Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1999 Hyundai Sonata, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Structure36
- Air bags31
- Engine and engine cooling23
- Suspension17
- Power train14
- Electrical system11
- Steering6
- Service brakes, hydraulic6
- Seat belts6
- Tires6
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 23 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1999 Hyundai Sonata failed the safety check 1.64% of the time — 7% less often than the average 1999 passenger car (1.76%). Median odometer at inspection: 105,106 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the United Kingdom
0 cars built in 1999 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 27 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
In New Zealand
30 1999 cars are on the New Zealand register; 3% arrived as used imports, 93% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 4 variants: combined 10.7–11.4 L/100 km (about 21–22 mpg US), CO₂ 246–262 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sonata 2.4L · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 12.5 | 8.6 | 10.7 |
| Sonata 2.4L · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 12.9 | 9.1 | 11.2 |
| Sonata 2.5L · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 13.0 | 9.0 | 11.2 |
| Sonata 2.5L · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 13.2 | 9.3 | 11.4 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
3 Transport Canada recalls for the 1999 Hyundai Sonata.
| 2009123 23 Apr 2009 | Structure On certain vehicles operated in areas of heavy road salt usage (Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland & Labrador),… |
| 2001275 16 Nov 2001 | Electrical Certain Sonata GLS vehicles. The SRS air bag warning light could illuminate. The intermittent condition that leads to SRS warning light illumination related wit… |
| 2000224 11 Oct 2000 | Engine Certain vehicles equipped with a 2.5 litre V6 engine may experience intermittent low speed stalling if the Mass Air FLow (MAF) Sensor id interrupted as a result… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
HYUNDAI IS RECALLING 188,282 MY 2001-2004 SONATA AND MY 2001-2004 XG300 AND XG350 VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. ROAD SALT APPLIED IN THESE JURISDICTIONS DURING THE WINTER MONTHS MAY RESULT IN PROGRESSIVE, INTERNAL CORROSION OF THE FRONT SUB-FRAME ON THE VEHICLES, AND MAY RESULT IN THINNING OR PERFORATION OF THE SUB-FRAME STEEL. THE CORROSION IS FREQUENTLY VISIBLE AND OFTEN DISCOVERED DURING INSPECTION OR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, AND OWNERS MAY ALSO HEAR NOISES OR NOTICE TIRE MISALIGNMENT AND STEERING PULL. IF THESE SIGNALS ARE UNDETECTED OR UNHEEDED, THE CORROSION MAY PROGRESS AND THE FORWARD MOUNTING OF THE LOWER CONTROL ARM MAY DETACH FROM THE SUB-FRAME.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, AN INTERMITTENT CONDITION THAT LEADS TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS) AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATION COULD RESULT FROM MOTION OF THE SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG WIRING HARNESS AND SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR WHICH MOUNT TO THE ADJUSTABLE SEAT CUSHION ASSEMBLY. THIS CONDITION ONLY RELATES TO THE SIDE IMPACT AIR BAGS AND COULD PREVENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT DURING A CRASH WHERE SUCH DEPLOYMENT SHOULD OCCUR.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS) AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT COULD ILLUMINATE DUE TO MOTION OF THE SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG WIRING HARNESS AND SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR THAT MOUNT TO THE ADJUSTABLE SEAT CUSHION ASSEMBLY. THIS CONDITION ONLY RELATES TO THE DRIVER AND/OR PASSENGER SEAT-MOUNTED SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG(S).
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.
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 Sonata: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 637035 | SUBJECT REGARDING ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM (ETS) INITIALIZATION AND RADIO INTERFERENCE FIELD FIX. *TT |
| 635830 | A CONDITION MAY EXIST WHERE THE FRONT DOOR GLASS DOES NOT RAISE PROPERLY OR WILL NOT STAY FULLY CLOSED AND / OR DOES NOT LOWER PROPERLY. *TT |
| 633884 | SUBJECT REGARDING DIAGNOSTIC GUIDE FOR CLIFFORD AND DEI SECURITY SYSTEM. *JG |
| 633867 | SUBJECT REGARDING V6 NITROGEN OXIDE NOX DIAGNOSIS. *JG |
| 633814 | SUBJECT REGARDING SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG WIRE HARNESS ROUTING CAMPAIGN. *JG |
| 633803 | SUBJECT REGARDING SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG WIRE HARNESS ROUTING. *JG |
| 633785 | SUBJECT REGARDING AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE HARSH AND/OR DELAYED SHIFTS. *JG |
| 633770 | SUBJECT REGARDING ENGINE RPM FLUCTUATION - CRUISE CONTROL CABLE ADJUSTMENT PROCEDURE. *JG |
| 633759 | THIS BULLETIN INVOLVES INFORMATION RELATING TO A CHANGE IN THE REAR DRUM BRAKES TO REDUCE BRAKE SQUEAL/SQUEAK NOISE. *JG |
| 631997 | INFORMATION ON EXHAUST GAS RECIRCULATION. *SLC |
| 631486 | SUBJECT REGARDING AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE HARSH OR DELAYED PARK-REVERSE OR PARK-DRIVE ENGAGEMENT. *SLC |
| 631411 | INFORMATION REGARDING AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES LIST. *YH |
| 630852 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATION OR DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES P0133, P0134, P1134, P0153, P0154, OR P1154. *SLC |
| 629503 | VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE A HARSH OR DELAYED PARK-REVERSE OR PARK-DRIVE ENGAGEMENT IN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. *SLC |
| 627048 | SUBJECT REGARDING AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE OIL DRAIN PLUG. *YD |
| 626991 | INFORMATION REGARDING SHUDDER OR VIBRATION DESCRIPTION SLIGHTLY DURING MEDIUM TO FULL THROTTLE ACCELERATION. |
| 623003 | SUBJECT REGARDING FINAL DRIVE GEAR WHINE NOISE. *YH |
| 622971 | SUBJECT REGARDING SHUDDER OR VIBRATION DURING ACCELERATION. *YH |
| 622968 | SUBJECT ON REGARDING MANUAL TRANSAXLE SHIFT FEEL IMPROVEMENT. *YH |
| 622955 | INFORMATION REGARDING SHOP MANUAL CORRECTION FOR IDLE SPEED ACTUATOR RESISTANCE CHECK. *YH |
| 622750 | SUBJECT REGARDING ECM NON-INTERCHANGEABILITY. *YH |
| 622727 | SUBJECT REGARDING SHOP MANUAL CORRECTION FOR IDLE SPEED ACTUATOR RESISTANCE CHECK. *YH |
| 621626 | SUBJECT REGARDING SHOP MANUAL CORRECTION FOR IDLE SPEED ACTUATOR RESISTANCE CHECK. *YH |
| 618342 | SUBJECT REGARDING A VOLUNTARY CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION (MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR CONNECTION RECALL CAMPAIGN) ON CERTAIN VEHICLES WITH V-6 ENGINES, MANUFACTURED FROM START OF PRODUCTION THROUGH JULY 4, 2000, INCLUSIVE. *TT |
| 618339 | HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA IS CONDUCTING A VOLUNTARY CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION (SAFETY RECALL) ON CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.5L V-6 ENGINES PRODUCED FROM THE START OF PRODUCTION THROUGH JULY 4, 2000 INCLUSIVE, TO MAKE REPAIRS AFFECTING THE MAF SENSOR ELECTRICAL CONNECTION. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
FRONT SUB-FRAME CORROSION
FRONT SUB-FRAME CORROSION
IMPROPER FRONTAL AIR BAG PERFORMANCE
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation