Problems · NHTSA complaints

2021 Genesis GV80 problems

Owners filed 61 complaints about the 2021 Genesis GV80 with NHTSA between Mar 2021 and Oct 2026. The most-cited component is electrical system (15).

Complaints
61
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
5
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
3
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system15
  2. Exterior lighting13
  3. Fuel/propulsion system11
  4. Forward collision avoidance10
  5. Engine8
  6. Vehicle speed control5
  7. Lane departure5
  8. Structure4
  9. Fuel system, gasoline4
  10. Service brakes3
  11. Back over prevention2
  12. Seat belts2
  13. Steering2
  14. Wheels2

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20217
20223
202312
202410
202513
202616

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Electrical system

15 reports1 fire
“I am writing this complaint concerning the headlight assembly issue that applies to my vehicle. The headlight has a well documented record of suddenly failing. To my knowledge there has never been an official recall from Genesis to address this issue. The issue definitely causes a safety issue and the repair of this issue is not a straight forward matter. From the various reports i have read it is a design flaw that was never addressed and it is something that fails repeatedly. With an average repair cost of between $2500 to $4500 plus labor to repair a component that is essential to safely operating the vehicle this is a huge concern for me.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 6, 2026Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 11769474

Exterior lighting

13 reports
“Notice condensation building up in driver side headlamp, then I received LED lights failure warning ️ as i was driving. Now i driver side signal is not working some times and now i have about 7 warnings on dash from headlamp failure to collision sensor going off. I know since car is a 2021 and i'm the second owner it's out of warranty, but i speculate that this problem probably known now look at other reports and it only had 35K miles when I purchased it.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 15, 2026Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Lane departureODI 11731358

Fuel/propulsion system

11 reports2 crashes
“This complaint concerns Manufacturer Recall 033G (NHTSA Recall 26V229000) for a fuel crossover pipe with retention fasteners that may loosen over time, creating a fuel leak and engine compartment fire risk. The vehicle has not yet received the recall remedy because the nearest authorized Genesis retailer capable of performing the repair is over 620 miles round trip. The recall filing states that Genesis will reimburse owners for out-of-pocket expenses incurred to obtain the remedy, in accordance with a reimbursement plan submitted to NHTSA on March 2, 2026. I contacted Genesis's National Consumer Affairs team and requested written pre-approval of round-trip transportation costs consistent with that filed reimbursement plan, so I could arrange transport without paying out of pocket on an uncertain after-the-fact review. Genesis responded that they are unable to provide advance approval or written authorization for any round-trip transportation, mileage, fuel, or other travel-related costs. They stated only that a one-way tow may be considered for reimbursement after the recall is completed, subject to review and approval, with no commitment on the return trip.…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 2, 2026Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11761773

Forward collision avoidance

10 reports3 crashes
“Condensation has appeared in the driver side headlight. It has caused the headlight and blinker to stop working. In addition, several warning lights have appeared on the dash indicating the following operations are no longer working.... Driver Attention Warning System, Forward Safety System, Lane Change Assist system, Lane Departure Warning System and High Beam Assist. While the driving assist systems may be optional functions, the lack of headlight and blinker are, in my opinion, safety issues. Certainly, the car would not pass a safety inspection in the state of Virginia and, as a result, I would not be able to register the vehicle. Genesis has known of the headlight condensation problem for years and has issued several TSB's, yet they continue to build cars with a known safety issue. In my opinion, a safety recall should be implemented and Genesis should be required to repair the problem at their expense.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 14, 2025Exterior lighting, Lane departure, Forward collision avoidanceODI 11693268

Engine

8 reports
“On two separate occasions, my 2021 Genesis GV80 experienced a sudden loss of motive power while driving on Interstate 75 in Atlanta, Georgia, creating an extreme crash hazard. The first incident occurred on August 3, 2026. While traveling at highway speed in heavy traffic, I attempted to change lanes and pressed the accelerator. The vehicle did not respond — instead of accelerating, it crept along at low speed while surrounding traffic continued at approximately 80 mph. I was nearly struck by multiple vehicles and was only able to avoid a collision by steering back into my lane. The second incident occurred under the same circumstances on I-75 on but I don't recall the exact date. Again, when I attempted to change lanes and accelerate, the vehicle failed to respond and I was nearly hit by fast-moving traffic. Both of these occasions were terrifying. On August 11, 2026, I brought the vehicle to the dealership, where the entire transmission and heater box were replaced (vehicle in shop 29 days). Despite this major repair, the drivability problems continued — the engine RPMs race to 4 and 5 before the transmission shifts gears, and the vehicle drives roughly and…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 5, 2026Vehicle speed control, EngineODI 11768943

Vehicle speed control

5 reports1 crash
“The car is not accelerating or needs hard acceleration to move. It is also losing power intermittently. The car can not accelerate to pass a vehicle. The transmission is behaving erraticly. Causing severe back pain accelerating the car in normal city driving. The RPMs exceed 4000 reaching a speed of 45 miles an hour making the car engine very noisy.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 20, 2024Power train, Vehicle speed control, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11603574
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.