2018 Hyundai Kona Recalls, Complaints & Specs
No safety recalls list the 2018 Hyundai Kona, and owners have filed 75 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
No safety recalls on record
NHTSA's recall database lists no safety campaigns that include the 2018 Hyundai Kona. That is good news, with two caveats: recalls can be issued at any time (this page refreshes daily), and a recall filed under a related model name may not appear here. The VIN check above queries NHTSA directly for your exact vehicle.
75 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2018 Hyundai Kona have filed 75 complaints with NHTSA; 9 describe a crash and 10 describe a fire. Reports cite 12 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 35,398 miles. Complaints peaked in 2025 with 14 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“car had an engine knock at 110,000 miles and took it to a repair shop and said they are pretty sure it was an engine rod and that the whole engine needed to be replaced still waiting to get it to the”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 19, 2026 · Engine
“I purchased a 2018 Hyundai Kona, and it has had one major issue after another. It burns an excessive amount of oil, the engine misfires, and now the turbocharger is failing. I’ve already spent approxi”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 21, 2026 · Vehicle speed control
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2018 Hyundai Kona (Kona AWD, Kona FWD). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 27–30 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 25–28 / 29–33 |
| Fuel | Regular |
| EPA class | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD, Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD |
| Engine | 4 cyl, 1.6/2 L |
| Transmission | Automatic (AM7); Automatic (S6) |
Compare Hyundai Kona model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Hyundai Kona model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 Hyundai Kona | 0 | 75 |
| 2019 Hyundai Kona | 1 | 193 |
| 2020 Hyundai Kona | 2 | 160 |
| 2021 Hyundai Kona | 1 | 119 |
| 2022 Hyundai Kona | 0 | 100 |
| 2023 Hyundai Kona | 1 | 66 |
| 2024 Hyundai Kona | 4 | 52 |
| 2025 Hyundai Kona | 1 | 28 |
| 2026 Hyundai Kona | 3 | 10 |
Checking a specific 2018 Hyundai Kona
How do I know if my 2018 Hyundai Kona has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Hyundai dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number.
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Hyundai models
- Sonata16,085 complaints
- Elantra8,715 complaints
- Santa FE7,663 complaints
- Tucson6,287 complaints
- Palisade2,447 complaints
- Accent2,032 complaints
- Ioniq 51,339 complaints
- Veloster1,292 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.