Saturday, August 8, 2026
RecallGazette

Vehicle problems, recalls & safety intelligence

2002 Hyundai Sonata vs 2002 Nissan Altima

Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 8, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.

Metric2002 Hyundai Sonata2002 Nissan Altima
NHTSA complaints3191,047
Recall campaigns75
Service bulletins (TSBs)88142
Investigations41
Crash reports3129
Fire reports428
NCAP overall rating
EPA MPG (combined)20–2319–23
Median reported incident mileage90,100 mi90,000 mi

Reported problems side by side

ComponentHyundai SonataNissan Altima
Engine and Engine Cooling16594
Structure88128
Electrical System2377
Engine592
Air Bags5134
Suspension6214
Fuel System, Gasoline2038
Power Train1139

Symptoms owners describe

Rust / corrosion95107
Stalling12164
Airbag warning light110
Vibration / shaking930
Check engine light8128
Oil consumption0126
Overheating047
Loss of power032

Compare all Hyundai Sonata vs Nissan Altima years →

Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.