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1999 Hyundai Elantra

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1999 Elantra.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1999 Hyundai Elantra is a passenger car fitted with a 4-speed automatic transmission, an engine requiring 4.2 quarts of oil with recommended viscosities of 20W-40, 20W-50, or 10W-30 API, and EPA fuel economy ratings of 19 mpg city, 28 highway. This model year recorded 148 owner complaints, predominantly concerning the power train, and two recalls—a figure that sits well below the model’s peak of 1,325 complaints in 2013, marking it as a relatively trouble-free entry in the Elantra’s long production run from 1992 to 2026.

Model year2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 1999

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.2 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type20W-40 / 20W-50 / 10W-30 APIOEM · verified

Lug nut torque65-80 ft-lbsOEM · verified

EPA fuel economy19/28/22 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 124R · 550 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 124R · 550 CCAOEM · verified

Tail / brake / turnTAILOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	175.2 in
Overall width	66.9 in
Overall height	55.1 in
Wheelbase	100.4 in
Curb weight	2553 lb
Track (front / rear)	57.9 / 57.1 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	63/37

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	19 / 28 / 22 mpg
Drivetrain	Front-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume	93 cu ft
Cargo volume	12 cu ft
Recommended fuel	Regular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Elantra of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

7.9–10.2 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.90 sec — 2007 SE Sedan

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
2000	GLS Sedan 2.0L I-4	8.30 sec	16.60 sec	140 hp	FWD
2001	GLS Sedan 2.0L I-4	8.40 sec	16.50 sec	140 hp	FWD
2002	GT 5-door Hatchback 2.0L I-4	8.00 sec	16.30 sec	135 hp	FWD
2002	GLS Sedan 2.0L I-4	8.50 sec	16.70 sec	138 hp	FWD
2007	SE Sedan 2.0L I-4	7.90 sec	16.30 sec	138 hp	FWD
2007	SE Sedan 2.0L I-4	10.00 sec	17.50 sec	138 hp	FWD
2007	SE Sedan 2.0L I-4	10.20 sec	17.50 sec	138 hp	FWD
2009	Touring Wagon 2.0L I-4	8.10 sec	16.50 sec	138 hp	FWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.2 qt of 20W-40 / 20W-50 / 10W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 65-80 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 25.0-33.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	ABOVE 32 degrees F
Engine Oil Capacity	4.2 qt

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs	10-11 ft-lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings	37-39 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts	88-95 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	11-14 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	32-40 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	25.0-33.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs	9-11 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts	65-80 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub	148-192 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub	158 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order	1-3-4-2
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)	800 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)	100 rpm
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance	.45-.55 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance	10,300-13,900 ohms
Spark Plug Manufacturer	NGK
Spark Plug Gap	0.039-0.0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque	15.0-21.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	1.50-1.61 lbs
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Type	46
Oil Capacity	5.74-6.41 oz
Standard BCI Group Number	124R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	550 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test	20 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	12-16 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	191 °F
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (Without Vacuum)	37.0 psi
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)	43.3 psi
Injector Primary Resistance	13-16 @ 68 degreesF ohms
Engine Compression	213
Engine Oil Pressure	24.2 psi

Brakes

Brake Application	WITH REAR DISC
Torque to Knuckle	16-23 ft-lbs / 65-80 ft-lbs
Torque Caliper to Bracket	49-63 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness	Front: 0.079; Rear: 0.079 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness	0.039 in
Brake Application	WITH REAR DISC
Rotor Nominal Thickness From	0.394 in / 0.866 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To	0.394 in / 0.866 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

125-133 ft. lbs., step 2: 170-180

125–133 ft. lbs

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages

Prep M10 bolts

1	22 ft. lbs.	22 ft. lbs
2	60 degrees	60 degrees
3	60 degrees; M12 bolts	60 degrees
1	26 ft. lbs.	26 ft. lbs
2	60 degrees	60 degrees
3	60 degrees	60 degrees

Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages

35 ft. lbs. 60-65

35 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 30,000 mi.

Every 6,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 7,500 mi	Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 15,000 mi	Air Conditioning System (inspect) · Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect)
Every 30,000 mi	Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Power Steering System (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)
Every 52,500 mi	Fuel Filter (replace) · PCV Hose (inspect) · Vacuum Line (inspect)
Every 60,000 mi	Timing Belt (replace)
At 105,000 mi	Transmission Fluid & Filter (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 1999 Hyundai Elantra recorded 148 complaints, 2 recalls, 0 investigations, and 67 TSBs—a sharp reversal from 1998's lows of 60 complaints and zero recalls. Compared to the preceding period, this model year shows a complaint surge that begins an upward arc peaking in 2001–2002 (330 and 349 complaints, respectively), with recall frequency also tripling by 2001 to 6 and investigations emerging for the first time since 1997. Within the 1999 complaint portfolio, Power Train issues dominate at 36, followed by Air Bags at 17, Engine & Engine Cooling at 15, and Electrical System at 13; there were also 23 crash-related complaints and 2 fire complaints on record. The 67 TSBs issued for this year align with the elevated technical service activity that characterizes this generation's middle years. The 1999 Elantra thus falls at the early stage of a documented deterioration trend, not at a stable or improving point within its generation's lifecycle. **Takeaway:** The 1999 model year is situated at the onset of an escalating complaint and recall trajectory, with notable Power Train and Air Bag concerns—buyers should budget for potential传动系统 and safety-related repairs and verify that any open recalls have been completed.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

148

Owner complaints

23 involved a crash · 2 a fire

NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars

Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’92 ’93 ’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98’99’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’18 ’19 ’20 ’21 ’22 ’23 ’24 ’25 ’26

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 148 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Power Train36

Air Bags17

Engine & Engine Cooling15

Electrical System13

Vehicle Speed Control6

Equipment5

Seat Belts5

Service Brakes, Hydraulic5

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

00V259001Electrical System:WiringReported 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)… Remedy: DEALERS WILL RE-ROUTE THE MAF SENSOR CONNECTOR WIRING HARNESS.

99V178000Power Train:Automatic TransmissionReported 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… Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PRESSURE CONTROL SOLENOID VALVE.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 67 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
23-EM-005H	2023-10-13	Engine And Engine Cooling	This bulletin provides important checkpoint guidelines when performing engine oil and…
23-BD-007H	2023-04-24	Structure	Hyundai applies a Paint Protection Film (PPF) on new vehicles before delivery to…
23-BD-002H	2023-01-30	Visibility	This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated…
22-EM-010H	2022-07-28	Engine And Engine Cooling	Follow the guidelines outlined in this bulletin to inspect and clean or replace certain…
22-GI-006H	2022-07-14	Tires	Effective June 2, 2008, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 110 (FMVSS 110) established…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Elantra. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group 124R battery Vehicles taking 4.2 qt

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Torque specifications Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1999 Elantra take?

4.2 qt of ABOVE 32 degrees F: 20W-40 OR 20W-50 API SM, ABOVE -10 degrees F: 10W-30, 10W-40 OR 10W-50 API SM, BELOW 100 degrees F: 5W-30 OR 5W-40 API SM, per the factory manual.

Does the 1999 Elantra have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Elantra get?

EPA figures are 19 city / 28 highway / 22 combined mpg.