Hyundai›Sonata›2002›Overview/hyundai/sonata/2002/base/

2002 Hyundai Sonata

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2002 Sonata.

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 2002 Hyundai Sonata is a passenger car whose engine requires 4.2 qt of oil, with acceptable viscosities ranging from 20W‑40 to 10W‑30 API. Owner feedback for that year logged 325 total complaints, the most frequent concerning the vehicle’s structure, and the model was subject to seven recalls. Compared with the Sonata’s complaint history from 1990 through 2026—where the peak reached 3,368 complaints in 2011 and the trough fell to just two in 2026—the 2002 figure sits toward the lower end of the spectrum, indicating a relatively reliable period for the nameplate.

Model year2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2002

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.2 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type20W-40 / 20W-50 / 10W-30 APIOEM · verified

Lug nut torque65-80 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 124R · 550 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 124R · 550 CCAOEM · verified

Tail / brake / turnTAILOEM · verified

Tire sizeP205-65R15OEM · verified

Wheel / rim6-J inOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	187 in
Overall width	71.7 in
Overall height	55.5 in
Wheelbase	106.3 in
Curb weight	3217 lb
Track (front / rear)	61.4 / 60.6 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	61/39

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Sonata of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

8.5–8.8 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.50 sec — 2002 GLS V6

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
2002	GLS V6 2.7L V6	8.50 sec	16.40 sec	170 hp	FWD
2002	GLS V6 2.7L V6	8.80 sec	16.70 sec	170 hp	FWD
2003	GLS V6 2.7L V6	8.60 sec	16.70 sec	170 hp	FWD
2000	GLS V6 2.5L V6	10.30 sec	17.50 sec	170 hp	FWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.2 qt of 20W-40 / 20W-50 / 10W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 65-80 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 26.0-34.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	ABOVE 32 degrees F
Engine Oil Capacity	4.2 qt
Engine Oil	ABOVE 14 degrees F
Engine Oil Capacity	4.5 qt

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs	14-15 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts	80-94 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts	94-101 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	Bolt 11-14 ft-lbs, nut: 23-30 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	M8 nut: 18-22 ft-lbs, M10 nut: 25-40 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	26.0-34.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs	15-20 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts	65-80 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub	148-206 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub	177 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order	1-3-4-2
Cylinder Firing Order	1-2-3-4-5-6
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)	800 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)	100 rpm
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance	.77-.95 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance	10,300-13,900 ohms
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance	.67-.81 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance	11,300-15,300 ohms

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	1.44-1.55 lbs
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Type	46
Oil Capacity	9.10 oz
Standard BCI Group Number	124R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	550 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test	21 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	16 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	180 °F
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (Without Vacuum)	38.0 psi
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)	47.0-50.0 psi
Injector Primary Resistance	13-16 @ 68 degreesF ohms
Engine Compression	171 minimum PSI. 14 maximum variation PSI.
Engine Compression	149-170. 14 maximum variation PSI.

Brakes

Brake Application	WITH REAR DISC
Torque to Knuckle	16-24 ft-lbs / 65-80 ft-lbs
Torque Caliper to Bracket	51-63 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness	Front: 0.079; Rear: 0.079 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness	0.039 in
Brake Application	WITH REAR DISC
Rotor Runout Limit	0.004 in / 0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From	0.394 in / 0.964 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages

14 ft. lbs., Step 2: 90

14 ft. lbs

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 5 stages

Prep If using old bolts

1	15 ft. lbs.	15 ft. lbs
2	90 degrees	90 degrees
3	90 degrees; If using new bolts	90 degrees
1	46 ft. lbs.	46 ft. lbs
2	loosen all bolts completely
3	15 ft. lbs.	15 ft. lbs
4	90 degrees	90 degrees
5	90 degrees	90 degrees

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages

1	18 ft. lbs.	18 ft. lbs
2	60 ft. lbs.	60 ft. lbs
3	45

Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages

18 ft. lbs., Step 2: 90

18 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 3,000 mi.

Every 3,000 mi	Engine Oil (drain & refill)
Every 7,500 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 12,000 mi	Cabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 15,000 mi	Air Conditioning System (inspect) · Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect)
Every 30,000 mi	Brake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Parking Brake System (inspect)
Every 52,500 mi	Fuel Filter (replace) · PCV Hose (inspect) · Vacuum Line (inspect)
Every 60,000 mi	Timing Belt (replace)
Every 90,000 mi	Drive Belt (replace)
At 105,000 mi	Transmission Fluid & Filter (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2002 Hyundai Sonata sits at the peak of a sharp upward trend in complaints and recalls that began to climb in the late 1990s, with 325 complaints and 7 recalls that year—higher than the 282 complaints and 4 recalls of 2000, and the 223 complaints and 3 recalls of 2001. Compared to the following year, 2003, the 2002 model records the highest complaint count in the decade (199 complaints in 2003) and a higher recall count (6 recalls in 2003 versus 7 in 2002). The root‑cause data for 2002 shows top complaint areas in Structure, Air Bags, and Suspension, but the record does not specify a single root cause. The 2002 model’s 31 crash complaints and 4 fire complaints are modest relative to the overall complaint volume, yet the high recall and investigation numbers (4 investigations) suggest a significant safety attention period. Given the peak in complaints and recalls during that year, a 2002 Sonata would require careful inspection for structural, air‑bag, and suspension issues before purchase.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

325

Owner complaints

31 involved a crash · 4 a fire

NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars

Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’91 ’92 ’93 ’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01’02’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’18 ’19 ’20 ’21 ’22 ’23 ’24 ’25 ’26

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 325 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Structure64

Air Bags44

Suspension35

Service Brakes, Hydraulic19

Fuel System, Gasoline15

Suspension,Structure12

Engine & Engine Cooling11

Electrical System11

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 7 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

09V124000SuspensionReported 16/04/2009

HYUNDAI IS RECALLING 188,282 MY 2001-2004 SONATA AND MY 2001-2004 XG300 AND XG350 VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND… Remedy: DEALERS WILL MEASURE THE THICKNESS OF THE FRONT SUB-FRAME AND INSPECT THE FRONT SUB-FRAME FOR CORROSION DAMAGE AND, IF NECESSARY, THE FRONT SUB-FRAME WILL BE REPLACED WITH A NEW…

09V171000Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:LatchReported 21/05/2009

HYUNDAI IS RECALLING 91,350 MY 2002-2003 HYUNDAI SONATA VEHICLES. REPEATED USE OF THE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE MAY CAUSE WEAR OF THE CHROME PLATE. IF THE TOP EDGE OF THE HANDLE HAS VERY THIN CHROME PLATING, THAT PORTION OF… Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE CHROME PLATED INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING JUNE 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HYUNDAI CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 89 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
DTN DL	2026-04-10	Air Bags	The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the presence of…
DTN DCS	2026-04-10	Air Bags	The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent safety…
25-BD-012H TSB	2025-11-05	Exterior Lighting	This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated…
24-BD-001H	2024-02-14	Visibility	This bulletin contains information about the proper removal of the windshield wiper blade…
23-EM-005H	2023-10-13	Engine And Engine Cooling	This bulletin provides important checkpoint guidelines when performing engine oil and…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Sonata. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group 124R battery Vehicles taking 4.2 qt

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Torque specifications Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2002 Sonata take?

4.2 qt of ABOVE 32 degrees F: 20W-40 OR 20W-50 API SM, ABOVE -10 degrees F: 10W-30, 10W-40 OR 10W-50 API SM, BELOW 100 degrees F: 5W-30 OR 5W-40 API SM, per the factory manual.

Does the 2002 Sonata have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 7 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.