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#BS-2002-HYUSAN-39C5

2002 Hyundai Santa Fe

Based on reports from 219 owners and 4 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
219
Crashes
10
Fires
3
Recalls
4
TSBs
48
🟑

Preliminary Verdict

Think Twice

Based on 219 complaints, 10 crashes, 3 fires, and 4 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

ac compressor went out

2 complaints β€’ Severity 8/10

$X,XXX
2

paint is chipping peeling

2 complaints β€’ Severity 9/10

$X,XXX
3

has a shimmy shudder

2 complaints β€’ Severity 6/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the SuspensionHIGH

40 owners reported suspension issues β€” failures commonly reported around 107K miles.

!Inspect the EngineMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

11
0–30K
6
30–60K
37
60–90K
40
90–120K
30
120–150K
53
150K+

Peak failure range: 150K+ miles (53 reports) β€’ Median: 107K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Suspension (40 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Suspension40 (18%)
Engine19 (9%)
Brakes18 (8%)
Speed Control15 (7%)
Suspension:rear15 (7%)
Steering15 (7%)
Wheels & Tires8 (4%)
Electrical7 (3%)

2002 Hyundai Santa Fe: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Suspension Issues

Suspension complaints account for 18% of all reports filed for the 2002 Hyundai Santa Fe, with 40 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 107,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 107K-mile mark.

Engine Issues

Engine complaints account for 9% of all reports filed for the 2002 Hyundai Santa Fe, with 19 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Brakes Issues

Brakes complaints account for 8% of all reports filed for the 2002 Hyundai Santa Fe, with 18 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to brakes-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Speed Control Issues

Speed Control complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 2002 Hyundai Santa Fe, with 15 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to speed control-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

2
04
11
05
7
06
9
07
12
08
18
09
25
10
14
11
17
12
11
13
31
14
20
15
5
16
4
17
17
18
6
19
5
20
4
21
1
23

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2002 Hyundai Santa Fe. Recent trend: decreasing.

Don't negotiate blind β€” know what this car costs to own

Repair costs β€’ Negotiation scripts β€’ Mechanic checklist β€’ Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (4 recalls)

03V030000Mar 2003

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. INTERNAL GAPS WITHIN THE CASES ALLOWED EPOXY TO CONTACT THE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD, WHICH RESULTED IN CRACKING OF THE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD CAPACITOR.

03V520000Oct 2003

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."

09V123000Jul 2009

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, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. ROAD SALT APPLIED IN THESE JURISDICTIONS DURING THE WINTER MONTHS MAY RESULT IN PROGRESSIVE, INTERNAL CORROSION OF THE REAR TRAILING ARMS, WHICH COULD LEAD TO THINNING OR PERFORATION OF THE REAR TRAILING ARM STEEL. OWNERS MAY SEE OR FEEL SLIGHT TO MODERATE CHANGES IN VEHICLE OPERATION WHICH WILL INCREASE IF THE VEHICLE IS NOT REPAIRED. THESE CHANGES INCLUDE A LOWERING OF VEHICLE HEIGHT THAT CAN LEAD TO TIRE MISALIGNMENT AND STEERING PULL. OWNERS MAY ALSO NOTICE A CREAKING SOUND.

14V435000Oct 2014

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 Β“salt belt" states and the District of Columbia: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The affected vehicles may experience front coil spring corrosion from road salt, causing the coil spring to fracture and make contact with the tire.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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The worst model year for the Hyundai Santa Fe is the 2012 β€” worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.

2002 Hyundai Santa Fe vs. Class Average (Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD)

This vehicle

219

Class avg

442

Below the class average β€” fewer complaints than typical sport utility vehicle - 2wd vehicles. A good sign.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume β€” popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 219 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 4 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Hyundai Santa Fe Model Years

20262025202420232022202120202019201820172016201520142013201220112010200920082007200620052004200320022001
View all Hyundai Santa Fe years β†’

2002 Hyundai Santa Fe: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2002 Hyundai Santa Fe?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2002 Hyundai Santa Fe is related to the suspension, with 40 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2002 Hyundai Santa Fe reliable?
The 2002 Hyundai Santa Fe has 219 complaints, 10 crash reports, and 3 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is below the class average β€” a positive sign for reliability.
How much does it cost to fix 2002 Hyundai Santa Fe problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 2002 Hyundai Santa Fe have any recalls?
Yes, the 2002 Hyundai Santa Fe has 4 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Hyundai Santa Fe problems start?
Based on 177 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 107,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 150K+ mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records β€” then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence β€” what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you β€” no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 219 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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