1999 Hyundai Sonata problems
Owners have filed 187 complaints with NHTSA about the 1999 Hyundai Sonata. Body & structure is the most reported problem area, at 20% of complaints. Next are air bags (17%) and engine (12%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 187 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Body & structure 20% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 25 and 4
- Injuries and deaths
- 34 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 95,000 miles 98 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 1 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 2 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 21 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 14 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 19 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 10 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 13 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 8 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 3 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 5 |
| 200k+ miles | 2 |
What the data shows
Of the 98 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 95,000 miles. For body & structure specifically, the median reported mileage is about 105,000 miles (33 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 25 complaints mention a crash; 4 complaints mention a fire; 34 injuries reported. Its complaints are more severe on average than those of 86% of model years in our database.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 1999 ranks 23rd most-complained-about out of 34 model years of the Hyundai Sonata with enough data (88 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 4 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Dt: consumer was involved in an accident while traveling on highway at 55 MPH. Another vehicle pulled out in front of consumer's vehicle and it struck the right side of other vehicle. Upon impact, the airbags did not deploy. Consumer has not had any work done to the airbags or any other problems with the airbags. The vehicle has been taken to dealer for recall repairs.
Dt: consumer took vehicle for service to dealer. The airbag light was on. Took vehicle to the dealer 3 times for the airbag light. Each time it went to the dealer the airbag light would be off when consumer picked up the vehicle. Light would come back on after a couple of months. Last time vehicle was taken to the dealer with airbag light on dealer said that there was something loose under the seat. On july 25, 2005 consumer's wife was in an accident while driving 20 MPH, and the airbags did not deploy.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 hyundai sonata. The contact received repairs under NHTSA campaign id number: 09v124000 (suspension). The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic because the motor was excessively loud after the recall repair. In addition, the contact stated the vehicle would sway back and forth, the motor would jump abnormally and the steering would intermittently become hard. The contact was advised by the mechanic that the motor mounts were loose and to take the vehicle back to the dealer for repairs.
Hi, I bought my 1999 hyundai sonata from a private person nov.2007. I was driving the car to the store when all of a sudden the right front wheel went back into the wheel well. I had it towed to a garage to lift it to see what happened. The engine cradle was so rotted that my half shaft pulled out and broke. The control arm completely rotted off the cradle. This is what I can plainly see as a safety hazard. I could have had a wreck had I been going any faster.
After removing the drivers front wheel I noticed the control arm attachment point severely rusted, & the sub frame cracked ready to break. I know about the recall. Unfortunately nebraska along with other states were not included. This car was well maintained by the original owner, & driven very little in salt/ snow conditions. She purchased @ approx. 80 years of age. NHTSA should take a look at this again.