2002 Hyundai Elantra
The Verdict
The 2002 Hyundai Elantra has 347 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are body (162 complaints) and electrical (93 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 39/100, it earns a "Check Engine" rating. If you're shopping for a Hyundai Elantra, consider the 2025 model year which has 94% fewer complaints.
Safe Bet
The 2025 has 94% fewer complaints
View the 2025 Hyundai Elantra dashboard →
Klunk Score: Check Engine
More complaints than most vehicles. Known issues exist — budget for potential repairs.
How is this calculated?
The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.
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Under the Hood
Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.
| Year | Body | Brakes | Electrical | Engine | Transmission |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 62 | 6 | 61 | 55 | 19 |
| 2001 | 122 | 25 | 128 | 35 | 17 |
| 2002 | 162 | 33 | 93 | 43 | 16 |
| 2003 | 107 | 25 | 55 | 38 | 9 |
| 2004 | 30 | 8 | 118 | 19 | 7 |
| 2005 | 31 | 10 | 79 | 11 | 6 |
| 2006 | 26 | 31 | 82 | 8 | 7 |
| 2007 | 136 | 30 | 70 | 22 | 8 |
| 2008 | 102 | 46 | 61 | 82 | 24 |
| 2009 | 166 | 24 | 63 | 18 | 8 |
| 2010 | 257 | 42 | 92 | 28 | 31 |
| 2011 | 192 | 42 | 101 | 105 | 17 |
| 2012 | 214 | 74 | 192 | 152 | 30 |
| 2013 | 507 | 218 | 261 | 258 | 34 |
| 2014 | 81 | 58 | 44 | 174 | 11 |
| 2015 | 76 | 43 | 27 | 98 | 9 |
| 2016 | 102 | 10 | 41 | 117 | 15 |
| 2017 | 315 | 39 | 89 | 293 | 23 |
| 2018 | 72 | 9 | 30 | 154 | 9 |
| 2019 | 32 | 5 | 73 | 128 | 4 |
| 2020 | 52 | 9 | 41 | 106 | 31 |
| 2021 | 68 | 8 | 30 | 16 | 4 |
| 2022 | 54 | 6 | 17 | 10 | 5 |
| 2023 | 37 | 6 | 23 | 20 | 4 |
| 2024 | 24 | 2 | 17 | 8 | 1 |
| 2025 | 14 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
By Category
By Severity
Worst Problems
Compare Against
See how the 2002 Hyundai Elantra stacks up against rivals.
Complaints
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 AND THEY SENT ME A TOWING TRUCK TO MOVE THE CAR. I DIDN'T REPAIR THE CAR BECAUSE IT WAS A BIG MESS. I TOOK SOME PICTURES OF IT AND THE TOWING COMPANY GUY ALSO. I REMEMBER I WENT TO HYUNDAI DEALER AND I WAS LOOKING FOR A PART THEIR AND THEY TOOK MY VIN NUMBER TO CHECK FOR THE PART BUT NEVER TOLD ME ABOUT THE RECALL. CAN HYUNDAI COMPANY GIVE ME SOME MONEY BACK THAT I SPENT FOR TOWING AND LOOSING MY CAR BECAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT. I EVEN PAID FOR THE CAR REGISTRATION WEEKS BEFORE. *TR
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 ISSUE. IT TAKES ABOUT 20 MINUTES TO FILL UP. THE MORE GAS YOU GET IN YOUR TANK, THE LESS YOU CAN PUMP. FROM THE RESEARCH I HAVE DONE ONLINE IT'S THAT THE EVAP CANISTOR HAS FAILED AND IT'S PUSHING CHARCOAL THRU THE FUEL LINES. WHAT IF THAT GETS INTO THE FUEL TANK AND THE PUMP SUCKS IT UP? DON'T THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD THING. BUT THE GAS THAT COMES OUT IS STARTING TO EAT AWAY THE PAINT BECAUSE IT DOES IT MULTIPLE TIMES EACH TIME I'M REFUELING. MY VEHICLE HAS HIGH MILES BUT ALOT OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE THIS ISSUE SAY THEY HAVE BELOW 100K MILES.
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.
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 MECHANIC AND I WERE COMPLEXED, BUT AFTER RESEARCH I FOUND THIS PROBLEM EXIST AND RECALLS ISSUED. AFTER CONTACTING HYUNDA THEY SAID THIS VEHICLE VIN# WAS NOT COVERED. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THIS LIFE THREATENING PROBLEM WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. SOMETHING IN THE RECORDS OF THIS CAR MUST BE IN ERROR.
REAR SUSPENSION CROSS MEMBER ROTTED OUT
IT IS HARD TO FILL THE GAS TANK UP. THE FUEL PUMP KEEPS SHUTTING OFF AND YOU HAVE TO SLOWLY FILL THE GAS TANK UP. YOU HAVE TO HOLD THE PUMP TO EVEN GET GAS TO FILL THE TANK.
THE WHOLE FRAME IS RUSTY.
ON OCTOBER 28TH, 2016 THE LOWER, DRIVER'S SIDE, FRONT CONTROL ARM DISINTEGRATED WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HER ELANTRA IN A PARKING LOT. SHE WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN TO LEAVE THE LOT WHEN SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR AS IT MADE A "TERRIBLE GRINDING NOISE." THE NEXT DAY I REMOVED THE WHEEL AND DISCOVERED THE CONTROL ARM WAS TORN IN TWO SECTIONS AND BADLY CORRODED. I WENT TO TWO HYUNDAI DEALERS TO TRACK DOWN A NEW PART. NEITHER DEALER MENTIONED THE FACT THAT THIS MODEL HYUNDAI HAD BEEN RECALLED FOR PRECISELY THIS PROBLEM. WHEN I LEARNED OF THIS PROBLEM I CONTACTED HYUNDAI MOTORS. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE RECALL ONLY APPLIED TO VEHICLES PURCHASED OR REGISTERED IN THE SO-CALLED "SALT BELT" STATES. MY WIFE BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW IN COLORADO AND HAS NEVER DRIVEN IT IN THE "SALT BELT." YET IT SUFFERED THE SAME CORROSION AND FAILURE AS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL BULLETIN. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS FAILURE BECAUSE THE CORROSION IS INSIDE THE CONTROL ARM AND CANNOT BE DETECTED BY A NORMAL VISUAL INSPECTION. I SUSPECT THAT THE FAILURE THAT SHOWED UP YEARS AGO IN THE "SALT BELT" CARS IS NOW APPEARING IN OLDER CARS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. HYUNDAI APPARENTLY DOES NOT GIVE A [XXX]. I SUGGEST THE NHSTA IMPOSE A NATIONWIDE MANDATORY RECALL OF THESE VEHICLES. IF IT OCCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THIS FAILURE WOULD RESULT IN IMMEDIATE LOSS OF CONTROL, RESULTING IN SEVERE INJURY OR DEATH FOR PASSENGERS IN THE CAR. THIS VEHICLE IS A ONE OWNER CAR THAT WAS GARAGED ALL ITS LIFE. IT WAS REGULARLY SERVICED BY A HYUNDAI DEALER. IT SHOWS NO SIGNS OF EXCESSIVE CORROSION IN ANY OTHER AREA OR PART. I AM OUTRAGED THAT HYUNDAI CHOSE TO LIMIT THE RECALL OF THESE VEHICLES TO SELECT STATES. THIS INCIDENT CLEARLY DEMONSTRATES THE PROBLEM IS NOT LIMITED TO VEHICLES EXPOSED TO CORROSIVE CHEMICALS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND REMAINS ON STEADY AS I WAS DRIVING IN RESIDENTIAL SECTION TODAY, AROUND 10PM. IT HAS BEEN 104 DEGREES WITH HUMIDITY FACTOR THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS.
THERE IS RUST COMING THROUGH THE QUARTER PANELS IN THE FRONT
AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON WHEN YOU MOVE THE SEAT FORWARD OR BACKWARD. SHOULD BE COVERED BY A RECALL, BUT WHEN I CALL THE DEALER I AM TOLD THAT THERE ARE NOT OPEN RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE. YET, THE RECALL LIST FOR FIXING THE AIR BAG SYSTEM LISTS 2002 HYUNDAI.
MY VEHICLE HAS CONTROL ARM RUST AND PERFORATIONS IN THE SUBFRAME, COVERED UNDER AN EXISTING RECALL. HYUNDAI HAS ADMITTED THAT THE PARTS ARE COVERED UNDER THE RECALL, BUT STATES THAT THEY ARE UNABLE TO REPLACE THE SUBFRAME AND CONTROL ARMS DUE TO RUST DAMAGE ON THE FRAME ITSELF. REPLACING THE DAMAGED PORTIONS OF THE FRAME WILL COST WELL OVER THE PRICE OF THE VEHICLE. IF THE SUBFRAME DID NOT HAVE TO BE REPLACED, THE FRAME WOULD LIKELY HOLD FOR SOME TIME AND NOT REQUIRE REPLACEMENT IN THE NEAR FUTURE. THE FRAME DAMAGE IS ONLY AN IMMEDIATE ISSUE BECAUSE THE RECALL REPAIR NEEDS TO BE DONE. HYUNDAI HAS OFFERED ME TO EITHER REPLACE THE FRAME DAMAGE AT MY OWN EXPENSE SO THEY CAN COMPLETE THE RECALL REPAIR, OR TAKE A BUYOUT EQUAL TO THE KELLY BLUE BOOK VALUE OF THE VEHICLE. OTHER COMPENSATION SUCH AS RENTAL FEES WAS REFUSED. IT HAS TAKEN THEM ~25 DAYS SINCE RECEIVING THE VEHICLE TO MAKE THIS OFFER.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08V533000 (AIR BAGS). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,190.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD LOSE BRAKE FLUID. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES WOULD FAIL TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 165,000.
RANDOM ILLUMINATION OF AIR BAG LIGHT ON DASH WITHOUT EXPLANATION.
ENGINE STOPS SUDDENLY ALMOST CREATING ACCIDENT. CAUSE ?
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE AT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR ROUTINE REPAIR. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS WERE CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 153,248.
CAR RECALLED FOR "SALT BELT CORROSION" REPAIRS IN 2002. ORIGINAL OWNER SOLD CAR BACK TO HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP. REPAIRS WERE NEVER DONE.WHEN I BOUGHT THIS USED HYUNDAI ELANTRA IN LATE 2002, IT HAD LESS THAN 13K MILES ON ITS ODOMETER. IT WAS SERVICED AT A 2ND HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP UNTIL 2012, WHEN ITS 10 YR/ 100 K MI WARRANTY EXPIRED. TODAY, EVEN THOUGH IT STILL HAS < 100 K ON ITS ODOMETER, THE ENTIRE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE IS SO BADLY RUSTED THAT I'VE BEEN TOLD BY TWO DIFFERENT SOURCES THAT THE CORROSION ON THE UNDERSIDE IS SO BAD THAT, DURING A 50 MPH OR GREATER ACCIDENT, IT IS LIKELY THE ENTIRE INSIDE OF THE CAR COULD FALL ONTO THE HIGHWAY, WHILE IT KEPT MOVING FORWARD, DECAPITATING EVERYONE INSIDE. JPG IMAGES OF THE EXTENT OF THE CORROSION ON THIS VEHICLE ARE AVAILABLE AT: WWW.HYUNDAIDCM.COM/WEB/ACTIVITYDETAILS.ASPX?ACTIVITYID=7738650-4. MY HYUNDAI IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE BECAUSE HYUNDAI NEVER PERFORMED THE MANDATED NHTSA SERVICE IN 2002. PLEASE TAKE MY CASE ON.. I'VE FILLED OUT THE WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN? BOX BELOW WITH THE DATE WHEN HYUNDAI AMERICA HAD MY ELANTRA INSPECTED BY MANLY HYUNDAI (2702 CORBY AVE, SANTA ROSA, CA 95402). EVER SINCE THIS INSPECTION, HYUNDAI AMERICA HAS OFFERED TO PAY ME $ 1K TO "TAKE MY CAR AWAY". WHEN I ASKED THEM WHY NOT $ 3K (IT'S HIGH KELLY BLUE BOOK VALUE), THEY INFORMED ME IT "WAS A RUST BUCKET".YES, MY ELANTRA IS A "RUST BUCKET", BUT ONLY BECAUSE OF HYUNDAI'S FAILURE TO PERFORM THE REPAIRS REQUIRED IN NHTSA'S 2002 RECALL, THAT NEVER GOT DONE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LINK ASSEMBLY FRONT STABILIZER AND THE CONTROL ARMS COMPLETELY LOWERED AND THE FRONT END HAD EXCESSIVE RUST. IN ADDITION, THE FRONT TIRES FELL OFF DUE TO THE CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,178. ...UPDATED 02/03/16 *BF *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRACTION CONTROL SENSOR WARNING LIGHT FLICKERED AND THE BCD PLAYER WOULD NOT STOP OPERATING UNLESS THERE WAS A BCD INSIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 91,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.
347 total