2021 Hyundai Kona engine problems

The 2021 Hyundai Kona has 75 engine complaints filed with NHTSA — 52% of the year's total, and down from the prior model year.

Engine complaints

52%

Share of year

Crash-involved

Related recalls

Engine complaints by year

Kona engine complaints by model year. Red bars are years to avoid.

Related recalls

21V301000EngineApril 28, 2021 · 158,493 units

Defect

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Elantra, 2019-2021 Kona and Veloster vehicles equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engines. The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which could result in engine damage.

Consequence

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.

Remedy

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.

What owners report

“I had a 2021 Hyundai Kona limited. On Friday 09/13/2024 my engine caught fire and my car was a total loss. Minutes before the fire I noticed some smoke, all of my dash lights came on and the car shut down. Seconds after stopping the vehicle and getting out the whole engine went up in flames. There…”
Complaint filed with NHTSA · Engine · September 13, 2024 · fire

Common questions

How many engine complaints does the 2021 Hyundai Kona have?

NHTSA has 75 complaints about the 2021 Hyundai Kona engine — 52% of all complaints filed for that model year.

Are there recalls for the 2021 Hyundai Kona engine?

Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign for this model year is tied to the engine: 21V301000.

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.

Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.