Hyundai complaints & recalls by model
Across 7 Hyundai models and 50 model years, NHTSA has logged 11,354 owner complaints and 92 recall campaigns. The brand averages 55.5 complaints per year on the road — more complaints than typical (index 1.32).
Analysis
Among the tracked Hyundai models, the Kona has the fewest complaints per year and the Ioniq 5 the most. By model year, the brand's average rate is highest for 2025 (108.0 per year) and lowest for 2019 (32.7).
Hyundai owners complain about Engine more than owners in general: 28.9% of complaints, 1.3× the share across all tracked vehicles. In the last 12 months owners filed 3,584 complaints versus 2,408 in the previous 12 months — the pace is rising.
Recalls: 92 recall campaigns across the tracked model years, most of them received in 2024 (15), 12 with a do-not-drive or park-outside warning. 10 NHTSA defect investigations touch Hyundai models, 2 of them still open.
Models
| Models | Segments | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Trend | Recent activity | Recalls | Investigations | Most common issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyundai Ioniq 5 | Electric vehicles | 1,319 | 114.8 | 2.73 | Improving | Rising | 14 | 3 | Electrical |
| Hyundai Palisade | Midsize SUVs | 2,277 | 102.2 | 2.43 | Worsening | Steady | 13 | 3 | Airbags & seat belts |
| Hyundai Tucson | Compact SUVs | 2,247 | 73.5 | 1.75 | Worsening | Rising | 14 | 3 | Engine |
| Hyundai Santa Fe | Midsize SUVs | 1,968 | 58.3 | 1.38 | Worsening | Rising | 26 | 3 | Engine |
| Hyundai Elantra | Compact cars | 1,404 | 32.0 | 0.76 | Worsening | Steady | 19 | 3 | Engine |
| Hyundai Sonata | Midsize sedans | 1,211 | 26.7 | 0.63 | Stable | Steady | 10 | 3 | Engine |
| Hyundai Kona | Subcompact SUVs | 928 | 22.4 | 0.53 | Worsening | Steady | 12 | 2 | Engine |
1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road.
By model year · Complaints per year on the road
All-vehicle average: 42.1
What owners complain about
vs. all vehicles: 1.00 = All-vehicle average
Recalls by year received
Do-not-drive / park-outside: 12
Investigations
- NU Car rental of vehicles with open recalls Open
NHTSA is opening this Audit Query (AQ) to investigate NU Car Rentals (NU Car) for compliance with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.The Safety Act requires that a rental company shall not rent a vehicle subject to a safety recall unless the recall remedy has been performed. 49 U.S.C. § 30120(i). NHTSA is in receipt of information that indicates NU Car rented at…
- Electrical arcing and thermal events, potentially leading to fires, while utilizing Enel X Way USA, LLC's JuiceBox residential charger. Closed
On October 3, 2024, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE24028 to investigate alleged failures of Enel X Way's JuiceBox Level 2 residential EV chargers. The allegations were described as thermal incidents and electrical malfunctions, which could trip the circuit breakers in Juicebox ownersâ homes and disrupt electric vehicle charge cycles. On October 2, 2024, Enel X Way posted on …
- Inadvertent Seat Belt Unlatch Closed
On August 7, 2024, the Oï¬ce of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE24021 to investigate complaints alleging inadvertent unlatching of seat belts in model year (MY) 2020-2023 Hyundai Palisade vehicles manufactured by Hyundai Motor America. The complaints alleged that, without warning, the seat belts sometimes inadvertently unlatch, increasing the risk of injury due to full loss of seat belt prot…
- Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires Open
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received eight Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) and eight Kia America, Inc. (Kia) Part 573 Recall Reports between 2016 and 2023. The combined 16 safety recalls all involve the antilock braking system (ABS) modules or Hydraulic Electronic Control Units (HECU) manufactured by the equipment supplier Mando. The Part 573 Recall Reports contain varying defect…
- Loss of Motive Power Closed
On June 8, 2023, the Office of Defect Investigation (ODI) opened PE23011 to investigate allegations of loss of motor power on model year (MY) 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 vehicles. Some consumers reported loss of motor power immediately after a warning lamp illumination or reduction of motive power while the vehicle was in motion. This investigation found that the Integrated Charging Control Unit (ICCU) m…
- Pedestrian alert sounds Closed
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and ele…
- Windshield Wiper Failure Closed
On August 15, 2022, Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) filed a safety recall (NHTSA Recall 22V-627) of 122,919 model year (MY) 2020-2021 Hyundai Palisade vehicles produced from April 10, 2019 to November 30, 2020. This recall addressed windshield wipers that may function intermittently or stop functioning when impeded by the accumulation of snow and/or ice at the bottom of the windshield. Intermitten…
- Loss of Motive Power Closed
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021. The Petitioners cited examples of complaints i…
Frequently asked questions
Which Hyundai model has the fewest complaints?
Among the tracked Hyundai models, the Kona has the fewest complaints per year and the Ioniq 5 the most.
What do Hyundai owners complain about most?
Hyundai owners complain about Engine more than owners in general: 28.9% of complaints, 1.3× the share across all tracked vehicles. In the last 12 months owners filed 3,584 complaints versus 2,408 in the previous 12 months — the pace is rising.
How many Hyundai recalls and investigations are there?
Recalls: 92 recall campaigns across the tracked model years, most of them received in 2024 (15), 12 with a do-not-drive or park-outside warning. 10 NHTSA defect investigations touch Hyundai models, 2 of them still open.