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2002 Santa Fe Santa Fe Trailer

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

About this comparison →
44Owner complaints

Model-year median: 44

0Recall campaigns

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0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
44
2002
Compare all Santa Fe Trailer years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Engine And Engine Cooling
8Power Train
7Visibility
7Vehicle Speed Control
6Electrical System
4
All reported categories
Equipment
4Service Brakes, Hydraulic
4Suspension
4Seat Belts
2Steering
2Unknown Or Other
2Child Seat
1Exterior Lighting
1Structure
1Tires
1Wheels
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 13 of 44 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Visibility. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

3 crash reports1 fire reports0 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

8 reports
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Mileage unknown · Aug 19, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

I AM SINGLE AND NO ONE ELSE HAS ACCESS TO MY CAR, I FUEL IT MYSELF, AND I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE IN FOR THE ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON, THEY STATED THE GAS CAP IS NOT TIGHT. I CLICK IT 4 TIMES EVERY TIME TO MAKE SURE SINCE THEY SAID IT WILL COST $ 75.00 TO RESET IT AS IT DOES NOT RESET ITSELF. THIS TIME WHEN I TOOK IT IN, THE LIGHT …

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I AM SINGLE AND NO ONE ELSE HAS ACCESS TO MY CAR, I FUEL IT MYSELF, AND I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE IN FOR THE ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON, THEY STATED THE GAS CAP IS NOT TIGHT. I CLICK IT 4 TIMES EVERY TIME TO MAKE SURE SINCE THEY SAID IT WILL COST $ 75.00 TO RESET IT AS IT DOES NOT RESET ITSELF. THIS TIME WHEN I TOOK IT IN, THE LIGHT CAME ON THEN WENT OFF THEN CAME ON AGAIN, SO SINCE IT DOES NOT SET ITSELF AND THE CAP WAS NOT LOOSE (I CHECKED FIRST THING), THEN I DO NOT SEE HOW THEY CAN SEE IT IS LOOSE. I EVEN ASKED THEM IF MAYBE THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE CAP OR WHY IT CAME LOOSE, THEY SAID THEY DID NOT KNOW IT WAS JUST LOOSE. I THINK THERE IS A SENSOR PROBLEM OR GAS CAP CRACK OR PROBLEM BECAUSE THE CAP CAN NOT LOOSEN ITSELF NOR CAN VAPORS ESCAPE WHEN IT IS CLICKED 4 TIMES AND VERY TIGHT AND NOOELSE HAS ACCESS TO MY VEHICLE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10033119

Mileage unknown · Jun 23, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATED. DEALER HAS INSPECTED SEVERAL TIMES BUT CANNOT DETERMINE CAUSE OR CODE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10024685

Mileage unknown · Dec 17, 2002
Engine And Engine CoolingFire

WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THEN A FIRE BEGAN UNDER THE HOOD. DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT A HOSE FROM THE RADIATOR WAS LOOSE FROM THE CLAMP CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK ONTO ENGINE STARTING FIRE. TS

NHTSA ODI #10001047

Mileage unknown · Oct 29, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling

I COMPLAINED ABOUT LOUDNESS IN THE EXHAUST. DEALERSHIP COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE CONCERN. THE CAR IS DEFINITELY LOUDER THEN WHEN WE PURCHASED IT 2200 MILES AGO. THIS IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE CONCLUSION BY THE DEALERSHIP. DT

NHTSA ODI #769024

Mileage unknown · Sep 1, 2002
Engine And Engine CoolingUnknown Or Other

I HAVE HAD MY 2002 SANTA FE LX FOR ONLY 60 DAYS AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON A WEEK AGO. WHEN I CALLED THE SERVICE CENTER THEY TOLD ME IT WOULD BE AT LEAST A WEEK TILL THEY COULD LOOK AT IT, AND THAT DRIVING IT WITH THE LIGHT ON WOULDN'T HURT IT. FIVE DAYS LATER THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF FIRST GEAR WHEN GOING UP ANY H…

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I HAVE HAD MY 2002 SANTA FE LX FOR ONLY 60 DAYS AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON A WEEK AGO. WHEN I CALLED THE SERVICE CENTER THEY TOLD ME IT WOULD BE AT LEAST A WEEK TILL THEY COULD LOOK AT IT, AND THAT DRIVING IT WITH THE LIGHT ON WOULDN'T HURT IT. FIVE DAYS LATER THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF FIRST GEAR WHEN GOING UP ANY HILL WHEN IN AUTOMATICE MODE. NEEDLESS TO SAY I TOOK IT STRAIGHT TO THE GARAGE...I JUST HEARD FROM THE MECHANIC YESTERDAY AND MY SHIFTING PROBLEMS APPARENTLY WERE CAUSED FROM A BOKEN CATALYTIC CONVERTER! I CAN'T IMAGINE HOW THIS COULD BE BROKE ON A 60 DAY OLD CAR! SO FAR I AM NOT TOO IMPRESSED WITH THE SERVICE RECORD OF THE SANTA FE! I HAVE ALREADY HAD IT IN THE BODY SHOP TO HAVE A PART OF THE ROCKER PANEL REPAINTED BECAUSE IT WAS PEELING. IT STARTED PEELING AFTER I HAD THE CAR 1 WEEK, AND CONTINUED TO PROGRESSIVELY PEEL UNTIL THE DEALER AGREED TO PAINT IT.*AK

NHTSA ODI #766558

Mileage unknown · Sep 1, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling

BROKE CATALYTIC CONVERTER ON 60 DAY OLD 2002 SANTA FE!*AK

NHTSA ODI #766557

Mileage unknown · Jul 16, 2002
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED ON 04/25/02, AND WITHIN 2 MONTHS ENGINE WAS REPLACED. ALSO, TRANSMISSION REPLACED TWICE, AND THERE WAS A MAJOR OIL LEAK. VEHICLE HAS BEEN WITH DEALER FOR THE LAST 35 DAYS. DEALER HAS BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH MANUFACTURER WITH NO RESOLUTION.*AK

NHTSA ODI #8014061

Mileage unknown · Mar 7, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON, DEALER STATES IT'S SOMETHING IN THE EMISSIONS SYSTEM. *JG

NHTSA ODI #785903

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.