Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 Hyundai Elantra submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 13 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRACTION CONTROL SENSOR WARNING LIGHT FLICKERED AND THE BCD PLAYER WOULD NOT STOP OPERATING UNLESS THERE WAS A BCD INSIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 91,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.
NOT LONG AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR FROM JONES JUNCTION HYUNDAI BEL AIR, I NOTICED THAT THE HEADLIGHT/WINDSHIELD WIPER STALK WAS HAVING PROBLEMS. SOMETIME THE HEADLIGHTS AND THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS WOULD NOT WORK PROPERLY. AT NIGHT, THE LIGHTS FOR THE DASHBOARD WOULD GO OUT. THE STALK HAD PROBLEMS. ALSO, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, THE FLUIDS WOULD NOT SQUIRT PROPERLY TO EFFECTIVELY CLEAN MY WINDSHIELD AS IT SHOULD. THESE ARE 2 SEPARATE PROBLEMS THAT I HAVE NOTICED OVER THE YEARS. *TR
I NOTICED SOME TIME IN 2014 THAT MY DRIVER'S SIDE POWER WINDOWS BEGAN TO FALTER AFTER IT HAD RAINED OR PRECIPITATED IN SOME FORM. THE DRIVER'S SIDE POWER WINDOW ASSEMBLY WOULD GET WET WHEN THE DOOR WAS OPEN DURING NORMAL OPERATING USE, SUCH AS ENTERING OR EXITING THE 2002 HYUNDAI ELANTRA GLS. THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED. THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD HAVE, IN MY OPINION, PRODUCED VEHICLES WHICH COULD TOLERATE A MEASURE OF PRECIPITATION IN THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR THROUGH NORMAL USE, SUCH AS ENTERING AND EXITING THE VEHICLE. I COMPLAINED TO HYUNDAI USA ABOUT THE PROBLEM, BUT THEY WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM AT NO COST TO ME. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A KNOWN MANUFACTURING DEFECT. I WILL SEEK TO KNOW WHAT THE NHTSA WILL DO ABOUT THE PROBLEM. I THINK THAT THE CAR SHOULD BE RECALLED FOR HYUNDAI TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR
VERY DANGEROUS: THE VEHICLES SHUTSDOWN WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT ANY WARNING. DASHBOARD BLINKS AND ENGINE SHUTS DOWN CAUSING LOST OF STEERING AND POWER, SLOWING CAR IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WITH VEHICLES BEHIND. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. MECHANICS CAN'T SOLVE ISSUES. ON THE INTERNET, SIMILAR INCIDENTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED BY OTHER HYUNDAI DRIVERS . THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR, IDLE CONTROL VALVES, AND IN/OUT OUTPUT SENSOR TRANSMISSION ARE REPORTED AS POSSIBLE PROBLEMS. IN ANY EVENT IS A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION. PROBLEM SHOULD BE STUDIED AND REPORTED. IT HAPPENS NOT ONLY TO THIS MODEL, BUT ON OTHER HYUNDAI VEHICLES. *TR
WHEN I GOT A NEW BATTERY THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC AND HE DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY AND TRIED TO RESET IT, IT DIDN'T WORK. I THEN TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC AT NAPLES DODGE AND HE TRIED TO GET IT OFF BY HOOKING IT UP TO A COMPUTER. AFTER SEVERAL TRIES HE SAID HE COULD NOT DO IT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
I HAVE REPLACED MY HEADLIGHTS APPROXIMATELY NINE TIMES SINCE PURCHASE. *TR
FEBRUARY 2009 I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE PERTAINING TO MY HYUNDAI ELANTRA 2002-THE ELECTRICAL WIRING UNDER THE DRIVERS SEAT HAVING SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. I TOOK MY CAR IN AND THEY DID THE RECALL WORK AND NO PROBLEM. NEXT MORNING, I GO OUT TO MY CAR AND TURN THE KEY AND IT IS DEAD!!! NOTHING !!! SO I GAVE IT THE ALL OR NOTHING JIGGLE OF THIS THAT AND THE OTHER THING-AND ALAS! IT STARTED. I BRUSHED IT OFF AS A FLUKE-THIS HAS NOW HAPPENED FOUR TIMES WITHIN A MONTH AND TODAY IT IS STILL SITTING WHERE I PARKED IT THIS MORNING. I CALLED THE HYUNDAI DEALER TWICE TODAY JUST TO PICK HIS BRAINS AND GIVE ME SOME IDEA AS TO WHAT IT MIGHT BE CAUSING THIS-THE BATTERY IS NEW, TRIED JUMPING IT EARLIER TODAY. THE SHIFTER DOES NOT SEEM LIKE IT WANTS TO MOVE AT ALL EVEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL-THE MECHANIC SUGGESTED IT MIGHT BE THE ELECTRONIC SWITCH FOR THE SHIFTER-THIS MADE SENSE SINCE THE WIRING CORRECTION IS LOCATED IN THE SAME GENERAL AREA. PERHAPS OTHERS ARE EXPERIENCING THIS SAME THING. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED, LOST POWER STEERING AND THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE FUEL GAUGE ALSO FAILED TO OPERATE NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN PERFORMED DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND WAS UNABLE TO DETECT THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE BEGAN OPERATING NORMALLY. ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TIGHTENED A COMPONENT ON THE COMPUTER SYSTEM AND ADJUSTED THE RELAY SWITCH. THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY IS NOT OPERABLE AND HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,200 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.
WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN THE DOOR LIGHT AND DOOR CHIME CAME ON FOR NO REASON. WENT INTO THE DITCH TRYING TO FIND WHAT WAS HAPPENING. EVERY TIME I WASHED THE CAR OR DROVE IN THE RAIN THE SAME THINGS HAPPENED . HAD TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY AND WAIT A DAY OR TWO UNTIL SOMETHING DRIED. HEARD THAT HYUNDAI HAD A MANUFACTURING FLAW IN THAT THEY HAVE NOT SEALED THE PILLAR AND FENDER AREA ,THUS WATER JUST RAN TO THE ELECTRICAL WIRING. IT SHORTED OUT THE BATTERY, WHICH I HAD TO REPLACE ,AND COULD NOT DRIVE IN THE RAIN OR WASH THE CAR.*AK
I HAVE REPLACED THE HEADLIGHTS AND/OR FLOOD LIGHTS 7 TIMES, WITHIN THE LAST 3 YEARS. I'VE QUESTIONED THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE REPEATEDLY, BELIEVING THERE WAS A SHORT IN THE CAR. FINALLY, THE LAST SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE ADMITTED THAT THERE WAS A DEFECT PARTICULAR TO THIS MAKE AND MODEL CAR. I'VE RESEARCHED TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL, AS I BELIEVED THIS WAS A SEVERE SAFETY HAZARD. IF THIS WAS A COMMON OCCURRENCE TO THIS CAR WHAT GUARANTEE WAS THERE THAT BOTH HEADLIGHTS WON'T GO OUT AT THE SAME TIME. FOUND SEVERAL REFERENCES TO OTHER OWNERS HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. I HAVE FOUND INFORMATION OF A RECALL.*AK
MY CLOCK IN THE DASHBOARD BLINKS AND LOSES TIME. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT THE WIRING HARNESSES IN THE DOORS OF THE CAR HAD CORRODED AND CAUSED SHORTAGES OCCASIONALLY IN THE DASHBOARD. I WAS TOLD THIS COULD AFFECT THE CLOCK, THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS, AND POSSIBLY THE HEADLIGHTS. WE HAVE ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH OUR HEADLIGHTS STAYING ON AFTER THEY WERE TURNED OFF AND THE KEY WAS REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. THE COST OF THIS JOB WOULD BE $900. I'M JUST VERY CONCERNED THAT I WILL BE DRIVING AT NIGHT AND MY HEADLIGHTS OR DASHBOARD LIGHTS WILL FAIL, CAUSING A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. *NM
2002 ELANTRA HAS BEEN BLOWING BULBS SINCE THE CAR WAS 2WKS. I HAVE REPLACED ALL BULBS IN THE CAR APPOX. 40TIMES. HYUNDAI HAS REPLACED BULBS AND NOW EVEN CHARGES ME FOR BULBS I HAVE BEEN FIGHTING THIS FOR 3 YEARS NOW. HYUNDAI SAYS THERE IS NO SHORT. MEANWHILE MY TRUNK ALARM HAS NEVER WORKED. MANFREDIY WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW SAID THE FACTORY INSTALLED ALARM DOES NOT ALARM THE TRUNK. GUIFFRE HYUNDAI SAID THE TRUNK WAS ALARMED AND JUST DOESN'T WORK. GIVE ME A BREAK, IT DOESN'T TAKE A ROCKET SCIENTIST TO KNOW THAT THERE IS A [XXX] SHORT IN THE CAR. THE REGIONAL OFFICE DID NOTHING AND DID NOT EVEN MEET WITH ME. I WAS TOLD TO CALL AN ARBITRATION COMP. MORE TIME LOST I SENT THEM 350.00 IN BILLS THAT I PAID ON THE OUT SIDE TO REPLACE BULBS AND THAT'S NOT COUNTING THE BULBS THAT HYUNDAI HAD THE NERVE TO CHARGE ME. NOW TODAY I GET A LETTER THAT MY CAR IS TOO OLD TO GO THROUGH ARBITRATION. HYUNDAI JUST JERKED ME AROUND AND I WILL BE STUCK WITH THE BILLS AND CONTINUE TO PAY FOR BULBS. I CANT THINK OF ANYTHING ELSE TO DO EXCEPT GO TO THE MEDIA. IF YOU HAVE ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE ME. I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT.HYUNDAI ALSO EXPECTED ME TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT EVERYTIME A BULB OR BULBS BLEW. THEY WOULD HAVE HAD THE CAR MORE THAN ME IF THAT WAS THE CASE. THEY HAVE INSULTED MY INTELLIGENCE. AND HAVE LOST ME FOR A FUTURE CUSTOMER. AND THE PROBLEM IS, I REALLY LOVE MY CAR AND THE WAY IT DRIVES. IF ONLY IT WOULD NOT KEEP SHORTING OUT INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
BROUGHT 2002 HYUNDAI ELANTRA-JULY OF 2002-IN A LITTLE LESS THAN A YEAR AFTER LOSING 3 DAYS OF WORK DUE TO MY CAR STALLING AND NOT BEING ABLE TO START I WAS TOLD THE BATTERY WAS BAD, THEY PUT IN NEW BATTERY-IN A LITTLE LESS THAN A YEAR CAR DIE I WAS TOLD THE BATTERY WAS SHOT, THERE WAS A LOT OF WHITE BATTERY ACID ALL OVER THE BATTERY POST AND CABLES, AND WAS TOLD MY BATTERY CABLES WERE CORODED AND FRIED THE LENGTH OF THE CABLES AND HAD TO BE REPLACED, AND THEY ONLY HAD 1 CABLE IN STOCK, WHEN I ASKED THE SERVICE TECH WHY NO CABLES IN STOCK HE SAID THEY DO ABOUT 5 OF THESE A DAY BECAUSE THE BATTERYS ARE THAT BAD. *AK
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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