There are 29 owner-reported fuel system complaints for the 2002 Hyundai Elantrain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
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.
AFTER REFUELING, THE CAR HAS DIFFICULTY STARTING. THE CAR STALL LIKE IT HAS FLOODED. AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TRYING TO START THE CAR (THE CAR SPUTTERS), IT FINALLY STARTS. THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER HYUNDAI ELANTRA OWNERS IN THIS AREA HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THE CAR INITIAL STARTED WITH DIFFICULTY REFUELING. AFTER PUTTING IN 0.25 - $1.00 WORTH OF GASOLINE, THE PUMP WOULD CLICK OFF. REFUELING COULD TAKE UP TO 5-10 MINUTES TO FILL THE TANK. I HAVE SPENT OVER $500.00 DOLLARS TRYING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I HAVE CALLED HYUNDAI OF AMERICA AND RECEIVED LITTLE TO NO ASSISTANCE. *TR
AFTER REFUELING, THE CAR HAS DIFFICULTY STARTING. THE CAR STALL LIKE IT HAS FLOODED. AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TRYING TO START THE CAR (THE CAR SPUTTERS), IT FINALLY STARTS. THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER HYUNDAI ELANTRA OWNERS IN THIS AREA HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THE CAR INITIAL STARTED WITH DIFFICULTY REFUELING. AFTER PUTTING IN 0.25 - $1.00 WORTH OF GASOLINE, THE PUMP WOULD CLICK OFF. REFUELING COULD TAKE UP TO 5-10 MINUTES TO FILL THE TANK. I HAVE SPENT OVER $500.00 DOLLARS TRYING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I HAVE CALLED HYUNDAI OF AMERICA AND RECEIVED LITTLE TO NO ASSISTANCE. *TR
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.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2002 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED WHENEVER REFUELING THE VEHICLE, THE FUEL WOULD OVERFLOW AND SPRAY OUT OF THE FILLER NECK ONTO THE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE FUEL TANK CARBON CANISTER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,500.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE REFUELING, GASOLINE SPEWED OUT OF THE FILLER NECK. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,000.
MY FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY VALVE. IT TAKES ME A VERY LONG TIME TO PUMP GAS BECAUSE THE CAR SHUTS THE PUMP OFF LIKE MY TANK IS ALREADY FULL. I EVEN HAD GAS SPILL OUT WHILE I WAS STILL PUMPING. I STARTED TO BECOME VERY CONCERNED WHEN I DID A LITTLE RESEARCH ON THIS PARTICULAR INCIDENT. WHAT REALLY GOT ME CONCERNED IS WHEN IT SAID IF THIS PROBLEM IS NOT TAKEN CARE OF, IF I WERE TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT AND MY CAR OVERTURNED, IT COULD POTENTIALLY CATCH A FIRE! I HAVE TWO CHILDREN, AND GOD FORBID SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPEN WHEN IM IN MY CAR WITH MY CHILDREN. *TR
AS I ATTEMPT TO PUMP GAS, THE PUMP CONTINUOUSLY STOPS AS IF MY TANK IS FULL EVEN WHEN THE GAS GAGE READS EMPTY. IT TAKES 20 MINUTES TO PUMP A FULL TANK OF GAS. *TR
EACH TIME I AM GOING TO FILL UP THE GASOLINE TANK, THE MACHINE STOPS AND IT ACTS AS IF THE GASOLINE TANK IS FULL. I HAVE TO PUT ONE DOLLAR AT A TIME UNTIL THE TANK IS FULL. *TR
WHEN PUMPING GAS, THERE SEEMS TO BE A BLOCKAGE OF SOME SORT. THE GAS PUMP KEEPS KICKING OFF AS IF THE TANK WERE FULL. IT TAKES A VERY LONG TIME TO PUT A FEW GALLONS OF GAS IN THE TANK. THIS HAPPENS AT ALL SERVICE STATIONS, EVERY TIME GAS IS PUMPED. *KB
2002 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. FUEL SHOOTS OUT OF TANK SOAKING OWNERS WITH GAS DURING FILL UP. CONDITION OCCURS REGARDLESS OF FUEL TANK LEVEL. A VENTING ISSUE IS DETERMINED. EVAP. CANISTER HAS RUPTURED CLOGGING VENTS AND VACUUM LINES WITH CHARCOAL PELLETS. CONDITION CAUSES NO MECHANICAL OR PERFORMANCE ISSUES. SLOW, SPUTTERING FILL IS ONLY SYMPTOM. POSSIBILITY OF FIRE AT PUMPS. I FILL PERSON IS EXPOSED TO FUEL AT TIME OF FIRE INJURY HIGHLY LIKELY. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI ELANTRA . THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK WILL NOT FILL UP WITH FUEL AND THE FUEL PUMP WILL SHUT OFF AFTER 5 SECONDS OF LESS. THE DEALER WAS INFORMED ABOUT THE FAILURE AND THEY STATED THAT THE VAPOR CANISTER MUST BE CLOGGED WITH GRAVEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT IT MUST BE A DESIGN FLAW. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 33796.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT WAS PUTTING GAS INTO THE VEHICLE WHEN THE FUEL SHUT OFF AS IF THE VEHICLE WAS FULL WITH FUEL, ALTHOUGH THE TANK WAS NOT FULL. IN ADDITION, THE GASOLINE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY SPILL BACK OUT FROM THE FILLER TUBE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY THREE DIFFERENT DEALERS, WITHOUT PERFORMING A DIAGNOSTIC, THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NEED A CLOSED VALVE AND CHARCOAL CANISTER AT HER EXPENSE. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT ACCEPTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000. UPDATED 08/13/10. *LJ THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO PUT GAS IN THE VEHICLE UNLESS IT WAS AT A VERY SLOW RATE AND GAS WOULD SHOOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 08/23/10*JB
WE HAVE A 2002 ELANTRA AND WHENEVER YOU TRY TO FILL THE TANK UP WITH GAS, IT CONSTANTLY STOPS AFTER JUST 25 CENTS OR SO AND THEN YOU KEEP TRYING TO FILL IT UP AND IT STOPS EVERY FEW SECONDS. IT TAKES FOREVER TO PUMP A TANK OR EVEN A HALF A TANK OF GAS. VERY FRUSTRATING TO SAY THE LEAST. *"TR
WE OWN A 2002 ELANTRA AND WHEN PUMPING GAS, IT CONSTANTLY SHUTS OFF AFTER ABOUT 50 CENTS WORTH OF GAS AND IT TAKES FOREVER TO FILL UP THE TANK. PRETTY AGGRAVATING TO SAY THE LEAST. *TR
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ABOUT 25 MPH, THE ENGINE LIGHTS COME ON, POWER STEERING IS REMOVED AND THE ENGINE TURNS OFF. WHILE TRYING TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER MUST PRESS ON THE ACCELERATOR ONCE WHICH ALLOWS ENGINE POWER TO RETURN AND REGAIN FORWARD MOVEMENT, HOWEVER THE RPM GAUGE FLUCTUATES FROM BELOW 500 TO ABOVE 2000 AND THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF AGAIN. THE ENGINE SHUTDOWN OCCURS EVERY TIME THE AUTOMOBILE IS RE-FUELED. ONCE THE VEHICLE HAS STARTED RUNNING AND COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP, FUEL LEAKS OUT OF THE SAFETY CANISTER AT AN ALARMING RATE. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS DUE TO THE TANK'S INABILITY TO ALERT THE GAS STATION FUEL GUN OF THE FUEL LEVEL INSIDE OF THE TANK. IN OTHER WORDS, THE TANK ACCEPTS MORE FUEL THAN IT IS DESIGNED TO ASSUME (APPROXIMATELY 2 GALLONS) DURING EVERY REFUEL. THIS IS NOT ONLY A SAFETY OR FIRE HAZARD FOR THE CURRENT DRIVER AND PASSENGERS, BUT IT AFFECTS ANY OTHER VEHICLE OR OBJECT SURROUNDING THE FUEL SPILL. THE FUEL VAPOR IS ALSO AN ENVIRONMENTAL AND SAFETY ISSUE. THE SCENT IN THE VEHICLE ALONE HAS CAUSED NAUSEA ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. HYUNDAI HAS REPLACED BOTH OIL VALVE COVER GASKETS, OIL SEAL, EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND GASKET AND VARIOUS OTHER WARRANTY RECALL ITEMS...HOWEVER THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS AND HYUNDAI HAS STATED THAT "I HAVE TO CONTINUE DRIVING WITH THIS PROBLEM". THEY WILL NOT COVER ANY FURTHER REPLACEMENTS (INCLUDING A FAULTY FUEL TANK WHICH THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE IN DULUTH CLAIMS IS THE IRRITANT) EVEN THOUGH I HAVE PURCHASED A 10YR/100,000MI PLAN B WARRANTY TO COVER SUCH ITEMS WHILE PURCHASING MY NEW 2002 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE VEHICLE IS 8 YRS OLD WITH LESS THAN 70,000 MILES. *TR
MY ELANTRA'S ISSUE IS WITH THE GAS TANK GETTING OVER-FILLED AT THE GAS PUMP DUE TO A SYSTEM FAILURE THAT ALLOWS THE PUMP TO FILL THE CAR UNTIL THE GAS REACHES THE FUEL SPIGOT AND THEN SHUTTING OFF. NOT ONLY DOES THIS RESULT IN GASOLINE POURING OUT OF THE FILLER CAP, BUT IT ALSO FLOODS THE ENTIRE GAS TANK EVAPORATION SYSTEM. AS A RESULT OF THIS, AFTER THE CAR HAS SAT FOR SEVERAL HOURS GAS STARTS DRAINING FROM THE EMISSION CANISTER, LEAVING A 1 TO 2 GALLON FUEL SPILL AND CAUSING THE CAR TO STALL OR RUN ROUGH. THE ENTIRE SYSTEM ,INCLUDING THE CANISTER, SENSOR, AND SOLENOID WAS REPLACED IN AUGUST 2008. ON SEPTEMBER 3 2008 I FILLED THE CAR UP WITH FUEL AND THE CAR REPEATED THE SAME SYMPTOMS. THE DEALERSHIP IS REPLACING THE PARTS BUT INSIST THAT THE PROBLEM IS FILLING THE CAR WITH FUEL TOO QUICKLY. I STRONGLY FEEL THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW IF THE CAR CANNOT HANDLE GETTING FUEL AT A PUMP WITHOUT CAUSING SERIOUS AND EXPENSIVE DAMAGE, AND IS AN EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD TO ALLOW THESE CARS TO BE DRIVEN WITH THE LIKELIHOOD OF A SIZABLE FLAMMABLE SPILL IN SPITE OF HAVING ALL MAINTENANCE DONE ON SCHEDULE BY THE DEALERSHIP. I CONTACTED HYUNDAI'S CORPORATE OFFICE AND THEY CONSIDER THIS A PREVIOUSLY UNREPORTED ISSUE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE PLACING FUEL IN THE VEHICLE, GASOLINE BEGAN SPEWING BACK OUT. THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO FILL UP THE TANK. A LOCAL MECHANIC PERFORMED A BUMPER-TO-BUMPER INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE AND CONFIRMED THAT GASOLINE SHOOTS BACK OUT OF THE TANK. THE MECHANIC IDENTIFIED IT AS A POSSIBLE RECALL FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO CALL THE DEALER; HOWEVER, SHE CALLED NHTSA FIRST TO VERIFY THE RECALL. THE RECALL NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,761.
I BELIEVE MY VEHICLE SHOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR A CAMPAIGN ACKNOWLEDGED BY HYUNDAI TO CORRECT A DEFECTIVE FUEL VALVE ASSEMBLY. NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V178000 WWW.NHTSA.DOT.GOV MANUFACTURER HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY RECALL DATE: APR 06, 2004 POTENTIAL NUMBER OF UNITS AFFECTED: 263968 DESCRIPTION FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY SUMMARY 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. CONSEQUENCE FUEL SPILLAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE MAY RESULT IN A FIRE. REMEDY DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN ADDITIONAL FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY VALVE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 30, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-633-5151 I TOOK MY 2002 ELANTRA TO THE HYUNDAI DEALER TO GET MY FUEL VALVE ASSEMBLY FIXED HOWEVER THE DEALER STATED THAT MY VIN DID NOT SHOW UP IN THE RECALL. MY CAR HAS NOT ROLLED OVER AND CAUGHT ON FIRE YET BUT IT DOES TAKE ME ABOUT 30 MINS TO FILL MY FUEL TANK FROM EMPTY TO FULL DUE TO A DEFECTIVE FUEL ASSEMBLY VALVE. NO MATTER WHAT GAS STATION I CHOOSE I CAN ONLY PUT 1/2 GAL OF FUEL AT A TIME AND THE PUMP SHUTS OFF AS IF THE TANK IS FULL. SO I SIT THERE FOREVER FILLING MY TANK A LITTLE AT A TIME. *TR
THE ENGINE WOULD DIE AND NOT RESTART WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THE VEHICLE WOULD THEN BE COASTING DOWN THE ROAD WITH NO POWER BRAKES OR STEERING. THIS MADE CONTROLLING AND STOPPING THE VEHICLE VERY DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS. NUMEROUS VISITS TO THE HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP, THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, AND MANY REPLACED PARTS LATER, THE HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP FINALLY DETERMINED THAT AN APPARENT DEFECT TO THE CHARCOAL CANISTER ASSEMBLY AND CANISTER CLOSE VALVE IN THE FUEL SYSTEM WERE CAUSING THE ISSUE. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 29 complaints
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