2002 Hyundai Elantra Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Elantra years
- More complaints than other years 7th of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 6 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 342 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Hyundai Elantra. That ranks 7th out of 32 Elantra model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is suspension (95 complaints, 28%), typically at around 92,909 miles. Complaints mention 58 crashes, 4 fires, 40 injuries. There are 6 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.
- 342owner complaints
- 6safety recalls
- 3NHTSA investigations
- 58complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2002 Hyundai Elantra problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension problems | 95 | 28% | 92,909 | “control arm” (80%) | $850 |
| Air Bags problems | 70 | 20% | 71,000 | “air bag” (46%) | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 32 | 9% | 15,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 27 | 8% | 72,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 22 | 6% | 55,663 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 18 | 5% | 66,963 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 18 | 5% | 29,550 | — | — |
| Power Train | 17 | 5% | 68,977 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 16 | 5% | 36,048 | — | — |
| Steering | 16 | 5% | 94,829 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 13 | 4% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 11 | 3% | 48,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 10 | 3% | 55,253 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 8 | 2% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 7 | 2% | 82,300 | — | — |
| Visibility | 7 | 2% | 74,250 | — | — |
| Wheels | 6 | 2% | 46,884 | — | — |
| Equipment | 5 | 1% | 95,750 | — | — |
| Seats | 4 | 1% | 53,250 | — | — |
| Engine | 2 | 1% | 80,300 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 1% | 13,993 | — | — |
| Child Seat | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 0% | 80,100 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 0% | 30,600 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 0% | 165,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 0% | 91,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 0% | 40,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2002 Hyundai Elantra recalls (6)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Suspension:front:control arm
Problem: Hyundai is recalling 160,904 my 2001-2003 elantra and my 2003 tiburon vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia. Road salt used during the winter months in these jurisdictions may result in internal corrosion and thinning of the steel in the front lower control arms. The corrosion may progress to the point where the lower control arm's upper and lower panels become perforated. A perforated front lower control arm may fracture between its ball joint attachment and the forward and rearward pivot attachments to the chassis.
Risk: The fracturing of the control arm could an owner's control over their vehicle that may increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the front lower control arms for corrosion damage. If specified levels of internal corrosion damage are found, the front lower control arms will be replaced with new front lower control arms incorporating additional holes in the upper and lower panels. If the front lower control arms do not require replacement, the dealer will add drainage holes to the front lower control arms and will treat the front lower control arms with rust-proofing materials to arrest the internal corrosion process. These procedures will be performed free of charge. The recall began on august 17, 2009. Owners may contact the hyundai customer assistance center at 1-800-633-5151.
Air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive
Problem: Hyundai is recalling certain my 2001-2002 elantra vehicles. Movement of the side impact air bag wiring harness mounted under each front seat, possibly caused by contact from materials placed under the seat, may result in an electrical resistance that would cause supplemental restraint system (srs) warning light illumination.
Risk: This condition only relates to the driver and passenger seat mounted side impact air bags and may prevent seat mounted side impact air bag deployment during a crash where such deployment should occur. Non-deployment of the srs air bags may increase the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger under certain crash conditions.
Fix: Dealers will install new side impact air bag wiring harness connector clips and revised side impact air bag wiring harness attachments under the driver's and front passenger's seats. The recall is expected to begin during the fourth quarter of 2008, and will be sent out in six mailings. Owners may contact hyundai at 1-800-633-5151.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage
Problem: Certain passenger vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 301, "fuel system integrity" a valve on the fuel tank assembly may not close properly. If a vehicle rolls over and the fuel tank assembly valve is not properly closed, fuel spillage may occur.
Risk: Fuel spillage in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.
Fix: Dealers will install an additional fuel tank assembly valve. The recall began on october 5, 2004. Owners should contact hyundai de puerto rico at 1-800-981-0188.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly
Problem: Some passenger vehicles contain a fuel tank assembly valve that may not close properly. If a vehicle with a fuel tank assembly valve that is not properly closed were to roll over, fuel spillage may occur.
Risk: Fuel spillage in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.
Fix: Dealers will install an additional fuel tank assembly valve. Owner notification began on june 30, 2004. Owners should contact hyundai at 1-800-633-5151.
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, the brake tubes for the rear brakes can contact the steering gearbox mounting brackets.
Risk: Contact between the rear brake tubes and the steering gearbox mounting brackets may result in rear brake tube wear and corrosion, increasing the risk of brake fluid leakage. Brake fluid leakage could result in reduced braking capability, which could result in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will reposition the rear brake tubes, install brake tube clips, and apply anti-corrosion material to the rear brake tubes. Owner notification began january 22, 2004. Owners should contact hyundai of puerto rico at 1-800-633-5151.
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, the rear brake tubes pass behind the front suspension crossmember. Two steering gearbox mounting brackets are welded to the crossmember. On vehicles equipped with an antilock brake system (abs), the rear brake tubes could contact both steering gearbox mounting brackets. On vehicles that are not equipped with abs, the rear brake tubes may contact only the left mounting bracket. Contact between the rear brake tubes and the steering brackets could cause wear and corrosion that could result in brake fluid leakage.
Risk: Fluid leakage could result in reduced braking capability increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will reposition the rear brake tubes so they do not contact the mounting brackets, install brake tube clips to control the location of the rear brake tubes, and apply anti-corrosion material to the tubes in the areas where contact with the mounting brackets may have occurred. Owner notification began on october 13, 2003. Owners should contact hyundai at 1-800-633-5151.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Front lower control arms rusting (PE09011) — opened Feb 18, 2009, closed Apr 21, 2009, led to recall 09V125000.
- Air bag light illumination (EA08012) — opened Jul 10, 2008, closed Nov 14, 2008, led to recall 08V532000.
- Air bag light illumination (PE08017) — opened Mar 10, 2008, closed Jul 10, 2008.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
I was driving the car and the moment i tried to stop at the traffic stop sign the lower arm control from the driver side broke and the wheel broke and the car slid. Thanks god it was at night and no cars were there. I remember the night before i was driving on the highway and nothing happened. I…
When pumping gas i can only pump about $1.50 worth of gas at a time before it starts coming back out and spilling everywhere. I have tried pumping gas with the car on, not safe i know, and it still only takes about $1.50 before it comes back out. I have spoken to multiple elantra owners and they…
My 2002 huyndai elantra gls suddently the airbag is on soon engine running, and i have been told by technician that the airbag defective and it is under a recall.
I have noted a recall #09v125000 related to this make/model/year but for some reason my car with the exact problem is not part of the recall. My right front control arm colapsed. It was completely rusted through. With that side fixed i traveled about 3 miles and my left side control arm broke. My…
Rear suspension cross member rotted out
Other Hyundai Elantra years
← 2001 Elantra · 2003 Elantra →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Elantra | 2 | 1 |
| 2025 Elantra | 22 | 0 |
| 2024 Elantra | 54 | 1 |
| 2023 Elantra | 99 | 2 |
| 2022 Elantra | 102 | 5 |
| 2021 Elantra | 132 | 6 |
| 2020 Elantra | 254 | 3 |
| 2019 Elantra | 251 | 1 |
| 2018 Elantra | 283 | 0 |
| 2017 Elantra | 768 | 4 |
| 2016 Elantra | 293 | 2 |
| 2015 Elantra | 262 | 3 |
| 2014 Elantra | 386 | 2 |
| 2013 Elantra | 1,314 | 4 |
| 2012 Elantra | 653 | 4 |
| 2011 Elantra | 433 | 5 |
| 2010 Elantra | 380 | 3 |
| 2009 Elantra | 254 | 4 |
| 2008 Elantra | 314 | 7 |
| 2007 Elantra | 267 | 6 |
| 2006 Elantra | 155 | 1 |
| 2005 Elantra | 137 | 4 |
| 2004 Elantra | 182 | 5 |
| 2003 Elantra | 234 | 5 |
| 2002 | 342 | 6 |
| 2001 Elantra | 315 | 6 |
| 2000 Elantra | 197 | 1 |
| 1999 Elantra | 128 | 2 |
| 1998 Elantra | 55 | 0 |
| 1997 Elantra | 115 | 3 |
| 1996 Elantra | 100 | 3 |
| 1995 Elantra | 112 | 1 |
See all Hyundai Elantra problems by year, every Hyundai model, or the Hyundai VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Hyundai Elantra?
Owners most often report suspension, air bags, service brakes, hydraulic problems. The top one, suspension, accounts for 95 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2002 Hyundai Elantra?
Yes, 6 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2002 Hyundai Elantra a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Elantra model years, the 2002 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.