Model year guide

1999 Hyundai Elantra

Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 1999 Hyundai Elantra is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 2 on record.

1999 Hyundai Elantra — representative photo
Representative photo

1999 Hyundai Elantra at a glance

Safety recalls2
Owner complaints148
Combined22–24 mpg

Included: that car's specs and build sheet, model-year recall campaigns and a fair price.

1999 Hyundai Elantra recalls 2

Electrical System:wiring NHTSA Campaign #00V259001 · manufacturer #039/040 · 11/09/2000

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.

Fix: DEALERS WILL RE-ROUTE THE MAF SENSOR CONNECTOR WIRING HARNESS.

Power Train:automatic Transmission NHTSA Campaign #99V178000 · manufacturer #033 · 07/07/1999

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.

Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PRESSURE CONTROL SOLENOID VALVE.

Source: U.S. NHTSA, checked 4 Nov 2026. A campaign covers the model year; to see whether a particular car still needs the repair, check its VIN on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer.

1999 Hyundai Elantra common problems

The most-reported problem areas across all 148 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.

Power Train
Drive through every gear: watch for slipping, hard or delayed shifts, and shudder. Check for transmission/driveline leaks and noises.
Engine And Engine Cooling
Check coolant level and color, look for leaks, and confirm the engine reaches normal temperature without overheating.
Air Bags
Confirm the airbag light turns on then off at startup — if it stays lit there's a fault (costly, and a safety risk). Check for signs of prior deployment.
Electrical System
Test every electrical feature: windows, locks, infotainment, charging and all lights. Watch for flickering, dead accessories or warning lights.
Service Brakes
Brakes should feel firm and quiet — no grinding, pulsing or pulling. Check for an ABS light and uneven pad/rotor wear.
Hydraulic
Have a trusted mechanic inspect this system as part of a pre-purchase inspection.

1999 Hyundai Elantra safety ratings

Side crash★★★★★
Side — front seat★★★★★
Side — rear seat★★★★★

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), tested as the 1999 Hyundai Elantra 4-DR.. Ratings can differ by body style and drivetrain.

1999 Hyundai Elantra MPG & running costs

Combined22–24 mpg
City20 mpg
Highway29 mpg
Est. annual fuel cost$2,925
EPA size classCompact Cars
TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd or Manual 5-spd
Passenger volume93 cu ft
Cargo volume12 cu ft
5-yr fuel cost vs average new car$2,625 more

Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov. The EPA lists 2 versions of this model year; combined is shown as a range and the other figures are averages.

Estimated 5-year cost to own

A rough guide to what running a 1999 Hyundai Elantra costs over five years and 75,000 miles.

Fuel (5 yrs)$14,625
Fuel only$14,625
Per mile$0.20

How this is estimated: fuel is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. There aren't enough comparable listings to estimate depreciation for this model, so it is left out. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.

Dimensions & weight

Length
175.2–175.6 in
Width
66.9 in
Height
55.1–57.5 in
Wheelbase
100.4 in
Curb weight
2,553–2,747 lb
Front track
57.9 in
Rear track
57.1 in

Manufacturer-reported figures for the 1999 Hyundai Elantra — ranges cover the 4 body / drivetrain versions on record. Source: Transport Canada vehicle specifications via NHTSA.

Investigations & service bulletins

Manufacturer service bulletins 67

Technical notes the manufacturer sent to dealers about known issues and fixes. Useful to mention to a mechanic — they are not recalls and repairs may not be covered. Showing the 10 most recent of 67.

This bulletin provides important checkpoint guidelines when performing engine oil and filter change services.

Bulletin 23-EM-005H · Engine And Engine Cooling · Oct 2023

Hyundai applies a Paint Protection Film (PPF) on new vehicles before delivery to dealerships. It provides a barrier between the paint and contaminants, such as rail dust, acid rain, and industrial fallout. In rare cases, the paint can become clouded under the…

Bulletin 23-BD-007H · Structure · Apr 2023

This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the headlamp, rear combination lamp, daytime running lamp (DRL), or fog lamp. This TSB illustrates the various causes of condensation inside the lamp assembly. Lam…

Bulletin 23-BD-002H · Visibility · Jan 2023

Follow the guidelines outlined in this bulletin to inspect and clean or replace certain components of the engine intake system accordingly during engine short block or sub-assembly replacement.

Bulletin 22-EM-010H · Engine And Engine Cooling · Jul 2022

Effective June 2, 2008, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 110 (FMVSS 110) established a threshold for correcting load carrying capacity information indicated on tire placards when vehicle weight has been increased before retail sale. This limit is the less…

Bulletin 22-GI-006H · Tires · Jul 2022

Hyundai approves only the ATF, DCT gear oil and IVT gear oil specified in the vehicle’s owner’s manual.  Use of other ATF may result in improper shift quality or other drivability conditions.  Use of other DCT and IVT gear oil may result…

Bulletin 21-AT-006H · Power Train · May 2021

This bulletin provides the service procedure for engine connecting rod bearing clearance testing. Perform the procedure outlined in this bulletin to fulfill the Bearing Clearance Test inspection requirements to determine next required steps.

Bulletin 21-EM-004H · Engine And Engine Cooling, Equipment · Mar 2021

This bulletin provides best practice recommendations when performing brake service procedures.

Bulletin 21-BR-002H · Service Brakes, Equipment, Equipment Adaptive/mobility · Mar 2021

This bulletin provides the inspection procedure and repair guidelines for certain vehicles listed below.

Bulletin 21-EM-003H · Engine And Engine Cooling, Equipment · Mar 2021

This bulletin describes the procedure to inspect and identify fluid which may appear around the brake caliper area.

Bulletin 20-BR-002H · Service Brakes · Nov 2020

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, listed for the ELANTRA. Model-year data, not specific to one car.

Canadian recalls 2

Transport Canada recall campaigns for the 1999 Hyundai Elantra. Relevant if the car was first sold in, or imported from, Canada.

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 result of engine vibration transmitted to the MAF Sensor connector wiring harness. Intermittent low speed engine stalling may result in a vehicle crash. Correction: Dealers will replace the MAF Sensor connector and a port…

Transport Canada #2000236 · Oct 2000

Powertrain

On certain vehicles, the pressure control solenoid valve seals in the automatic transmission are not sufficiently elastic. This could result in automatic transmission fluid leakage at the pressure control solenoid valve interface to the valve body. This fluid leakage results in reduced pressure application to the internal transmission friction elements, which allows them to sli…

Transport Canada #1999140 · Jul 1999

Source: Transport Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Recalls Database.

About the Hyundai Elantra

The Hyundai Elantra, also known as the Hyundai Avante, is a series of compact cars produced by the South Korean manufacturer Hyundai since 1990.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Describes the model line in general, not this model year specifically.

1999 Hyundai Elantra vehicles on record

Other Hyundai Elantra model years

1999 Hyundai Elantra — frequently asked questions

Does the 1999 Hyundai Elantra have any safety recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 1999 Hyundai Elantra. Whether an individual car still needs a recall repair depends on its VIN — check it on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer. Recall repairs are done at no charge.

What are the most common problems with the 1999 Hyundai Elantra?

Across all 148 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas are power train, engine and engine cooling, air bags.

What is the 1999 Hyundai Elantra safety rating?

NHTSA gives the 1999 Hyundai Elantra crash-test ratings of side 3★ (out of 5; this model year pre-dates NHTSA's overall score).

What gas mileage does the 1999 Hyundai Elantra get?

The 1999 Hyundai Elantra has U.S. EPA estimates of 22–24 mpg combined, depending on engine and trim (2 versions).

Sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, crash tests), U.S. EPA (fuel economy). Vehicle data only — CarLogs never shows owner information.