2022 Hyundai Kona: What to check before buying

The horn quits without warning, and it often fails again after replacement. Some cars have had the horn assembly replaced three times, with failures reported at 7,500 and 65,000 miles. Kona Electric owners describe a 12V battery that drains and leaves the car dead or unable to unlock, often after charging to 100%. Jump starts get these cars running, but dealers frequently find nothing wrong. Other reports cover clicking no-starts, a defective high-voltage battery flagged by an "Electrical system error" warning, and range readings owners say they can't trust.

Power cuts out while driving, sometimes at highway speed, and some cars will not restart and need a tow. Dealers often can't reproduce the fault. Cooling problems come up repeatedly: coolant leaks from the integrated thermal management module, radiators that lose a full reservoir of coolant within a day with no check engine light, and a thermostat code tied to a service bulletin. One engine failed before 4,000 miles and was replaced. Two owners say the oil drain plug fell out on the highway and the engine lost its oil.

Transmissions fail outright, sometimes on the highway and on cars with only 4,000 to 7,000 miles. Other reports describe limp mode capped near 2000 rpm, slipping, getting stuck in first gear, and stalling at stops with a dashboard message telling the driver to shift to neutral. Dealers often clear codes without finding a cause. Kona N owners report misfires and stalling, and one car got a new turbo system to fix sluggish acceleration. On the Kona Electric, owners describe metal shavings in the gear reduction oil and growing noise.

Adaptive cruise control is slow to engage. Speed drops 10 to 15 mph before it holds, it loses speed on hills, and it takes a long time to recover after following traffic. Several owners stopped using it, and dealers say nothing can be done or can't reproduce it. One crash report describes the car accelerating while parking below 5 mph, jumping a curb, and hitting a building despite braking. Others describe sudden hard braking at expressway speed.

Automatic emergency braking activates on the highway for no visible reason. Owners report it at around 60 mph with no cars nearby, braking hard for 3 to 5 seconds, and in one case locking the brakes to a stop in the fast lane. Several owners report repeat events. A separate report describes brakes getting weaker over two days with a low brake fluid warning, after which the dealer refused to inspect the car for 18 days.

The emergency braking system triggers on its own, slowing the car sharply with a flashing warning and alert sounds. Reports place it on the freeway at safe following distances and in an empty parking lot at low speed. One car had only 1,322 miles. The car does not come to a full stop in these reports, but drivers describe the rear-end collision risk and lost confidence. One owner says the dealer only made a note of the complaint.

Neither crash reported here set off the air bags. One was a rear-end collision at 33 to 40 mph. The other was a serious collision with one injury, where the owner also says automatic braking failed and cruise control kept driving the car despite a collision warning. Neither owner reports a warning light beforehand.

Glass breaks while the car is moving, with nothing hitting it. In one case the sunroof shattered at around 40,000 miles and glass fell on the driver. The dealer called it defective glass, but parts took 10 days to arrive. In another case the front passenger window exploded at about 70 mph at around 2,000 miles, and the car was towed for a warranty repair.