Problems · by component

2002 Hyundai Sonata structure problems

88 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2002 Hyundai Sonata cite structure, 27% of all 326 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
88
27% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
12
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the structure

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE ENGINE FELL THROUGH THE CRADLE ASSEMBLY AND CRUSHED THE AXLE. THERE WAS NO WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOT OF SQUEAKING WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AND MAKING TURNS. THE DEALER WAS NOT CALLED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 155,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 1, 2018Structure, EngineODI 11115133
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STARTED TO WOBBLE AND THEN STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED LANCASTER HYUNDAI AT (866) 528-2534 (LOCATED AT 5260 MAIN ST, EAST PETERSBURG, PA 17520) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND ALSO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 127,028.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 9, 2018StructureODI 11110235
“PAINT IS FLAKING OFF OF ALL THE DOOR HANDLES ON MY 2001 SONATA GOLD COLOR. WHEN IT WAS ONLY HAPPENING ON ONE DOOR, MY DEALER SAID IT WAS NOT THERE PROBLEM. NOW THAT IT IS HAPPENING ON ALL OF THEM, IT IS OBVIOUS TO ME THAT IT IS A DEFECT. HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD THIS PROBLEM AND COULD THEY GET IT RESOLVED?”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 25, 2018StructureODI 11098032
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT PREMATURE RUST AND CORROSION OCCURRED ON THE FRONT SUBFRAME. THE RUST WENT THROUGH THE FRONT SUBFRAME, CAUSING IT TO FRACTURE. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED BY CHECKERED FLAG HYUNDAI (3033 VIRGINIA BEACH BLVD, VIRGINIA BEACH, VA 23452, (757) 687-3462) FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V124000 (SUSPENSION). THE DEALER HAD TO DISASSEMBLE THE VEHICLE. OTHER PARTS WERE DAMAGED. THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE THE DAMAGED PARTS AND STATED THAT THEY WOULD ONLY SERVICE THE RECALL, WHICH WAS COMPLETED. ALSO, THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V317000 (LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES). THE CONTACT WAS NOT NOTIFIED BY THE MANUFACTURER OF THE TWO RECALLS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE PARTS WERE DAMAGED FROM THE COMPLETION OF THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO PROVIDE COVERAGE FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE DAMAGED PARTS, STATING THAT THE DEALER PROVIDED THE REMEDY FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER EXPECTED THE CONTACT TO REPLACE THE PARTS THAT WERE DAMAGED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,724.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 9, 2018Suspension, StructureODI 11061504
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEAT SHIELD FELL OFF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS SEVERELY RUSTED AND CORRODED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE UNDERCARRIAGE HAD SEVERE RUST AND CORROSION, AND WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO GROSSINGER HYUNDAI OF PALATINE (221 E LAKE COOK RD, PALATINE, IL 60074 (847) 348-6700) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR SUBFRAME WAS SEVERELY RUSTED, NEEDED REPLACEMENT, AND WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 165,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 17, 2017StructureODI 11016028
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE STRAIGHT, THE VEHICLE SWAYED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT WITHOUT THE DRIVER STEERING IN THOSE DIRECTIONS. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS COMPLETELY CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AND WOULD NOT BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 21, 2016StructureODI 10936711

Showing 6 of 88 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Other 2002 Sonata problem areas