2002 Hyundai Elantra problems & reliability
342 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2002 Hyundai Elantra, alongside 6 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
30 complaints report injuries (40 injured, 2 deaths reported).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2002 Hyundai Elantra vehicles were involved in 17 fatal crashes with 14 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 95 | 28% |
| Air Bags | 70 | 20% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 32 | 9% |
| Structure | 27 | 8% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 22 | 6% |
| Exterior Lighting | 18 | 5% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 18 | 5% |
| Power Train | 17 | 5% |
| Seat Belts | 16 | 5% |
| Steering | 16 | 5% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 72,000 miles (middle 50% between 40,000 and 110,000 miles), based on 240 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“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 called my insurance…”
Suspension · filed May 21, 2020
“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 all have the same…”
Fuel/propulsion System · filed Jan 29, 2020
“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.”
Air Bags · filed Mar 2, 2019
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS RUSTING
Preliminary Evaluation PE09011 · opened Feb 18, 2009 · closed Apr 21, 2009 · led to recall 09V125000
- AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATION
Engineering Analysis EA08012 · opened Jul 10, 2008 · closed Nov 14, 2008 · led to recall 08V533000
- AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATION
Preliminary Evaluation PE08017 · opened Mar 10, 2008 · closed Jul 10, 2008
Technical service bulletins
77 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2002 Hyundai Elantra. The 10 most recent:
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the presence of substandard and dangerous driver’s-side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co.…
DTN DL · Other · issued Apr 10, 2026
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent safety advisory regarding dangerous, counterfeit driver‑side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety…
DTN DCS · Other · issued Apr 10, 2026
This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the headlamp, rear combination lamp, daytime running lamp (DRL), or fog lamp. This TSB illustrates the various causes of…
25-BD-012H TSB · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 6, 2025
This bulletin contains information about the proper removal of the windshield wiper blade protective cover on all models. If the protective cover is not removed correctly, there is a possibility of the rubber insert and…
24-BD-001H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 14, 2024
This bulletin provides important checkpoint guidelines when performing engine oil and filter change services.
23-EM-005H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 13, 2023
Hyundai applies a Paint Protection Film (PPF) on new vehicles before delivery to dealerships. It provides a barrier between the paint and contaminants, such as rail dust, acid rain, and industrial fallout. In rare…
23-BD-007H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 24, 2023
This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the headlamp, rear combination lamp, daytime running lamp (DRL), or fog lamp. This TSB illustrates the various causes of…
23-BD-002H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 30, 2023
Follow the guidelines outlined in this bulletin to inspect and clean or replace certain components of the engine intake system accordingly during engine short block or sub-assembly replacement.
22-EM-010H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 28, 2022
Effective June 2, 2008, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 110 (FMVSS 110) established a threshold for correcting load carrying capacity information indicated on tire placards when vehicle weight has been increased…
22-GI-006H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 14, 2022
Hyundai approves only the ATF, DCT gear oil and IVT gear oil specified in the vehicleâ  s ownerâ  s manual. ï · Use of other ATF may result in improper shift quality or other drivability conditions. ï · Use…
21-AT-006H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 21, 2021
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2002 Hyundai Elantra has 6 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2002 Hyundai Elantra?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 72,000 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.