RoadVitals

2002 Hyundai Sonata 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.
8
Latest May 11, 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.
3%
of 319 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.
2
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 Sonata submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 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

Body & structureTransmission
Filed May 11, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ENTIRE REAR SUBFRAME HAD RUSTED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS ADVISED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE IN FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED FOR THE PROBLEM AT THE TIME THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD DROP FROM FOURTH GEAR TO FIRST GEAR SUDDENLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED ON THE CENSORS; HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 95,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 112,000.

NHTSA ID
10329864
Incident
Jun 15, 2009
Mileage
95,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Mar 30, 2010

S10 APPROPRIATE HANDLING FM OWNER OF A 2002 HYUNDAI SONATA CONCERNED RE DEFECTED CLUTCH, HAS HAD SEVERAL CLUTCH REPAIRS. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE CLUTCH WAS REPLACED SIX TIMES. THE CONSUMER STATED EACH TIME THE CLUTCH HAD TO BE REPLACED, THEY FOUND A DIFFERENT DEFECT; SUCH AS EXCESSIVE PLAY AND SLIPPAGE. *JB

NHTSA ID
10323148
Incident
Nov 11, 2002
Mileage
1,911 mi
Transmission
Filed Feb 25, 2010

TRAVELING NORTH ON INTERSTATE 15 AT 75 MPH, WITH THE CAR ON CRUISE CONTROL. AT THE START OF A CURVE THE CAR STARTED TO ACCELERATE. IT REACHED OVER 5,000 RPMS. STEPPING ON THE BRAKE ACCOMPLISHED NOTHING. I SHUT OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL IT CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE OVER 6,000 RPMS I SHUT THE ENGINE AND FINALLY GOT CONTROL OF THE CAR. DURING THIS TIME I HAD GONE OFF THE HIGHWAY DOWN A RAVINE HITTING BOULDERS AND ROCKS AND INTO THE DESERT AND DAMAGING MY CAR. I RE-STARTED THE CAR AND THE ENGINE SOUNDED WEIRD. I SHUT THE ENGINE AGAIN AND WAITED FOR A LONGER PERIOD BEFORE RESTARTING. IT SOUNDED BETTER SO I SHIFTED THE CAR INTO GEAR AND STARTED FORWARD SLOWLY. THERE WAS A TRANSMISSION FIRM NEARBY. THEY PUT THE CAR UP ON A COMPUTER, AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE CODE READ P.O. 12. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT HE UNWOUND THE CRUISE CABLE BY HAND AND IT SHOULD BE SAFE TO DRIVE AS LONG AS I DID NOT USE THE CRUISE CONTROL. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE NEAREST HYUNDAI DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT THE CODE HAD BEEN ERASED. LATER DURING HYUNDAI INVESTIGATION I WAS TOLD THAT THE MECHANIC SAID HE HAD REMOVED THE CODE IN ORDER TO TEST THE CRUISE CONTROL. ON MY RETURN HOME I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO HYUNDAI AND THEY SAID THEY COULD DO NOTHING. I AM THANKFUL THAT MY WIFE AND I WERE NOT HARMED. ALL I WANT IS HYUNDAI TO ACCEPT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF FIXING THE CAR. HYUNDAI WAS NOT HELPFUL IN ANYWAY AND INSTEAD ACTED AS IF I MADE UP THE ENTIRE INCIDENT. THEY TOLD ME A DECISION WOULD BE MADE IN 4-6 WEEKS. AFTER THE 6 WEEK PERIOD I CONTACTED HYUNDAI IT IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION. NOW T HEY TELL ME THERE IS NO TIME PERIOD FOR A DECISION. CAN YOU PLEASE ADVISE ME WHAT I SHOULD DO NEXT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10314392
Incident
Oct 27, 2009
Mileage
69,364 mi
Fuel systemTransmission
Filed Dec 6, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE HESITATED AND WAS HARD TO SHIFT. ALSO, WHEN ATTEMPTING TO FILL THE GAS TANK, THE GAS SPILLED OUT WHILE PUMPING. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHO COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID
10175276
Incident
Dec 4, 2006
Mileage
63,079 mi
Transmission
Filed Nov 2, 2006

TRANSMISSION FAILED. *NM

NHTSA ID
10172497
Incident
Jul 22, 2004
Mileage
43,879 mi
Transmission
Filed Aug 9, 2005

TRANSMISSION FAILED CAUSING SEMI TO ALMOST REAR END MY VEHICLE DUE TO A FAULTY SENSOR. MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO FIX PROBLEM ALTHOUGH IT IS WARRANTED. SIMILAR FAILURES WILL CAUSE DEATHS. I HAVE NOTIFIED AND REQUESTED ASSISTANCE THROUGH HYUNDIA'S CONSUMER COMPLAINT DEPARTMENT TO NO AVAIL. THERE WILL NO DOUBT BE A DEATH CAUSED BY THIS MALFUNCTION IN THE POWERTRAIN.*JB

NHTSA ID
10132093
Incident
Aug 5, 2005
Mileage
78,500 mi
Driver assistanceElectricalEngine+1 more
Filed Jan 24, 2005
Crash reported

8/27/02 BELT NOISE AND BURNING RUBBER SMELL. THE PULLEY BELT WAS REPLACED. 1/33/03 RECALL ON <A ONMOUSEOUT="WINDOW.STATUS=''; RETURN TRUE 'AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION'; RETURN TRUE;" ONMOUSEOUT="WINDOW.STATUS=''; RETURN TRUE;">AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION</A></A> WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF FIRST GEAR. THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED. 9/8/03 CAR ENGINE RACED TO 5000-6000 RPMS, HAD TO TURN OFF IGNITION. SERVICE DEPARTMENT CAN FIND NO EXPLANATION. 9/16/03 CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. WHILE IN PARK, ENGINE RACES TO 5000 RPMS. AFTER 3 RESTARTS AT THE IGNITION, THE IDLE RETURNS TO NORMAL. 9/21/03 CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. WAIT TO TAKE TO DEALERSHIP. 10/7/03 SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAYS THEY CAN FIND NO PROBLEM. 10/23/03 CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAYS THERE IS A LEAK IN THE FILL VENT VALVE, REPAIR. 12/18/03 RECALL SERVICE DONE. 5/9/04 CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. IGNORE, IT GOES OFF AFTER TWO WEEKS. 8/6/04 CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. IGNORE, IT GOES OFF AFTER TWO WEEKS. 11/4/04 WHILE TRAVELING ON A HIGHWAY, VEHICLE DOES NOT RESPOND TO BRAKING. COLLISION OCCURS, ACCELERATION CONTINUES, CAR SPINS OUT OF CONTROL ACROSS TWO LANES AND INTO A GRASSY FIELD. I PUT IT IN PARK AND SHUT OFF THE IGNITION IN ORDER TO STOP THE CAR FROM CONTINUING INTO THE FENCEPOST. PATROLMAN SAID THE THROTTLE WAS OPEN. INSURANCE COMPANY VALUED THE VEHICLE A TOTAL LOSS. *AK RECALL CAMPAIGN: THE CONSUMER COULD NOT SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE. AFTER IMPACT THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS STILL RACING AND SHE WAS STILL PRESSING THE BRAKE. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE HAD TO BE PULLED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE OFFICER ON THE SCENE STARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE ENGINE WAS STILL RACING. *TC YHE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR WERE REPLACED.

NHTSA ID
10098876
Incident
Aug 27, 2002
Mileage
43,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Jan 10, 2004
Fire reported

I PURCHASED A 2002 HYUNDAI SONATA AND HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT TROUBLE WITH IT. TO DATE WE HAVE HAD THE O2 SENSORS REPLACED DUE TO NUMEROUS CHECK ENGINE INDICATORS. WE HAVE HAD THE CLUTCH REPLACED, THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED, THE CLUTCH DEPRESSION SWITCH AFTER HAVING THE CLUTCH AND TRANSMISSION REPLACED THE SWITCH FAILED TO WORK CONSISTENTLY PREVENTING THE CAR FROM STARTING. AFTER HAVING THE SWITCH REPLACED, THE VERY NEXT DAY I SMELLED AN ELECTRICAL BURNING SMELL WHICH THEN CAUSED MY HEADLIGHTS TO DIM THE HEATER FAN/MOTOR TO DROP IN SPEED AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO MOVE VERY SLOWLY. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP, HOUSER HYUNDAI OF SPRINGFIELD, MA. AND WHILE WAITING FOR THE SERVICE BAY DOORS TO OPEN THE CAR WAS ENVELOPED IN A CLOUD OF SMOKE THE INSTANT I TURNED THE HEATER ON (JANUARY 10, 2004) TEMP OUTSIDE WAS -9 DEGREES. AT ANY RATE THE SERVICE MANAGER WAS NOTIFIED THE INSTANT I SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING BUT HE DID NOT SEE THE SMOKE WHEN I WAS WAITING AT THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY. HE DID ADMIT TO SMELLING THE BURNING ??? BUT COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM WHEN WE LEFT IT TO BE CHECKED AND I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THE OLD SAYING GOES WHERE THERE IS SMOKE THIS "FIRE" SO I AM CHECKING IT OFF AS SUCH IN THIS COMPLAINT. THE CAR IS AND HAS BEEN A SAFTEY CONCERN TO ME AND MY FAMILY. I HAVE A CO-WORKER AND MY WIFE AS WITNESSES TO BOTH THE BURNING SMELL AND ELECTRICAL "LOAD" MALFUNCTIONS DUE TO WHAT EVER HAS SHORT CIRCUITED AND MY WIFE IN PARTICULAR OBSERVED THE "SMOKE" BILLOWING FROM BENEATH THE CAR ON THE DAY WE BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. I FULLY INTEND TO FILE A COMPLAINT AS WELL WITH THE MASSACHUSETTS STATE GOVERNMENT OF WHICH I AM EMPLOYED UNDER THE "LEMON LAW." RESPECTFULLY; DALE WYMAN. *AK

NHTSA ID
10052792
Incident
Jan 10, 2004
Mileage
76,300 mi

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 .