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2002 Hyundai Santa FEProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 165 owner complaints about the 2002 Hyundai Santa FE, most often about the suspension. It is covered by 4 safety recalls, and for recall 14V-435 the manufacturer reports only 28% of affected cars repaired.

67
CarFlaw IndexOne of the best years51% below the Santa FE median · #22 of 24 years by complaints
Safety recalls4Lowest repair rate 28%Owner complaints16517 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage137kSuspension, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through July 8, 2023. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2002 Hyundai Santa FE has problems

165 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Suspension594
Structure170
Steering161
Vehicle speed control151
Engine and engine cooling141
Power train132
Service brakes, hydraulic110
Electrical system110
Engine101
13 other systems446

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

4 recalls

2002 Hyundai Santa FE recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

28%repaired · 2016 Q1

Springs: coil springs

Recall 14V-435 · Jul 18, 2014 · 271,773 vehicles · 76,734 repaired

Risk. If the front coil spring fractures due to corrosion it could cause the coil spring to make contact with the tire, possibly puncturing the tire and increasing…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Suspension: rear

Recall 09V-123 · Apr 16, 2009 · 83,355 vehicles

Risk. IF THE CORROSION IS ALLOWED TO PROGRESS, THE REAR TRAILING ARM MAY FRACTURE WHILE DRIVING, THEREBY INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Hyundai.

Mileage at failure

When do suspension problems start?

137kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 44 suspension complaints. 27% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
1under 30k miles12under 100k miles32100k miles or more
Best & worst years

2002 vs. every other Santa FE year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Santa FE median. How we score

'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2002 Hyundai Santa FE safety ratings

2002 Hyundai Santa Fe 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

2002 Hyundai Santa FE frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crashNot rated
2002 Hyundai Santa FE side barrier test, NHTSA
Side barrierNot rated
  • Rollover: 3 stars (0.0% risk)
  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2002 Hyundai Santa FE, and the recalls they led to.

  1. REAR TRAILING ARM CORROSION FAILUREEA08023 · closed Apr 17, 2009
    Led to recall 09V-123
In owners' words

What Santa FE owners report

Recent suspension complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

I WAS RIDING DOWN THE ROAD AND FELT THE CAR FEEL AS IF IT WAS FLOATING. THE NEXT THING I KNOW THE CAR FEELS LIKE THE TIRE CAME OFF AND IT HAD. RUSTED COMPLETELY OFF. I HAD TWO CHILDREN IN THE CAR AND CAME VERY CLOSE TO BEING HIT IN THE REAR BECAUSE I LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. IT SEEMS AS IF IT…
Complaint 11398868 · Mar 3, 2021 · 190,000 miles
TL* THE CONTACT CALLED ON BEHALF OF A CLIENT WHO OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS CLIENT WAS DRIVING AT 55 MPH, SHE EXPERIENCED WHAT SHE THOUGHT WAS A FLAT TIRE ON THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. AS THE CLIENT BEGAN TO PULL OVER, THE ENTIRE PASSENGER'S SIDE REAR CONTROL ARM…
Complaint 11394833 · Feb 5, 2021 · 160,000 miles
MY 2002 HYUNDAI SANTA FE IS SHARPLY JERKING TO THE RIGHT ITS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP IT SOUNDS AS IF THE CAR IF GOING TO FALL INTO PEICES IM A DISABLED MOM WITH ONE ONE THE WAY I CAN'T DRIVE FOR FEAR IM GOING TO LOSE THE WHEEL AND CRASH
Complaint 11374022 · Nov 10, 2020 · 1,900,000 miles

Own a 2002 Santa FE?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.