Most common 2002 Hyundai Santa Fe problems
Share of the 165 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Hyundai Santa Fe complaints by model year
Best Santa Fe years: 2018, 2011. Years to avoid: 2017, 2025, 2023, 2013, 2024. Compare all years →
2002 Hyundai Santa Fe recalls (4)
Suspension › Front › Springs › Coil springs
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model Year 2001-2006 Santa Fe vehicles manufactured from March 31, 2000, through February 15, 2006, that are registered and operated, or which were originally sold and registered, in the following 20 "salt belt" states and the District of Columbia: Connecticut, Delaware,…
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the coil spring, free of charge. The recall began on October 24, 2014. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151.
Suspension › Rear
Hyundai is recalling 83,355 my 2001-2003 santa fe 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,…
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rear trailing arms for internal corrosion damage. If specified levels of corrosion damage are found, the rear trailing arms will be replaced.
Equipment › Other › Labels
Certain sport utility vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 120, "tire selection and rims for motor vehicles other than passenger cars."
Remedy: Owners will be provided with a correct label and installation instructions. Owner notification began on October 29, 2003. Owners should contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151.
Electrical system › Starter assembly
On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with 2.7 liter v-6 engines, improperly manufactured crankshaft position sensors (cps) were installed. The cps cases were improperly manufactured and did not meet dimensional specifications.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the cps. Owner notification began on March 10, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time…
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2002 Hyundai Santa Fe:
Rear trailing arm corrosion failure
In a letter dated April 14, 2009, Hyundai-Kia America technical center, inc (Hyundai) notified NHTSA that it will conduct a safety recall of approximately 85,000 model year (my) 2001 through 2003 Hyundai santa fe vehicles manufactured prior to January 27, 2003, that are registered and operated in the following salt belt states and the district of columbia:connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine,…
What 2002 Hyundai Santa Fe owners say
Suspension all 59 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while coming off an exit, the front driver side coil spring fractured causing the contact to lose control of the vehicle. As a result, the vehicle crashed into a metal guardrail and the vehicle drove over to the passenger side and crashed into a median. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained injuries to the right arm and the right rotator cuff which required medical attention. A police report was filed. The contact was later notified of NHTSA campaign number: 14V435000 (suspension). The vehicle was not inspected or diagnosed to determine the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 85,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Hyundai Santa Fe. While driving 35 MPH, the lower control arm failed. The vehicle was unable to be controlled and crashed into a curb. The contact did not disclose if a police report was filed. There were no injuries sustained. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 09V124000 (suspension); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 90,000.
Engine & cooling all 24 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that the steering wheel was difficult to turn and there was an abnormal odor of fuel inside the vehicle. In addition, the contact had to add air to the four tires and the check engine indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the suspension and axle needed to be repaired. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 160,000. The VIN was unknown.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, there was an abnormal noise coming from the front end of the vehicle. In addition, the contact stated there was a burning odor coming from the front intermittently as the steering wheel began shaking. The vehicle was taken to a independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 139,807.
Brakes all 21 →
While dragging the trash can back to the house, I was approaching fence in front of the house, at a slow speed, as I applied the brakes the car started to accelerate. Pressing down harder on the brakes ,it felt like stepping on a brick, with no braking taking place the car accelerated at a high rate. At this time the car crashed into the left side of the garage and continued into the cement porch taking out the fence, fill tube, and vent tube of the oil tank. At this time I push gear shift into N and turned off the engine. At this time there is damage done to house and car is now totaled with no injuries. Hate to think what would have happened if this happened at the major 4 lane intersection 1 mile from my home.
Shortly after having a complete brake overhaul (rotors, calipers, pads, shoes, etc) started experiencing the ABS/trac control lights randomly coming on and off. Had to mechanic and found no fault issues. Lights continued to randomly come on and off, at different speeds and braking. Shortly thereafter, started hearing the ABS motor run with and without the lights coming on. Tapping the brake pedal stopped the ABS motor/pump from running and would eliminate what appeared to be eliminated the pump resetting itself. Approximately 3 months ago, the issue affected braking distances, in hat you May be stopping at a light or stop sign and the ABS motor would activate, even on dry pavement and significantly increase stopping distance. This has almost caused an accident on multiple occasions, not only with other vehicles but when pulling the car into my, or a shops' garage. …
2002 Hyundai Santa Fe engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 24 / 20 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 18 / 25 / 20 |
| 2.7L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 23 / 19 |
| 2.7L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 16 / 21 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2002 Hyundai Santa Fe a good car?
Based on 165 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2002 Santa Fe rates better than average: 65% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Santa Fe at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2002 Hyundai Santa Fe?
The suspension — 59 complaints, 36% of all complaints for this model year, most often about rear. Next are the engine & cooling (24) and brakes (21).
How many recalls does the 2002 Hyundai Santa Fe have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2002 Hyundai Santa Fe, the most recent from July 18, 2014 (coil springs). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Hyundai Santa Fe?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2018 and 2011. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2017, 2025, 2023, 2013 and 2024. See the full Hyundai Santa Fe years comparison.
At what mileage do 2002 Hyundai Santa Fe problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 105,000 miles; 6% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.