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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.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

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 reports
120,000 miles · May 31, 2012
EnginePower Train

I HAVE READ MANY OF THE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE HYUNDAI. I'VE ELIMINATED PRACTICALLY ALL THE SAME COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE ENGINE PERFORMANCE BY TUNING THE ENGINE EVERY 30 TO 35 THOUSAND MILES. THE GAS MILEAGE AND PERFORMANCE HAS BEEN VERY ACCEPTABLE. YES I TOO HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE MANIFOLD, MAS AIR SENSOR, AND OTHER SMALL MAINTENAN…

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I HAVE READ MANY OF THE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE HYUNDAI. I'VE ELIMINATED PRACTICALLY ALL THE SAME COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE ENGINE PERFORMANCE BY TUNING THE ENGINE EVERY 30 TO 35 THOUSAND MILES. THE GAS MILEAGE AND PERFORMANCE HAS BEEN VERY ACCEPTABLE. YES I TOO HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE MANIFOLD, MAS AIR SENSOR, AND OTHER SMALL MAINTENANCE PARTS. THE ONLY THING I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO REPAIR IS WHEN I'M SETTING AT A STOP AND IDLING, THE ENGINE TENDS TO OVERHEAT. BUT WHEN I BEGAN TO DRIVE IT QUICKLY COOLS BACK DOWN. MY HYUNDAI NOW HAS APPROXIMATELY 230,000 MILES AND IS STILL IN SERVICE BUT STILL OVERHEATS. ANY SUGGESTIONS? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10460105

128,750 miles · May 2, 2012
Fuel System, Gasoline

I HAVE A 1999 HYUNDAI ELANTRA WITH 128,750 MI. AT. THE EVAPORATIVE EMISSIONS CANISTER HAS BECOME DISCONNECTED FROM THE BODY OF THE CAR WHERE IT IS BOLTED WHICH IS UNDERNEATH THE TRUNK BEHIND THE LEFT REAR WHEEL DUE TO THE BRACKET RUSTING AND BREAKING DUE TO INADEQUATE STEEL USED WHICH DOES NOT RESIST SALT AND IMPROPER DESIGN F…

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I HAVE A 1999 HYUNDAI ELANTRA WITH 128,750 MI. AT. THE EVAPORATIVE EMISSIONS CANISTER HAS BECOME DISCONNECTED FROM THE BODY OF THE CAR WHERE IT IS BOLTED WHICH IS UNDERNEATH THE TRUNK BEHIND THE LEFT REAR WHEEL DUE TO THE BRACKET RUSTING AND BREAKING DUE TO INADEQUATE STEEL USED WHICH DOES NOT RESIST SALT AND IMPROPER DESIGN FOR NOT PLACING THE CANISTER IN A PROTECTED AREA OF THE CAR OR OR PLACING SHROUDING AROUND THE CANISTER TO SHIELD THE SALT SPRAY FROM THE ROAD/REAR WHEEL. THE RESULT IS THE PIPES FROM THE FUEL TANK WHICH CONVEY FUEL VAPORS HAVE DISCONNECTED FROM THE EVAP CANISTER AND TRIGGER A P0422 (CHECK ENGINE LIGHT) WHICH IS A LEAK IN THE EVAP SYSTEM WHICH MEANS THE CAR WILL NOT PASS NY INSPECTION. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10457133

128,900 miles · Apr 30, 2012
Suspension

THE REAR FRAME CROSSMEMBER HAS RUSTED THROUGH AND HOLDS THE OTHER SUSPENSION COMPONENTS IN PLACE. THE WHOLE CAR IS SEVERELY RUSTED. HYUNDAI RUSTING IN THE SALT BELT STATES IS DOCUMENTED. I WOULD LIKE HYUNDAI TO REPLACE ALL RUSTED OUT FRAME SUSPENSION MEMBERS. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10456890

100,000 miles · Nov 24, 2010
Electrical System

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS SIMILAR TO RECALL 00V259001 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: WIRING). THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WHO BOTH STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VE…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS SIMILAR TO RECALL 00V259001 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: WIRING). THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WHO BOTH STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 124,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000.

NHTSA ODI #10367743

216,000 miles · Apr 26, 2010
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP SIGN AT 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE MOMENTARILY HESITATED BEFORE CONTINUING TO ACCELERATE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 216,000. UPDATED…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP SIGN AT 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE MOMENTARILY HESITATED BEFORE CONTINUING TO ACCELERATE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 216,000. UPDATED 07/01/10 *BF THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR READING INCORRECTLY AT IDLE. ALSO, ONE OF THE SPARK PLUGS WIRES WAS DEFECTIVE. UPDATED 07/02/10.*JB

NHTSA ODI #10327497

140,000 miles · Aug 11, 2009
Electrical System

MY 1999 HYUNDAI ELANTRA GL SEDAN HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING INTERMITTENT (BUT WITH INCREASING FREQUENCY) LOW/"IDLE" SPEED ENGINE STALLING. THIS PRESENTS A DANGEROUS SITUATION WHEN THE CAR STALLS AT A STOPLIGHT OR WHEN SLOWING TO TURN IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD. MOST STALLS ARE OCCURRING AT LESS THAN 25MPH. I HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED …

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MY 1999 HYUNDAI ELANTRA GL SEDAN HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING INTERMITTENT (BUT WITH INCREASING FREQUENCY) LOW/"IDLE" SPEED ENGINE STALLING. THIS PRESENTS A DANGEROUS SITUATION WHEN THE CAR STALLS AT A STOPLIGHT OR WHEN SLOWING TO TURN IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD. MOST STALLS ARE OCCURRING AT LESS THAN 25MPH. I HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" EPISODES DURING THESE OCCURRENCES. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS/REPAIR...THE COMPUTER HISTORY SHOW MAF SENSOR BUT NO FAILURE. ADDITIONALLY, THE 'CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" DOES NOT REMAIN "ON". I TOOK THE CAR TO THE LOCAL HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP AFTER READING RECALL/SERVICE BULLETINS RELATED TO THE MAF SENSOR WIRING. THEY ALSO PERFORMED THE COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC THAT INDICATED MAF SENSOR ISSUES IN THE COMPUTER HISTORY. THEY ALSO INFORMED ME THAT MY VEHICLE IS NOT ONE OF THE HYUNDAI ELANTRA/SONATA VIN CODES. I WOULD APPRECIATE SOME INFORMATION FROM YOU REGARDING THE RESOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM. THE HYUNDAI RECALL/CAMPAIGN ID IS 039 AND THE NHTSA/ODF CAMPAIGN IS 00V259001. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10280109

120,000 miles · Feb 9, 2009
Electrical System

COMPAIGN ID 00V259001 IS FOR LOW SPEED STALLING ON 1999 HYUNDAI ELANTRA MODELS WITH CERTAIN VIN NUMBERS AND RELATES TO THE WIRING WITH THE MASS AIR FLOW CENSOR. I HAVE A 1999 HYUNDAI ELANTRA THAT IS HAVING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM BUT DOES NOT FIT WITHIN THE VIN RANGE SO THEY ARE NOT COVERING IT. I FEEL THIS CAMPAIGN SHOULD BE EXP…

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COMPAIGN ID 00V259001 IS FOR LOW SPEED STALLING ON 1999 HYUNDAI ELANTRA MODELS WITH CERTAIN VIN NUMBERS AND RELATES TO THE WIRING WITH THE MASS AIR FLOW CENSOR. I HAVE A 1999 HYUNDAI ELANTRA THAT IS HAVING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM BUT DOES NOT FIT WITHIN THE VIN RANGE SO THEY ARE NOT COVERING IT. I FEEL THIS CAMPAIGN SHOULD BE EXPANDED FURTHER TO COVER ALL OF THESE MODELS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10258099

75,000 miles · Dec 15, 2008
Engine And Engine Cooling

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE HESITATED. THE VEHICLE ALSO STALLED WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 50 MPH. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS 99V178000 (POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) AND 00V259001 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING), ALTHOUGH THE FAILU…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE HESITATED. THE VEHICLE ALSO STALLED WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 50 MPH. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS 99V178000 (POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) AND 00V259001 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING), ALTHOUGH THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 75,000.

NHTSA ODI #10251869

33,663 miles · Oct 28, 2008
Power Train

PURCHASED 1999 HYUNDAI ELANTRA IN APRIL OF 1999. ON 1/15/2001 VEHICLE DIED AND WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. TRANSMISSION REPLACED. MILEAGE AT THE TIME-33,663. ON APRIL 24, 2008, I WAS ADVISED BY MECHANIC THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING. VEHICLE DOES NOT PROPERLY SHIFT INTO GEAR. ENTIRE CAR SHAKES IF DRIVEN OVER 50 MPH. CAR…

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PURCHASED 1999 HYUNDAI ELANTRA IN APRIL OF 1999. ON 1/15/2001 VEHICLE DIED AND WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. TRANSMISSION REPLACED. MILEAGE AT THE TIME-33,663. ON APRIL 24, 2008, I WAS ADVISED BY MECHANIC THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING. VEHICLE DOES NOT PROPERLY SHIFT INTO GEAR. ENTIRE CAR SHAKES IF DRIVEN OVER 50 MPH. CAR SPEEDS UP WHEN ACCELERATOR PRESSED. WHEN I NOTICED THERE WAS A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL, IN REGARDS TO THE TRANSMISSION, I CONTACTED DEALER WHO REFUSED TO REPLACE PRESSURE CONTROL SOLENOID VALVE. WAS TOLD THAT THE RECALL DID NOT INVOLVE MY VIN. CONTACTED HYUNDAI CORPORATE OFFICE AND WAS TOLD THE SAME THING. VEHICLE NOW HAS 134,000 MILES ON IT. RECALL ID #99V178000. NEITHER DEALER NOR HYUNDAI WILL HONOR. THIS IS A DEFINITE SAFETY ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED IMMEDIATELY. NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN FILED REGARDING THE SAME ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10246945

55,000 miles · Sep 9, 2008
Power Train

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAILING AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ACCELERATING PROPERLY WHEN THE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. INSTEAD OF GAINING SPEED, THE VEHICLE HESITATED WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH. THROUGH ONLINE RESEARCH, HE DISCOVERED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 99V178000 (POWER TRA…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAILING AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ACCELERATING PROPERLY WHEN THE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. INSTEAD OF GAINING SPEED, THE VEHICLE HESITATED WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH. THROUGH ONLINE RESEARCH, HE DISCOVERED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 99V178000 (POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. HE WAS INFORMED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL; THEREFORE, THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 76,000.

NHTSA ODI #10241466

Official recalls

2

00V259001 · 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

Go deeper into Hyundai Elantra problems