Problems · NHTSA complaints

1999 Hyundai Elantra problems

Owners filed 133 complaints about the 1999 Hyundai Elantra with NHTSA between Jul 1999 and May 2018. The most-cited component is power train (40).

Complaints
133
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
23
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
25
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Power train40
  2. Engine and engine cooling24
  3. Air bags21
  4. Electrical system17
  5. Equipment8
  6. Service brakes, hydraulic8
  7. Vehicle speed control7
  8. Visibility7
  9. Seat belts7
  10. Structure5
  11. Exterior lighting5
  12. Fuel system, gasoline4
  13. Steering2
  14. Engine2

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 6, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
199920
200018
200119
200220
20039
200412
20055
20062
20078
20083
20092
20102
20110
20123
20130
20141
20153
20164
20171
20181

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Power train

40 reports1 crash1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED, THE GEAR SHIFTER SEIZED AND THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE SHIFTED INTO GEAR. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AGAIN WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SOLENOID ASSEMBLY FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE TRANSMISSION FAILED COMPLETELY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. THE GEAR SHIFTER SEIZED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED TO PUT A PENCIL INTO THE SHIFT LEVER RELEASE TO RELEASE THE GEAR SHIFTER, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL MORE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE CONTACT SHOULD HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AND THEN SEEK REIMBURSEMENT. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 99V178000 (POWER TRAIN). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 22, 2017Power trainODI 10990986

Engine and engine cooling

24 reports1 crash1 fire
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 26, 2010Engine and engine cooling, Electrical systemODI 10327497

Air bags

21 reports19 crashes1 fire
“I HAVE A 99 HYUNDAI ELANTRA 4 DOOR. LAST WEEK THE STEERING COLUMN CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE IT WAS BEING DRIVEN. MORE SPECIFICALLY, I WAS AT THE TIME IN THE HARDEE'S DRIVE THRU WHEN THE SMOKE AND FLAMES STARTED. I WAS ABLE TO GET MY CAR TO ROLL OUT OF THE DRIVE THRU AND INTO THE PARKING LOT. I HAVE SPOKEN TO A FEW MECHANICS WHO SAY THAT IT SEEMS LIKE IT WAS A SHORT IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IN THE STEERING WHEEL. IT MELTED ALL OF THE STEERING COLUMN, DASH, CRACKED THE WINDSHIELD WITH THE HEAT, AND OTHER FIRE DAMAGE. THE CAR IS NOW TOTALED AND UNDRIVEABLE. I AM A SINGLE MOTHER OF 2 KIDS AND THIS WAS MY ONLY MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION. ALSO ABOUT A YEAR AGO, I WAS IN A HEAD ON COLLISION THAT WAS NOT MY FAULT, AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IN THE STEERING WHEEL. I HAD CONTACTED HYUNDAI AFTERWARDS, BUT THEY SAID THAT THE CAR WAS FINE AND NOT TO WORRY. I HAVE NO WAY TO SCAN MY DOCUMENTS, BUT I HAVE A POLICE REPORT AS WELL AS SEVERAL EMAILS FROM HYUNDAI FROM LAST YEAR, AS WELL AS PICTURES OF THE DAMAGE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 4, 2016Steering, Electrical system, Air bagsFire reportedODI 10913774

Electrical system

17 reports1 fire1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE JERKED, LUNGED, AND LOST POWER. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THE ISSUE AS AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE MAF SENSOR CONNECTOR NEEDED TO BE RE-ROUTED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 00V259001 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM), BUT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 91,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 6, 2016Electrical systemODI 10930144

Equipment

8 reports
“SUNDAY SEPT 11, 2005- MY CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE ON I-285 WEST BOUND I HAD TO COAST OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AMIDST SUNDAY TRAFFIC,THEY CONFIRMED THAT MY TIMING BELT HAD POPPED CAR TOWED TO MIDAS GAVE ME A TSB REPORT STATING THAT THE TIMING BELT COVERED HAD CRACKED AND THAT IS WHAT MADE THE TIMING BELT POP, WHICH IN TURN IS A MANUFACTURING. I CALLED THE CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND LEFT A COMPLAINT WITH MATT-FILE: 939520 HE SAID I NEEDED TO HAVE A HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP LOOK AT THE CAR TO MAKE SURE IN FACT THIS IS THE PROBLEM, BC I HAVE OVER 147,000 MILES ON THE CAR AND IT IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. JIM ELLIS HYUNDAI LOOKED AT MY CAR IN SERVICE AND DID A DIAGNOSTIC TEST,STATED THAT THE MAINTENANCE ON THE UPPER AND LOWER COVER IS WHAT CAUSED THE TIMING BELT TO BREAK. THEY COULD FIX THE TIMING BELT AND THE UPPER AND LOWER COVER AND THE CRANKSHAFT SEAL -WHICH IS LEAKING. JIM CALLS ME BACK AND STATES THAT THE ENGINE IS GONE AND WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE FOR THE CAR TO WORK AGAIN. HE SAID THAT MIDAS MUST HAVE BEEN TRYING TO START THE CAR WITH A NEW TIMING BELT WHICH LOCKED THE ENGINE UP, I TOLD HIM THAT MIDAS JUST CHECKED THE CAR AND NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 15, 2005Engine and engine cooling, EquipmentODI 10136630

Service brakes, hydraulic

8 reports
“AT 23,000 MILES A/C BURNED OUT, REPLACED AUTO TRANSMISSION, SPARK PLUG WIRING AND MANY LEAKS. FRONT END VIBRATING, TIRES AND BRAKE LINING FAILED. *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE BRAKE SHOES FOR THE FRONT AND BACK DO NOT MATCH. *TC”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 22, 2004Service brakes, hydraulic, Electrical systemODI 10103169
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 6, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.