2023 Hyundai Kona Problems
Compared with other Hyundai Kona years
Typical for this model
43/100 0.9× a typical year · 50 = typical
- Complaint rate is 0.9× that of a typical Hyundai Kona year, weighted for crashes, fires, injuries, recalls and mileage, and allowing for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints.
- 53 of its 66 complaints were filed by the end of 2025.
- Most reported problem: Horn stops working (intermittent or permanent) (22 complaints, median 12,000 mi).
- 1 recall campaign on record. A VIN search at nhtsa.gov/recalls shows open recalls for a specific vehicle.
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
- 66filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 34,072miles, 6 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 1campaigns on record
- Trend
- Too newThis model year is less than 4 years old, so a trend is not meaningful yet.
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 / 5stars overall, 2 rated versions
- EPA fuel economy
- 32 mpgcombined, 1.6L 4-cyl FWD · 29 city / 35 hwy
Sources: NHTSA records for the 2023 Hyundai Kona (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error
What owners report
Owners of this model year most often report a horn that stops working, sometimes repeatedly after dealer repairs, and occasional unexpected behavior from the forward-collision and cruise-control systems. A smaller group describes sudden loss of power or hesitation while driving, and several mention infotainment screens going blank or tire-pressure warnings appearing at random.
- Electrical system
Horn stops working (intermittent or permanent)
- 22 complaints (33%)
- median 12,000 mi at 1.9 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
- filed 2023–2026
Owners describe pressing the horn and getting no sound, sometimes intermittently and sometimes permanently. Many report the horn was replaced under warranty, with the new unit working for a time before failing again; some describe several replacements. Dealers are reported as acknowledging it as a known issue, and complaints mention that a fuse check showed the fuse intact. Reported from a few thousand miles to well past 100,000 miles, and one owner notes the horn failed again in below-freezing temperatures.
What to check: Test the horn on the test drive, and ask for service records showing whether the horn was replaced or the warranty extension applied. Repeat failures are worth flagging even if the horn currently works.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“The horn is not working in my vehicle. I found this out today when I almost had someone collide with my vehicle while I was on the highway, not once, but twice. I was unable to use my horn to alert the other driver. I called Hyundai and they said it is not covered under warranty and this is a known issue with my vehicle. I have only had the vehicle for 3-4 months and this should not be happening. …”
NHTSA complaint #11677647, filed 2025-07“I was in a rotary and there were two lanes and they both exited to a bridge. I was on the outside lane of the rotary and when exiting the rotary the car from the inside cut me off and I was unable to alert the driver because me HORN wasn't working. I blew out 2 tires hitting a curb and needed to be towed.State police arrived on the other side of the bridge. My HORN has been replaced by the dealer 3 times now.”
NHTSA complaint #11763162, filed 2026-09 - Forward collision avoidance
Forward-collision warning and automatic braking at random
Mentioned in 12 of 57 sampled complaints
Complaints describe the forward-collision warning sounding or the vehicle braking on its own when no obstacle is present, including while entering a turn lane or after a windshield replacement. Some owners also report lane-departure alerts and cruise-control speed changes they did not request, and a few say the driver-assist features stopped working altogether with warning lights on. Often reported on vehicles with low mileage, in everyday driving such as turning into traffic or driving on open road.
What to check: Ask whether any software updates or ESC/driver-assist reprogramming were performed, and confirm the warning systems function during a test drive. Note that a service bulletin describes an ESC software update for smart cruise control behavior on some turbo models.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“i was driving at 45mph and a deer came in front of my car . We hit the deer in front of car , deer approximitly 100 lbs no warning like brake sytem lane obstruction or air bags deployed ? I bought this car based Hyundai telling me how safe of car it is . When obiously it is not I notified Hyundai america of these things and they said everything worked correctly ?”
NHTSA complaint #11516654, filed 2023-04“While driving, my car completely turned off and the dashboard say “engine turn off”. This happened on two separate occasions. Also on separate occasions while i was driving the beep to indicate that i was too close to another car went off when i was not near another car, during that time it also emergency breaked on its own.”
NHTSA complaint #11595972, filed 2024-06 - Engine
Sudden loss of power or hesitation while driving
- 11 complaints (17%)
- median 75,072 mi at 3.4 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
- filed 2022–2026
Owners describe the vehicle losing speed or cutting out while driving, in some cases on the highway with warning lights appearing afterward. Others report hesitation when accelerating from a stop or the engine revving without the car gaining speed. Complaints mention dealer diagnosis pointing to the transmission control system or the electric oil pump, and in some cases the transmission was replaced. Reported across a wide mileage range, from under 2,000 miles to around 100,000 miles, and often described as intermittent.
Recall 23V5260003 related service bulletins
What to check: Ask for the full service history, including any transmission control unit or oil pump work, and confirm whether recall 23V526000 was completed. A test drive that includes a stop-and-go stretch and a highway merge can help surface hesitation.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“While traveling at 70 mph on the freeway my 2023 Kona with less than 2,000 miles dropped into neutral and lost speed, almost causing a crash. I’m lucky the driver behind me braked in time. The dealer has informed me that the transmission needs to be replaced.”
NHTSA complaint #11525038, filed 2023-06“My 2023 Hyundai Kona SEL FWD currently has approximately 1500 miles on the odometer. Pretty much since the day I my 2023 Kona SEL on 9/3/2022, the car has had an issue where, after I start the car and begin driving it for about 20 or 30 seconds the car will lose power entirely. Engine shuts down, and the following warning codes illuminate-Immobilizer, check engine light, battery light, and oil lights come on and the car prompts me to restart it. …”
NHTSA complaint #11492026, filed 2022-11
Buying note. The horn and driver-assist complaints are the most frequent in this sample, so test both directly and ask for service records. Ask whether recall 23V526000 and any related transmission or engine software updates have been completed on the specific vehicle in question.
Summary written with AI from a sample of 57 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 66 consumer complaints for the 2023 Hyundai Kona. 6 of the complaints include a mileage, and 50% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 34,072 miles. Of all complaints, 4 involved a crash, 3 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 39 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 43 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (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.
- Electrical system26 39%
- Other or unknown19 29%
- Engine8 12%
- Fuel system4 6.1%
- Brakes3 4.5%
- Lane departure2 3.0%
- Air bags1 1.5%
Also reported: Exterior lighting (1), Seat belts (1), Steering (1), Body and structure (1), Tires (1), Wheels (1).
Example complaints
Electrical system: “The radio/GPS screen cuts out and goes completely blank and I can't turn it off or down or do anything with the radio. The tire pressure lights come on and off at random times. The backup camera randomly stays on when I'm driving and I can't get it to go back to a regular screen. The lights randomly turn on and off when I am driving. There is obviously some kind of electrical issues.”
NHTSA complaint #11498123, filed 2022-12Other or unknown: “My horn is not working again. It was replaced when I initially got the Kona in 2023. It did not work coming out of the dealership. And now again it is back to not working. This is a liability and also a danger to my children.”
NHTSA complaint #11727689, filed 2026-03Forward collision avoidance: “Had left Costco and while driving away down road to intersection, the 2023 Kona SEL abruptly locked the brakes and briefly skidded, as it displayed Emergency Braking Activated message on display. I had crossed a dotted line to enter a left turn lane at about 20 mph to make a turn which should not have triggered the AEB-there wasnt anything in front of me whatsoever except empty road, the roadway was dry and unobstructed. I maintained control of the car after being surprised by the brakes locking up for a second or two without any warning. …”
NHTSA complaint #11568881, filed 2024-01Transmission and drivetrain: “Dear Customer Care, I am the owner of a 2023 Hyundai Kona AWD purchased brand new from Vision Hyundai West Henrietta, NY. I paid for the vehicle in full with a cashier's check totaling over $31,000. At just 64,000 miles, the vehicle has become undrivable-experiencing loud noises, jerking, and no acceleration. I was driving and car would not move. These symptoms are clearly drivetrain-related and should be covered under Hyundai's 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty . …”
NHTSA complaint #11674917, filed 2025-07Mileage when problems were reported
50% of the 6 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 12,000 and 94,000 miles.
Complaints by year filed
This model year is less than 4 years old, so a trend is not meaningful yet.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2023 Hyundai Kona. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Side pole | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kona · SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | 5 / 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 · 13.6% risk |
| Kona · SUV FWD | ★★★★★ | 5 / 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 · 14.1% risk |
Driver aids listed by NHTSA for the 2023 model year: forward collision warning standard on some versions, lane departure warning standard, automatic emergency braking standard on some versions.
Neighbouring years: 2022: same overall rating; 2024: 4 stars overall. A redesign between years can change both the car and the test.
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Fuel economy and running cost
EPA ratings for each 2023 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).
| Version | Engine | Transmission | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kona AWD | 1.6L 4-cyl | 7-speed automatic | 27 | 32 | 29 | $2,300 |
| Kona AWD | 2.0L 4-cyl | CVT | 28 | 33 | 30 | $2,250 |
| Kona FWD | 1.6L 4-cyl | 7-speed automatic | 29 | 35 | 32 | $2,100 |
| Kona FWD | 2.0L 4-cyl | CVT | 30 | 35 | 32 | $2,100 |
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
- Power train › Automatic transmission › Fluid/lubricant › PumpCovers: Hyundai Kona 2023, Palisade 2023–2024, Tucson 2023–2024 +2 more
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Palisade Tucson, 2023 Sonata, Elantra, and Kona vehicles. The electronic controller for the Idle Stop & Go oil pump assembly may contain damaged electrical components that can cause the pump…
Recall details for the 2023 Hyundai Kona → · Check a 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. 39 on record; the latest 10 are shown.
- 11038798Oct 27, 2026Electrical system. This bulletin provides information related to the navigation and head unit software changes introduced in the 2026 2nd Navigation Map and Software Update. The changes may vary depending on vehicle…
- 11038722Oct 15, 2026Back-over prevention (rear camera). Some Hyundai vehicles may be equipped with a parking distance warning (PDW) sensor(s) that may trigger various DTCs and display warning messages on the instrument cluster, resulting in the PDW…
- 11038458Oct 8, 2026Engine. Some vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil consumption. This bulletin outlines the combustion chamber cleaning procedure for vehicles…
- 11038456Oct 7, 2026Engine. Certain vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil consumption. This bulletin provides the inspection and repair procedures for vehicles…
- 11033710May 27, 2026Electrical system. This bulletin provides information related to the navigation and head unit software changes introduced in the 2026 1st Navigation Map and Software Update. The changes may vary depending on vehicle…
- 11032720May 16, 2026Other or unknown. Certain 2021-2023 model year Kona, 2021-2023 model year Kona Electric, and 2022-2023 model year Kona N vehicles may experience an inoperable horn that may be caused by foreign substances causing…
- 11031400Apr 18, 2026Engine, Electrical system. Some vehicles may exhibit difficulty starting in cold weather. This bulletin provides the procedure to perform an inspection on the starter magnetic switch for potential freezing and, if necessary…
- 11031398Apr 18, 2026Other or unknown. Some vehicles may have an inoperable horn that may be caused by foreign substances causing internal parts to oxidize. Hyundai is extending the warranty coverage for the horn replacement under this…
- 11031397Apr 18, 2026Other or unknown. Some vehicles may have an inoperable horn that may be caused by foreign substances causing internal parts to oxidize. Hyundai is extending the warranty coverage for the horn replacement under this…
- 11032523Apr 10, 2026Air bags. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the presence of substandard and dangerous driver’s-side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile…
Other model years of the Hyundai Kona
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 10 | 835 | 3 | 4 | 31 | — | Too new |
| 2025 | 28 | 5,399 | 1 | 4 | 31 | Too new to compare | Too new |
| 2024 | 53 | 12,000 | 4 | 4 | 31 | Too new to compare | Too new |
| 2023 | 66 | 34,072 | 1 | 5 | 32 | 43 · Typical | Too new |
| 2022 | 101 | 19,842 | 0 | 5 | 32 | 48 · Typical | Rising |
| 2021 | 120 | 23,700 | 1 | 5 | 30 | 63 · Typical | Stable |
| 2020 | 162 | 12,000 | 2 | 5 | 30 | 95 · More | Falling |
| 2019 | 198 | 44,000 | 1 | 5 | 30 | 51 · Typical | Rising |
| 2018 | 75 | 15,500 | 0 | — | 30 | 13 · Fewer | Rising |
All Hyundai Kona model years · Best and worst years by complaints
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2023 Hyundai Kona?
Owners of this model year most often report a horn that stops working, sometimes repeatedly after dealer repairs, and occasional unexpected behavior from the forward-collision and cruise-control systems. The issues reported most often: Horn stops working (intermittent or permanent); Forward-collision warning and automatic braking at random; Sudden loss of power or hesitation while driving.
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2023 Hyundai Kona have?
NHTSA recorded 66 consumer complaints for the 2023 Hyundai Kona as of Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 2023 Hyundai Kona is reported most often?
Electrical system is named most often, in 26 complaints (39% of the total), followed by other or unknown with 19.
Has the 2023 Hyundai Kona been recalled?
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
How did the 2023 Hyundai Kona do in NHTSA crash tests?
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2023 Hyundai Kona 5 out of 5 stars overall, across 2 rated versions (body style and drive). Ratings from different model years are only comparable when the vehicle was not redesigned in between.
What gas mileage does the 2023 Hyundai Kona get?
The EPA rates the 2023 Hyundai Kona (Kona FWD, 1.6L 4-cyl) at 32 mpg combined, 29 city and 35 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,100 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.
At what mileage are problems with the 2023 Hyundai Kona reported?
Among the 6 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 34,072 miles and the middle half falls between 12,000 and 94,000 miles; 50% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. 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.