Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1999 Hyundai Sonata owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I was driving home from work on jan 30th, 2015 and the car started pulling to the right. The next day, sat the 31st, I jacked up the right front of the car to see why the car steered to the right. I found the lower wheel assembly attachment to the frame had come loose. That was because the frame had three of four sides rusted thru. The condition could have caused a more severe accident if the attachment to the frame had pulled completely apart. I will check with Hyundai to see what they can do about it. Thanks for listening. [redacted]
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Hyundai Sonata gls. While making a left turn at a traffic light, the front passenger side suspension separated from the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was included in NHTSA action number: ea08016 (structure, suspension). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 150,000.
On 1 oct 2009 my son was driving his 1999 Hyundai Sonata gls from his high school to pick up his sister at the daycare just down the road. Upon pulling into the daycare parking lot he heard a loud sound and the front passenger side of the vehicle dropped significantly. He immediately stopped the vehicle and got out to see if he had hit something or to see exactly what had happened. Upon inspection the front passenger side a-frame had completely rusted out of the sub frame of the vehicle causing it to break completely off. Thankfully he was traveling at a low rate of speed or it could have caused a major accident or even further damage to the vehicle. …
Vehicle had developed a front end alignment problem, and I scheduled an alignment. The morning before the scheduled alignment, I was pulling out of my driveway to go to work when the right inner cv joint disintegrated. Investigation revealed severe subframe corrosion resulting in the control arm mount separating from the subframe, causing the cv joint to fail and the vehicle to become inoperable. NHTSA and Hyundai issued a recall in 2009, campaign id number: 09V124000. However, the state I reside in (nebraska) is not listed as a "salt belt" state and is not covered by the recall. Nebraska does indeed use salt on the roads, and the description of the fault and potential results matches exactly with the rust and corrosion on my vehicle's subframe and the results. …
Tl contact owns 1999 hyundia Sonata. The contact was driving approximately 35 MPH, and when the brake pedal was engaged there was a loud popping noise outside of the vehicle. The steering wheel would require excessive force to avoid turning in a 360 degree which allowed the vehicle to drive straight on the road. When the contact reached her destination, she noticed that the front passenger tire was positioned slightly inward. The vehicle was driven with caution to an independent auto sales center, and then towed to the dealer. The technician informed her that the front sub-frame and connecting parts were significantly corroded. There was a recall associated with NHTSA campaign id number 09V124000 (suspension). …
I have a defective subframe on a 1999 Sonata purchased new in iowa and driven there for 4 years. It has completely rusted out on the passenger front side causing steering control arms and drive axle to break loose from vehicle and making vehicle inoperable. This should be covered under Hyundai recall campaign 089. NHTSA campaign id no. 09V124000. I am getting no response as to if they will cover this damage and replace subframe from the local dealer tamiami Hyundai in naples, fl and have also contacted the Hyundai customer assistance center 3 times to no avail. I was told by a mechanic that if this would have happened at highway speeds I would have probably lost control of vehicle and it would have rolled. …
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Hyundai Sonata. While driving approximately 25 MPH, the contact stated the vehicle began to pull in the left direction without engaging in any assistance. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The failure was contributed to severe corrosion of the sub-frame. The technician recommended the vehicle be taken to an authorized dealer. Also, he advised of a recall under NHTSA campaign id number 09V124000 (suspension). The vehicle was then towed to an authorized dealer where the vehicle was repaired under the recall remedy. Immediately, after the recall repair the steering wheel would not turn properly and required excessive force when making a turn. The authorized dealer was notified three times in which they informed the telephone call would be returned. However, the manufacturer had not responded. The vehicle was not repaired. …
While driving, I noticed the car pulling to the right, the sound of medal rubbing together, and when driving on uneven payment or a hill in the road, I have almost loose control. I took my car to pepboys and the serviceman took me underneath the car and showed me the mass amount of corrosion and rust on the cradle and the control arm was bent. He stated he has never witness such corrosion before on any other body part. He informed me that it was very dangerous to drive . This car is a source of transportation to work and school. In the mist of looking for used parts on the internet, I came across others who has had this same problem with the same type of vehicle. Some who has had accidents. Thank god he kept my family safe. I am still looking for the necessary parts for repair. …
1999 Hyundai Sonata front right wheel was severed from frame while my daughter, who is a new diver, was driving, frame was badly rusted. Car was in for service 6 months ago to have front struts replaced and dealer did not indicate that there was a problem or that they have been seeing this in other similar cars. After researching this I can see that these cars have a problem and need to be pulled from the road before serious harm comes from this issue. Hyundai should take responsibility for this serious problem. The car has 96,000 miles and Hyundai is replacing the sub frame under warranty, but my concern is that they are not telling anyone prior to failure and someone is going to get seriously hurt or killed.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH, he heard noises and noticed that the tire was misaligned causing the steering wheel pulling abnormally. The vehicle was taken to the mechanic and after inspection, they found that the front sub-frame was rusted and corroded. There were also holes next to the bolts that held the sub frame in place. The dealer was notified who advised the contac that there was a recall for the failure but his VIN was not included (NHTSA campaign id number: 09V124000: suspension). The manufacturer was notified who confirmed that the contact's VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 157,000.
Related recalls
Suspension
Hyundai is recalling 188,282 my 2001-2004 sonata and my 2001-2004 xg300 and xg350 vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode…
Remedy: Dealers will measure the thickness of the front sub-frame and inspect the front sub-frame for corrosion damage and, if necessary, the front sub-frame will be replaced with a new sub-frame that incorporates additional…
Suspension complaints in other Sonata years
Frequently asked questions
How common are suspension problems on the 1999 Hyundai Sonata?
NHTSA has 28 complaints about the suspension of the 1999 Hyundai Sonata, 16% of the model year's 170 complaints. The component named most often is front (10 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1999 Hyundai Sonata suspension problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 09V-124 (suspension, Apr 16, 2009). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 1999 Hyundai Sonata suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 123,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.