IllustrationWHEN ACCELERATING THE CAR DOES NOT SHIFT PROPERLY CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SLOW MAKING IT VERY DANGEROUS ON THE FREEWAY
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
Vehicle Speed Control complaints
6 reportsWHEN THE DRIVER PRESSES THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IT DOES NOT ACCELERATE AS EXPECTED AND SOME TIME POWER DOES NOT GET TRANMITTED TO WHEELS WHEN ACCELERTOR PADEL IS PRESSED. THIS BECOMES VERY DANGEROUS WHILE CHANGING LANES OR MERGING INTO HIGHWAYS. *AK
VEHICLE HESITATES UPON ACCELERATION. DRIVER FEELS ITS UNSAFE WHEN PULLING INTO AN INTERSECTION AND VEHICLE HESITATES TO GO. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
WHILE ACCELERATING ONTO HIGHWAY, VEHICLE LURCHED AND REFUSED TO ACCELERATE. HIGH PITCHED WHINE FROM ENGINE. WOULD NOT CHANGE GEARS. EMERGENCY ROAD SERVICE TOOK ALONG TIME TO LOCATE A SERVICE PROVIDER. DEALER WAS LACKING IN CUSTOMER SERVICE & SATISFACTION. MANUFACTURER WAS NOT ANY MORE HELPFUL, DID NOT TAKE COMPLAINT. IT TO…
Read full complaint
WHILE ACCELERATING ONTO HIGHWAY, VEHICLE LURCHED AND REFUSED TO ACCELERATE. HIGH PITCHED WHINE FROM ENGINE. WOULD NOT CHANGE GEARS. EMERGENCY ROAD SERVICE TOOK ALONG TIME TO LOCATE A SERVICE PROVIDER. DEALER WAS LACKING IN CUSTOMER SERVICE & SATISFACTION. MANUFACTURER WAS NOT ANY MORE HELPFUL, DID NOT TAKE COMPLAINT. IT TOOK 26 DAYS TO REPAIR. DEALERSHIPS MECHANIC STATED THAT MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF PROBLEM, AND THAT THEY HAD RESOLVED THE PROBLEM, AND THAT A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED. TO DATE NO NOTICE OF RECALL RECIEVED NOR HAS ONE BEEN POSTED OR REPORTED BY ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY OR OTHER GROUP. *AK
WHEN APPLYING THE GAS PEDAL ENGINE REVS UP, AND GEARS DO NOT CATCH RIGHT AWAY. DEALER HAS TRIED TO FIX IT, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK
RPMS WOULD GO DOWN INSTEAD OF UP DURING ACCELERATION; VEHICLE BEEN INSPECTED ON TWO OCCASIONS, AND NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. CAN NHTSA PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK
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.