Illustration1999 HYUNDAI TIBURON CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR IS FAULTY IN A LOT OF THESE CARS I KEEP HEARING ABOUT HOW A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM WITH THE TIBURON. *TR
1999 Hyundai Tiburon
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1999 Hyundai Tiburon do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 39.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Tiburon 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
Limited mileage data: 9 of 26 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
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.
- Electrical System. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
5 crash reports0 fire reports4 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
8 reportsFRONT TURN SIGNAL AND THE REAR RUNNING LIGHTS STOPPED WORKING. A DEALER EXAMINED THE VEHICLE, AND DETERMINED THAT THE UNDER DASH WIRING WAS DEFECTIVE. MANUFACTURER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK
WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE TRANSMISSION WOULD DOWN SHIFT FROM HIGH GEAR TO LOWER GEAR AND THEN LOCK UP. THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK FORWARD AND REMAIN IN THE LOWEST GEAR WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THE WHEEL WOULD LOCK UP JUST PRIOR TO BEING RELEASE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER WHO CHANGED THE SPEED SENSORS 3 MONTHS BEFORE TH…
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WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE TRANSMISSION WOULD DOWN SHIFT FROM HIGH GEAR TO LOWER GEAR AND THEN LOCK UP. THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK FORWARD AND REMAIN IN THE LOWEST GEAR WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THE WHEEL WOULD LOCK UP JUST PRIOR TO BEING RELEASE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER WHO CHANGED THE SPEED SENSORS 3 MONTHS BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. *NLM THE SPEED SENSOR WAS REPLACED 2 TIMES. THE PULSE GENERATOR WAS REPLACED A TOTAL OF 4 TIMES. THE THERMOSTAT HAS ALSO BEEN REPLACED. ALSO THERE WAS A TIRE LABEL REPLACEMENT. STOPPER AND ELR SEAT BELT WAS INSTALLED. BLADE FUSE AND WIRE REPAIRS. HOOD LATCH CLEANED. DEALERSHIP MOST RECENTLY FOUND THE TRANSMISSION HAD INTERNAL PROBLEMS AND REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AND FLUSHED THE COOLER LINES. *TT
THE PULSE GENERATOR HAS FAILED 4 TIMES NOW AND THE DEALER CANNOT SEEM TO FIX. THE CAR AT TIMES WILL NOT ACCELERATE PAST 20 MPH AND AT OTHER TIMES WILL ACCELERATE TO HIGHER SPEEDS WITHOUT SHIFTING. WHEN THE CAR WILL NOT ACCELERATE PAST 20 MPH IT BECOMES DANGEROUS ON A HIGHWAY OR IF PULLING INTO TRAFFIC. MR
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE PULSE GENERATOR FAILS, CAUSING TRANSMISSION TO DOWNSHIFT SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING, THIS CAN CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL, ALSO A HAZARD ON THE HIGHWAY AS THE CAR SLOWS QUICKLY WITH NO WARNING TO ANY DRIVER THAT MAY BE FOLLOWING BEHIND. *TT
HAD CD PLAYER REPLACED, COMPUTER FAILURE AFTER THAT WHERE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, THEY REPLACED IT - THE THE BATTERY DIED FOR NO REASON, THEY REPLACED THAT, NOW MY CAR IS SHIFTING OUT OF CONTROL AND SURGES WHEN AT STOP LIGHT WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, WHILE DRIVING 60M MPH THE CAR SHIFTS INTO THE SAME GEAR CONTINU…
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HAD CD PLAYER REPLACED, COMPUTER FAILURE AFTER THAT WHERE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, THEY REPLACED IT - THE THE BATTERY DIED FOR NO REASON, THEY REPLACED THAT, NOW MY CAR IS SHIFTING OUT OF CONTROL AND SURGES WHEN AT STOP LIGHT WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, WHILE DRIVING 60M MPH THE CAR SHIFTS INTO THE SAME GEAR CONTINUOUSLY AND JOLTS THEN SLOWS - THEY CANT SEE A PROBLEM AND SAY THEY CANT HELP ME, WHEN THEY TEST DRIVE IT IT'S FINE - THE SECOND I TAKE IT HOME FROM THE DEALERSHIP IT STARTS UP - IT IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE BUT SINCE THEY CANT FIND THE PROBLEM FROM A TEST DRIVE AND COMPUTER TEST THEY DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO EXCEPT SEND ME HOME WITH A DANGEROUS CAR. *AK
UNKNOWN FAILURE, POSSIBLY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WHICH HAS CAUSED THE HEATER, AIR CONDITIONER, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, CRUISE CONTROL, INTERIOR LIGHTS(AIRBAG,RPM GAUGE, GAS GAUGE, SPEEDOMETER AND RADIO) TO FAIL. CONSUMER HAS PROVIDED LIMITED INFORMATION. *MJS
THE BATTERY FAILED MANY TIMES. NLM
Official recalls
301V345000 · Seat Belts:front:webbing
Nov 6, 2001
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELTS MAY NOT EXTEND AND RETRACT SMOOTHLY THROUGH THE D-RING GUIDES MOUNTED ON THE BODY PILLARS AFT OF THE DOORS. IF THE SEAT BELTS DO NOT EXTEND AND RETRACT SMOOTHLY, THEY MAY TWIST IN THE D-RING GUIDES AND MAKE IT INCONVENIENT TO EXTEND AND RETRACT THE SEAT BELTS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE SEAT BELTS ARE INCONVENIENT TO USE, THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE INCLINED TO WEAR THE SEAT BELTS PROPERLY, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A STOPPER OVER EACH FRONT SEAT BELT D-RING GUIDE TO ASSIST THE SEAT BELT TO SMOOTHLY EXTEND AND RETRACT. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN DECEMBER 10, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-633-5151.
99V198000 · Equipment:other:labels
Jul 26, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE TIRE PRESSURE PLACARD REQUIRED BY FMVSS NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS," WAS MISPRINTED. IT INCORRECTLY CONTAINS THE TIRE SIZES, SEATING CAPACITY, AND LUGGAGE CAPACITY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: EXCESSIVE LOADING CAN CAUSE TIRE AND VEHICLE DAMAGE THAT COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH A CORRECT TIRE PRESSURE PLACARD AND INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS.
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.