IllustrationWHILE DRIVING A PIN CAME LOOSE IN TRANSMISSION, CAUSING IT TO LOCK UP. HAD PART REPLACED, BUT PROBLEM REOCCURRED. *AK
1999 Hyundai Elantra
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1999 Hyundai Elantra do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 182.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Elantra years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
70–25K
425–50K
750–75K
975–100K
16100–150K
6150K+
49 reports with mileage · 79 unknown
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.
- Power Train. Review the 41 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
22 crash reports2 fire reports16 injury reports
Power Train complaints
41 reportsWHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL NOT CHANGE GEARS AND WOULDN'T INCREASE IN SPEED. CONTACTED DEALERSHIP, CANNOT FIND PROBLEM.*AK
TRANSMISSION MADE CAR BUCK SEVERELY WHEN IT DOWNSHIFTED.IT SLIPPED BETWEEN SECOND AND THIRD GEAR. FLUID WAS ALSO LEAKING.TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AT 23,000 MILES BY THE DEALER. THE CAR STILL SLIPS BETWEEN GEARS AND NOW MAKES A CLUNKING NOISE WHEN DECELERATING. MANUFACTURER SEEMED UNCONCERNED THAT TRANSMISSION WILL NEED TO BE RE…
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TRANSMISSION MADE CAR BUCK SEVERELY WHEN IT DOWNSHIFTED.IT SLIPPED BETWEEN SECOND AND THIRD GEAR. FLUID WAS ALSO LEAKING.TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AT 23,000 MILES BY THE DEALER. THE CAR STILL SLIPS BETWEEN GEARS AND NOW MAKES A CLUNKING NOISE WHEN DECELERATING. MANUFACTURER SEEMED UNCONCERNED THAT TRANSMISSION WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED FOR A SECOND TIME. *AK
THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SLIPS AND JUMPS OUT OF GEAR, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO CLIMB IN RPM. AT OTHER TIMES THE TRANSMISSION THE TRANS WAITS TO GRAB THEN JERKS THE CAR FORWARD. AS OF THIS TIME THE CAR HAS BEEN IN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AT 12000, 39000, 42000 AND IT IS GOING BACK IN. THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED THE CAR WAS IN THE SH…
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THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SLIPS AND JUMPS OUT OF GEAR, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO CLIMB IN RPM. AT OTHER TIMES THE TRANSMISSION THE TRANS WAITS TO GRAB THEN JERKS THE CAR FORWARD. AS OF THIS TIME THE CAR HAS BEEN IN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AT 12000, 39000, 42000 AND IT IS GOING BACK IN. THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED THE CAR WAS IN THE SHOP ON 8/24/2000, AFTER PICKING THE CAR UP FROM REPAIRS THE SAME PROBLEM RETURNED ON THE WAY HOME AND THE CAR IS GOING BACK IN ON 8/28/2000.*AK
ROTORS WERE WARPED;TRUNK LID DO NOT CLOSE PROPERLY. YOU CAN STAND BESIDE THE CAR AND LOOK DOWN INSIDE THE TRUNK. TRANSMISSION JERKS WHILE STOPPED IN TRAFFIC . WHILE IN TH PROCESS OF STOPPING THE TRANSMISSION FEELS AS THOUGH IT'S GOING TO FALL OUT OF THE CAR. I'VE TAKEN THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER FOR THESE AND OTHER COMPLAINTS AN…
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ROTORS WERE WARPED;TRUNK LID DO NOT CLOSE PROPERLY. YOU CAN STAND BESIDE THE CAR AND LOOK DOWN INSIDE THE TRUNK. TRANSMISSION JERKS WHILE STOPPED IN TRAFFIC . WHILE IN TH PROCESS OF STOPPING THE TRANSMISSION FEELS AS THOUGH IT'S GOING TO FALL OUT OF THE CAR. I'VE TAKEN THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER FOR THESE AND OTHER COMPLAINTS AND THEY CONTINUE TO TELL ME THAT NO PROBLEMS CAN BE FOUND. PLEASE HELP ME GET THESE ISSUES RESOLVED.
IN-SHOP FOR TRANSMISSION 3 TIMES (ON 3RD TRANS); PAINT PEELING ON BUMPER (DEALER REFUSTED TO PAINT);CLEAR COAT CRACKED AND BUBBLED ON SPOILER & SIDE MIRROR (DEALER REPAINTED); NOTICED A/C DIDN'T WORK RIGHT AFTER PURCHASE; CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON (REASON FOR REPLACING ENGINE COIL, ETC. AND CONVERTER); INTERIOR DRIVER'S DOOR HANDLE …
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IN-SHOP FOR TRANSMISSION 3 TIMES (ON 3RD TRANS); PAINT PEELING ON BUMPER (DEALER REFUSTED TO PAINT);CLEAR COAT CRACKED AND BUBBLED ON SPOILER & SIDE MIRROR (DEALER REPAINTED); NOTICED A/C DIDN'T WORK RIGHT AFTER PURCHASE; CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON (REASON FOR REPLACING ENGINE COIL, ETC. AND CONVERTER); INTERIOR DRIVER'S DOOR HANDLE BROKE; DEALER ALWAYS FIGHTS GETTING US A LOANER/RENTAL CAR (BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE ONE SINCE ITS OUR ONLY CAR NOW!); ALWAYS IN SHOP AN EXTENSIVE AMOUNT OF TIME EXCEPT WHEN THEY ARE PAYING FOR US A RENTAL; MANUFACTURER CONTACTED BY PHONE IN MAY 2001, BUT OFFERED NO HELP. *AK
WHEN SLOWING DOWN TO APPROACH A COMPLETE STOP TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO POP OR SLIP OUT OF GEAR, CAUSING THE CAR TO JERK VERY HARD AT TIMES. ONLY HAPPENS WHEN CAR IS DECELERATING BETWEEN 20-15 MPH.*AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE HESITATES AND THEN TRANSMISSION SLIPS OUT OF GEAR, CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY PROBLEM. *AK THE VEHICLE COULD NOT START BECAUSE THE CHARGING SYSTEM FAILED TO MAINTAIN THE BATTERY. AFETERWARDS, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED ROUGH ACCELERATION, CUTTING OFF IN IDLE, SURGING BACK AND FORWARD. BRAKES P…
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WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE HESITATES AND THEN TRANSMISSION SLIPS OUT OF GEAR, CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY PROBLEM. *AK THE VEHICLE COULD NOT START BECAUSE THE CHARGING SYSTEM FAILED TO MAINTAIN THE BATTERY. AFETERWARDS, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED ROUGH ACCELERATION, CUTTING OFF IN IDLE, SURGING BACK AND FORWARD. BRAKES PULSING AND SQUEALING. LATER ON, THE AIR SYSTEM STOPPED COMPLETELY DUE TO THE HEATER FAN AND MOTOR ASSEMBLY FAILURE. CHECK THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON DUE TO BURNED SPARK PLUG WIRES. *YH
3RD FAILURE INVOLVING TRANSMISSION OR TRANSMISSION COMPONENT SINCE CAR PURCHASED. *AK
BATTERY FAILED. NLM.
Official recalls
200V259001 · Electrical System:wiring
Sep 11, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SOME SONATA VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.5 LITER V-6 ENGINES AND ALL ELANTRA MODEL VEHICLES MAY HAVE EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT LOW-SPEED ENGINE STALLING, WHICH COULD OCCUR IF THE MAF (MASS AIR FLOW) SENSOR ELECTRICAL SIGNAL IS INTERRUPTED AS A RESULT OF ENGINE VIBRATION TRANSMITTED TO THE MAF SENSOR CONNECTOR WIRING HARNESS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL RE-ROUTE THE MAF SENSOR CONNECTOR WIRING HARNESS.
99V178000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission
Jul 7, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PRESSURE CONTROL SOLENOID VALVE SEALS DO NOT REMAIN SUFFICIENTLY ELASTIC, RESULTING IN TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKAGE. THIS LEAKAGE CAN RESULT IN REDUCED PRESSURE APPLICATION TO THE CLUTCHES, BRAKE, AND KICKDOWN SERVO, ALLOWING THEM TO SLIP.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: SUCH SLIPPAGE CAN CAUSE PREMATURE DETERIORATION OF THE FRICTION ELEMENT SURFACES AND COULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE NOT TO ACCELERATE, OR NOT ACCELERATE AS EXPECTED, WHEN THE DRIVER PRESSES THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PRESSURE CONTROL SOLENOID VALVE.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.