than whether a vehicle has a problem, are not listed.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
NHTSA model names covered: KONA.

Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.