Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (wheels, lug nuts, original-equipment tires, TPMS).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2002 Hyundai Sonata owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The vehicle started making a noise and driving weird. It looked like one tire was pointed straight and the other tire turned slightly. I stopped at a gas station to see what was wrong and they said the a frame was almost rusted into. I had already had the metal in the rear of the car replaced from being rusted out near were the shock attaches. I have researched and seen where several sonatas have been recalled due to severe rust issues. The body even has been rusting badly. The bigger concern is the frame. I am afraid to drive it now. Do not know what recourse I have. This happened while driving. The car is now parked and am afraid to move it, even to a garage.
I backed out of the driveway and the subframe on the passenger side collapsed and the tie rod and cv joint came loose. The steering went out. A certified frame mechanic said the sub frame rusted out.
On Monday evening 01/18/2010 my wife and I left our home with our 2002 Hyundai Sonata we drove no more then 3 tenths of a mile when the steering wheel starting pulling very hard to the right we then turned around and drove back toward home but only made it about 2 tenths of a mile before the front right wheel collapsed bringing us to a dead stop in the middle of the road. Thankfully we were only going about 20-25 MPH the police were called for traffic and the car was towed to r.j shore automotive branford ct 06405 the next morning the owner of r.j.auto informed me that my front engine sub-frame had failed due to corrosion, and showed me a print-out of a recall from Hyundai dated April 14, 2009 then stated he called the Hyundai dealer in branford ct 06405 but the dealer refused to pick up the car so I had to pay $81.41 to have the car towed to branford Hyundai. …
My son was driving the vehicle at 45 MPH and heard a loud pop in the right front end of the vehicle and immediately afterwards the vehicle veered of to the right and on to the side of the road he was able to maintain control somewhat but if there had been pedestrians in that area I am not sure there would have not been serious consequences, the car was driven slowly to the nearest Hyundai dealer for assessment and after assessment the dealer stated that the sub-frame has rusted out to the point that the right front wheel could become detached thereby possibly causing a potential catastrophic failure or loss of control of the vehicle and unknown consequences, dealer has submitted information to Hyundai corp, the vehicle has an active recall on this particular safety defect. Recall #089 issued in April 2008. …
Tl contact owns a 2002 Hyundai Sonata. After driving 55 MPH, the driver arrived at her destination and discovered that the wheel was at a 45 degree angle. The driver had to use excessive force to turn the steering wheel to the right. She noticed that the frame on the front end, which houses the supports for the wheels, was rusted out completely. The contact took the vehicle to a tire dealer for an alignment inspection. The results indicated that there were holes in the frame holding the steering, which had to be replaced at the cost of $1,600. The vehicle was repaired and is currently able to be driven. The VIN was unknown. The current and failure mileages were 125,000.
Goodrich control plus tires caused problems with 2002 Hyundai Sonata. This problem has been present since the first day of ownership. With 25 miles on the tires, a flat tire was present. The tire dealer informed the consumer that the valve stem had been cut and needed to be replaced. Two days later another flat tire was present. The left front tire each time. It was recommended to change from a "t" series rated to tire to an "h" rated tire. Soon after placing the "h" rated tire, and using a shorter valve stem, the hub caps continued to rotate on the rim, caused by the tire flexing against the hub cap.
Bf goodrich tires (20565h15) on a 2002 Hyundai Sonata. After less than 50 miles front left tire went flag due to a severed valve stem. Stem was severed by hub cap movement. Remounted tire, and tire leaked while driving on highway. Removed all hub caps for now. Hyundai blaming tire manufacturer, but size is recommended size as stated on auto specifications. This is a potentially dangerous situation for anyone who changes tire brands on this model. Tire dealers shoul dbe made aware of this problem before someone is needlessly injured.
I replaced my tires with the correct type called for my car, 205/65r15 h94 bf goodrich traction t/a and now I keep getting flat tires from the factory installed hud caps shifting on my weehls and pressing on the valve stem. So far the car was not moving when this happened, but I am affraid of what will happen when I am at highway speed and it happenes. The dealer says that it is a problem with the tires, but how so if they are the correct tires for my car. The dealer will jnot do anything about this problem at all!
My right front wheel didn't feel right , took it to a service station to be looked at. They brought me in to see that the whole frame under the car is rusted. The bolts that hold up the axle and suspension were completely gone and there was a hole in the under carriage. The wheel was tilted and the inside of the tire was worn all the way down . There was nothing there to support the wheel.
I have had two valve stems on my 2002 Hyundai Sonata go bad. I purchased new tires at gurnee Hyundai 10/23/07. The first failure was 4 or 5 months ago and the most recent was on 11/2/08. We were traveling in virginia and stopped for lunch when the failure occurred. It could have been serious because it was the right front tire and we were traveling at highway speeds in the mountains.
Related recalls
Tires › Temporary/emergency spare tire
On certain passenger vehicles equipped with a traction control system (TCS), if the t125/70d-15 compact spare tire is installed on a front wheel position, the TCS May inadvertently activate beginning at speeds of 20 MPH.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the spare tire with a new larger diameter t125/80r-15 compact spare tire and a new tire pressure label will be installed on the driver's door to provide information applicable to the t125/80r-15…
NHTSA investigations
Tire valve stem failures
The office of defects investigation (odi) opened a preliminary evaluation (pe), pe05-059, based on nine consumer complaints of tire valve stem failures.the alleged valve stem failures occurred only after tire replacement from the original equipment (oe) tire (Michelin 205/65r15 energy mxv4 plus) to a non-oe? Aftermarket tire.ninety-eight percent of the aftermarket tires alleged to be associated with the tire valve…
Wheel & Tire complaints in other Sonata years
Frequently asked questions
How common are wheel & tire problems on the 2002 Hyundai Sonata?
NHTSA has 20 complaints about the wheels & tires of the 2002 Hyundai Sonata, 6% of the model year's 320 complaints. The component named most often is tread/belt (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Hyundai Sonata wheel & tire problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 03V-097 (temporary/emergency spare tire, Mar 17, 2003). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2002 Hyundai Sonata wheel & tire problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 92,000 miles, and 7% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to wheels & tires problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.