2002 Hyundai Elantra Suspension Problems
Owners have filed 95 complaints with NHTSA about suspension problems on the 2002 Hyundai Elantra, 28% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 92,909 miles. The words owners use most often: “control arm” (80% of reports).
- 95suspension complaints
- 92,909median miles at failure
- 4mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $850typical repair cost reported by owners
- 11%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Control arm: mentioned in 76 of 95 complaints (80%)
- Suspension front: mentioned in 18 of 95 complaints (19%)
- Rusted through: mentioned in 12 of 95 complaints (13%)
- Side lower: mentioned in 6 of 95 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical suspension repair on the 2002 Hyundai Elantra at $850, and half of them between $620 and $1,100.
Based on 5 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2008–2012), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do suspension problems happen?
Based on 77 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 95 complaints, 4 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 1 an injury.
Hyundai Elantra suspension complaints by model year
| Model year | Suspension complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Elantra | 1 | 5% | — |
| 2024 Elantra | 2 | 4% | 1,100 |
| 2023 Elantra | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2022 Elantra | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2021 Elantra | 2 | 2% | — |
| 2020 Elantra | 3 | 1% | 45,000 |
| 2019 Elantra | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2018 Elantra | 5 | 2% | 5,200 |
| 2017 Elantra | 12 | 2% | 32,000 |
| 2016 Elantra | 10 | 3% | 21,000 |
| 2015 Elantra | 9 | 3% | 21,900 |
| 2014 Elantra | 14 | 4% | 14,000 |
| 2013 Elantra | 99 | 8% | 18,500 |
| 2012 Elantra | 45 | 7% | 47,569 |
| 2011 Elantra | 66 | 15% | 76,500 |
| 2010 Elantra | 11 | 3% | 8,625 |
| 2009 Elantra | 2 | 1% | 300 |
| 2008 Elantra | 11 | 4% | 102,000 |
| 2007 Elantra | 26 | 10% | 102,000 |
| 2006 Elantra | 2 | 1% | 84,000 |
| 2005 Elantra | 3 | 2% | — |
| 2004 Elantra | 7 | 4% | 99,597 |
| 2003 Elantra | 61 | 26% | 94,533 |
| 2002 Elantra | 95 | 28% | 92,909 |
| 2001 Elantra | 81 | 26% | 85,956 |
| 2000 Elantra | 6 | 3% | 80,000 |
| 1999 Elantra | 2 | 2% | 128,900 |
| 1998 Elantra | 3 | 5% | — |
| 1997 Elantra | 2 | 2% | 141,000 |
| 1996 Elantra | 2 | 2% | 100,000 |
| 1995 Elantra | 7 | 6% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are 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…
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
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2002 Hyundai Elantras have suspension problems?
No. NHTSA has 95 owner complaints about suspension for the 2002 Hyundai Elantra (28% of the 342 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2002 Hyundai Elantra suspension?
Yes: 1 safety recall list suspension. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do suspension problems start?
The median reported mileage is 92,909 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix suspension problems on the 2002 Hyundai Elantra?
Owners report a typical cost of $850 (half paid between $620 and $1,100), from 5 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about suspension problems on the 2002 Hyundai Elantra?
The most frequent phrase is “control arm”, in 76 of 95 complaints, followed by “suspension front” (18).
Other 2002 Hyundai Elantra problems
- Air Bags problems (70)
See all 2002 Hyundai Elantra problems or suspension problems across all Elantra years.