Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2002 Hyundai Elantra, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Suspension95
- Air bags70
- Service brakes, hydraulic32
- Structure27
- Fuel system, gasoline22
- Exterior lighting18
- Vehicle speed control18
- Power train17
- Seat belts16
- Steering16
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 40 injuries and 2 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 17 2002 Elantra vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 14 people died inside them, and 1 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2002 Hyundai Elantra failed the safety check 2.24% of the time — 12% more often than the average 2002 passenger car (2.00%). Median odometer at inspection: 96,739 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the Netherlands
20 first registered in 2002 are on Dutch roads.
Most common APK defects
- Ruitenwisserinstallatie geeft onvoldoende zicht9
- Lichtbeeld dimlicht onjuist8
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm8
- Stofhoes aandrijfas beschadigd en dicht niet af8
- Licht- donkerscheiding dimlicht onduidelijk8
- Kentekenplaatverlichting werkt niet (goed) / ontbreekt7
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld7
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde6
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
10 cars built in 2002 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 63 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
In Finland
12 of these cars first registered in 2002 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 223,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 2 variants: combined 9.5 L/100 km (about 25 mpg US), CO₂ 219 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elantra · Compact · Regular gasoline | 11.0 | 7.8 | 9.5 |
| Elantra · Compact · Regular gasoline | 11.0 | 7.8 | 9.5 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
4 Transport Canada recalls for the 2002 Hyundai Elantra.
| 2009121 23 Apr 2009 | Suspension On certain vehicles operated in areas of heavy road salt usage (Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland & Labrador),… |
| 2004293 13 Aug 2004 | Brakes On certain non- ABS vehicles located in Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland, after sustained exposure to temperatures belo… |
| 2004130 13 Apr 2004 | Fuel System On certain vehicles, the fuel tank assembly valve may not close properly. If a vehicle with a fuel tank assembly valve that is not properly closed were to roll… |
| 2003173 22 Jul 2003 | Brakes On certain vehicles, the rear brake tubes may contact the steering gear box mounting brackets resulting in rear brake tube wear and corrosion. Severe rear brak… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
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.
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.
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.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE BRAKE TUBES FOR THE REAR BRAKES CAN CONTACT THE STEERING GEARBOX MOUNTING BRACKETS.
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.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Hyundai told its dealers about the 2002 Hyundai Elantra: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 637032 | INFORMATION ON DIAGNOSING A MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ON CONDITION. *TT |
| 636888 | INFORMATION ON ADJUSTING MECHANICAL VALVES ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE 2.0L 4-CYLINDER BETA ENGINE. *TT |
| 635821 | THIS TSB PROVIDES SHOP MANUAL CORRECTIONS FOR CAMSHAFT TIMING CHAIN TIMING PROCEDURES. *TT |
| 633899 | SUBJECT REGARDING FRONT SUSPENSION CROSSMEMBER ATTACHING BOLT TORQUE SPECIFICATION. *JG |
| 633826 | SUBJECT REGARDING SHOP MANUAL CORRECTION FOR DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P1372 DIAGNOSIS. *JG |
| 633785 | SUBJECT REGARDING AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE HARSH AND/OR DELAYED SHIFTS. *JG |
| 633770 | SUBJECT REGARDING ENGINE RPM FLUCTUATION - CRUISE CONTROL CABLE ADJUSTMENT PROCEDURE. *JG |
| 631851 | SUBJECT REGARDING 2.0 L MECHANICAL LASH ADJUSTER MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE AND SHOP MANUAL CORRECTIONS. *SLC |
| 631486 | SUBJECT REGARDING AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE HARSH OR DELAYED PARK-REVERSE OR PARK-DRIVE ENGAGEMENT. *SLC |
| 631420 | SUBJECT REGARDING AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES LIST. *YH |
| 631411 | INFORMATION REGARDING AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES LIST. *YH |
| 629503 | VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE A HARSH OR DELAYED PARK-REVERSE OR PARK-DRIVE ENGAGEMENT IN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. *SLC |
| 628956 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE A 2-3 SHIFT FLARE CONDITION (ENGINE SPEED INCREASES DURING SHIFT). *TT |
| 10251285 | 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 rail spring becoming partially separated on the inner side of the wiper blade, which could lead to poor wiping performance and/or possible scratching of the windshield glass. Follow the procedure in this bulletin to properly remove the windshield wiper blade protective cover on all new wiper blades. |
| 10247189 | This bulletin provides important checkpoint guidelines when performing engine oil and filter change services. |
| 10235566 | 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 cases, the paint can become clouded under the PPF. These spots are the result of moisture trapped between the PPF and the paint. |
| 10230904 | 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 condensation inside the lamp assembly. Lamp assembly replacement is NOT necessary in most cases. This condition can be eliminated by turning on the lamps with the engine running for several minutes or during normal driving operation. |
| 10217258 | 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 before retail sale. This limit is the lesser of 1.5% of GVWR or 100 pounds. If the total added weight exceeds the lesser of the limit, a label must be added to the driver-side B-pillar within 25mm (1 inch) of the original tire placard. |
| 10217251 | 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. |
| 10196546 | Hyundai approves only the ATF, DCT gear oil and IVT gear oil specified in the vehicles owners manual. Use of other ATF may result in improper shift quality or other drivability conditions. Use of other DCT and IVT gear oil may result in reduced durability. Hyundai does not approve the use of any aftermarket ATF or gear oil additives. |
| 10190044 | This bulletin provides the service procedure for engine connecting rod bearing clearance testing. Perform the procedure outlined in this bulletin to fulfill the Bearing Clearance Test inspection requirements to determine next required steps. |
| 10190038 | This bulletin provides best practice recommendations when performing brake service procedures. |
| 10189989 | This bulletin provides the inspection procedure and repair guidelines for certain vehicles listed below. |
| 10183963 | This bulletin describes the procedure to inspect and identify fluid which may appear around the brake caliper area. |
| 10183960 | This bulletin provides tire vibration service procedures, including how to optimize vehicle vibration performance. For all wheel/tire balance claims, the Tire Balance Data Sheet must be fully completed including imbalance and Road Force Variation (RFV) data. The Data Sheet can be found at the end of this bulletin. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS RUSTING
AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATION
AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATION
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation