Your vehicle report
1999 Hyundai Elantra
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 128
- Received Jul 1999 to May 2018
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Airbags fail to deploy in crashes16 complaints · 13% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips16 complaints · 13% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Engine suddenly shuts off while driving8 complaints · 6.3% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #00V259001Vehicle 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.
- Recall #99V178000Vehicle 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.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 22 crashes, 2 fires, 24 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 8 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Electrical & lights
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Body, doors & glass
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 20 |
| 2000 | 16 |
| 2001 | 18 |
| 2002 | 20 |
| 2003 | 9 |
| 2004 | 12 |
| 2005 | 5 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 6 |
| 2008 | 3 |
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 3 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 3 |
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 128 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 16 | 13% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 16 | 13% | – | NHTSA recall #99V178000 |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 8 | 6.3% | – | NHTSA recall #00V259001 |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 8 | 6.3% | – | NHTSA recall #99V178000 |
| Engine stalls and loses power while driving | 5 | 3.9% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 5 | 3.9% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 4 | 3.1% | – | |
| Air conditioner blows hot air or fails | 4 | 3.1% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #00V259001September 11, 2000165,977 vehicles affected
electrical system: wiring
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.
This condition Can cause the engine to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will re-route the maf sensor connector wiring harness.
NHTSA recall #99V178000July 7, 199911,530 vehicles affected
power train: automatic transmission
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.
Such slippage Can cause premature deterioration of the friction element surfaces and could cause the vehicle not to accelerate, or not accelerate as expected, when the driver presses the accelerator pedal.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the pressure control solenoid valve.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1999 Hyundai Elantra.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN