AI Damage2018 Hyundai Kona: common problems
Owners of the 2018 Hyundai Kona filed 75 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and powertrain. The maker issued 77 service bulletins for this year. We found 1 repair videos on YouTube. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 75
- involving a crash
- 9
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 77
- YouTube repair videos
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Engine 56% of all complaints
- 2 Powertrain 15% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 11% of all complaints
- 4 Fuel/propulsion system 5% of all complaints
- 5 Engine and cooling 4% of all complaints
- 6 Visibility 4% of all complaints
- 7 Exterior lighting 4% of all complaints
- 8 Structure 4% of all complaints
- Engine: 42 complaints (56% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 3.
- Powertrain: 11 complaints (15% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 8.
- Electrical system: 8 complaints (11% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 38.
- Fuel/propulsion system: 4 complaints (5% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 3 complaints (4% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 7.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 1.6 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cylnamed in 1 complaints
- 2 L · petrol · 4 cylnamed in 1 complaints
- automatic, 6-speed
- dual-clutch (DCT), 7-speednamed in 1 complaints
Drive: FWD, AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 75 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 42 | 1 | 3 |
| Powertrain | 11 | 0 | 8 |
| Electrical system | 8 | 2 | 38 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 3 | 0 | 7 |
| Visibility | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Exterior lighting | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| Structure | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 9 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Wheels | 1 | 1 | 2 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The TPMS sensors had been replaced, which leads me to believe that at time of tire blowout did not function Although the subwoofer was stolen from vehicle the wiring to the subwoofer was said to have caused the fire and remained intact and connected to back of the original stereo equipment.
My vehicle suffered a tire blowout on [XXX]. It was determined to be caused by ripped beading on the inner and outer part of the tire. It was also said that the damage to the tire occurred at time of initial install by improper mounting and balancing of the wheels and tired.
I was in the fastest lane when it happened and I was not protected at all because the airbag did not deploy. It resulted to pain due to contusion on my chest wall, pain on my sternum contusion on my right knee and neck strain. My insurance covered for the repair.
In addition to was previously salvaged sue to collision, hail, flood and fire. The vehicle also was a 2019 made into a 2018. When the ecm was reprogrammed the new vin was wiped clean and altered. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Prone to rollover with losing control of vehicle, on the later model kona like the second I purchased that have installed ant-rollover bars in the front end. I totaled my vehicle on 7/8 and was injured with head trauma
The main driver airbag did not deploy causing me to be thrown forward and received horrific injury to my head. By the windshield coming in like a v and sawing my scalp all the way down to the skull.
car had an engine knock at 110,000 miles and took it to a repair shop and said they are pretty sure it was an engine rod and that the whole engine needed to be replaced still waiting to get it to the dealership to see what they are going to do due to this car being a leased car and it will not run anymore.
The contact stated that while driving approximately 20 MPH, there was a loud clunking sound coming from the engine bay, followed by grinding gear sounds. The vehicle lost drive power, causing the driver to coast over to the side of the road, where the vehicle eventually stalled.
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 698 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (top 33% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Kona has 80 complaints (10 years in the data). This year has 75, about average.
What to check before buying
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- Some vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil…
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 diagnosed with this…
- Certain vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil…
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 exhibiting this condition…
- 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 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, replace the starter magnetic switch (solenoid) assembly.
- A Class Action settlement regarding the TRW Airbag was recently decided
Based on the Class Action, customers are eligible for certain settlement benefits. Please see attached for details. Impacted vehicles are also noted below. For further information regarding settlement benefits and…
- A Class Action settlement regarding the TRW Airbag was recently decided
Based on the Class Action, customers are eligible for certain settlement benefits. Impacted vehicles are also noted below. For further information regarding settlement benefits and contacts, please review the…
- Hyundai has settled a class action lawsuit that alleges that certain Hyundai and Kia Class Vehicles…
Hyundai has settled a class action lawsuit that alleges that certain Hyundai and Kia Class Vehicles (defined below) contain defective ZF-TRW airbag control units (“ZF-TRW ACUs”) that are vulnerable to a condition…
- Upon customer's request ONLY, the Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 25-01-089H provides the service…
Upon customer's request ONLY, the Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 25-01-089H provides the service procedure for installation of a key cylinder reinforcement protector assembly and two anti-theft decals on the front…
- In addition to the Anti-Theft software provided under Service Campaign 993 (TSB 24-01-009H-1), a zinc…
In addition to the Anti-Theft software provided under Service Campaign 993 (TSB 24-01-009H-1), a zinc reinforced ignition cylinder protector hardware upgrade is being made available to customers upon request. This…
- This bulletin provides the service procedure for installation of a key cylinder reinforcement protector…
This bulletin provides the service procedure for installation of a key cylinder reinforcement protector assembly and two anti-theft decals on the front windows.
- In response to this trend, we engineered a software upgrade that addresses the social media theft method…
In response to this trend, we engineered a software upgrade that addresses the social media theft method and made it available to owners of eligible models free of charge at authorized Hyundai dealers since early 2023…
NHTSA lists 77 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Repair videos
We do not copy videos: these are YouTube links credited to their authors. Amounts are as stated by the author and not verified by us.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Hyundai Kona?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine, powertrain, electrical system. Total complaints: 75. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (24%), stalls while driving (21%), smoke, burning smell, fire (19%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2018 Hyundai Kona?
NHTSA lists 77 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 2018 Hyundai Kona 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 2018 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 2026-11-04.