Car has extreme oil consumption and power stalls which are related to a recall in 2021 for bad poston rings which werent properly heat protected. I brought in and they said it was checked for recall but engine was never actually replaced. My warning lights come on for oil when this happens. My engine could either seize or I could lose power on highway. Car dealership laughed in my face when brought and told me id have to fork over 10k for a new engine which doesn't seem accurate considering Hyundai manufactured this vehicle with bad piston rings.
2020 Hyundai Kona: sudden loss of power
6 of the 162 complaints about the 2020 Hyundai Kona describe sudden loss of power.
- owner complaints
- 6
- of this car's complaints
- 4%
- recalls
- 1
Is there a fix? There is 1 recall and 10 service bulletins for this area of the car. See below
Sudden loss of power by model year
What owners say
The engine on my 2020 Hyundai Kona failed suddenly while driving, causing complete loss of power. There were no warning lights until after the failure. The vehicle was towed to a Hyundai dealership. Initially, the dealership stated the failure was related to an open recall from 2021 and warned that repairs might not be covered because the recall had not been completed. I sent them a written request outlining both the federal safety agency Recall 21V‑301 (federally mandated) and Service Campaign 974, asking for documentation supporting their diagnosis and any communications with corporate. This request was ignored. Afterward, the dealership said they would replace the engine, but upon completion they recommended replacing certain bolts and hoses at my expense ($849), claiming that if I declined, any future related repairs would not be covered. When asked why these parts were not included in the repair or how their condition would void future coverage, I was told they were “normal wear” items not covered under warranty. No documentation or policy basis was provided. When asked whether the repair was processed under Recall 21V‑301 or Campaign 974, they stated it was not tied to either and was filed under the powertrain warranty without corporate involvement. Multiple shop personnel had earlier confirmed verbally that the failed part matched the recall defect, but the service manager provided a different explanation and refused supporting documents. The dealership also claimed Recall 21V‑301 was “completed” in October 2021 via a software update, despite the vehicle never having been at the dealership since purchase. No proof of recall completion or CNDS software installation was provided. The lack of evidence that Recall 21V‑301 was properly remedied, the possibility of an improper closure in Hyundai’s system, and the fact that the failure matched the recall defect raise serious concerns about compliance with federal recall requirements. I am waiting for corporate to contact me also.
Car is losing power. Car is stopping in the middle of the road. Car was towed to my Personal mechanic on June 21,2025 who has ran a diagnostic on vehicle & vehicle is throwing out an Engine Failure Code. Check Engine light is blinking ; car is making odd "knocking type" noises. First appeared June 20, 2025. Car is not safe to drive due to losing power. Vehicle is now being towed to the dealership (after multiple calls) and the loss of power is concerning/dangerous if vehicle looses power with traffic around. I feel I won't be able to get the vehicle and myself off the road safely before an accident/injury/fatality occurs. I will upload a copy of the diagnostic report
Check engine light came on and car lost power while driving.
Loss of power to speed unable to acceleration had to pull over
Felt shudder and felt like transmission not catching, later a “ping” sound, then sounded like something dropped or hit (though didn’t see anything in front of me when driving) and then didn’t look behind as on interstate. Then the oil and engine lights and one other came on and the car lost power.
Service bulletins that may apply
- Higher-than-expected engine oil consumption
- Higher-than-expected engine oil consumption
- Difficulty starting in cold weather
- This bulletin provides important checkpoint guidelines when performing engine oil and filter change services.
- Transfer case oil leaks and/or an oil smell caused by the transfer case pinion oil seal overheating
- Follow the guidelines outlined in
- Engine and engine cooling
- This bulletin provides the service procedure for engine connecting rod bearing clearance testing
Related recalls
Engine
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- 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.
Recall number 21V301000 · Recall details
Questions about the 2020 Hyundai Kona loss of power
Is sudden loss of power a common problem on the 2020 Hyundai Kona?
6 of 162 owner complaints about the 2020 Hyundai Kona (4%) mention sudden loss of power. The model year with the most reports is 2019.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2020 Hyundai Kona?
There is 1 recall and 10 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2020 Hyundai Kona
Stalling 37Check engine light 33Engine failure 24Knocking 17Oil consumption 16Fire or smoke 6Hesitation 6Grinding brakes 5
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 2020 Hyundai Kona?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history