1999 Hyundai Elantra Problems, Recalls & Reliability
183 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 1999 Hyundai Elantra, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 12/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Transmission & drivetrain leads the reports, typically around 86,100 miles.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 1999 Hyundai Elantra has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 1999 sits among all Elantra years
What owners report
“Upon accelerating, consumer states the vehicle speed stays at 30 mph no matter how far you press the gas pedal. Took to dealer and they replaced the transmission. Please provide any further information. Ts”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 Elantra
“Consumer took the vehicle to the dealer to have recall repair 00v-259 performed on 11/22/00 which was supposed take a half day to complete, the mechanic resigned that day and the vehicle was not aurhorized to be picked up until dec. 6, the consumer picked up the vehicle because she felt she was…”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 Elantra
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 59 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 94,500 miles. Half of those reports fall between 61,000 and 128,900 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (2)
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…
Fix: DEALERS WILL RE-ROUTE THE MAF SENSOR CONNECTOR WIRING HARNESS.
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…
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PRESSURE CONTROL SOLENOID VALVE.
Technical service bulletins
61 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on transmission & drivetrain and engine — are on file for the 1999 Hyundai Elantra. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 1999 Elantra TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 1999 Hyundai Elantra reliable?
The 1999 Hyundai Elantra drew 183 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 12/100, scored against the model's worst year (2013).
What are the most common 1999 Hyundai Elantra problems?
The top reported problems for the 1999 Hyundai Elantra are transmission & drivetrain (45 complaints), engine (28), and electrical (25).
At what mileage do 1999 Hyundai Elantra problems show up?
Owners most often report 1999 Hyundai Elantra problems around 94,500 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 61,000 and 128,900 miles.
Does the 1999 Hyundai Elantra have recalls?
2 recall campaigns apply to the 1999 Hyundai Elantra. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.