There are 9 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2002 Hyundai Elantrain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
I OWN A 2002 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHEN I BOUGHT IT USED IN 2005 IT RAN VERY QUIET. A FEW MONTHS AGO I NOTICED IT SEEMED A LITTLE LOUDER. LAST WEEK THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON SO I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC TO HAVE A DIAGNOSTIC. FOUND OUT THERE IS A CRACK IN THE MANIFOLD. I AM AWARE THAT MANY OTHER 2002 ELANTRAS HAVE THIS PROBLEM, AND THAT THERE WAS ACTUALLY A RECALL ON SOME OF THEM. MY CAR HOWEVER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. I CONTACTED HYUNDAI CONSUMER ASSISTANCE DEPT. AND WAS SENT TO THEIR DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE CAR CHECKED OUT AFTER WHICH I WAS TOLD THAT THE CRACK IN MY MANIFOLD DID NOT MATCH THE ONES THAT THE RECALL COVERED. HOW RIDICULOUS. OBVIOUSLY THEIR IS A PROBLEM WITH ALL OF THE MANIFOLDS IN THESE 2002 ELANTRAS OTHER WISE THEY WOULD NOT ALL BE CRACKING. THE REPAIR IS VERY EXPENSIVE AND I THINK IT IS UNFAIR THAT ANY VEHICLE OWNER SHOULD BE MADE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR BEING TOLD THE CRACK IS DUE TO WEAR AND TEAR. *TR
ALREADY A RECALL ON 2002 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, BUT THE 2002 ELANTRA THAT I HAVE IS PAST THE RECALL DATE OF JAN. 31, 2002. MY CAR, # WAS BUILT IN MARCH 2002 SO NOT COVERED ON RECALL CAMPAIGN #05-01-001-1. CRACK BETWEEN PORT #3 AND #4 ON THE MANIFOLD. THE PART HAS BEEN INSTALLED ON THE CAR SO I EXPECT TO BE REIMBURSED COST OF PART AND LABOR TO INSTALL. *TR
WE HAD PURCHASE A 2002 HYUNDAI SANTE FE ON 07/05/05 MOTOR WAY AUTO GROUP. THE CAR STARTED TO RIDE ROUGH. SO WE TOOK IT TO OUR REPAIR GUY, AT THIS TIME WE THOUGH IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP. BEFORE HE COULD CHECK ANYTHING I TOOK MY CAR HOME AND IT JUST STOPPED AND WOULD NOT START AGAIN. AT THIS TIME HE CHANGE THE CRANKSHAFT ASSEMBLY-WATER PUMP, TIMING BELT. A LOT OF COSTLY REPAIRS. HE TOLD US THAT IT IS RARE THAT ALL THOSE SENSORS WENT BAD AT ONE TIME. SO I CHECKED TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL ON THAT SYSTEM AND I GOT THIS REPORT. HOW DO I GO BY GETTING MY CAR FIX RIGHT.*JB
OIL PAN DRAIN PLUG STRIPPED. I HAVE BEEN CHANGING OIL BY MYSELF. I HAVE A TOYOTA CAMRY ALSO WHICH I CHANGE OIL MYSELF. SO THERE IS NO ABUSE REGARDING OIL PAN DRAIN PLUG. IT HAS STRIPPED COMPLETELY. I HAD TO REPLACE THE OIL PAN WHICH COST ALMOST $400.00.
MY 02 HYUNDAI ELANTRA HAS TWO BAD CRACKS IN THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. I KNOW THAT OTHER 02 ELANTRA'S HAD A RECALL, AND I THINK IT SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO INCLUDE ALL THE BAD MANIFOLDS. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE IT CAN LEAD TO CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING. WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED IN TRAFFIC, OR STUCK IN WINTER CONDITIONS CARBON MONOXIDE CAN BUILD UP INSIDE THE VEHICLE LEADING TO DEATH OF THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS. *TR
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING AND THE CONSUMER WAS FORCED TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. *NLM. *AK
VEHICLE "SURGES" TO VERY HIGH RPM WITHOUT WARNING. HAS BEEN TO DEALER X3 FOR REPAIR/ADJUSTMENT. LAST TIME AT DEALERSHIP 04-10-03 THE THROTTLE SENSOR WAS REPLACED. )N 05-02-03 "SURGING" OCCURRED AGAIN, CAUSING CRASH. ALSO VEHICLE PULLED VIOLENTLY TO RIGHT AFTER BRAKES WERE APPLIED, CAR SKIDDED PRIOR TO IMPACT EVEN WITH ABS BRAKES. NO AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. CRASH SPEED EST. AT 25-30 MPH. *JB
WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH THE VEHCILE WILL STALL OUT WITHOUT WARNING. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE SERVICED BY THE DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED SEVERAL PARTS, BUT THE VEHICLE STILL STALLS OUT. CAUSE STILL UNKNOWN. TS
5/08/02, 5/29/02: BURNING OIL. DEALER REPLACED ENGINE BUT IT ALSO HAS A PROBLEM! STILL WAITING TO GET MY NEW CAR BACK WHICH I EXPECTED TO BE TROUBLE-FREE FOR AT LEAST THE FIRST FEW YEARS!*AK
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026