YearToAvoid

2009 Hyundai Azera Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

58/100

#6 most-complained of 13 Azera years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2009 Hyundai Azera has 26 owner complaints and 5 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 58 out of 100 — #6 highest of 13 Azera model years (verdict: Caution). The most reported problem area is engine (11 complaints, 42% of the total). Complaints report 2 crashes, 2 fires, and 1 death.

Complaints
26
Recalls
5
Crashes / fires
2 / 2
Injuries / deaths
0 / 1
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
20.5
17.5 city / 26 hwy

Top 2009 Hyundai Azera problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Engine11 (42%)
  2. Electrical System7 (27%)
  3. Brakes5 (19%)
  4. Other3 (12%)
  5. Suspension, Wheels & Tires3 (12%)
  6. Airbags1 (4%)
  7. Steering1 (4%)
  8. Structure & Body1 (4%)
  9. Transmission & Powertrain1 (4%)
2009 Hyundai Azera complaints: complaints filed per month4May 2010Oct 2010Aug 2012Nov 2014Aug 2015Jun 2018Jan 2020Nov 2023
33 complaints filed with NHTSA from May 2010 to Nov 2023; peak Nov 2014 (4).

2009 Hyundai Azera recalls

5 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 18V026000Jan 9, 2018Brakes87,854 vehicles

    Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip

    Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2006-2011 Hyundai Azera and 2006 Hyundai Sonata vehicles. Water may enter the Anti-lock Brake (ABS) Module and result in an electrical short .

    Risk: An electrical short within the ABS Module may cause an engine compartment fire, even when the car is turned off, increasing the risk of an injury.

    Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will install a relay in the vehicle's main junction box to prevent the risk of an ABS short-circuit while the car is turned off, free of charge. The recall began on February 19, 2018. Owners may call Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 172.

  2. NHTSA 13V354000Aug 12, 2013Suspension, Wheels & Tires364,502 vehicles

    Suspension:rear

    Hyundai is recalling certain model year 2006-2010 Sonata vehicles manufactured March 1, 2005, through January 21, 2010; and model year 2006-2011 Azera vehicles manufactured September 27, 2005, through November 22, 2010 originally sold in, or currently registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. Road salt and water can enter portions of the rear crossmember, leading to corrosion of the crossmember steel. This may lead to detachment of one of the rear control arms.

    Risk: Control arm separation may suddenly change the rear wheel alignment, affecting the handling of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will repair or replace the crossmember assembly. The recall began on October 8, 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai Customer Care Center at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's recall number is 113.

  3. NHTSA 13V113000Apr 1, 2013Electrical System1,712,336 vehicles

    Exterior lighting:brake lights:switch

    Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 Accent, model year 2007-2011 Azera, Sonata and Sante Fe,2006-2011 Tucson, 2009-2011 Elantra Touring, 2007-2010 Elantra, 2008-2011 Veracruz, 2009-2011 Genesis, 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, 2007-2008 Entourage, and 2006-2008 Tiburon vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Hyundai recalled 1,059,824 model year 2007-2009 Accent and Tucson, model year 2007-2010 Elantra, model year 2007-2011 Santa Fe, model year 2008-2009 Veracruz, model year 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, and model year 2011 Sonata vehicles. In September 2013, Hyundai informed the agency that it was adding more vehicles to this campaign, representing an additional 652,512 units. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 1,712,336. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake transmission shift interlock feature, preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.

    Risk: Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of Park without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. The safety recall began on April 22, 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's recall campaign number is 110.

See all 5 recalls for the 2009 Hyundai Azera →

2009 Hyundai Azera fuel economy and fuel cost

City
17.5 MPG
Highway
26 MPG
Combined
20.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,175
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2009 compared with other Azera years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2007Avoid83131820
2008Avoid7569620.5
2009Caution5826520.5
2010Best88320.5
2011Good4220322

All Hyundai Azera years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2009 Hyundai Azera a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2009 Hyundai Azera ranks #6 of 13 among Azera model years (Complaint Index 58/100, verdict: Caution). It has 26 complaints and 5 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Hyundai Azera?
The most reported problem areas are engine (11 complaints), electrical system (7 complaints), and brakes (5 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 47,669 miles.
Does the 2009 Hyundai Azera have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2009 Hyundai Azera, most recently reported 2018, covering brakes, suspension, wheels & tires, electrical system, and seat belts.
What is the fuel economy of the 2009 Hyundai Azera?
EPA rates the 2009 Hyundai Azera at 20.5 MPG combined (17.5 city / 26 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,175. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.