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Hyundai KonaModel year report

2018 Hyundai Kona Problems

Compared with other Hyundai Kona years

Fewer complaints than typical for this model

13/100 0.4× a typical year · 50 = typical

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
75filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
15,500miles, 24 complaints with mileage
Recalls
0campaigns on record
Trend
RisingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—no overall rating published
EPA fuel economy
30 mpgcombined, 1.6L 4-cyl FWD · 28 city / 32 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2018 Hyundai Kona (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 2018 Kona report engine complaints far more than anything else, most often heavy oil consumption that develops into knocking, misfires, and stalling, with several reports of engine replacement being needed. A second cluster of complaints covers electrical and infotainment quirks (radio and display staying on, backup camera failures, flickering lights) and early reports that the blind spot warning system switches itself off. Engine complaints in the sample span from under 20,000 miles to beyond 120,000 miles, so problems are not limited to high-mileage cars.

  1. Engine

    Excessive oil consumption and engine knock

    • 32 complaints (43%)
    • median 72,000 mi at 6.8 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $3,600 (median of 5 quotes)
    • filed 2020–2026

    Owners describe having to add oil frequently, in some cases a quart every week or two, in some cases finding very little oil at the next service despite regular maintenance. Over time many report knocking, misfires, shaking, poor acceleration, and stalling while driving; dealers and independent shops often diagnosed piston ring or cylinder problems and recommended engine replacement or rebuild. Some owners say warranty coverage was declined or that the VIN was not included in any recall. Reported across the sample from roughly 17,000 to over 120,000 miles, with several cases appearing between 50,000 and 90,000 miles.

    2 related service bulletins

    What to check: Check the oil level and condition at every service interval and look for low readings between changes; ask the seller for service records and whether oil consumption has been measured. A pre-purchase inspection that includes a compression or power balance test can reveal cylinder problems.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I purchased a 2018 Hyundai Kona, and it has had one major issue after another. It burns an excessive amount of oil, the engine misfires, and now the turbocharger is failing. I’ve already spent approximately $2,300 repairing the air conditioner and engine, and I can’t afford thousands more in repairs.”

    NHTSA complaint #11751885, filed 2026-07

    “I am having issues with my oil consumption and my car is going through a quart of oil every 1-1.5 weeks. There have been similar recalls on the 2019 Kona’s which have the same 1.6L 4-cylinder engine. My car is currently a little over 126,000 miles”

    NHTSA complaint #11704368, filed 2025-12
  2. Engine

    Stalling and sudden loss of power while driving

    • 27 complaints (36%)
    • median 35,300 mi at 5.4 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2018–2026

    Several complaints describe the engine cutting out or losing power without warning, sometimes on the highway with cruise control engaged, with the check engine light coming on afterward. Owners report having to coast to the shoulder, restart the car, or have it towed; in some cases the dealer found ignition coil or timing component faults, and in others the engine required replacement. Spread through the sample, generally at higher mileages but with some reports in the 30,000 to 50,000 mile range.

    What to check: During a test drive, note any hesitation, rough idle, or warning lights, and ask whether the ignition coils, spark plugs, and timing components have been serviced. Scan the vehicle for stored diagnostic codes before buying.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Was driving Hyundai KONA down the freeway. I smelled a burning smell, I saw the check engine light blink once. The car went into limp mode and I started pulling over to the shoulder. Stopping on the shoulder, I noticed smoke coming from underneath the hood. I evacuated the car and within a few minutes, flames were present. It was between 2-3 miles start to finish.”

    NHTSA complaint #11300596, filed 2020-01, 29,000 miles

    “Oil change was on 1/13/2023 at 33,505 miles. On 2/25/2023 at 35,366 miles after driving on the highway for about 30 mins at 65 mph, the oil light came on and car was making a loud noise as I pulled in to park. My car was parked for about 1.5hrs at my destination. I attempted to drive home and get back on the highway when my engine stalled at about 40 mph and my engine and battery light came on. I had to pull over to the shoulder as my car would not drive anymore. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11511771, filed 2023-03
  3. Electrical system

    Radio, display and camera staying on or failing

    • 8 complaints (11%)
    • median 9,838 mi at 1.4 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2018–2024

    Some owners describe the radio continuing to play and the backup camera failing after the car is shut off and the door opened, sometimes requiring the battery to be disconnected. Others report interior lights, headlights, and tail lights behaving erratically, and one complaint describes the steering wheel controls affecting the navigation and radio display. Reported from around 12,000 to 45,000 miles in the sample.

    3 related service bulletins

    What to check: Check that the infotainment unit powers down with the ignition off, that the backup camera works, and that interior lighting and locking behave consistently; ask whether any software updates have been applied.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “When car she starts car and in morning and night , when I puts in gear and and steps on gas the headlights flicker off and on until she gets on road about a mile. Had this check at Hyundai dealer and they said nothing is wrong but it still continue to do this. This could be hazard when I drive in the dark.”

    NHTSA complaint #11210012, filed 2019-05, 12,676 miles

    “I have owned the car for a little over a month, full warranty still on car. Two weeks into owning I noticed the steering wheel would effect the navigation, radio, camera...the console would go into a loop and keep restarting. Took in for service, the stated they would order a part. Saturday, August 7th, I was looking for a parking space in the Publix that is less than 1/2 mile from my home. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11429039, filed 2021-08
  4. Other or unknown

    Blind spot and driver-assist warnings switching off

    Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

    Owners report a warning triangle appearing and the blind spot collision warning system disabling itself while driving in clear weather with no dirt or obstruction on the sensors. The system sometimes returns on its own after a period of time or after restarting the vehicle; dealers told some owners they could not find a fault or reproduce it. Reported at low mileages in the sample, from a few hundred to about 11,000 miles.

    What to check: On a test drive, confirm the blind spot and other driver-assist warnings illuminate and clear normally, and ask whether the dealer has looked at any stored codes for those systems.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Blind spot warning ⚠️ appeared like this for about an hour. The system turned off for no reason at 5000 miles, this has never happened before or since. I was in cruse control but this was not affected. The system came back online by itself an hour later. I tried repeatedly to get it to come back on myself but it did not work. Clear weather, no traffic or other issues. I was driving on the highway.”

    NHTSA complaint #11192689, filed 2019-03, 5,000 miles

    “Bcw (blind collision warning) now for the second time about 3000 miles apart from the first time at 8960 and now at 11246 automatically shut off while driving in perfect weather, no grime or mud anywhere near or on the sensors in rear bumper. Turns off warning triangle turns on for approx 15 minutes then turns on leaving without any warning.”

    NHTSA complaint #11145203, filed 2018-11, 11,246 miles

Buying note. Engine oil consumption is the dominant theme in owner complaints for this model year, so service records, an oil-level check, and a compression or power balance test are worth insisting on. Also verify that the driver-assist and infotainment systems behave correctly on a test drive, and confirm which campaigns or service bulletins have been applied.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 75 consumer complaints for the 2018 Hyundai Kona. 24 of the complaints include a mileage, and 71% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 15,500 miles. Of all complaints, 9 involved a crash, 10 a fire, 12 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 97 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 5 Hyundai Kona model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 13 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (fewer complaints than typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (3), Air bags (2), Back-over prevention (rear camera) (1), Electronic stability control (1), Lane departure (1), Steering (1), Suspension (1), Tires (1), Wheels (1).

Example complaints

Engine: “My husband and I were driving uneventfully down a highway for about an hour and pulled over for no other reason but to get gas. We have a high tech blue link system and only 17k miles on the car. There were no lights or warnings at all. Just after parking at the gas pump the engine started smoking and quickly burst into flames. The car filled up with smoke and we were able to get out without a scratch, but my husband had to jump back into the burning vehicle to push it away from the pump. …”

NHTSA complaint #11388862, filed 2021-01, 17,000 miles

Other or unknown: “When going from gas to brake, even at low speed the car lurches forward, even after the brake is compressed. I have been in two crashes now with the same car tis has happened. I see that in australia, over 4000 of the same cars were recalled for this issue. Two years ago I crashed into a tree. This morning I crashed into my garage door and demolished it.”

NHTSA complaint #11363820, filed 2020-10, 32,000 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “On 1/13/21, vehicle emitted a blue smoke and misfired when accelerating from complete stop from rural road onto state highway.. Vehicle was taken to ciocca Hyundai of williamsport, where it had been serviced 2 days prior. They replaced 2 spark plugs and stated it was fine. Vehicle worked fine until the following morning. The vehicle was misfiring during an acceleration from complete stop and eventually quit on me. I was on a state highway at this point. The vehicle was towed to ciocca Hyundai of williamsport. They serviced it until 1/18/21. …”

NHTSA complaint #11395165, filed 2021-02, 54,000 miles

Electrical system: “I have a 2018 Hyundai Kona, with approximately 42,000 miles on it. The right front passenger door began having problems sometime in 2022. When I first inquired about the door at Riverside Hyundai, I was advised that the problem might be covered under warranty. I did not have the problem diagnosed at that time. Today, I had the problem diagnosed, and I was advised that the repair would cost $453.00, with parts and labor. After Googling the problem, I discovered that quite a few Hyundai owners have a problem with their door locks. …”

NHTSA complaint #11547495, filed 2023-09

Mileage when problems were reported

71% of the 24 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 5,000 and 50,000 miles.

33%0–1021%10–2517%25–508%50–758%75–10013%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (24 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 15,500 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: rising. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.

20182019202020212022202320242025142026
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2018 Hyundai Kona version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Kona AWD1.6L 4-cyl7-speed automatic262927$2,500
Kona AWD2.0L 4-cyl6-speed automatic253027$2,500
Kona FWD1.6L 4-cyl7-speed automatic283230$2,250
Kona FWD2.0L 4-cyl6-speed automatic273330$2,250

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2018 Hyundai Kona in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 97 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 97 bulletins →

Other model years of the Hyundai Kona

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2026108353431—Too new
2025285,3991431Too new to compareToo new
20245312,0004431Too new to compareToo new
20236634,072153243 · TypicalToo new
202210119,842053248 · TypicalRising
202112023,700153063 · TypicalStable
202016212,000253095 · MoreFalling
201919844,000153051 · TypicalRising
20187515,5000—3013 · FewerRising

All Hyundai Kona model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2018 Hyundai Kona?

Owners of the 2018 Kona report engine complaints far more than anything else, most often heavy oil consumption that develops into knocking, misfires, and stalling, with several reports of engine replacement being needed. The issues reported most often: Excessive oil consumption and engine knock; Stalling and sudden loss of power while driving; Radio, display and camera staying on or failing.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2018 Hyundai Kona have?

NHTSA recorded 75 consumer complaints for the 2018 Hyundai Kona as of Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2018 Hyundai Kona is reported most often?

Engine is named most often, in 42 complaints (56% of the total), followed by other or unknown with 25.

Has the 2018 Hyundai Kona been recalled?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2018 Hyundai Kona get?

The EPA rates the 2018 Hyundai Kona (Kona FWD, 1.6L 4-cyl) at 30 mpg combined, 28 city and 32 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,250 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2018 Hyundai Kona reported?

Among the 24 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 15,500 miles and the middle half falls between 5,000 and 50,000 miles; 71% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.