2002 Hyundai Accent Problems, Recalls & Reliability
163 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2002 Hyundai Accent, alongside 1 recall campaign and 0 defect investigations. It scores 92/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Fuel system leads the reports, typically around 69,012 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 2002 Hyundai Accent sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 2006, 2011, 2019, 2022.
Avoid
Where 2002 sits among all Accent years
What owners report
“Many people have been complaining about this vehicle. You can't put gas into it without the pump stopping approximately every .25 gallons. It's very annoying and it is difficult to pass inspection. I don't understand why hyundai should not be required to fix this problem. It comes up as a 1401 for…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2002 Accent
“When accelerating from a stop the transmission would not engage. Intermittently the transmission slips between gears braking the vehicle creating wheel spin. The vehicle experienced the problem the first time at 350 miles. The dealer as been notified. Nlm”— owner report to NHTSA, 2002 Accent
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 85 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 40,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 21,000 and 69,012 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (1)
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 201, "OCCUPANT PROTECTION IN INTERIOR IMPACT." DURING TESTING, THE 3-DOOR HATCHBACK EXCEEDED THE PERFORMANCE CRITERION IN THE STANDARD MIDWAY ALONG…
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL NEW ENERGY MANAGEMENT BRACKETS TO SUPPORT THE A-PILLAR COVERS AND INCREASE THE ENERGY ABSORBING PERFORMANCE OF THE A-PILLAR IN THE RELEVANT AREA. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN…
Technical service bulletins
52 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on transmission & drivetrain and engine — are on file for the 2002 Hyundai Accent. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2002 Accent TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2002 Hyundai Accent reliable?
The 2002 Hyundai Accent drew 163 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 92/100, scored against the model's worst year (2013).
What are the most common 2002 Hyundai Accent problems?
The top reported problems for the 2002 Hyundai Accent are fuel system (26 complaints), transmission & drivetrain (25), and brakes & stability (18).
At what mileage do 2002 Hyundai Accent problems show up?
Owners most often report 2002 Hyundai Accent problems around 40,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 21,000 and 69,012 miles.
Does the 2002 Hyundai Accent have recalls?
1 recall campaign applies to the 2002 Hyundai Accent. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.