Problems · NHTSA complaints
1999 Hyundai Tiburon problems
Owners filed 26 complaints about the 1999 Hyundai Tiburon with NHTSA between Jul 1999 and May 2011. The most-cited component is electrical system (7).
Complaints
26
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
5
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
4
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Electrical system7
- Power train6
- Seat belts6
- Vehicle speed control4
- Air bags4
- Equipment3
- Engine and engine cooling2
- Fuel system, gasoline2
- Service brakes, hydraulic2
- Visibility2
- Latches/locks/linkages1
- Steering1
- Tires1
- Other / unknown1
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 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
2
5
6
3
1
4
0
1
0
1
1
1
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 2 |
| 2000 | 5 |
| 2001 | 6 |
| 2002 | 3 |
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2004 | 4 |
| 2005 | 0 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 0 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 1 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Electrical system
7 reports
“1999 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”
Power train
6 reports1 related recall
“THIS COMPLAINT IS RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID 99V178000 FOR A HYUNDAI TIBURON 1999. THE CAR IS EXPERIENCING THE CONSEQUENCES DETAILED IN THE CAMPAIGN. I CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, THEY ARE SAYING THAT THE CAMPAIGN DOES NOT APPLY TO MY VEHICLE VIN#. I DON'T AGREE WITH THIS BASED ON THE DESCRIPTION OF THE ISSUES THE VEHICLE HAS RELATED TO ACCELERATION AND THE FACT THAT MY CAR FITS THE MODEL, YEAR AND MAKE OF THE RECALL CAMPAIGN.”
Seat belts
6 reports1 related recall
“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED A NHTSA # 01V345000 RECALL CONCERNING THE SEAT BELT WEBBING, WAS RECEIVED IN 2001. THE SEAT BELTS WERE REPAIRED BY THE DEALER. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN, THE WEBBING DOES NOT RETRACT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, BUT NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. UPDATED 3/9/2006 - *NM”
Vehicle speed control
4 reports
“VEHICLE LOSES POWER ON ACCELERATION SPORADICALLY. WHEN CAR STOPPED AND IDLE, ENGINE RPM INCREASES DRAMATICALLY TRYING TO OVERRIDE BRAKES. *TR”
Air bags
4 reports4 crashes
“VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH. CONSUMER HIT VEHICLE THAT TURNED IN FRONT OF CONSUMER'S VEHICLE AT ABOUT 35 MPH. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES. *AK”
Equipment
3 reports1 related recall
“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”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.