1999 Hyundai SONATA GLS: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
46 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
110,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1999 model year. Data snapshot: . 41 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Structure:Frame And Members is the most frequently named component, appearing in 28 of 46 complaints (60.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 7 | 15.2% |
| Braking behavior | 4 | 8.7% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 4.3% |
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 2.2% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Structure:Frame And Members | 28 |
| Suspension | 6 |
| Suspension:Front | 6 |
| Structure | 5 |
| Air Bags | 4 |
| Air Bags:Side/Window | 2 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 2 |
| Power Train:Driveline | 2 |
Structure:Frame And Members: 28; Suspension: 6; Suspension:Front: 6; Structure: 5; Air Bags: 4; Air Bags:Side/Window: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 2; Power Train:Driveline: 2
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 3 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 12 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 19 |
| 150,000 and above | 6 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 3; 75,000 to 99,999: 12; 100,000 to 149,999: 19; 150,000 and above: 6
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (19). 5 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 2 |
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 7 |
| 2008 | 20 |
| 2009 | 7 |
| 2010 | 3 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2015 | 1 |
2003: 2; 2004: 1; 2005: 1; 2006: 2; 2007: 7; 2008: 20; 2009: 7; 2010: 3; 2011: 1; 2013: 1; 2015: 1
Pattern summary
Structure:Frame And Members leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 7 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 4 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 2 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10016967 · 2003-05-03 (May 3, 2003)
PURCHASED CAR AUGUST 16TH 2001 SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE ABOUT 3 MONTHS LATER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON SO I TOOK IT BACK TO THE PLACE OF WHICH I PURCHASED IT WYATT JOHNSON HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP IN CLARKSVILLE TN . AT THAT TIME THE O2 SENSOR HAD WENT BAD SO THAT WAS REPLACED AND WE WERE ALSO ADVISED THAT IT WAS WAY PAST DUE ON TRANSMISSION FLUID WHICH WAS THEIR FAULT SO THEY REPLACED THAT AS WELL. A FEW MONTHS WENT BY AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN. THESE WERE ONCE REPLACED AGAIN ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE CAR. ALSO ABOUT 4 TO 5 MONTHS LATER…
Owner-reported narrative. 34,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10016967 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10023368 · 2003-06-19 (June 19, 2003)
MANY PREVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRBAG IN MY 1999 HYUNDAI, SONATA. MY AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY IN A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT. THE CAR WAS TOTAL JUNE 1, 2003. *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10023368 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10075241 · 2004-06-11 (June 11, 2004)
I HAVE A 1999 HYUNDA SONATA. I HAVE HAD MANY PROBLEM WITH MY WIRING ON MY DOORS AND ALSO WITH THE AIR BAG LIGHT. I DID GET A RECALL FOR THE AIR BAG LIGHT AND BROUGHT THE CAR IN. THEY FIXED IT, BUT THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON WITH IN A FEW WEEKS. I CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY WOULD NOT FIX IT AGAIN WITHOUT CHARGING ME. I STILL HAVE THE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND WOULD LIKE IT FIXED, BUT DON'T FEEL I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. I HAVE RECEIVED SEVERAL DIFFERENT RESPONSES FROM THE PEOPLE AT HYUNDAI. SOME OF THE PEOPLE SAY THAT MY AIR BAGS WILL STILL WO…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10075241 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10114113 · 2005-03-15 (March 15, 2005)
THE ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUES TO GO ON WHENEVER I CHANGE GAS STATIONS, OR LEVEL OF OCTANE WHEN I PUT GAS IN MY CAR. THIS WILL ALSO CAUSE THE CAR NOT TO START OCCASSIONALLY AND EMIT BLACK SMOKE FROM THE EXHAUST BEFORE STARTING AGAIN. I BROUGHT IT TO THE ORIGINAL DEALER (MILFORD, CT) NUMEROUS TIMES WHERE THEY JUST RESET IT BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT LOCATE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE SINCE MOVED AND BROUGHT IT TO THE NEW LOCAL DEALER (GREENSBORO, NC) WHO ALSO RESET IT AND SUGGESTED I REPLACE TWO EXHAUST SYSTEM PARTS BECAUSE THEY "THINK" THAT'S WHAT THE PROBLEM…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10114113 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10161529 · 2006-07-05 (July 5, 2006)
I RECEIVED A RECALL ON MY 1999 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON. I BROUGHT THE CAR INTO THE DEALER ON AUGUST 02 2002. THEY INSTALLED A SIDE AIR BAG WIRING HARNESS. LATER THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK IN APRIL 13 2004, THEY RESET THE CODES, TURNED THE AIR BAG LIGHT OFF AND ADVISED ME NOT TO PUT ANYTHING UNDER THE SEATS. ON 6/14/2004 THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. I CALLED THE OFFICE AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY COULD LOOK AT IT BUT IT IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND NOT UNDER THE RECALL. THEY TOLD ME THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY T…
Owner-reported narrative. 76,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10161529 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10165528 · 2006-08-15 (August 15, 2006)
MY SON WAS DRIVING HOME FROM THE LOCAL PIZZA SHOP WHEN HE NOTICED THE CAR WAS MAKING A STRANGE NOISE. HE ASKED ME TO LOOK AT IT, SO, I TOOK IT FOR A SHORT RIDE AROUND THE BLOCK. I WAS HALFWAY AROUND THE BLOCK, MOVING AT A SPEED UNDER 5 MPH, WHEN A LOUD GRINDING AND POUNDING NOISE OCCURRED. SOMETHING SERIOUS ENOUGH TO DISABLE THE VEHICLE HAD HAPPENED. I GOT OUT AND SAW THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WAS POINTED OUTWARD, AND HAD SETTLED BACK AGAINST THE WHEEL WELL. THANK GOD HE WASN'T ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THIS OCCURRED. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE LOCAL SERVICE …
Owner-reported narrative. 105,340 miles reported. Look up ODI 10165528 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10183163 · 2007-02-21 (February 21, 2007)
FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL WOBBLE. EVENTUALLY GREW TO CAUSE VEHICLE TO SWERVE BADLY. TOOK IT TO OUR MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE SUB-FRAME WAS RUSTED THROUGH. REPLACED THE SUB-FRAME WITH NEW. OLD HAD ONLY TWO HOLES TO ALLOW WATER TO DRAIN OUT, WHEREAS NEW HAD EIGHT DRAIN HOLES AND WAS TWICE THE WEIGHT OF THE ORIGINAL. NEITHER THE MECHANIC NOR ALIGNMENT TECH COULD BELIEVE THAT A VEHICLE WITH NO SIGN OF RUST ANYWHERE, WOULD HAVE THIS PROBLEM. WE SPENT APPROXIMATELY 1,700.00 FOR THE REPAIR. I DO NOT HAVE THE OLD PART, BUT DID…
Owner-reported narrative. 131,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10183163 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10184679 · 2007-03-09 (March 9, 2007)
HYUNDAI SONATA GLS ENGINE CRADLE RUST ONE SIDE. TIRE DEALER FOUND AND DECLARED CAR UNSAFE TO DRIVE. 1999 V6 89500 MILES - NEVER WRECKED OR OFF ROAD - DRIVER SIDE LOOKS CLEAN PASSENGER SIDE HAS A LARGE HOLE IN IT. 861968 HYUNDAI COMPLAINT #861968 *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 89,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10184679 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.