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2022 Hyundai Kona Owner Complaints

Updated May 30, 2026
Ryan Davis
2022 Hyundai Kona Owner Complaints

Complaint Summary

The 2022 Hyundai Kona has 129 reported complaints.

  • Top issues involve engine and unknown or other.

Reliability Score

Reliability Score

7.3/ 10

Based on 129 complaints

Most Frequent Issues

ENGINE

27 20.9%

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

23 17.8%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

18 14%

POWER TRAIN

14 10.9%

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING

11 8.5%

Quick Insights

  • The top category is ENGINE, accounting for 20.9% of all complaints.

  • Owners have reported issues across 19 distinct vehicle systems.

  • Note: Complaint data reflects owner reports and may not always indicate a verified defect. Compare with Recalls and TSBs for a complete picture.

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Complaint Summary

What owners keep reporting on the 2022 Hyundai Kona

The 2022 Hyundai Kona has 129 owner complaints in this dataset. ENGINE is the most common complaint category, representing about 21% of the reports shown here.

Most common complaint categories

The top complaint groups for the 2022 Hyundai Kona are ENGINE (27), UNKNOWN OR OTHER (23), ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (18).

Are these complaints a serious red flag?

Potentially. 60 complaint reports involve higher-attention systems like brakes, steering, engine, powertrain, fuel, suspension, airbags, or electrical components, which is enough to justify a focused inspection.

What should buyers inspect on a used 2022 Hyundai Kona?

Start with the top complaint systems, compare them against the recall report, then inspect service records for evidence that those same areas were already repaired or monitored.

Read the full buyer guideRecall report and remedy notesMaintenance costs and intervals2021 Kona complaints2023 Kona complaints2020 Kona complaints

Detailed Complaint Log

Showing 19 of 19 systems

ENGINE

27 Reports21% of total

Previewing the first 2 complaint summaries.

The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated while driving 5 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently shut off due to the idle STOP/START feature. The contact stated that there was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and referred the contact to NHTSA to file a complaint. The failure mileage was approximately 5.

9/30/2021

12-3-21, with only 103 miles on my new car, the check engine light came on. I drove back to the dealer where I purchased the car - Fitzgerald, and spoke to Maurice the manager, and Garret in the service department. Garret informed me he "wiggled the wires" and the check engine light went off. On 12-5-21, with 129 miles on the car the check engine light came on again. I went back to Fitzgerald and spoke to Frank, who works in sales. Frank told me the service department was closed on Sunday and I have to comeback Monday 12-6-21.

12/5/2021

25 more complaints are available in this category.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

23 Reports18% of total

Previewing the first 2 complaint summaries.

I purchased in July 2021 todays date is Nov 22nd it has been 5 months and for the second time I get to my parked car and the power locks don’t work with the key fob and the engine simply will not start. The first time I had the tow truck guy jump start the engine and it worked up until today, I took it in for a diagnostic and they said the battery was healthy everything checked out. Today again Nov 22 I get to my car again won’t unlock and engine simply will not turn on with key entry model SE. This time I had them tow to the dealership for more evaluation. This is a road hazard what happens if the engine decides to stop working while driving the vehicle? Both times I double checked and I did not leave any lights on everything was shut off only thing blinking was the security alarm system. I believe it is a manufacturer defect in the engine since the battery tests out fine.

11/23/2021

I went to use the horn at a car that blew through a stop sign and there was no horn sound. This was my first time using the horn since I bought it brand new. No warning lights no nothing.

1/11/2022

21 more complaints are available in this category.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

18 Reports14% of total

Previewing the first 2 complaint summaries.

The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, he noticed while starting the vehicle and switching the headlights from automatic to manual, that the headlights failed to operate as needed. The contact stated that when the headlight switch was placed in the OFF position, the headlights would activate. The contact stated that the switch was working in reverse order. Additionally, the headlights operated properly while using the auto-headlights feature activated. The contact stated that while shifting from Reverse to Drive, the sensor failed to recognize that the vehicle was in Drive. The Reverse audible beep would activate for several seconds. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact called the local dealer but was not able to schedule an immediate appointment for the vehicle to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 7,000.

12/8/2021

As I was backing out of my driveway, I noticed my camera started flashing a green screen and a message appeared intermittently with the flashing green screen saying ‘no camera signal try again later. This lasted the entire time I was backing up including once I shifted into drive then it disappeared. I feel that this is a safety risk to others who may be walking or driving by me if I am unable to use the camera. Clearly I don’t rely completely on the back up camera as I still tend to look at my surroundings as I back up. I am not even certain if someone was behind me if the warning would even work when the camera is acting up. I have not reported the problem to the dealer yet but I will first thing in the morning. The vehicle has not been inspected yet. The warning messages are described in the first paragraph. Today is first time this has happened. I have a video of this but was not able to attach it.

10/4/2023

16 more complaints are available in this category.

POWER TRAIN

14 Reports11% of total

Previewing the first 2 complaint summaries.

Transmission has extremely hard shifts from 1 to second when quickly accelerating. This can cause you to not be able to accelerate quickly enough to get out of traffic. I have heard this is a common issue from other Kona N-Line owners.

9/7/2021

While on the highway the transmission completely stopped shifting and stayed in first gear and would only rev up the engine when the accelerator was applied.I had to coast slowly off the freeway to an exit to safely park. I turned the vehicle off and restarted after a few minutes and it drove regularly. Apparently there are other customers that have experienced this issue and this raises a lot of concern on the safety of operating this vehicle.

11/29/2021

12 more complaints are available in this category.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING

11 Reports9% of total

Previewing the first 2 complaint summaries.

I was driving on the freeway the car in front of me was at least 4 car lengths away. My car flashed emergency breaks and locked it’s breaks coming to a stop on the fast lane of the freeway. Nearly avoided an accident. This has happened twice- both with no reason and no issue in front of me to cause the car to think it needed to suddenly use emergency brakes.

5/13/2022

During collision, airbags did not deploy. In attempt to avoid collision, automatic breaks failed and did not stop the vehicle, cruise control continued to attempt to drive the vehicle despite collision warning and did not stop- coupled with my manual breaking, the car did not stop. Car is currently at a tow lot waiting for insurance. My safety was put at risk due to airbags not deploying during serious collision, the breaks malfunctioned. At this time, the car is in the beginning stages of insurance. My car did not display any prior failure features.

6/4/2022

9 more complaints are available in this category.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

9 Reports7% of total

Previewing the first 2 complaint summaries.

The cruise control does not engage. When setting the adaptive cruise control I have had the car slow down 15-20 mph before turning the cruise control off because traffic is backing up behind me and I become a hazard on the road. I have taken it to 2 different dealerships, the one I purchased the car from and one that is closer to my home as I moved and now live in a different state from where I purchased the car. Both dealerships claimed they were not able to replicate the issue. However, every time I drive the car and try to use cruise control I have the same issue of the cruise control not engaging. The car dashboard's speed indicator is supposed to turn green and make a "ding" sound when you engage the cruise control at the posted speed limit. My car does not do this. The speed limit on the freeway here is 80mph and it will turn green and "ding" at 81mph but still not actually engage and maintain the speed. I have had numerous incidents where cars behind me honk and have to go around because I was slowing down so much. I spoke with another 2022 Kona owner and they stated that they have had the same problem and they were told the same thing by a different dealership that they bought their vehicle from.

1/30/2022

Adaptive Cruise Control is practical non-functional. There is a major delay when setting the cruise control speed before it actually kicks in. Speed can slow down upwards 10-15 mph below the intended set speed and take roughly 30 seconds. Once it engages its spotty with it's functionality. Depending on traffic scenarios it seems to reset the ability to re-engage cruise control and will again dropping down speed taking 15-30 seconds for before re-engaging.

6/1/2022

7 more complaints are available in this category.

SERVICE BRAKES

9 Reports7% of total

Previewing the first 2 complaint summaries.

I was driving on the freeway the car in front of me was at least 4 car lengths away. My car flashed emergency breaks and locked it’s breaks coming to a stop on the fast lane of the freeway. Nearly avoided an accident. This has happened twice- both with no reason and no issue in front of me to cause the car to think it needed to suddenly use emergency brakes.

5/13/2022

During collision, airbags did not deploy. In attempt to avoid collision, automatic breaks failed and did not stop the vehicle, cruise control continued to attempt to drive the vehicle despite collision warning and did not stop- coupled with my manual breaking, the car did not stop. Car is currently at a tow lot waiting for insurance. My safety was put at risk due to airbags not deploying during serious collision, the breaks malfunctioned. At this time, the car is in the beginning stages of insurance. My car did not display any prior failure features.

6/4/2022

7 more complaints are available in this category.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL

4 Reports3% of total

Previewing the first 2 complaint summaries.

The cruise control does not engage. When setting the adaptive cruise control I have had the car slow down 15-20 mph before turning the cruise control off because traffic is backing up behind me and I become a hazard on the road. I have taken it to 2 different dealerships, the one I purchased the car from and one that is closer to my home as I moved and now live in a different state from where I purchased the car. Both dealerships claimed they were not able to replicate the issue. However, every time I drive the car and try to use cruise control I have the same issue of the cruise control not engaging. The car dashboard's speed indicator is supposed to turn green and make a "ding" sound when you engage the cruise control at the posted speed limit. My car does not do this. The speed limit on the freeway here is 80mph and it will turn green and "ding" at 81mph but still not actually engage and maintain the speed. I have had numerous incidents where cars behind me honk and have to go around because I was slowing down so much. I spoke with another 2022 Kona owner and they stated that they have had the same problem and they were told the same thing by a different dealership that they bought their vehicle from.

1/30/2022

Adaptive Cruise Control is practical non-functional. There is a major delay when setting the cruise control speed before it actually kicks in. Speed can slow down upwards 10-15 mph below the intended set speed and take roughly 30 seconds. Once it engages its spotty with it's functionality. Depending on traffic scenarios it seems to reset the ability to re-engage cruise control and will again dropping down speed taking 15-30 seconds for before re-engaging.

6/1/2022

2 more complaints are available in this category.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

2 Reports2% of total

Previewing the first 2 complaint summaries.

My vehicle keeps shutting off with no warning and has almost killed me on multiple occasions The dealership keeps placating me about getting it fixed, saying that a repair is months out Meanwhile, I am driving a very dangerous vehicle that shuts off and shakes like it’s going to explode

12/21/2021

22’ Kona N DCT Base US spec. 5,600 miles est (2nd Kona) Fuel used: Shell Premium Outside Temp: 76F/Dry-Clear Sky. This is my 2nd Kona N, this is the 4th experience I’ve had with my Kona N’s. Towed the first on Vin# [XXX] to dealer, engine stalled after refueling during a road trip. 6/7k miles. Misfire. No replaced parts, car started acting normal. Then I traded it in for another Kona N in June 22’. The vehicle in normal mode is fine. I believe. Switching from N Mode is where the engine starts misfiring and runs on 3,2cyl puffing out white smoke. Leaving me stranded. The codes all show via car touch screen, and OBD reader/history. All electronics perform properly, including active safety features. I am Hyundai affiliated but I do not know how to relay the message. All of the Kona N/Elantra N/Veloster N DCT. Need software updates. It’s a bug, I honestly think. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

11/6/2022

AIR BAGS

2 Reports2% of total

Previewing the first 2 complaint summaries.

During collision, airbags did not deploy. In attempt to avoid collision, automatic breaks failed and did not stop the vehicle, cruise control continued to attempt to drive the vehicle despite collision warning and did not stop- coupled with my manual breaking, the car did not stop. Car is currently at a tow lot waiting for insurance. My safety was put at risk due to airbags not deploying during serious collision, the breaks malfunctioned. At this time, the car is in the beginning stages of insurance. My car did not display any prior failure features.

6/4/2022

I was rear ended waiting for the car in front of me to turn. Driver was going between 33-40 on a residential. My air bags did not deploy.

3/16/2023

LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST

2 Reports2% of total

Previewing the first 2 complaint summaries.

The lane assist tries to drive me off the road multiple times every day putting the safety of myself and others at risk. The car has not been inspected by insurance or police. The problem has been present since the first week of owning the car.

9/8/2022

Incident #1: Auto Emergency Breaking System sensed false situation and auto braked nearly causing high speed accident. Caused while exiting I-80 West Bound off ramp with two lanes Ramp that exits. I was in the inside lane and there was another vehicle in the outside lane. Assuming the system thought I was going to turn into the outer car and braked suddenly. Incident #2: Lane keeping system, constantly fights me for no known reason. While in Las Vegas on Flamingo Road on Oct. 10, 2022 the system suddenly jerked the car to the left and nearly into a head-on crash. My family is very lucky to be okay. Car has problems when road markings are not consistent or when using reflectors (vs painted lines) or when there are exits. It's safer to leave the system off in my experience.

10/10/2022

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:COIL

1 Report1% of total

Previewing the first 1 complaint summaries.

Randomly the check engine light turns on and the car begins to violently shake. This is the second day this already happened and only happened while on the highway. The car is only 3 weeks old with just over 1000 miles on it. After pulling over on the side of the road and turning the car off and on, the problem disappeared and the check engine light turns off. The vehicle does not acknowledge that there was an issue. After doing some research, it seems to be consistent with a common issue with Hyundai vehicles having defective ignition coils. Common issue in multiple Konas, Elantras and other Hyundai vehicle The danger of the control of the car on the highway when this issue occurs at random is sufficient enough to ensure that all these vehicles are recalled to get the problem fixed.

2/21/2022

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

1 Report1% of total

Previewing the first 1 complaint summaries.

The low bean headlights are where the Brights should shine. The brights shine in the tree tops. Every time I go out at night I get flashed by almost all passing cars when the low beams are on. The dealership told us there is no way to adjust the lights. How am I supposed to drive this at night?

2/23/2022

VISIBILITY

1 Report1% of total

Previewing the first 1 complaint summaries.

The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH, the front passenger’s side window exploded without impact. No medical attention was needed. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to her residence where the vehicle was then towed to the dealer. The contact was informed that the vehicle would be repaired under warranty. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was provided case number. The failure mileage was approximately 2,000.

8/23/2022

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN

1 Report1% of total

Previewing the first 1 complaint summaries.

The horn does not work. The fuse is fine, it is the horn itself that does not work.

12/30/2022

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS

1 Report1% of total

Previewing the first 1 complaint summaries.

The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated he noticed that there was water inside the driver’s side taillight assembly. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the dealer confirmed that they were aware of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 7,750.

3/1/2023

TIRES

1 Report1% of total

Previewing the first 1 complaint summaries.

Pirelli P Zero 235 / 40 R19 96Y Purchased a 2022 Hyundai Kona N on 7/23/22. At 8ooo miles all 4 tires are cracking on side wall and tread area. Hyundai said those tires are not to be driven on if the outside temperature is 40 degrees or lower. We currently live in Joplin Missouri. When we purchased the vehicle we were not informed about the situation with the tires and temperature. The warranty on the Hyundai website stated the tires should last for 30,000 miles. All 4 tires need to be replaced, if we knew about this issue we would have made arrangements, prior to the purchase, to have different tires placed on the vehicle. We feel that we have been taken advantage of due to the lack of information on Hyundai’s part. On 4/7/23 I contacted Hyundai and was told to take the vehicle to a Hyundai dealer and have the tires inspected. On 4/10/23 we took the vehicle to the Hyundai dealer and they inspected the tires and recommended that they be replaced and they would send a complaint to Hyundai. The service manager at Fletcher Hyundai, Zeb Nageotte 417-434-1601, said he has never seen anything like that before in that little time.

4/11/2023

BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING

1 Report1% of total

Previewing the first 1 complaint summaries.

As I was backing out of my driveway, I noticed my camera started flashing a green screen and a message appeared intermittently with the flashing green screen saying ‘no camera signal try again later. This lasted the entire time I was backing up including once I shifted into drive then it disappeared. I feel that this is a safety risk to others who may be walking or driving by me if I am unable to use the camera. Clearly I don’t rely completely on the back up camera as I still tend to look at my surroundings as I back up. I am not even certain if someone was behind me if the warning would even work when the camera is acting up. I have not reported the problem to the dealer yet but I will first thing in the morning. The vehicle has not been inspected yet. The warning messages are described in the first paragraph. Today is first time this has happened. I have a video of this but was not able to attach it.

10/4/2023

VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY

1 Report1% of total

Previewing the first 1 complaint summaries.

The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the sunroof fractured without impact. The contact stated that the fractured glass fell onto the contact while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a defective sunroof glass. The contact was informed that the sunroof needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that the sunroof glass needed to be ordered, and there was a 10-day waiting period before the parts would be delivered. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000. The VIN was unavailable.

7/5/2024

About This Data

Data and Methodology

MethodologyHow we score →

Scores are derived from NHTSA recalls and owner complaints, normalized by vehicle segment averages.

FAQ

What are the most common owner complaints for the 2022 Hyundai Kona?

The most reported complaint category for the 2022 Hyundai Kona is ENGINE, with 27 owner reports. That is about 21% of all complaints logged here. Other recurring themes include ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

Are complaints about the 2022 Hyundai Kona a serious warning sign?

Potentially. 60 complaint reports fall into higher-attention systems such as brakes, steering, engine, powertrain, fuel, suspension, airbags, or electrical components. That does not prove every vehicle has a defect, but repeated complaints in those systems justify a more careful pre-purchase inspection.

How should buyers use complaint data for the 2022 Hyundai Kona?

Use complaints as an early pattern to investigate, not a standalone verdict. Start with the top complaint categories, compare those themes against the recall report and maintenance guide, then inspect service records for evidence that the same problem areas were already addressed. If the same issue appears repeatedly across complaints and recalls, treat it as a real ownership-risk flag.

Are complaints about the 2022 Hyundai Kona severe?

60 complaint reports involve higher-attention systems such as brakes, steering, engine, powertrain, fuel, suspension, airbags, or electrical components, which is enough to justify a focused inspection before purchase.

Complaint list entries are sourced from owner-submitted NHTSA ODI records.

Read complaint summaries

Hyundai Kona: How should complaint data influence buying decisions?

Use complaint patterns together with recalls and maintenance guidance to estimate ownership risk and inspection priorities.

Carfocal links complaint data directly to recall and maintenance routes for the same model year.

Return to full vehicle report
Complaint entries
129
Top-topic view
5 grouped topics shown
Primary source
NHTSA ODI owner complaint records

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In this guide

  1. 01Overview
  2. 02Common Problems
  3. 03Owner Complaints
  4. 04Data and Methodology

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