Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1999 Hyundai Elantra, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Power train41
- Engine and engine cooling22
- Air bags20
- Electrical system18
- Service brakes, hydraulic9
- Visibility7
- Seat belts7
- Equipment7
- Vehicle speed control6
- Structure6
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 24 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 4 1999 Elantra vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 3 people died inside them. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1999 Hyundai Elantra failed the safety check 2.33% of the time — 33% more often than the average 1999 passenger car (1.76%). Median odometer at inspection: 92,917 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 4 variants: combined 9.7–10.8 L/100 km (about 22–24 mpg US), CO₂ 223–248 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elantra · Compact · Regular gasoline | 11.3 | 7.8 | 9.7 |
| Elantra Wagon · Station wagon: Small · Regular gasoline | 11.4 | 8.0 | 9.9 |
| Elantra · Compact · Regular gasoline | 12.2 | 8.5 | 10.5 |
| Elantra Wagon · Station wagon: Small · Regular gasoline | 12.6 | 8.7 | 10.8 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
2 Transport Canada recalls for the 1999 Hyundai Elantra.
| 2000236 23 Oct 2000 | Engine Certain vehicles may experience intermittent low speed engine stalling. This may occur if the Mass Air Flow (MAF) Sensor electrical signal is interrupted as a r… |
| 1999140 27 Jul 1999 | Powertrain On certain vehicles, the pressure control solenoid valve seals in the automatic transmission are not sufficiently elastic. This could result in automatic transm… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
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.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Hyundai told its dealers about the 1999 Hyundai Elantra: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 633884 | SUBJECT REGARDING DIAGNOSTIC GUIDE FOR CLIFFORD AND DEI SECURITY SYSTEM. *JG |
| 633870 | AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE PULSE GENERATOR DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES P0717 AND P0722 - REVISED. *JG |
| 633851 | SUBJECT REGARDING AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE OIL LEAKING FROM OIL PAN GASKET. *JG |
| 631420 | SUBJECT REGARDING AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES LIST. *YH |
| 631408 | SUBJECT ON AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE HARSH OR DELAYED PARK REVERSE OR PARK DRIVE ENGAGEMENT. *YH |
| 628959 | SUBJECT REGARDING FRONT BRAKE CALIPER RATTLE NOISE REPAIR KIT. *TT |
| 618341 | SUBJECT REGARDING CAMPAIGN 040 - MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR CONNECTION RECALL CAMPAIGN. *TT |
| 618340 | SUBJECT REGARDING A VOLUNTARY CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION (MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR CONNECTION RECALL CAMPAIGN) ON CERTAIN VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN JUNE 1, 1999 AND JUNE 16, 2000. *TT |
| 618336 | SUBJECT REGARDING MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR CONNECTOR REPLACEMENT CAMPAIGN. *TT |
| 618331 | SUBJECT REGARDING TRANSAXLE DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES. *TT |
| 618056 | INFORMATION ON PERFORMING A TEST DRIVE FOR TRANSAXLE SHIFT QUALITY. *TT |
| 614058 | SUBJECT REGARDING THE AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE TESTER I DESIGNED TO TROUBLESHOOT THE NEW GENERATION TRANSAXLE FOR ALL 2000 MODELS. *TT |
| 614057 | SUBJECT REGARDING AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLES - NOT INTERCHANGEABLE. *TT |
| 613468 | SOME TRANSAXLES PRODUCED PRIOR TO 05/15/99 MAY EXPERIENCE AN OIL LEAK IN THE BELLHOUSING BEHIND THE TORQUE CONVERTER. *TT |
| 6089279 | THIS BULLETIN PROVIDES FUEL PUMP CHECK CONNECTOR LOCATIONS FOR VARIOUS VEHICLES. *TT |
| 6089276 | SUBJECT REGARDING AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE MODIFICATIONS. *TT |
| 6089275 | SUBJECT REGARDING AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLES - NOT INTERCHANGEABLE. *TT |
| 6089257 | SOME VEHICLES WITH FEDERAL SPECIFICATION EMISSION SYSTEMS AND ON SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT AN EXHAUST DRONE OR EXHIBIT A BUZZING NOISE AT IDLE OR AT ENGINE SPEEDS UP TO 2500 RPM. *TT |
| 608143 | SOME VEHICLES EQUPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLES MAY SLIP DURING DOWNSHIFT FROM 4TH - 2ND GEAR, SLIP DURING AN UPSHIFT FROM 2ND - 3RD OR 3RD - 4TH GEAR, SLIP WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP AND SLIP CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO NOT ACCELERATE OR NOT MOVE. *TT |
| 607530 | INFORMATION REGARDING 1998 - 1999 AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLES - NOT INTERCHANGEABLE. *TT |
| 607525 | INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE IDLE POSITION SWITCH ON ATM EQUIPPED VEHICLES. *TT |
| 607524 | SUBJECT REGARDING CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR REPLACEMENT PROCEDURE. *TT |
| 605841 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE AN OIL LEAK BEHIND THE TORQUE CONVERTER. *TT |
| 605024 | THIS TSB PROVIDES DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES, A WIRING SCHEMATIC WHICH INCLUDES THE PRETENSIONER CIRCUITS AND A COMPONENT LOCATION INDEX FOR VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN AIR BAG SYSTEM (SRS) AND SEAT BELT PRETENSIONERS. *TT |
| 605010 | SUBJECT REGARDING AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P1613/1614. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)