IllustrationREAR LAP SEAT BELT BECOMES UNDONE ON ITS OWN WHEN USED WITH THE CHILD SAEFTY SEAT. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *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
What owners actually said
128 reportsSOLENOID VALVE SEAL FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE (99V178000). NLM
WE'VE HAD THE ELANTRA IN THE SHOP 7 TIMES AND THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED 3 TIMES. THE CASE NUMBER WITH HYUNDAI IS 508316, THE CASE NUMBER WE HAD WITH THE BBB IS HYU-9980560. THE TRANSMISSION WILL SLIP INTO NEUTRAL WHEN PASSING OR ACCELERATING, CREATING A POSSIBLE LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. AFTER THE LAST TIME IT WAS SERVICED …
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WE'VE HAD THE ELANTRA IN THE SHOP 7 TIMES AND THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED 3 TIMES. THE CASE NUMBER WITH HYUNDAI IS 508316, THE CASE NUMBER WE HAD WITH THE BBB IS HYU-9980560. THE TRANSMISSION WILL SLIP INTO NEUTRAL WHEN PASSING OR ACCELERATING, CREATING A POSSIBLE LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. AFTER THE LAST TIME IT WAS SERVICED IN DECEMBER, THE CAR RAN FINE UNTIL JUST LAST WEEK. NOW IT IS HAPPENING AGAIN. THERER IS A RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 99V178000--AND ACCORDING TO THE DEALER, THIS HAS BEEN SERVICED. WE ARE NOT GETTING THE SUPPORT WE FEEL WE NEED FROM THE DEALER, AND ALSO FEEL THAT THIS COULD BE A PROBLEM WITH OTHERS BASED ON THE NUMBER OF TRANSMISSIONS THAT HAVE BEEN REPLACED IN OUT CAR. *AK
WHILE ACCELERATING ONTO THE HIGHWAY AND REACHING A SPEED OF 50 MPH TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO LOSE POWER AND EVENTUALLY FAILED TO CHANGE GEARS, CAUSING VEHICLE TO COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *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…
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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
WHILE TEST DRIVING VEHICLE CONSUMER NOTICED TORQUE STEERING PROBLEMS UPON ACCELERATION, SALESPERSON STATED IT WAS NORMAL. NLM
WHILE DRIVING THROUGH A TOLL STOP, PROCEEDED TO GO THROUGH ANOTHER CAR WHICH PULLED IN FRONT. CONSUMER HAD PUT ON BRAKES TO AVOID HITTING THE OTHER VEHICLE. HOWEVER, CONSUMER HIT SIDE RAILING AT ABOUT 40, AND AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. CONSUMER FELT AS THOUGH AIRBAGS WERE TOO FORCEFUL, CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO SEE OUT OF RIGHT EYE BU…
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WHILE DRIVING THROUGH A TOLL STOP, PROCEEDED TO GO THROUGH ANOTHER CAR WHICH PULLED IN FRONT. CONSUMER HAD PUT ON BRAKES TO AVOID HITTING THE OTHER VEHICLE. HOWEVER, CONSUMER HIT SIDE RAILING AT ABOUT 40, AND AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. CONSUMER FELT AS THOUGH AIRBAGS WERE TOO FORCEFUL, CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO SEE OUT OF RIGHT EYE BUCAUSE OF AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. *AK
IF WINDOW SSLIGHTLY IN RAIN, WATER POURS IN ON ARM REST CONSOLE ELEC COMPONENTS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH HAD A DIRECT FRONTAL IMPACT, AND DRIVER'S AIRBAG DEPLOYED PARTIALLY AND DID NOT PROTECT THE DRIVER. PASSENGER'S AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY, WHICH DID NOT PROTECT THE PASSENGER IN THIS CRASH. NO PREVIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 30MPH THERE WAS A COLLISION, AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER BROKE WINDSHIELD WITH HER FOREHEAD, AND THEN HIT THE STEERING WHEEL WITH FOREHEAD. DRIVER WAS TAKEN BY AMBULANCE TO HOSPITAL WITH ONLY MINOR CONCUSSION/BRUISES AND CUTS. *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.