Total Complaints
50 filings
HYUNDAI TIBURON · model year
1999 HYUNDAI TIBURON
50 NHTSA complaints, 6 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1999HYUNDAITIBURON carries 50 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 6 crashes, 0 fires, 4 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1999 TIBURON is vehicle speed control with 5 filings, followed by power train:automatic transmission (5) and electrical system (4). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 37 investigation files overlapping the 1999 TIBURON, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
50
Complaints
6
Crashes
0
Fires
4
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
6 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 5 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 5 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 4 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 3 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 3 |
| TIRES | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY | 2 |
| EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC. | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 2 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:ACCESSORY SCISSOR/SCREW/BOTTLE JACK/LIFT | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20110529ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
1999 HYUNDAI TIBURON CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR IS FAULTY IN A LOT OF THESE CARS I KEEP HEARING ABOUT HOW A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM WITH THE TIBURON. *TR
Mileage: 120,000
20100401POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THIS COMPLAINT IS RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID 99V178000 FOR A HYUNDAI TIBURON 1999. THE CAR IS EXPERIENCING THE CONSEQUENCES DETAILED IN THE CAMPAIGN. I CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, THEY ARE SAYING THAT THE CAMPAIGN DOES NOT APPLY TO MY VEHICLE VIN#. I DON'T AGREE WITH THIS BASED ON THE DESCRIPTION OF THE ISSUES THE VEHICLE HAS RELATED TO ACCELERATION AND THE FACT THAT MY CAR FITS THE MODEL, YEAR AND MAKE OF THE RECALL CAMPAIGN.
Mileage: 98,000
20090822POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
VEHICLE LOSES POWER ON ACCELERATION SPORADICALLY. WHEN CAR STOPPED AND IDLE, ENGINE RPM INCREASES DRAMATICALLY TRYING TO OVERRIDE BRAKES. *TR
Mileage: 113,000
20090822VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
VEHICLE LOSES POWER ON ACCELERATION SPORADICALLY. WHEN CAR STOPPED AND IDLE, ENGINE RPM INCREASES DRAMATICALLY TRYING TO OVERRIDE BRAKES. *TR
Mileage: 113,000
20080514POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
MY DAUGHTER HAS A 1999 HYUNDAI TIBURON AND IS HAVING TROUBLE WITH TRANSMISSION, I SEEN WHERE THERE WAS A RECALL. SHE WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND HER CAR JUST DOWN SHIFTED AND WHEN SHE TRIED TO GIVE IT GAS IT WOULD NOT GO, WE GOT IF OFF THE ROAD AND PUT IT OUT OF GEAR. I DROVE IT HOME AND IT DONE ME THE SAME WAY. NOW IT WILL GO SOMETIMES AND SOMETIMES IT WON'T. *TR
Mileage: 89,000
20060222SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED A NHTSA # 01V345000 RECALL CONCERNING THE SEAT BELT WEBBING, WAS RECEIVED IN 2001. THE SEAT BELTS WERE REPAIRED BY THE DEALER. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN, THE WEBBING DOES NOT RETRACT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, BUT NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. UPDATED 3/9/2006 - *NM
Mileage: 50,000
20040902CrashAIR BAGS
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH. CONSUMER HIT VEHICLE THAT TURNED IN FRONT OF CONSUMER'S VEHICLE AT ABOUT 35 MPH. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES. *AK
Mileage: 94,500
20040823SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
THE DRIVERS SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILED, AS A RESULT, THE SEAT BELT DID NOT LATCH. *AK THE FEMALE RECEPTACLE BUCKLE NO LONGER WORKED. *TC *JB
Mileage: 36,000
20040806FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CONSTANTLY COMING ON. HE TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, AND THE LIGHT KEPT COMING ON. CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY ONE DEALER THAT HE NEEDED TO HAVE ENGINE CLEANED OUT AND USE A DIFFERENT GAS. CONSUMER STATED THIS HE DID. AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. ALSO, CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY ONE OF THE MECHANICS THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE FUEL LINE BECAUSE IT WAS POSSIBLE THAT HE USED SOME CONTAMINATED GAS. BUT, NOTHING WILL STOP THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FROM COMING ON. *AK
20040806ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CONSTANTLY COMING ON. HE TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, AND THE LIGHT KEPT COMING ON. CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY ONE DEALER THAT HE NEEDED TO HAVE ENGINE CLEANED OUT AND USE A DIFFERENT GAS. CONSUMER STATED THIS HE DID. AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. ALSO, CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY ONE OF THE MECHANICS THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE FUEL LINE BECAUSE IT WAS POSSIBLE THAT HE USED SOME CONTAMINATED GAS. BUT, NOTHING WILL STOP THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FROM COMING ON. *AK
20040218ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
FRONT TURN SIGNAL AND THE REAR RUNNING LIGHTS STOPPED WORKING. A DEALER EXAMINED THE VEHICLE, AND DETERMINED THAT THE UNDER DASH WIRING WAS DEFECTIVE. MANUFACTURER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK
Mileage: 44,000
20030409POWER TRAIN
WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE TRANSMISSION WOULD DOWN SHIFT FROM HIGH GEAR TO LOWER GEAR AND THEN LOCK UP. THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK FORWARD AND REMAIN IN THE LOWEST GEAR WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THE WHEEL WOULD LOCK UP JUST PRIOR TO BEING RELEASE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER WHO CHANGED THE SPEED SENSORS 3 MONTHS BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. *NLM THE SPEED SENSOR WAS REPLACED 2 TIMES. THE PULSE GENERATOR WAS REPLACED A TOTAL OF 4 TIMES. THE THERMOSTAT HAS ALSO BEEN REPLACED. ALSO THERE WAS A TIRE LABEL REPLACEMENT. STOPPER AND ELR SEAT BELT WAS INSTALLED. BLADE FUSE AND WIRE REPAIRS. HOOD LATCH CLEANED. DEALERSHIP MOST RECENTLY FOUND THE TRANSMISSION HAD INTERNAL PROBLEMS AND REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AND FLUSHED THE COOLER LINES. *TT
Mileage: 12,000
20030409ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE TRANSMISSION WOULD DOWN SHIFT FROM HIGH GEAR TO LOWER GEAR AND THEN LOCK UP. THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK FORWARD AND REMAIN IN THE LOWEST GEAR WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THE WHEEL WOULD LOCK UP JUST PRIOR TO BEING RELEASE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER WHO CHANGED THE SPEED SENSORS 3 MONTHS BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. *NLM THE SPEED SENSOR WAS REPLACED 2 TIMES. THE PULSE GENERATOR WAS REPLACED A TOTAL OF 4 TIMES. THE THERMOSTAT HAS ALSO BEEN REPLACED. ALSO THERE WAS A TIRE LABEL REPLACEMENT. STOPPER AND ELR SEAT BELT WAS INSTALLED. BLADE FUSE AND WIRE REPAIRS. HOOD LATCH CLEANED. DEALERSHIP MOST RECENTLY FOUND THE TRANSMISSION HAD INTERNAL PROBLEMS AND REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AND FLUSHED THE COOLER LINES. *TT
Mileage: 12,000
20030409SEAT BELTS
WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE TRANSMISSION WOULD DOWN SHIFT FROM HIGH GEAR TO LOWER GEAR AND THEN LOCK UP. THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK FORWARD AND REMAIN IN THE LOWEST GEAR WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THE WHEEL WOULD LOCK UP JUST PRIOR TO BEING RELEASE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER WHO CHANGED THE SPEED SENSORS 3 MONTHS BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. *NLM THE SPEED SENSOR WAS REPLACED 2 TIMES. THE PULSE GENERATOR WAS REPLACED A TOTAL OF 4 TIMES. THE THERMOSTAT HAS ALSO BEEN REPLACED. ALSO THERE WAS A TIRE LABEL REPLACEMENT. STOPPER AND ELR SEAT BELT WAS INSTALLED. BLADE FUSE AND WIRE REPAIRS. HOOD LATCH CLEANED. DEALERSHIP MOST RECENTLY FOUND THE TRANSMISSION HAD INTERNAL PROBLEMS AND REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AND FLUSHED THE COOLER LINES. *TT
Mileage: 12,000
20030409ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE TRANSMISSION WOULD DOWN SHIFT FROM HIGH GEAR TO LOWER GEAR AND THEN LOCK UP. THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK FORWARD AND REMAIN IN THE LOWEST GEAR WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THE WHEEL WOULD LOCK UP JUST PRIOR TO BEING RELEASE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER WHO CHANGED THE SPEED SENSORS 3 MONTHS BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. *NLM THE SPEED SENSOR WAS REPLACED 2 TIMES. THE PULSE GENERATOR WAS REPLACED A TOTAL OF 4 TIMES. THE THERMOSTAT HAS ALSO BEEN REPLACED. ALSO THERE WAS A TIRE LABEL REPLACEMENT. STOPPER AND ELR SEAT BELT WAS INSTALLED. BLADE FUSE AND WIRE REPAIRS. HOOD LATCH CLEANED. DEALERSHIP MOST RECENTLY FOUND THE TRANSMISSION HAD INTERNAL PROBLEMS AND REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AND FLUSHED THE COOLER LINES. *TT
Mileage: 12,000
20030409LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE TRANSMISSION WOULD DOWN SHIFT FROM HIGH GEAR TO LOWER GEAR AND THEN LOCK UP. THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK FORWARD AND REMAIN IN THE LOWEST GEAR WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THE WHEEL WOULD LOCK UP JUST PRIOR TO BEING RELEASE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER WHO CHANGED THE SPEED SENSORS 3 MONTHS BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. *NLM THE SPEED SENSOR WAS REPLACED 2 TIMES. THE PULSE GENERATOR WAS REPLACED A TOTAL OF 4 TIMES. THE THERMOSTAT HAS ALSO BEEN REPLACED. ALSO THERE WAS A TIRE LABEL REPLACEMENT. STOPPER AND ELR SEAT BELT WAS INSTALLED. BLADE FUSE AND WIRE REPAIRS. HOOD LATCH CLEANED. DEALERSHIP MOST RECENTLY FOUND THE TRANSMISSION HAD INTERNAL PROBLEMS AND REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AND FLUSHED THE COOLER LINES. *TT
Mileage: 12,000
20030409EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE TRANSMISSION WOULD DOWN SHIFT FROM HIGH GEAR TO LOWER GEAR AND THEN LOCK UP. THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK FORWARD AND REMAIN IN THE LOWEST GEAR WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THE WHEEL WOULD LOCK UP JUST PRIOR TO BEING RELEASE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER WHO CHANGED THE SPEED SENSORS 3 MONTHS BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. *NLM THE SPEED SENSOR WAS REPLACED 2 TIMES. THE PULSE GENERATOR WAS REPLACED A TOTAL OF 4 TIMES. THE THERMOSTAT HAS ALSO BEEN REPLACED. ALSO THERE WAS A TIRE LABEL REPLACEMENT. STOPPER AND ELR SEAT BELT WAS INSTALLED. BLADE FUSE AND WIRE REPAIRS. HOOD LATCH CLEANED. DEALERSHIP MOST RECENTLY FOUND THE TRANSMISSION HAD INTERNAL PROBLEMS AND REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AND FLUSHED THE COOLER LINES. *TT
Mileage: 12,000
20021022ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
THE PULSE GENERATOR HAS FAILED 4 TIMES NOW AND THE DEALER CANNOT SEEM TO FIX. THE CAR AT TIMES WILL NOT ACCELERATE PAST 20 MPH AND AT OTHER TIMES WILL ACCELERATE TO HIGHER SPEEDS WITHOUT SHIFTING. WHEN THE CAR WILL NOT ACCELERATE PAST 20 MPH IT BECOMES DANGEROUS ON A HIGHWAY OR IF PULLING INTO TRAFFIC. MR
20020514ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE PULSE GENERATOR FAILS, CAUSING TRANSMISSION TO DOWNSHIFT SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING, THIS CAN CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL, ALSO A HAZARD ON THE HIGHWAY AS THE CAR SLOWS QUICKLY WITH NO WARNING TO ANY DRIVER THAT MAY BE FOLLOWING BEHIND. *TT
20020128SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
WHEN FEEDING SHOULDER BELT BACK INTO THE RETRACTOR ON DRIVER'S RESTRAINT BELT, RESTRAINT BELT WILL TWIST AND CAUSE RETRACTOR TO JAM. DEALERSHIP HAS PERFORMED SERVICE FOR RECALL CAMPAIGN 01V345000 ON JANUARY 14, 2002. THIS SERVICE HAS FAILED TO EFFECTIVELY REMEDY PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / DOCUMENTATION.*AK
Compare 1999HYUNDAITIBURON to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1999 HYUNDAI TIBURON have?▼
The 1999 HYUNDAI TIBURON has 50 NHTSA complaints, 6 crashes, 0 fires, 4 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1999 HYUNDAI TIBURON?▼
The most-complained component for the 1999 HYUNDAI TIBURON is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL with 5 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 1999 HYUNDAI TIBURON safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.