NHTSA lists 1 safety recall and 198 owner complaints for the 2019 Hyundai Kona.
Recalled components: engine. Most-described problem: stalling or shutting off (60 complaints, 30%). Most-reported area: engine (138 complaints, 70%; median mileage when it happened: 68,000).
Fewer complaints than a typical Kona year
The 2019 drew 45 owner complaints in its first three years, against 55 for a typical Kona year.
No Kona year stands out enough to avoid; best year: 2018. Based on owner complaints, not adjusted for sales.
The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which could result in engine damage.
Risk: 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.
The fix and full notice
Fix: 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.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Elantra, 2019-2021 Kona and Veloster vehicles equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engines.
NHTSA listing: KONA. Hyundai campaign 203.
Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA investigations
NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2019 Hyundai Kona.
What owners report
Owners have filed 198 complaints with NHTSA about the 2019 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 off60 · 30%
Median 70,000 miles at failure, from 25 reports with mileage
Check engine light39 · 20%
Median 81,000 miles at failure, from 17 reports with mileage
Median 68,000 miles at failure, from 41 reports with mileage
Powertrain19 · 10%
Electrical system18 · 9%
Fuel and propulsion system10 · 5%
Engine and cooling9 · 5%
Forward collision avoidance9 · 5%
Most named: warnings (4)
Speed control9 · 5%
Unknown or other21 · 11%
A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%. Mileage is shown where at least 15 owners reported it.
Hyundai Kona recalls and complaints by model year
The highlighted bars are the 2019 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 2019 drew 45.
Owner complaints
2019: 198 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
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
2019: 1 recallTap or drag across the chart for other years.
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.
In the 198 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2019 Hyundai Kona, the problems described most are stalling or shutting off (60), the check engine light coming on (39), and engine failure or replacement (35). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can describe several problems.
Is the 2019 Hyundai Kona safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2019 Hyundai Kona earns 5 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.
Is NHTSA investigating the 2019 Hyundai Kona?
No. NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2019 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.