RoadVitals

2002 Hyundai Elantra Transmission Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Transmission reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
12
Latest Dec 1, 2010
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
4%
of 342 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. 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. 12 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.

Owner reports naming transmission

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Transmission
Filed Dec 1, 2010

2002 HYUNDAI ELANTRA GT MANUAL TRANSMISSION - REPLACED CLUTCH ON 10/13/09 AFTER CLUTCH WENT. REPLACED MASTER CYLINDER A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO AFTER NO GRAB ON CLUTCH AGAIN!! ON WAY TO JOB INTERVIEW LAST NIGHT AND CLUTCH PEDAL STUCK, FLUID LEAKING FROM UNDER CAR, LOST ALL CONTROL OF VEHICLE & HAD TO HAVE SOMEONE PICK ME UP!!!! I SEE I AM NOT ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM AS YOUR WEBSITE IT RIDDLED WITH SIMILAR COMPLAINTS!! SOMEONE HAS TO DO SOMETHING SOON BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED AND/OR KILLED IF NOT ALREADY!!!!!!! HYUNDAI NEEDS TO MAKE THIS SERIOUS SITUATION RIGHT!!!!! *TR

NHTSA ID
10368495
Incident
Nov 30, 2010
Mileage
120,763 mi
Body & structureSuspensionTransmission
Filed Jul 29, 2009

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT INSPECTED UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED OIL LEAKING FROM THE TRANSMISSION. IN ADDITION, THE CONTROL ARMS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE HAD HOLES AND WERE CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY STATED THAT THE CONTROL ARM AND SUBFRAME FAILED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 09V125000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM) DUE TO THE UNAVAILABILITY OF THE NECESSARY PARTS FOR THE REPAIR. THERE IS A MASSIVE BACK ORDER FOR THE PARTS. THE TECHNICIAN RECOMMENDED THAT THE VEHICLE NOT BE DRIVEN DUE TO THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 111,000.

NHTSA ID
10278700
Incident
Jul 13, 2008
Mileage
111,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Jan 8, 2009

CLUTCH FAILURE I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW AND AT 42,196 MILES THE CLUTCH WENT OUT, DEALER CLAIMS NORMAL WEAR. THE CAR NOW HAS 73,026 MILES AND AGAIN THE CLUTCH NEEDED REPLACED. THIS STARTED WHEN THE REPLACED CLUTCH HAD LESS THEN 29,000 MILES ON IT. AGAIN THEY CLAIM NORMAL WEAR. THE CLUTCH PEDAL HAS NO PRESSURE WHEN ENGAGED AND THERE IS NO ADJUSTMENT. CUSTOMER SERVICE OR DEALER WILL DO NOTHING AND I HAD TO PAY FOR ANOTHER CLUTCH. IF YOU LOOK AT THE LIST OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS PROBLEM IT HAS TO BE A DEFECTIVE CLUTCH OR TRANSMISSION. I HAD OVER 130,000 MILES ON MY OTHER CAR WITH NO PROBLEM. I ALSO TAUGHT DRIVING AND KNOW HOW TO OPERATE A CLUTCH. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ID
10254264
Incident
Jan 8, 2009
Mileage
71,196 mi
Transmission
Filed Oct 3, 2006

MY 2002 HYUNDAI ELANTRA'S CLUTCH HAS FAILED AGAIN AFTER JUST 25000 MILES. I HAVE HAD THE CLUTCH REPLACED ONCE, AT WHICH POINT THE MILEAGE WAS ONLY 22000. I DO NOT HAVE BAD DRIVING HABITS, TO WHICH MY ENTIRE FAMILY WILL ATTEST. NO ONE ELSE HAS EVER DRIVEN MY CAR. THE COST TO ME OF THIS PROBLEM WAS $800 THE FIRST TIME AND HAS BEEN ESTIMATED TO BE BETWEEN $1150 AND $1250. I BROKE DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY AND WAS LUCKY TO MAKE IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BEFORE THE VEHICLE STOPPED MOVING. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT MANY OTHERS HAVE SUFFERED SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE CLUTCH, YET HYUNDAI HAS MADE NO ATTEMPT TO ASSUME BLAME FOR THE PROBLEM OR TO HELP WITH REPAIR COSTS. THE ONLY WAY THEY HAVE EVER PROVIDED REIMBURSEMENT IS IF THE OWNER THREATENS LEGAL ACTION. *JB

NHTSA ID
10169841
Incident
Sep 30, 2006
Mileage
48,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Feb 27, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN RECALL WORK WAS PERFORMED ON THE MANIFOLD, THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE TIMING CHAIN AND TRANSMISSION FLUID NEEDED TO BE CHANGED SOON. FOUR DAYS AFTER THE REPAIR WORK, THE VEHICLE WAS GOING 25 MPH AND THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE VEHICLE COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, SMOKE CAME FROM UNDER THE HOOD, AND FLUID WAS LEAKING UNDER THE ENGINE. A TOW TRUCK WAS CALLED, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS MOVED, PARTS WERE ON THE GROUND. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID
10151280
Incident
Feb 27, 2006
Mileage
66,758 mi
Transmission
Filed Jan 25, 2006

CONSUMER HYUNDAI ELANTRA CLUTCH FAILED WHILE DRIVING. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER WHERE THEY TOLD CONSUMER THAT IT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN WARRANTY. *TS THE PRIMARY REASON THE CONSUMER PURCHASED THE VEHICLE WAS FOR IT'S 10 YEAR/100000 MILE WARRANTY. *NM

NHTSA ID
10149721
Incident
Jul 12, 2005
EngineSuspensionTires & wheels+1 more
Filed Jul 7, 2005

DT: 2002 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A LOCAL GARAGE FOR AN INSPECTION, ON 6-20-05, AND MECHANIC ROTATED/ BALANCED TIRES, AND REPLACED TWO TIRES WITH NEW ONES. ALSO, REPLACED FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM/ REPLACED A GASKET/ FRONT WHEELS WERE ALIGNED/ STEERING WHEEL WAS CENTERED, AND THEY CHECKED CASTER AND CAMBER ANGLES. THEN MECHANIC TOLD CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE PASSED NY STATE INSPECTION. THE CONSUMER STARTED TRAVELING FROM NY TO VA ON 6-30, AND ON 7-2 VEHICLE STALLED, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, VEHICLE HAD COMPLETELY STOPPED ALTHOUGH ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING, OIL GAUGE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, IT WENT UP TO HIGHEST POINT. THIS WAS FIRST TIME VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A MECHANIC WHO RAN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST ON THE VEHICLE AND TOLD CONSUMER THAT HE SHOULD TAKE IT TO A DEALERSHIP BECAUSE OF THE WARRANTY. DEALERSHIP RAN A DIAGNOSTIC AND THEN REPLACED RADIATOR AND RADIATOR PUMP. THEY TOLD CONSUMER THAT WAS REASON FOR VEHICLE OVERHEATING AND STALLING. THIS WAS AFTER CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY DEALERSHIP THAT VEHICLE WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. SO CONSUMER TRAVELED BACK HOME, ROADS WERE WET AND IT WAS LATE IN DA. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. AS SOON AS LIGHT CAME ON THE SPEED REDUCED BUT THE ENGINE ITSELF WAS STILL ON BUT, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO MOVE AT A SAFE SPEED AND STALLED. CONSUMER'S AND HIS FAMILY LIVES WERE IN DANGERED ALTHOUGH THERE WERE NO ACTUAL ACCIDENTS. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY TOLD CONSUMER THAT PROBLEM WAS WITH TRANSMISSION. THERE WAS A HOSE NOT CONNECTED PROPERLY WHICH CAUSED VEHICLE TO LEAK TRANSMISSION FLUID. *AK

NHTSA ID
10127821
Incident
Jul 2, 2005
Mileage
48,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Oct 22, 2003

ENGINE DIES AT ANYTIME. GEAR SHIFTER WILL NOT GO FROM PARK TO DRIVE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER SAID GEAR SHIFTER BROKE.*AK

NHTSA ID
10044555
Driver assistanceTransmission
Filed Sep 16, 2003
Crash reported

WHILE DRIVING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION STUCK BETWEEN GEARS, AND VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD, CAUSING DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL. VEHICLE RAN OFF THE ROAD DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
10040038
Transmission
Filed Apr 3, 2003

DEALER ATTEMPTED MULTIPLE TIMES TO FIX GEAR SHIFTING PROBLEMS. ENGINE REVS VERY HIGH BEFORE SHIFTING GEARS. SOMETIMED WON'T SHIFT AT ALL. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON DURING PROBLEM BUT GOES AWAY BEFORE I CAN GET TO THE DEALER.

NHTSA ID
10013885
Incident
Sep 9, 2002
Mileage
9,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Jan 1, 2003

THE CAR HESITATES TO GO INTO SECOND GEAR AND REVS REALLY HIGH IN ORDER TO GO INTO THIRD GEAR.THE CAR HAS BEEN LOOKED AT TWICE FROM THE DEALER IN WHICH IT WAS PURCHASED AND THEY RESET A CODE THE FIRST TIME BUT IT FAILED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE SECOND TIME IT WASN'T ABLE TO BE RESET.BUT THE MECHANIC FINDS NO PROBLEMS.

NHTSA ID
10000462
Incident
Jun 7, 2002
Transmission
Filed Dec 7, 2001

WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE OFTEN GETS STUCK IN FIRST GEAR AND REVS EXCESSIVELY AS IF GEARS ARE NOT PROPERLY SHIFTING OUT OF 1ST GEAR. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE TWICE. THIRD TIME DEALER INDICATED THAT A PROGRAM HAD TO BE ESTABLISHED IN ORDER TO FIX VEHICLE. *AK *JB

NHTSA ID
899983

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .