AI Damage2022 Hyundai Kona Electric reliability: common problems
Owners of the 2022 Hyundai Kona Electric filed 22 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and service brakes. The maker issued 37 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 22
- involving a crash
- 2
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 37
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 68% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 14% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 9% of all complaints
- 4 Forward collision avoidance 9% of all complaints
- 5 Powertrain 5% of all complaints
- 6 Visibility 5% of all complaints
- 7 Vehicle speed control 5% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 15 complaints (68% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 16.
- Service brakes: 3 complaints (14% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine: 2 complaints (9% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 1.
- Forward collision avoidance: 2 complaints (9% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (5% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 5.
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 22 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 15 | 0 | 16 |
| Service brakes | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Engine | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Steering | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Air bags | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Engine and cooling | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Equipment | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Exterior lighting | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Structure | 0 | 0 | 1 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The airbags did not deploy. Immediately following the crash, a diagnostic scan of the vehicleâs chassis network revealed active diagnostic trouble code C160404 (ECU Hardware Error / Internal Self-Test Failure), confirming a hard electronic fault within the Integrated Electronic Brake (IEB) module.
While driving slowly less than 5 MPH into parking stall the vehicle accelerated excessively while trying to brake the vehicle it continued to accelerate and jumped the curb while I was still pumping the brakes to try to get it to stop and the car finally stopped after hitting the front of the establishment building.
The issues are: - Warning messages appeared "Check forward safety system" and "Smart cruise control conditions not metâ. The Smart cruise control stopped working. This is still happening. Started on October 10. - The Charging Port door release required 3 or more clicks of the "unlock" function to open.
Component or System Failed or Malfunctioned: The primary component that has consistently failed or malfunctioned is the air conditioning (AC) system. The AC unit does not adequately cool the vehicle's cabin, especially in hot weather.
There is a knocking sound from under the dash and only cold air comes out of all the vents. When it was 20 degrees out I measure 35 degree air out the vents over the couse of an hour drive. The car has been to the dealer multiple times for this issues.
The electrical system is not fulling shutting down after the vehicle is turned off and the 12 volt battery drains. This also caused the Instrument Panel to fail and made the car not safe to drive as we had no speedometer or odometer. The battery drain happened over and over again. The car is a lemon.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 7,533 of 32,257 model years in the NHTSA data (top 23% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Kona Electric has 19 complaints (8 years in the data). This year has 22, above average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Forward collision avoidance. Radar and camera: calibration after bumper or windshield replacement.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- Hyundai has determined that certain Kona Electric and Ioniq Electric vehicles are eligible for a BMS…
Hyundai has determined that certain Kona Electric and Ioniq Electric vehicles are eligible for a BMS software update. This update to the BMS software improves the system’s diagnostic capability.
- Certain Kona Electric (OS EV) and Ioniq Electric (AE EV) vehicles are eligible for a Battery Management…
Certain Kona Electric (OS EV) and Ioniq Electric (AE EV) vehicles are eligible for a Battery Management System (BMS) software update. This update to the BMS software improves the system's diagnostic capability. Follow…
- Certain Kona Electric (OS EV) and Ioniq Electric (AE EV) vehicles are eligible for a Battery Management…
Certain Kona Electric (OS EV) and Ioniq Electric (AE EV) vehicles are eligible for a Battery Management System (BMS) software update. This update to the BMS software improves the system’s diagnostic capability.
- Certain Kona Electric (OS EV) and Ioniq Electric (AE EV) vehicles are eligible for a Battery Management…
Certain Kona Electric (OS EV) and Ioniq Electric (AE EV) vehicles are eligible for a Battery Management System (BMS) software update. This update to the BMS software improves the system’s diagnostic capability. Follow…
- Certain 2021-2023 model year Kona, 2021-2023 model year Kona Electric, and 2022-2023 model year Kona N…
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 internal parts to…
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the presence of substandard and…
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 Safety System Co…
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent safety advisory regarding…
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent safety advisory regarding dangerous, counterfeit driver‑side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety…
- Some vehicles may have an inoperable horn that may be caused by foreign substances causing internal parts…
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 condition to 10 years…
- This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the…
This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the headlamp, rear combination lamp, daytime running lamp (DRL), or fog lamp. This TSB illustrates the various causes of…
- This bulletin provides information related to the changes introduced in the 2025 1st Navigation Map and…
This bulletin provides information related to the changes introduced in the 2025 1st Navigation Map and Software Update. The changes may vary depending on vehicle type, model, and navigation system as described in this…
- Certain IONIQ Electric (AE EV) and Kona Electric (OS EV) vehicles may exhibit a restricted coolant flow…
Certain IONIQ Electric (AE EV) and Kona Electric (OS EV) vehicles may exhibit a restricted coolant flow condition, which may be accompanied by a warning message (e.g., Coolant Supplement, Refill Inverter Coolant) in…
- A software update is available for multiple vehicles equipped with either Display Audio 2.0V or the AVN…
NHTSA lists 37 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2022 Hyundai Kona Electric?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, service brakes, engine. Total complaints: 22. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: A/C or heater (9%), warning lights, check engine (9%), driver assists: adaptive cruise, lane keeping (5%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2022 Hyundai Kona Electric?
NHTSA lists 37 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2022 Hyundai Kona Electric from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2022 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.