2018 HYUNDAI KONA Engine Problems

Prior to 100,000 miles, I noted knocking in the engine, especially while going uphill. The knocking would appear and disappear, possibly with oil change intervals. No check engine light ever appeared. After 100,000 miles, the engine progressively began knocking, losing power, and eventually stalling on the road occasionally. I have had to put on my hazards and restart my car. One time, I was barely able to pull over to the side. Again, no check engine light ever appeared. I have several videos of the vehicle in motion with audible knocking, and almost stalling. The videos show the dashboard with NO check engine light appearing. There was no sign of oil loss. No smoke. No oil stains under the vehicle. I was due for an oil change when the knocking and stalling became severe. I visited the dealer and informed them of the engine issues. They performed an oil change. And then could not reproduce the problem I experienced. Told me to come back if it happened again. This sounded odd to me given the severity of the knocking and stalling. Or it signaled to me that an oil change including refilling the oil solved the issue. Long story short. An oil consumption test was performed. The engine is consuming oil. I am scheduled for combustion chamber cleaning per the Technical Service Bulletin, as mentioned by the service rep. I am not confident that this will fix the problem. Given that this is the same / similar engine as the recalled 2018-2021 Kona for the same / similar issue. Oil consumption.

I am having issues with my oil consumption and my car is going through a quart of oil every 1-1.5 weeks. There have been similar recalls on the 2019 Kona’s which have the same 1.6L 4-cylinder engine. My car is currently a little over 126,000 miles

The component that failed was the connecting engine rod bearing. The engine is currently in the vehicle located at a hyundai dealership. The connecting engine rod bearing failure came after 1 or 2 engine miss-fires. The vehicle suffered poor performance, I was unable to start the car and properly accelerate the vehicle. The vehicle has exhibited poor acceleration/ jerk acceleration since purchase. However, this incident occurred immediately during initial startup in a parked position. The vehicle rode roughly upon initial observance of this engine miss fire which led us to deem the engine and car unsafe to use. The vehicle was initially towed to an independent service center where they identified the engine missfire code. The vehicle was then towed to our frequently used independent servicer where they said the problem related to low compression in the engine possibly something internal in the engine. Next we towed the vehicle to our preferred hyundai dealership. Hyundai confirmed the engine missfires and connecting rod bearing failure. A claim is in process with Hyundai to assess the vehicle further. The check engine light came on when the engine miss-fired initially. An earlier check engine light came on for a missfire earlier in the 2025 and earlier in 2022 and in 2023 which led to a catalytic converter replacement. While not certain, we think that low compression and poor engine performance has plagued the vehicle since purchase. The vehicle drive jerky(poor/delayed acceleration when pressing the gas) and had early catalytic converter issues prior to 50k miles.

I have gotten a oil change over a month ago and my car is still running low on oil. Sometimes my car would shut off while I’m driving on the road with cars behind me. I have gotten my car oil topped off three different times since getting my oil change. It also makes a fan like noise as well. There’s no leak at all. It’s very bizarre.

The contact’s daughter owns a 2018 Hyundai Kona. While the contact’s daughter was driving approximately 65 - 70 MPH, the vehicle started decelerating and sputtering before the vehicle coasted to the side of the road and stalled. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a certified mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was informed and opened a case. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

Mileage: 100,000

Piston ring failure. No oil in car and no leaks. P0301 code and knocking sound. Unable to drive.

The engine burns too much oil. I have to put it a quart every 2 weeks.

On May 5, 2025, my 2018 Hyundai Kona burst into flames in my garage and completely destroyed my Kona, Dodge Ram 1500 parked adjacent to it and my home along with its contents. Both vehicles and my home were deemed “a total loss” by the insurance company. The Kona engine compartment burst into flames after a short trip to the store. If the front door had not been locked, forcing my wife to go through the garage, we would have been unaware of the fire until it had reached the interior of the house setting off the alarms. As it was, I received smoke inhalation and a partially collapsed lung while attempting to put out the fire and while trying to put the burning Kona in neutral to push it out of the garage. The 2018 Kona is not safe as it can burst into flames under normal operation and without any warning potentially resulting in injury or death of the occupants or emergency response crews. Research indicates my 2018 KONA has no recalls; however, it has the same G4FJ engine and is manufactured at the same facility as several other Hyundai models that have been recalled for fires in the engine compartment. The Hyundai Veloster has a class-action settlement for engine failure & fires. Also, the Hyundai Tucson has an ABS module fire recall and shared electrical layout. Furthermore, Australia issued a Kona fire-related recall in 2019 due to brake tube routing near the exhaust system. Fire investigators have inspected the vehicle and determined the origin of the fire is the Kona. Hyundai inspected the Kona and failed to take any responsibility nor notify other 2018 Kona owners. There was no prior warning my 2018 Kona was having any problems. The only indication was a faint burning smell my wife noticed when she got out of the vehicle to collect the mail on the day of the fire. At the time, she contributed the burning smell to the neighbors burn pile. The insurance company has removed the Kona, and it should be available for inspection at their facility.

my Kona sputters when I put it in gear EVERY TIME. I have purchased gas at several stations so getting bad gas in the tank cannot be an issue. I’ve also had to replace the coil packs twice within 6 months. December 2024 and July 2025

Purchased in cash at Dan O'Brien KIA for 22,000. This dealership in Concord NH (Owner) was charged w/embezzlement soon thereafter & was found guilty & fined. My cash purchase was never given to Hyundai nor was the promised 10 year powertrain warranty which was told to me from the salesman on the day of purchase in 2019. My 2.0 engine is knocking (undriveable) w/74 ,000 miles. Because Hyundai received no information on my purchase, I was never notified of recalls or class action suit recently won. I spoke to Hyundai (Case #[XXX]) & was told to take it to Irwin Hyundai for a diagnostic at $189. I'm told it does not meet an engine replacement YET it's doing the same exact issue affecting this very engine. I'm told it would cost me $11000. to replace. I'm [XXX], [XXX] & have no money to pay this amount, plus the car is literally listed for the same value give & take a few thousand $$ in value. I was lied to by the salesman about the warranty & had to find out myself there was a warranty but it went no further than my sales agreement which notes there's a warranty w/no explanation as to what it is. I'm now in a crisis: no car, & i just put $600 of tires on & it was inspected a week ago, quietly running - the tech had to ask if it was running as it was that quiet. What steps do I have to resolve this nightmare for engines failing & being told sorry your loss for nothing I have done wrong? If more information is needed I can get it. Dan O'Brien did inspections oil changes & repair work if needed (brakes etc). My email is [XXX]. phone [XXX] secondary or [XXX] primary. Somehow my phone switched to the secondary # & I'm trying to get it back to primary but it's a new phone & I have to figure it out. Please help me. Should I find a lawyer? So upsetting. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

My engine started shuddering and stalling out on me. This was very dangerous as the car would stall out at street lights and intersections. The check engine light only came on after the car stalled out and has not stayed on during the times that it stalls out. When I went to get a mechanic to check it out they said that they had seen many Hyundai and Kia cars that had the same issues. The issue was oil consumption. It was consuming oil faster than it should have, even though I was regularly getting my oil changed. This lead to a problem with my pistons. Now the engine needs to be replaced. But Hyundai won’t cover it because there is no recall on it and the power train warranty only last for the first owner. Is there any way we can request for a new recall on this vehicle as it is clearly a problem that Hyundai is having.

My car started making a noise back in Dec/2024. I scheduled an appointment with Quirk Hyundai in Braintree, Ma on Dec 11, 2024, and paid for a diagnostic the service center came back that it was the oil pan leaking so on this date I had that repaired that same day total cost was $254.76. Please note that my car was under warranty at this time. On [XXX], I brought my car back to Quirk Hyundai in Braintree because the noise had returned and was intermittent, and passenger side makes loud noise when riding over bumps and the car was shaking when driving pass 65 MPH. When I had the diagnostic done on 03/29/2025 the service center came back and said it was the mismatch tires that were put on my car by an outside provider (townfair tire) and that I needed 4 new tires, oil changes, mount and balance tires and four wheel alignment which cost me $959.08. Three days later while driving home from work the noise returned and my car ept shutting off one me. I went to AXP North in Randolph MA on 04/08/2025 (had to make an appt) for a second opinion diagnostic and they told me that my car will need a new engine as the one now is failing. I called Quirk Hyundai back on 04/08/2025 and told them this and they asked to bring the car back so they can recheck my car for misdiagnosis. So, on 4/09/2025 I called Quirk Hyundai for an update the failed engine was confirmed, and now because my car is 40 miles over the warranty it cannot be fixed by Hyundai. This car is a 2018 and should last me longer than 2025. My car is only 8 years old and I have cared for the car whenever it needed maintenance. I need someone to please call me to discuss further at [XXX] . I need a new engine and Quirk Hyundai will not cover the cost despite my several attempts to have this noise resolved when care was under warranty. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

My 2018 Hyundai Kona has been dealership serviced since buying it and it had about 115,000 miles on it when these issues began. Vehicle started to burn oil twice as fast as every time i would bring it into the dealership for the routine oil change, they would ALWAYS tell me that I had no oil in it. Therefore, I started to carry a quart of oil in the trunk and fill it up every 3 weeks or so. This went on for a few months until I started to notice a power problem while driving it on the highway on a trip. Tried to pull over at the next stop and then the car began shaking uncontrollably and engine shut off and would not start again. Took it to the dealership and they said your engine is shot and you're going to have to either buy a new car or put a new engine in it. I have seen many complaints and reviews about people having these same issues with the 2018 models. I know that there were a lot of recalls for the 2019 with these same issues with the incorrect heat tampered pistons causing these exact issues that the many of us 2018 owners have had. Please do the right thing and look into this. There are too many people having these same issues and this was my only means of transportation at the time.

Motor started burning oil at the rate of .5 quarts per week and a few months later vehicle failed to accelerate, had major vibrations and hesitation. Piston rings had failed. Verified by dealer. No other symptoms. Numerous problems with same motor reported by others and repair services. Has been recalled in Australia for same issues.

Felt a large shudder/vibration go through the whole car while on the highway and lost some power. The check engine light came on immediately after so we took it to a mechanic. Diagnostics came back as Hall sensor and cam shaft timing errors. It was found that the timing chain had slipped a tooth. Additionally, one of the pistons was found to have significantly lower PSI than the rest (105 vs 140) which they said is indicative of a pending total engine failure. A recall was issued for the 2019 model for this exact issue and symptom but Hyundai has said it doesn’t apply to our situation. Hyundai quoted 12-17 thousand dollars for a new engine. The car has 87 thousand miles and is less than 6 years old.

Vehicle was traveling down the highway with cruise control on and suddenly proceeded to not maintain speed and lost the ability to accelerate and shake in the middle of the interstate. Check engine light came on after this and we were able to limp it off the highway onto the ramp. No warning lights, no over heating, or any signs were given prior to this incident to give the impression this vehicle would stop operating. My family's safety was put at risk as it lost speed suddenly on the interstate in the middle of traffic and could have caused other cars to hit us as we slowed and tried to get over to access the ramp. Vehicle was towed and inspected at a local mechanic and was informed there was oil burned on the spark plugs and cylinder 1 and 3 had little to no compression.

While trying to accelerate on a on ramp onto the interstate, I felt my engine begin to knock. I pulled over and was able to get the car to drive home. The next morning my car would not turn over. I had it towed to my mechanic. They said it was bone dry of oil, I have always had it regularly serviced. They diagnosed it with engine failure. I’m just above the 60000 mile warranty at 63000 and Hyundai refuses to honor the warranty or help with the engine failure.

The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that while accelerating from a stop, the contact heard a loud knocking sound coming from the engine with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer however, a diagnostic result was not disclosed; however, the dealer stated that the oil needed to be changed. The vehicle was not repaired, and the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to another dealer where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the vehicle would not be repaired under warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

Mileage: 50,000

I was sold a car with 1 unprepared safety recall and 22 technical service bulletins. 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)

Pulled into driveway and saw smoke coming from engine. Popped hood and saw engine block was on fire. Quickly closed the hood and called 911. Within a few minutes the car was completely engulfed. I just had the car serviced a few days earlier and prior to that i had the 60k mile maintenance service done. There was around 63k miles on the car.

UNKNOWN. AC stopped working. According to repair shop, alternator belt sliced through the aluminum housing tube and Freon cannot be recharged . It needs total rebuild/reroute of AC tubing as The position and location of alternator belt is too close to the aluminum housing/tubing for cooling system. This is a bad build/design. When it’s really hot outside this is very dangerous for all passengers in this vehicle. Repairman/mechanic said he has seen this issue more and more on several Hyundai’s that came thru his shop, that he believes a common defect and has educated him as first thing to look for on a Hyundai needing AC repair.. and one can speculate there are MANY more, since he’s not a dealership.

My vehicle suffered an electrical fire that wasn't covered under warranty just 2 months after I purchased it. It was inspected by the manufacturer, repair facility(licensed dealer) and insurance however I was denied the inspection report. A Hyundai warranty information sheet states my vehicle had 1 unrepaired service campaign in 6/2022 for the FCA forward collision avoidance. Which meant it was also sold to me without being disclosed. However the NHTSA website says it has 0 unrepaired recalls. Right before the electrical fire the electrical system went haywire. My safetey and my childs safety is at risk everyday I have this vehicle. Without my knowledge or consent, the dealer and my insurer choose to authorize repairs. The fact that at the time of purchase, no safety or crash testing had been completed by the NHTSA is concerning. All vehicles without NHTSA safety testing completed, prior to the 1st being sold and driven on the road puts everyone at risk. The fact that NHTSA does not require these safety tests to be conducted on every single vehicle driven in the states puts everyone at risk, not just my family. Even worse after my vehicle caught fire and caused $12,000 in damages, my car has a clean carfax. There is nothing making reporting this mandatory. insurance companies, thhe dealer/repair facilities do not have to report to the DOL or anyone for that matter that the car was involved in a fire at all. In fact the repair/dealer my vehicle went to reported it as multipoint inspection, maintainence. This puts all drivers and passengers at risk on the road. There's no question that a vehicle after having caught fire and suffered electrical problems is no doubt more susceptible to additional problems down the road. This puts all cars and people on the road in danger, not just me and my own.

8/29/20002, the ABS brakes system and Fuel Injection system 10/31/2022, Battery 11/8/2022, car stalled on the freeway 11/9/2022, Car stalled on the freeway 11/19/2022, Timing Control and camshaft position sensors 12/2/2022, Engine fire, the smell of burning plastic 1/9/12, Grinding noise near the right rear tire. I can provide the invoices under separate cover .

Oil change was on 1/13/2023 at 33,505 miles. On 2/25/2023 at 35,366 miles after driving on the highway for about 30 mins at 65 mph, the oil light came on and car was making a loud noise as I pulled in to park. My car was parked for about 1.5hrs at my destination. I attempted to drive home and get back on the highway when my engine stalled at about 40 mph and my engine and battery light came on. I had to pull over to the shoulder as my car would not drive anymore. My car was then towed to my house and later to the hyundai dealer where they determined that my engine stalled due to lack of oil because my drain plug was missing. Hyundai refuses to fix this under warranty because the drain plug is missing and they are insisting this is because of the oil change place I went to nearly 2 months ago. When I went to the oil change place, they insist that they didn't do anything wrong, and if they did incorrectly put the drain plug on, my oil would've leaked much sooner than it did. There is currently and investigation with NHTSA with my exact issue where the oil drain plug still falls out, even if the person performing the oil change puts the drain plug on exactly how it should be. Directly from the NHTSA site: "Apparently, the thin metal, along with engine vibrations and expansion/contraction tend to loosen the drain plug without any other intervention. NHTSA is investigating this as a factory defect issue." My safety was deeply put at risk as I was driving on the highway when this happened and I could've easily gotten into an accident and faced injuries. I'm stuck in the middle as the oil change place denies it is their fault and hyundai refuses to fix under warranty strictly because the oil drain plug is missing. When I explained to them that I would've have this issue with my engine if the drain plug was present, they agreed. They are stating that it is $10,000 to repair my car and that I have to pay upfront and cannot do multiple payments

The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the oil and battery warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle would not accelerate as needed. The contact pulled over on the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The vehicle was restarted but the vehicle would not accelerate as needed. The contact became aware that there was no oil in the engine. Additionally, there was oil leaking underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that due to the oil leak the engine seized and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the warranty had expired. The failure mileage was 35,300.

Mileage: 35,300

The car stalls out and I have to now replace the entire engine. There has been recalls for this exact issue on other years of this car but not on this one.

According to the garage Piston Ring failure causing engine damage and oil consumption. Vehicle shut off while excelling on a high traffic route. Vehicle has been in the garage since 1/13/23. As of today 2/1/23 still awaiting news of engine replacement.

We had parked our 17 year old son's car in the upper parking lot of our baseball field. While parked, the engine smoked, then spontaneously caught fire. The police arrived on sceere!!!! We totally cannot comprehend that this even happene, along with our fire department who was able to put out the pretty massive engine fire, along with some of the front being damaged as well. Our son had been driving this car to our high school and also the high school baseball field, with pretty packed lots. It unbelievable to even imagine if this happened thned to a pretty new car (22,000 miles on it). We are so very grateful that this did not happen while our 17 year old was in the car! This is truly needs to be looked into. Thank you.

Car just turned off while driving 4 times. Dealer service Said it was ignition coil they replaced. Drove it for 40 mins when I got car back from dealer (after one month) and car made a very loud noise and stopped working again. Couldn’t get it to start and when I did it wouldn’t go past 10 mph. Got it into a parking space and called service at dealer. Today they said they can’t find anything wrong with it. I am afraid to drive car if this has happened on highway I would’ve been smashed. The dealer still Has my car I want them to keep checking it out. I am afraid they will not find trouble unless they drive it for a time like I did. I contacted Hyundai corporate but they were of little help Please help

ON 1/13/21, VEHICLE EMITTED A BLUE SMOKE AND MISFIRED WHEN ACCELERATING FROM COMPLETE STOP FROM RURAL ROAD ONTO STATE HIGHWAY.. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CIOCCA HYUNDAI OF WILLIAMSPORT, WHERE IT HAD BEEN SERVICED 2 DAYS PRIOR. THEY REPLACED 2 SPARK PLUGS AND STATED IT WAS FINE. VEHICLE WORKED FINE UNTIL THE FOLLOWING MORNING. THE VEHICLE WAS MISFIRING DURING AN ACCELERATION FROM COMPLETE STOP AND EVENTUALLY QUIT ON ME. I WAS ON A STATE HIGHWAY AT THIS POINT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO CIOCCA HYUNDAI OF WILLIAMSPORT. THEY SERVICED IT UNTIL 1/18/21. UPON PICK UP, THEY STATED THAT THEY BELIEVED IT TO BE BAD FUEL THAT WAS CAUSING THE TROUBLE. THE FUELING STATION I EXCLUSIVELY USE HAS NO REPORTS OF BAD FUEL BESIDES MINE. THE FOLLOWING MORNING, 1/19/21, THE VEHICLE'S MAIN DISPLAY SHOWED AN ERROR MESSAGE THAT "A POSSIBLE CONDITION HAS BEEN DETECTED WITH THE ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM. PLEASE TAKE VEHICLE TO NEAREST DEALER." SEE ATTACHED FOR IMAGE OF THIS MESSAGE. CIOCCA HYUNDAI CAME AND GOT THE VEHICLE. THEY HAD IT FOR TWO WEEKS. UPON RECEIVING THE VEHICLE BACK, THEY STATED THAT IT WAS JUST AN "OLD CODE THAT WASN'T CLEARED" AND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DISPLAYING ANY ISSUES. 15 MILES AFTER LEAVING THE DEALERSHIP, THAT MESSAGE REAPPEARED. ON 2/5/21, THE VEHICLE FELT LIKE IT WAS JERKING SLIGHTLY. I REPORTED THIS TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD BE OK TO OPERATE IN THIS CONDITION. ON 2/6/21, THE VEHICLE EMITTED A BLUE SMOKE DURING ACCELERATION FROM COMPLETE STOP ON SIDE ROAD. THE VEHICLE THEN MISFIRED TO THE POINT OF ALMOST QUITTING WHEN PULLING OUT ONTO A STATE HIGHWAY FROM A COMPLETE STOP. THIS COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I REPORTED THIS TO THE DEALER WHO WANTS THE VEHICLE TO COME IN TONIGHT FOR AN APPOINTMENT ON 2/10/21. HYUNDAI CONSUMER AFFAIRS HAS BEEN NOTIFIED OF ALL OF THIS BUT HASN'T PROVIDED ANY COURSE OF ACTION BESIDES JUST INVESTIGATION.

Mileage: 54,000

MY HUSBAND AND I WERE DRIVING UNEVENTFULLY DOWN A HIGHWAY FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AND PULLED OVER FOR NO OTHER REASON BUT TO GET GAS. WE HAVE A HIGH TECH BLUE LINK SYSTEM AND ONLY 17K MILES ON THE CAR. THERE WERE NO LIGHTS OR WARNINGS AT ALL. JUST AFTER PARKING AT THE GAS PUMP THE ENGINE STARTED SMOKING AND QUICKLY BURST INTO FLAMES. THE CAR FILLED UP WITH SMOKE AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET OUT WITHOUT A SCRATCH, BUT MY HUSBAND HAD TO JUMP BACK INTO THE BURNING VEHICLE TO PUSH IT AWAY FROM THE PUMP. TWO FIRE EXTINGUISHERS DID NOTHING TO STOP THE FLAMES, BUT WE WERE LUCKY THAT A FIRE ENGINE WAS CLOSE BY AND CAME TO FINALLY PUT IT OUT. THE ELECTRIC DOOR LOCKS HAD STOPPED WORKING EARLY ON IN THIS INCIDENT AND THEY HAD TO SMASH THE WINDOWS TO GET BACK INTO THE CAR.

Mileage: 17,000

WAS DRIVING HYUNDAI KONA DOWN THE FREEWAY. I SMELLED A BURNING SMELL, I SAW THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BLINK ONCE. THE CAR WENT INTO LIMP MODE AND I STARTED PULLING OVER TO THE SHOULDER. STOPPING ON THE SHOULDER, I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. I EVACUATED THE CAR AND WITHIN A FEW MINUTES, FLAMES WERE PRESENT. IT WAS BETWEEN 2-3 MILES START TO FINISH.

Mileage: 29,000