2002 Hyundai Sonata Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Sonata years
- More complaints than other years 14th of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 7 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 319 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Hyundai Sonata. That ranks 14th out of 32 Sonata model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is structure (88 complaints, 28%), typically at around 105,000 miles. Complaints mention 31 crashes, 4 fires, 54 injuries. There are 7 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 4 defect investigations involving it.
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- 319owner complaints
- 7safety recalls
- 4NHTSA investigations
- 31complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2002 Hyundai Sonata 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Structure problems | 88 | 28% | 105,000 | “sub frame” (18%) | — |
| Suspension problems | 62 | 19% | 129,500 | “sub frame” (32%) | — |
| Air Bags problems | 51 | 16% | 67,500 | “air bag” (63%) | — |
| Steering | 24 | 8% | 104,613 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 23 | 7% | 75,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 21 | 7% | 16,500 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 20 | 6% | 88,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 16 | 5% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 11 | 3% | 72,832 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 11 | 3% | 148,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 11 | 3% | 91,590 | — | — |
| Tires | 10 | 3% | 49,875 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 9 | 3% | 64,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 8 | 3% | 61,500 | — | — |
| Engine | 5 | 2% | 145,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 5 | 2% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 5 | 2% | 48,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 5 | 2% | 95,000 | — | — |
| Child Seat | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 1% | 129,500 | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 0% | 135,000 | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 0% | 64,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 0% | 79,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2002 Hyundai Sonata recalls (7)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Problem: Hyundai is recalling 82 model year 2002-2003 sonata vehicles. Repeated use of the interior door handle may cause wear of the chrome plating. If the top edge of the handle has very thin chrome plating that portion of the plating may wear away more easily than more thickly plated areas as the door handle is used. The worn chrome plating on the upper edge of the handle may result in a crack or separation between the chrome plating on the inboard and outboard surfaces of the handle, which may form a sharp edge.
Risk: A sharp edge could lacerate or otherwise injure a vehicle occupant.
Fix: Dealers will repair the chrome plated interior door handle free of charge. The recall began on september 16, 2009. Owners may contact hyundai of puerto rico at 1-787-999-3333.
Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Problem: Hyundai is recalling 91,350 my 2002-2003 hyundai sonata vehicles. Repeated use of the interior door handle may cause wear of the chrome plate. If the top edge of the handle has very thin chrome plating, that portion of the plating may wear away more easily than more thickly plated areas as the door handle is used. The worn chrome plating on the upper edge of the handle may result in a crack or separation between the chrome plating on the inboard and outboard surfaces of the handle, which may form a sharp edge.
Risk: This may inflict laceration injuries to anyone using the door handle.
Fix: Dealers will repair the chrome plated interior door handle free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during june 2009. Owners may contact hyundai customer assistance center at 1-800-633-5151.
Suspension
Problem: Hyundai is recalling 188,282 my 2001-2004 sonata and my 2001-2004 xg300 and xg350 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 applied in these jurisdictions during the winter months may result in progressive, internal corrosion of the front sub-frame on the vehicles, and may result in thinning or perforation of the sub-frame steel. The corrosion is frequently visible and often discovered during inspection or routine maintenance, and owners may also hear noises or notice tire misalignment and steering pull. If these signals are undetected or unheeded, the corrosion may progress and the forward mounting of the lower control arm may detach from the sub-frame.
Risk: If that happens, the vehicle may lose drive power to the wheels, and the front wheel may make contact with the fender or wheel well, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will measure the thickness of the front sub-frame and inspect the front sub-frame for corrosion damage and, if necessary, the front sub-frame will be replaced with a new sub-frame that incorporates additional holes in the upper and lower panels. If the front sub-frame does not require replacement, the dealer will add drainage holes to the sub-frame and will treat the sub-frame with rust-proofing material to stop the corrosion process. This procedure will be performed free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during april 2009. Owners may contact the hyundai customer assistance center 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.
Tires:temporary/emergency spare tire
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles equipped with a traction control system (tcs), if the t125/70d-15 compact spare tire is installed on a front wheel position, the tcs may inadvertently activate beginning at speeds of 20 mph.
Risk: Inadvertent activation of the tcs will cause automatic application of the brake at the wheel where the compact spare tire is installed. Inadvertent brake application could cause overheating and damage to the brake, and may prevent the vehicle from being driven at speeds above 20 mph, which could result in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the spare tire with a new larger diameter t125/80r-15 compact spare tire and a new tire pressure label will be installed on the driver's door to provide information applicable to the t125/80r-15 compact spare tire. Vehicles produced from november 15, 2002 through december 16 2002, already contain t125/80r-15 compact spare tires, will only require new tire pressure labels. Owner notification began june 30, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact hyundai at 1-800-633-5151.
Air bags:side/window
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, the supplemental restraint system (srs) side impact air bag satellite sensors may be too sensitive to some lateral accelerations that are not caused by side impacts to the vehicle, such as forcefully slamming a door closed.
Risk: Inadvertent deployment of a srs side impact air bag when a side impact crash has not occurred could increase the risk of injury to the seat occupant.
Fix: Dealers will replace the side impact air bag satellite sensors. Owner notification began july 8, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time 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
- Interior door handle laceration hazard (PE08071) — opened Dec 15, 2008, closed May 29, 2009, led to recall 09V171000.
- Front sub-frame corrosion (EA08016) — opened Aug 21, 2008, closed Apr 20, 2009, led to recall 09V124000.
- Front sub-frame corrosion (PE08029) — opened Apr 22, 2008, closed Aug 21, 2008.
- Tire valve stem failures (PE05059) — opened Nov 7, 2005, closed May 11, 2006.
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 purchased a 2002 Hyundai Sonata from a private seller who represented the car had about 40,000â45,000 miles. However, diagnostics from OâReilly Auto Parts showed 278,000 miles, and Hyundaiâs system confirmed over 302,000 miles. The title is marked âmileage exempt,â and the seller is not…
The contact owns a 2002 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while his girlfriend was driving at a slow speed, the sub frame snapped and fractured the axle. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, and the contact was made aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 09V124000 (Suspension). The…
The contact owns a 2002 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving approximately 15 MPH and slowing for a right turn, the contact heard an abnormal popping sound coming from the front end of the vehicle. The contact was in the middle of the turn when the vehicle lost motive power. The contact…
The contact owns a 2002 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was shaking and made abnormal sounds. The vehicle then lost motive power. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign…
Made right hand turn passenger wheel cocked dead stop. When checked out was told sub frame rust apart on passenger side.
Other Hyundai Sonata years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Sonata | 3 | 1 |
| 2025 Sonata | 17 | 0 |
| 2024 Sonata | 46 | 1 |
| 2023 Sonata | 87 | 2 |
| 2022 Sonata | 94 | 3 |
| 2021 Sonata | 134 | 4 |
| 2020 Sonata | 179 | 4 |
| 2019 Sonata | 162 | 0 |
| 2018 Sonata | 374 | 1 |
| 2017 Sonata | 765 | 3 |
| 2016 Sonata | 727 | 6 |
| 2015 Sonata | 1,151 | 9 |
| 2014 Sonata | 749 | 7 |
| 2013 Sonata | 1,915 | 9 |
| 2012 Sonata | 1,557 | 8 |
| 2011 Sonata | 3,377 | 14 |
| 2010 Sonata | 345 | 2 |
| 2009 Sonata | 460 | 2 |
| 2008 Sonata | 425 | 3 |
| 2007 Sonata | 696 | 5 |
| 2006 Sonata | 1,047 | 9 |
| 2005 Sonata | 165 | 1 |
| 2004 Sonata | 202 | 1 |
| 2003 Sonata | 199 | 6 |
| 2002 | 319 | 7 |
| 2001 Sonata | 205 | 3 |
| 2000 Sonata | 276 | 4 |
| 1999 Sonata | 124 | 4 |
| 1998 Sonata | 49 | 1 |
| 1997 Sonata | 49 | 2 |
| 1996 Sonata | 23 | 1 |
| 1995 Sonata | 66 | 2 |
See all Hyundai Sonata 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 Sonata?
Owners most often report structure, suspension, air bags problems. The top one, structure, accounts for 88 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2002 Hyundai Sonata?
Yes, 7 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2002 Hyundai Sonata a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Sonata model years, the 2002 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.