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4 recalls covering model years 2019, 2020, 2024, 2025. To check whether your vehicle is affected, look up your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls — a recall may apply only to some vehicles of a given year.
Hyundai found that the seat belt buckle for the middle rear seat may not hold a passenger properly in a crash. Someone belted into that center spot might not be restrained the way the belt is supposed to restrain them, so they could be hurt more badly in a collision. Hyundai is telling owners that nobody should sit in the rear center seat until the fix is done. A dealer will replace the buckle assembly at no charge.
The big lithium-ion battery that powers these electric cars can develop an internal short circuit, which can start a fire. As a first step, Hyundai offers a battery software update you can start yourself through the car's touchscreen, or a dealer can do it for you. After that, a dealer will inspect the battery pack and replace it if there is a problem. All of it is free. Park outside, away from buildings, until the update is done.
⚠ NHTSA advises: park outside and away from structures (fire risk).
The electronic brake system can misread a sensor signal and cut back how much stopping power the brakes provide. If that happens, the car takes longer to stop than the driver expects, which can lead to a crash. This affects certain 2019-2020 Nexo fuel cell cars and 2019-2021 Kona Electric cars. A dealer updates the brake system software free of charge, and the repair has been available since January 2021.
The large battery that powers your Kona Electric may short out inside. An electrical short like that can start a fire. Because of that risk, Hyundai says to park the car outside and away from your house, garage, or any other building until the repair is done. At the dealer, the software that manages the battery will be updated, and the battery will be inspected and replaced free if it is found to be bad. Repairs began November 2020.
⚠ NHTSA advises: park outside and away from structures (fire risk).
Complaints owners have filed with NHTSA about the Hyundai Kona Electric. These are unverified reports; better-selling years collect more.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 54 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 2020 | 185 | 9 | 3 | 12 |
| 2024 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Recalls and complaint record for one model year at a time: