no media source available in 2021 Hyundai Kona

[meringue_]

My neighbor's got a super frustrating issue with his 2021 Hyundai Kona, and I'm trying to help him figure it out.

So, this is actually his second 2021 Kona (the first one had some serious engine issues, like bad piston rings. Yeah, yikes!).

When he got this current one new, he just popped his trusty USB thumb drive, loaded with all his music, right into the car's port.

It worked perfectly for a few drives, played all his tunes, no problem.
Then, out of nowhere, it just stopped. Now, whenever he tries to use it, his screen flashes this message: "No Media Source Available.... ex: Bluetooth, Audio, USB etc".
I've checked and still clueless. It clearly can't see the thumb drive anymore, even though nothing else changed

Has anyone ever seen this kind of message on a Kona or another Hyundai? Any ideas what "No Media Source Available" actually means in this context, or what could be causing the USB port to suddenly ignore the drive?

He wants me to help him and avoid a dealership visit if it's possible!

 

[dillon_HK]

That prompt usually means the head unit isn't recognizing any input from that specific source.
Since it worked initially, I'd first try a different USB drive to try to rule out if the first one just failed.
Sometimes, the car's system can become finicky with certain formats over time.
If another drive also doesn't work, it points more towards an issue with the car's USB port itself or the head unit software.
If that's the case, try a quick battery disconnect to reset the system and hopefully clear the glitch without a trip to the dealership!

 

[Fastcarslowdriver]

I'm guessing it's the USB, so try it on a computer to see if it works. On a side note, how did the engine damage happen and most importantly, is this something common?