2020 Hyundai Kona engine problems

“My 2020 Kona 2.OL failed an oil test losing 2.5 quarts in 960 miles, stalled on the highway, and blows oil out the tailpipe. Hyundai (Case #43141313) is denying repair coverage because my VIN was excluded from Recall 21V301000. This recall needs to be expanded to include my VIN.”

“The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed, but the vehicle hesitated, and there was white smoke coming from the exhaust. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where the contact was advised to take the vehicle to a dealer. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not associated with a recall related to the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 53,976.”

“COMPONENT THAT FAILED: The engine short block piston rings (related to NHTSA recall 203) failed, causing severe cylinder wall scoring. The vehicle is currently located at an authorized Hyundai dealership and is available for manufacturer or NHTSA inspection. SAFETY RISK; The defective piston rings caused severe internal oil consumption, resulting in hydraulic oil starvation. This creates a high risk of sudden engine stalling, catastrophic engine seizure, and complete loss of motive power while driving in traffic. CONFIRMATION AND INSPECTION: Yes, the defect has been confirmed. The current Hyundai dealership performed a boroscope inspection, which physically confirmed severe vertical metal scoring in cylinder 3. They also documented that the engine was 1.5q low on oil with zero external leaks, confirming internal consumption. Despite physical proof of the recall defect, the manufacturer is currently refusing to honor the recall repair. WARNING LAMPS/SYMPTOMS: The check engine light illuminated, logging exhaust camshaft timing correlation codes (P0017). This first April 2026 at 169,000 miles. This timing code is a secondary hydraulic symptom caused by the severe…”

“I was fortunate to check my daughter's oil and noticed that it was almost empty. I alerted the dealer because I recently got an oil change and thought there was a leak, but no oil was on the driveway. The dealer performed an oil consumption test. They said it was 1 quart per 1,000 miles and this is acceptable. There are other models that are on the recall list, but mine is not. The dealer and Hyundai said that they will not pay for repairs because it is out of warranty. The bigger issue here is that Hyundai is aware of this issue (oil burning fast in these vehicles) and they are not warning owners to check their oil. This is a cute car and it is driven by college age girls who do not think about checking oil. If the oil runs dry, the engine can seize up and the car will stop. This can cause an accident and possible fatality. I am very concerned about the safety of my daughter and others. I have 5 quarts of oil in my daughters trunk to top it off regularly. This information needs to be given to owners of these vehicles to increase awareness of the problem an prevent a tragedy.”

“The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Kona. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V301000 (Engine); however, the dealer was unable to perform the recall repair because the vehicle had not experienced a failure associated with the recall and there were no fault codes displayed or retrieved associated with the recall. However, an independent mechanic recommended that the engine be replaced. The contact provided the dealer with the fault codes and the failures that the independent mechanic had found; however, the dealer was unable to retrieve the same fault codes. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and agreed with the dealer and refused additional assistance. The vehicle was not repaired.”

“The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V301000 (Engine); however, the recall repair failed to prevent the failure from occurring. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power and failed to restart using the ignition key. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, Capital Hyundai of Greensboro (801 E Bessemer Ave, Greensboro, NC 27405), where it remained for further diagnosis. The contact stated that during the prior recall repair, the Continuously Variable Valve Timing (CVVT) assembly, Engine Control Module (ECM), and Body Control Module (BCM) were replaced, a solenoid was installed, and the engine was inspected but not replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.”