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2002 Hyundai Santafe

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

Body SUV

The 2002 Hyundai Santa Fe is an SUV whose engine maintenance is defined by specific lubrication demands, requiring 4.5 quarts of oil running a heavy viscosity range of 20W-40, 20W-50, or 15W-50 API. Beyond these mechanical requirements, the vehicle's ownership record is far more complex, marked by 171 total owner complaints and four separate recalls. With suspension issues firmly at the top of the complaint list, this model year sits as a troubled chapter in the Santa Fe's reliability history, meaning researchers must account for notable structural and ride-quality vulnerabilities when evaluating this particular iteration.

Model year200320022001

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type20W-40 / 20W-50 / 15W-50 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 · 600 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 · 600 CCAOEM · verified

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.5 qt of 20W-40 / 20W-50 / 15W-50 API engine oil, 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, 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.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear Oil80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity2.3 Pints
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine OilABOVE 14 degrees F
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs14-15 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts80-94 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts94-101 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug26.0-34.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs15-20 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts65-80 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug29.0-43.0 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance.77-.95 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance10,300-13,900 ohms
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance.67-.81 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance11,300-15,300 ohms
Spark Plug ManufacturerNGK
Spark Plug Gap0.039-0.0.043 in

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.27-1.38 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity5.74 oz
Standard BCI Group Number124R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance600 cca

Service checks

Regulated Fuel System Pressure (Without Vacuum)38.0 psi
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)47.0-50.0 psi
Injector Primary Resistance13-16 @ 68 degreesF ohms
Engine Compression171 minimum PSI. 14 maximum variation PSI.
Engine Compression149-170. 14 maximum variation PSI.
Intake Valve LashHydraulic in
Exhaust Valve LashHydraulic in

Brakes

Brake ApplicationWITH REAR DISC
Torque Caliper to Bracket16-24 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle36-43 ft-lbs / 58-73 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.079; Rear: 0.079 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Brake ApplicationWITH REAR DISC
Rotor Runout Limit0.004 in / 0.0016 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.394 in / 1.024 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
114 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9014 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages
118 ft. lbs.18 ft. lbs
260 ft. lbs.60 ft. lbs
345
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
118 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9018 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 7,500 mi.

Every 6,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 12,000 miCabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 15,000 miAir Conditioning System (inspect) · Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect)
Every 25,000 miDifferential (inspect fluid level) · Transfer Case Assembly (inspect fluid level)
At 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 30,000 miBrake 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 50,000 miDrive Axle Assembly (drain & refill)
Every 52,500 miFuel Filter (replace) · PCV Hose (inspect) · Vacuum Line (inspect)

Reliability & federal safety record

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

Owner complaints about the 2002 Hyundai Santafe lead in one area — the suspension, 40 of 171 reports (23%), well ahead of the next concern. That matters, because the suspension are also the target of recalls 14V-435 and 09V-123 on this vehicle — so the single most useful check before buying or servicing one is confirming they were actually performed. 9 of the reports describe a crash and 2 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the suspension pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

4
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
51
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
171
Owner complaints
9 involved a crash · 2 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 171 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Suspension40
Vehicle Speed Control12
Engine & Engine Cooling11
Service Brakes, Hydraulic9
Power Train9
Electrical System8
Structure7
Service Brakes6

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 4 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

14V435000Suspension:Front:Springs:Coil SpringsReported 18/07/2014

Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model Year 2001-2006 Santa Fe vehicles manufactured from March 31, 2000, through February 15, 2006, that are registered and operated, or which were originally sold… Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the coil spring, free of charge. The recall began on October 24, 2014. Owners may contact Hyundai…

09V123000Suspension:RearReported 16/04/2009

HYUNDAI IS RECALLING 83,355 MY 2001-2003 SANTA FE VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA… Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE REAR TRAILING ARMS FOR INTERNAL CORROSION DAMAGE. IF SPECIFIED LEVELS OF CORROSION DAMAGE ARE FOUND, THE REAR TRAILING ARMS WILL BE REPLACED. REAR…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 51 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
DTN DL2026-04-10Air BagsThe National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the presence of…
DTN DCS2026-04-10Air BagsThe National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent safety…
25-BD-012H TSB2025-11-05Exterior LightingThis bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated…
24-BD-001H2024-02-14VisibilityThis bulletin contains information about the proper removal of the windshield wiper blade…
23-EM-005H2023-10-13Engine And Engine CoolingThis 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 Santafe. 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 batteryVehicles taking 4.5 qt

Reference guides

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

Vehicle recalls & TSBsOBD-II trouble codesTorque specificationsMaintenance schedulesFluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2002 Santafe take?

4.5 qt of ABOVE 14 degrees F: 20W-40 OR 20W-50 API SM, ABOVE 5 degrees F: 15W-50 OR 15W-40 API SM, ABOVE -13 degrees F,: 10W-40 OR 10W-50 API, -15 degrees F TO 104 degrees F: 10W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2002 Santafe have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.