YearToAvoid

2009 Hyundai Elantra Touring Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

40/100

#4 most-complained of 6 Elantra Touring years

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

The 2009 Hyundai Elantra Touring has 32 NHTSA complaints and a complaint index of 40, ranking 4th-worst out of 6 model years. It carries a Good verdict relative to other Elantra Touring years, with steering the top problem area at 34% of complaints and three recall campaigns filed.

Complaints
32
Recalls
3
Crashes / fires
0 / 0
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
26
23 city / 30.5 hwy

Top 2009 Hyundai Elantra Touring problems

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

  1. Steering11 (34%)
  2. Airbags8 (25%)
  3. Electrical System5 (16%)
  4. Suspension, Wheels & Tires5 (16%)
  5. Brakes4 (13%)
  6. Engine3 (9%)
  7. Structure & Body3 (9%)
  8. Fuel System2 (6%)
  9. Other2 (6%)
  10. Transmission & Powertrain2 (6%)

What owners report

  • Fuel door release fails to pop open after several months of use, leaving the fuel filler door stuck.
  • A tire valve stem breaks and flattens a tire while the tire pressure monitoring system fails to alert the driver.
  • Brake lights and cruise control stop working with no clear cause.
  • Electric power steering causes the car to pull consistently to the right even after alignment and dealer visits.
  • The airbag warning light comes on repeatedly, later traced to a failed seat track sensor.
  • The engine keeps accelerating unexpectedly while passing, requiring the driver to brake hard and shut the car off to stop it.
2009 Hyundai Elantra Touring complaints: complaints filed per month5Mar 2010May 2011Oct 2013Jun 2015Jul 2017Dec 2018Feb 2021
45 complaints filed with NHTSA from Mar 2010 to Jan 2022; peak Apr 2015 (5).

2009 Hyundai Elantra Touring recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 20V061000Feb 4, 2020Brakes476,111 vehicles

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

    Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2007-2010 Elantra and 2009-2011 Elantra Touring vehicles. On February 21, 2020 Hyundai expanded the recall to include 46,425 model year 2007-2008 Entourage and 2007 Santa Fe vehicles. Moisture 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 April 2, 2020. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 188.

  2. NHTSA 15V100000Feb 23, 2015Steering204,768 vehicles

    Steering:electric power assist system

    Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Elantra vehicles manufactured June 1, 2008, to April 30, 2010, and 2009-2010 Elantra Touring vehicles manufactured November 1, 2008, to April 30, 2010. The electronic power steering (EPS) electronic control unit (ECU) may sense a discrepancy in the steering input signals and, as a result, disable the steering power assist.

    Risk: If power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Hyundai will verify the proper operation of the Electronic Power Steering (EPS) and update the EPS control unit, free of charge. The recall began April 14, 2015. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-671-3059. Hyundai's number for this recall is 127.

  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.

2009 Hyundai Elantra Touring fuel economy and fuel cost

City
23 MPG
Highway
30.5 MPG
Combined
26 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,500
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 Elantra Touring years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100200820092010201120122013
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2008No verdict010—
2009Good4032326
2010Avoid10075426
2011Avoid8029326

All Hyundai Elantra Touring years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2009 Hyundai Elantra Touring reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2009 model has a complaint index of 40 and ranks 4th-worst among the 6 Elantra Touring years with data, earning a Good verdict relative to other years.
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Elantra Touring?
Steering issues make up 34% of complaints, followed by airbags at 25% and electrical system problems at 16%, according to NHTSA data.
Does the 2009 Elantra Touring have any recalls?
NHTSA lists three recall campaigns for this model year, covering brakes, steering, and the electrical system (stop lamp switch).
How does the 2009 Elantra Touring compare to the 2010 model?
The 2010 Elantra Touring has 75 complaints and a complaint index of 100 with an Avoid verdict, much worse than the 2009 model's index of 40 and Good verdict.
What is the typical mileage when 2009 Elantra Touring problems occur?
NHTSA data shows a median mileage at failure of 75,000 miles across reported problems, though steering issues showed a median of 49,400 miles.

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.