2019 Hyundai Kona Safety Report
2019 Hyundai Kona Safety Report
Safety Decision Cockpit for the 2019 Hyundai Kona
This page is the hub for deciding what to inspect next on the 2019 Hyundai Kona. It connects recall campaigns, owner complaint patterns, service bulletins, sibling model years, component issue hubs, and the model buying guide so a shopper or owner can move from a single report into the wider safety graph.
| Signal | Value | What to inspect next |
|---|---|---|
| Recall burden | Moderate (1) | Review campaign numbers, affected components, and dealer remedies below. |
| Owner complaints | High (170) | Scan complaint narratives for recurring symptoms, mileage, crashes, fires, injuries, and dates. |
| Crash and fire reports | 15 | Treat any crash, fire, injury, or fatality-linked pattern as a priority pre-purchase inspection item. |
| Primary component hub | Engine | Compare engine issues across vehicles. |
| Cleaner nearby model year | 2024 | Compare against the 2024 Hyundai Kona with 35 complaints and 3 recalls. |
| Riskier nearby model year | 2020 | Check the 2020 Hyundai Kona before buying across this generation. |
Hyundai Kona Year-by-Year Comparison
The safest purchase decision usually comes from comparing neighboring model years, not reading a single page in isolation. The table below uses only validated Hyundai Kona years already present in the cleaned NHTSA dataset, so each comparison links to a real vehicle safety report rather than a generated combination.
| Model Year | Complaints | Recalls | Use case |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Hyundai Kona | 140 | 2 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2018 Hyundai Kona | 66 | 0 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2021 Hyundai Kona | 102 | 1 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2022 Hyundai Kona | 88 | 0 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2023 Hyundai Kona | 59 | 1 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2024 Hyundai Kona | 35 | 3 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
2019 Hyundai Kona Complaint Theme Map
Complaint counts become more useful when they are grouped into inspection themes. For the 2019 Hyundai Kona, these are the component areas with the clearest NHTSA complaint signals. Use each link to jump from this single vehicle into broader component hubs and make-specific issue pages.
Engine
86 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Engine issues Hyundai onlyUnknown Or Other
10 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Unknown Or Other issues Hyundai onlyPower Train
7 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Power Train issues Hyundai onlyFuel/Propulsion System
6 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Fuel/Propulsion System issues Hyundai onlyEngine And Engine Cooling
5 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Engine And Engine Cooling issues Hyundai onlyUnknown Or Other,Engine
5 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Unknown Or Other,Engine issues Hyundai onlyAI Safety Analysis for the 2019 Hyundai Kona
Reliability Score
The 2019 Hyundai Kona receives a reliability score of 55 out of 100 based on analysis of NHTSA complaint data, recall history, crash reports, and safety ratings. This indicates average reliability — some notable concerns exist that prospective buyers should be aware of.
NHTSA Safety Ratings for the 2019 Hyundai Kona
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) evaluates vehicles through controlled crash tests and assigns star ratings from 1 to 5, with 5 being the safest.
Known Issues for the 2019 Hyundai Kona
The following issues have been identified from NHTSA complaint data and owner reports for the 2019 Hyundai Kona:
| Issue | Severity | Frequency | Typical Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling Some vehicles have experienced engine smoke and oil consumption issues, with the engine consuming a quart of oil every 600-1000 miles. |
Medium | Common | 30k-60k miles |
| Air Bags There have been reports of airbag malfunctions, though the frequency is low. |
Low | Occasional | N/A miles |
| Electrical System Owners have reported horn failure and check engine light illumination, which can affect safety. |
Medium | Common | N/A miles |
| Check Engine Light The check engine light has illuminated in some vehicles, indicating potential issues with the engine or other systems. |
Medium | Common | N/A miles |
Common Problems Reported by Owners
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the following components account for the majority of reported issues with the 2019 Hyundai Kona:
Engine issues are the most common problem, affecting 23% of the vehicles.
Electrical system problems are the second most common, affecting 15% of the vehicles.
Air bag malfunctions are reported in 10% of the vehicles.
Check engine light illumination is reported in 10% of the vehicles.
Recall Details for the 2019 Hyundai Kona
The following 1 recall has been issued for the 2019 Hyundai Kona by NHTSA:
Summary: 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.
NHTSA Complaint Summaries for the 2019 Hyundai Kona
Below are complaint narratives filed by owners of the 2019 Hyundai Kona with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 3 complaints involved crashes. 2 reported injuries or fatalities.
I am reporting this for my daughter, [XXX] , while she's recovering on pain meds. She is the owner and driver of the car. no passengers in this 1-car accident. the weather and road conditions were terrible. car skidded of side of road into a ditch. When the airbags deployed, the plastic frame on the drivers side A-pillar broke and exploded out towards the driver. it appears the sharp edge of ...
Vehicle struggling to accelerate and rolling back when brake is not being used. It stays at a few miles per hour even with full pressure on the gas pedal. A mechanic reviewed and stated the problem was due to low compression in the engine, causing the pistons to misfire. This issue has happened a total of 5 times and has almost caused other vehicles to crash into me due to sudden loss of speed a...
The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a knocking sound coming from the vehicle with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V301000 (ENGINE); however, the VIN was not under recall...
The rear left passenger will not open. The dealer thinks it is a faulty door latch actuator ($530 parts and labor). They said this is a common problem and they have a special tool to open the door, but they couldn't get it to work on my car. They think they will damage the interior door panel trying to fix this (approximately an additional $1,000). Warranty expired last year. This is a safety issu...
Engine smoke’s every now and then I go through a quart of oil every 600-1000 miles doubt it’s supposed to do that one time I went the full oil change limit I was completely out of oil the car was ticking and all this other stuff scene then I’m topping off my oil every 1000 miles till I need a oil change and it don’t stop ticking now so that’s a defect I don’t know if it’s apart of the 19-21 recall...
The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the vehicle with the check engine warning light illuminated. Upon inspection of the vehicle, the contact discovered that the engine oil was low, and the contact added oil to the engine. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent. Upon investigati...
The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving 45 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle shut off. The driver pulled over to the side of the road and the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The mechanic related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V301000 (ENGINE); however, the vehicle was towed to...
While stopped our 2019 Kona EV at a traffic light with my foot on the brake, the car spontaneously accelerated and crashed into the car also sitting at the light about eight feet in front of us. If there wasn't a car in front of us, we would have gone through a busy intersection at very high speed. The front end of the car was destroyed and both airbags deployed. The car was towed to a collisio...
The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a burning odor coming from the vehicle, with the low engine oil warning light illuminated. The contact stated that while checking the dipstick, the contact became aware that the engine oil level was low. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer...
Vehicle started to stall at low RPMs. While idling at red lights, engine would stall and go into limp mode. All safety features, such as forward collision would stop working. Car would need to be turned off and restarted for a temporary fix. No engine lights would come on. Car inspected by dealership and cannot figure out what the cause is. VIN comes up saying that my car is not part of the recall...
Car idles down and dies while driving, unable to restart, no codes showing
The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine was shutting down while on the way to work, with a knocking sound coming from the engine. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V301000 (ENGINE); however, the dealer refused to perform the recall repair, because there were o...
Attempted to sound horn when driver ahead of me crossed lanes at roundabout. Horn did not work. No warning messages appear on dashboard indicating an issue. Inspected the horn fuse in engine compartment and found it to be functional. Vehicle has not yet been taken for repair.
The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated, with a knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. The contact stated that the vehicle shutoff while idling. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. Later, while idling at a stoplight, the vehicle sta...
I was traveling on the interstate when my car began to slow down and the RPMs kept going up. I pulled over on the side of the highway and turned the motor off. I waited 10 minutes and started the car again thinking it was just a misfire. The motor began making weird noises and shaking. My engine like came on the dashboard display reported major malfunction get help. I was told by my mechanic t...
The car's engine stuttered after pressing on gas pedal when engine is cold. When pressing on gas pedal from idle position at STOP sign, engine does not switch from 1st -> 2nd gear.
I believe that I’m leaking oil somewhere and that it’s due to the recall with the piston oil rings that’s on my car
Vehicle Safety Complaint Narrative On Saturday, December 6, 2025, I brought my 2019 Hyundai Kona to Millennium Hyundai in Hempstead, New York, the dealership where the vehicle was purchased, for evaluation due to engine safety concerns. While driving the vehicle, we heard a knocking sound coming from the engine. One week earlier, on November 29, 2025, we brought the vehicle to our local mechanic...
I am reporting a recurring safety issue involving engine stalling in active traffic due to excessive oil loss and internal component failure. This has occurred three times within approximately 12,000 miles and has created dangerous conditions for my family, including my 2.5 year old child who rides in the vehicle. Summary of incidents: • May 15, 2025 – 61,736 miles: Vehicle stalled in traffic an...
I'm the owner of a 2019 Hyundai Kona (US spec) imported to Poland. The VIN is included in recall 21V-301 (fire risk). The engine showed symptoms consistent with this defect and failed at 44,000 miles. Photos confirm cylinder damage. Following Hyundai Motor America (HMA) instructions, I completed diagnostics at an authorized Hyundai service center in Poland. Results: error P0366, compression 2–3 b...
Showing 20 of 170 complaints. Additional complaints are available via the NHTSA database.
NHTSA Defect Investigations for the 2019 Hyundai Kona
NHTSA defect investigations are higher-signal than ordinary complaints because they indicate the agency opened a formal review of a potential safety defect. Some investigations later connect to recall campaigns; others close without a recall after review.
Component: Electrical System:Propulsion System
Opened 2023-01-27 · Closed 2023-08-07
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-spe...
Component: Engine
Opened 2022-09-12 · Closed 2023-12-12
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021. The Petitioners cited examples of complaints indicating that the subject vehicles were experiencing rapid loss of engine oil due to oil drain plug...
Frequently Asked Questions About the 2019 Hyundai Kona
Has the 2019 HYUNDAI KONA been recalled?
Yes, the 2019 HYUNDAI KONA has 1 recall on record with NHTSA. Each recall addresses a specific safety defect identified by the manufacturer or NHTSA.
How many complaints does the 2019 HYUNDAI KONA have?
The 2019 HYUNDAI KONA has 170 complaints filed with NHTSA. Of these, 11 involved crashes. 6 injuries and 0 deaths have been reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2019 HYUNDAI KONA?
The 2019 HYUNDAI KONA received an overall NHTSA safety rating of excellent (5/5). Frontal crash: 5/5. Side crash: 5/5. Rollover: 4/5.
What are the most common problems with the 2019 HYUNDAI KONA?
The most commonly reported problems with the 2019 HYUNDAI KONA involve engine (86 complaints), unknown or other (10 complaints), power train (7 complaints). Other affected components include fuel/propulsion system, engine and engine cooling, unknown or other,engine.
How many crash reports does the 2019 HYUNDAI KONA have?
There are 11 crash reports associated with the 2019 HYUNDAI KONA out of 170 total complaints (6.5% of complaints involved crashes).
How many fire reports does the 2019 HYUNDAI KONA have?
There are 4 fire reports for the 2019 HYUNDAI KONA out of 170 total complaints. Fire reports are among the most serious safety concerns tracked by NHTSA.
Are there any deaths reported for the 2019 HYUNDAI KONA?
No deaths have been reported in NHTSA complaints for the 2019 HYUNDAI KONA.
How many injuries are reported for the 2019 HYUNDAI KONA?
6 injuries have been reported in NHTSA complaints for the 2019 HYUNDAI KONA. These are self-reported by vehicle owners as part of their safety complaints.
Should I buy a 2019 HYUNDAI KONA?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2019 HYUNDAI KONA is acceptable with caveats. It has 170 complaints, 1 recalls, and a excellent (5/5) safety rating. Always have a pre-purchase inspection done by a qualified mechanic.
What components fail most on the 2019 HYUNDAI KONA?
The components with the most failures on the 2019 HYUNDAI KONA are: 1. ENGINE (86 complaints), 2. UNKNOWN OR OTHER (10 complaints), 3. POWER TRAIN (7 complaints), 4. FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM (6 complaints), 5. ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING (5 complaints). ENGINE is the single most-reported problem area with 86 complaints.
What should I know before buying a 2019 HYUNDAI KONA?
Be cautious of engine smoke, spontaneous acceleration, and check engine light illumination. Regular maintenance is crucial. The 2019 HYUNDAI KONA has 170 NHTSA complaints and 1 recalls on record. NHTSA rates it excellent (5/5).
How reliable is the 2019 HYUNDAI KONA?
The 2019 HYUNDAI KONA receives a reliability score of 55/100, indicating average reliability. This is based on 170 owner complaints, 1 recalls, and 15 crash/fire reports in the NHTSA database. Key known issues include Engine and Engine Cooling and Air Bags.
What are the known issues with the 2019 HYUNDAI KONA?
Known issues with the 2019 HYUNDAI KONA include: Engine and Engine Cooling, Air Bags, Electrical System, Check Engine Light. These are based on patterns found across 170 NHTSA complaints. 1 of these patterns resulted in formal recalls.
What are the most common issues with the 2019 Hyundai Kona?
Engine issues and electrical system problems are the most common, with reports of spontaneous acceleration and check engine light illumination.
Are there any recalls for the 2019 Hyundai Kona?
Yes, Hyundai is recalling certain 2019-2020 Elantra, 2019-2021 Kona, and Veloster models for engine issues.
What should I do if my 2019 Hyundai Kona starts to stall?
Check the engine oil level and condition, and have the vehicle inspected by a professional mechanic.
Buyer Advice
Our recommendation: Be cautious of engine smoke, spontaneous acceleration, and check engine light illumination. Regular maintenance is crucial.
NHTSA Data Summary for 2019 Hyundai Kona
This safety report is based on a comprehensive analysis of data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the 2019 Hyundai Kona. The data includes 170 consumer complaints filed by vehicle owners, 1 manufacturer-initiated safety recalls, 11 reported crashes, 4 fire incidents, 6 reported injuries, and safety rating assessments associated with this vehicle.
The NHTSA has assigned the 2019 Hyundai Kona an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars, with a frontal crash rating of 5 stars, a side crash rating of 5 stars, and a rollover rating of 4 stars. These ratings are determined through controlled crash testing conducted by the NHTSA.
All data presented in this report is sourced from public NHTSA databases. Our AI analysis identifies patterns across complaint narratives, correlates them with recall history, and produces the safety assessment above. This analysis is updated as new complaints and recalls are filed with the NHTSA.
Consumers are encouraged to report vehicle safety problems to the NHTSA at nhtsa.gov. If your vehicle is subject to a recall, contact your dealer to schedule the free repair.
Disclaimer: This analysis is AI-generated from NHTSA public data and does not constitute professional automotive or safety advice. Always verify recall status at NHTSA.gov and consult a qualified mechanic.
Analysis last updated: 2026-05-16