Check a VIN

2002 Hyundai Sonata steering problems

24 complaints (8% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 105,225. 3 crashes reported.

owner complaints
24
of this car's complaints
8%
typical mileage
105,225
crashes
3
recalls
0

Which part fails

  • Hydraulic power assist: hose, piping, and connections
    2
  • Linkages: tie rod assembly
    1
  • Hydraulic power assist: pump
    1
  • Hydraulic power assist: power steering fluid
    1

At what mileage

Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.

0k-25k
25k-50k
50k-75k
75k-100k
100k-125k
125k-150k
150k-175k
175k-200k
200k+

Hyundai Sonata steering problems in other years

19911995200020052010201520202024

Specific symptoms reported on the 2002 Hyundai Sonata steering

Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.

Pulling 8Power steering loss 6

Related recalls

No recalls on record for this model year.

What 2002 Hyundai Sonata owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed Sep 4, 2016 · Steering · 130,000 miles · NY

Subframe is rotten and broken

Filed Jun 5, 2015 · Steering, Suspension · 81,000 miles · KY

I backed out of the driveway and the subframe on the passenger side collapsed and the tie rod and cv joint came loose. The steering went out. A certified frame mechanic said the sub frame rusted out.

Filed Jul 10, 2014 · Airbags, Steering · 156,000 miles · OH · crash

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 hyundai sonata. The contact stated while driving at 5 MPH, the power steering stop working and as a result, the vehicle crashed into a barrier. There were no injuries. The driver side air bag deployed and the air bag warning lamp illuminated. Also, the contact mentioned that the vehicle was filled with smoke and there was no pressure on the air bag. The vehicle was towed to her resident. The vehicle had not been repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who stated that there was nothing wrong with the air bag. The manufacturer was not made aware of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 156,000.

Filed Jun 29, 2014 · Steering · 64,679 miles · TX

1st week of june 2014, noticed steering was making noises when turning. Checked psf and was low. Added and worked fine for about tree weeks. Then bam !! Something busted behind engine. Lots of fluid between engine and firewall. Psf of coarse. Steering became extremely stiff and barely got the vehicle home. Lucky I didn't have an accident. Car wouldn't turn except with excessive force. And I'm 76 yr f. I could have injured or killed myself or others under certain conditions like much higher speeds. How's anyone to know something like will occur at any given totally unexpected moment. I know of a recall about under carriage or sub-frame rust and serious parts breaking off. Something gave and something broke down there and the vehicle is now inoperable.

Filed Jun 3, 2014 · Steering, Suspension · 158,000 miles · VA

Was driving down the when I heard a pop sound that had came from the curbside of the vehicle then the car started pulling to the right side of the road and did not really think to much about because thought needed to just have alignment done to the vehicle then next friday I had take the car to have the alignment done on the vehicle they called me and said that the sub-frame of the vehicle was rusted in half and that it was unsafe to drive. I looked up the recalls on the vehicle and seen where it had a recall for the sub-frame rusting and set up a apt . To have it taken care of but they are saying that since my car is not registered in one of the salt-belt states that they are not going to honor the recall even though the rust is there and the sub-frame is rusted in half and the lower control arm is rusted off. Ref #[xxx]. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Filed May 8, 2014 · Steering, Suspension · 156,000 miles · KY

My son was operating the vehicle and was making a left turn. During the turn, the right front wheel buckled under and the vehicle became inoperable. Vehicle was towed to a repair facility. They found that there was significant corrosion in the sub-frame which caused it to fail. I have done some research on the federal safety agency site and it appears that campaign 09v124000 describes the issue. I have contacted hyundai. They have instructed me to have to vehicle delivered to local dealer for inspection to determine if it is covered under a recall program. Their first response was to tell me that the recall was only covering certain states, kentucky not being one of them. When I told them I had purchased the car used and had no way of knowing what other states the vehicle had been in, they agreed to examine the vehicle. I believe the vehicle repair should be covered since the damage is as described in the recall notice.

Filed Jan 13, 2014 · Brakes, Fuel system · 50,000 miles · NJ

We had our vehicle warrantied for the rotten frame on our vehicle last year. At that point you would think hyundai would have warned us that our brake lines were swiss cheese just like our frame, these cars rot out, the entire vehicle is a death trap. The brake lines broke 3 times in the past 6 months after sections were already replaced. These vehicles need all the brake and fuel lines replaced immediately!!! This is not routine maintenance and should be recalled immediately!! The power steering line rotted out 5 years ago, this car was made out of really crappy metal. Dangerous vehicle. Everything on this vehicle is rotted out beyond what is normal, the wheels, the brake drums, everything on these vehicles rot to the point of swiss cheese. After 10 years these vehicles are very unsafe. Our vehicle only has 50,000 miles on it.

Filed Jan 6, 2013 · Steering, Suspension · 130,000 miles · SD

Our son who was driving our hyundai 2002 sonata noticed that the steering wheel was loose and it felt like the car was pulling and needed an alignment. We took it in to have an alignment and the mechanic called us and told us they were unable to do an alignment and that the problem was much more serious than that; they told us that the cradle rusted through and that it was unsafe to drive. Because of this it also did damage to the tires. We now have a vehicle that is unable to be driven because it is not safe. I shutter every time I think what may have happened to him or his friends if he had been on the road or god forbid driving down the interstate. We live in a state where snow is a part of our lives; we always worry about driving on snow and ice but we should not also have to worry that our vehicle's cradle will rust through potentially causing harm or even death.

Filed Aug 1, 2012 · Body, Steering · 165,000 miles · SC

My son was driving the vehicle at 45 MPH and heard a loud pop in the right front end of the vehicle and immediately afterwards the vehicle veered of to the right and on to the side of the road he was able to maintain control somewhat but if there had been pedestrians in that area I am not sure there would have not been serious consequences, the car was driven slowly to the nearest hyundai dealer for assessment and after assessment the dealer stated that the sub-frame has rusted out to the point that the right front wheel could become detached thereby possibly causing a potential catastrophic failure or loss of control of the vehicle and unknown consequences, dealer has submitted information to hyundai corp, the vehicle has an active recall on this particular safety defect. Recall #089 issued in april 2008. We are awaiting hyundais response as to the status of our recall request as of 08/01/12.

Filed Mar 15, 2012 · Steering, Suspension · 122,000 miles · IN · crash · 1 injury

My wife was driving home from work on a county road doing approx. 45 MPH. The front right tire suddenly tilted 50 degrees inward and she lost control of the auto. After nearly missing a telephone pole, she plowed into a corn field and came to a sudden stop. She suffered a sprained wrist from steering wheel "whip" and bruised her knee in the accident. Upon examination by the mechanic , he found that the a frame on the right side had broke in half. The metal in the frame had rusted from the inside out making it difficult to see by previous under-carriage repairs, such as tire change, oil change etc. The car has had superb maintenance throughout its history and has been bought and sold within the same family since being bought new by the son in 2002. We love the car and have enjoyed the 123,000 miles of driving but are very disappointed with hyundai because we have no record of ever receiving a recall on this vehicle. Hyundai has decided to repair the vehicle free of charge but has not said whether they will repair the body damage or the transmission if damaged from the incident. We could not get move the shifter after the incident.

Questions about the 2002 Hyundai Sonata steering

Does the 2002 Hyundai Sonata have steering problems?

Owners have filed 24 complaints about the steering of the 2002 Hyundai Sonata, 8% of all its complaints.

At what mileage do 2002 Hyundai Sonata steering problems start?

The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 105,225 miles.

Was there a recall on the 2002 Hyundai Sonata steering?

There is no recall for this problem on this model year.

What year does the Hyundai Sonata have bad steering?

The Hyundai Sonata model years with the most steering complaints are 2011 (1,171 complaints), 2013 (342 complaints) and 2012 (301 complaints).

Other 2002 Hyundai Sonata problems

Body 88Suspension 63Airbags 51Brakes 26Fuel system 25Electrical 23Engine 21Transmission 11Wheels 11Tires 10Locks 9Acceleration 8Seat belts 5Driver assistance 4Visibility 3Lights 2

VIN decoder

See the problems and recalls for an exact car

Buying a used 2002 Hyundai Sonata?

Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.

Check its history