YearToAvoid

2009 Hyundai Elantra Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

70/100

#7 most-complained of 21 Elantra years

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

The 2009 Hyundai Elantra has 253 owner complaints and 4 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 70 out of 100 — #7 highest of 21 Elantra model years (verdict: Caution). The most reported problem area is steering (133 complaints, 53% of the total). Complaints report 28 crashes, 11 fires, and 24 injuries.

Complaints
253
Recalls
4
Crashes / fires
28 / 11
Injuries / deaths
24 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
27.5
24.5 city / 33 hwy

Top 2009 Hyundai Elantra problems

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

  1. Steering133 (53%)
  2. Airbags42 (17%)
  3. Brakes34 (13%)
  4. Engine30 (12%)
  5. Electrical System26 (10%)
  6. Other13 (5%)
  7. Structure & Body11 (4%)
  8. Suspension, Wheels & Tires8 (3%)
  9. Transmission & Powertrain8 (3%)
  10. Visibility & Wipers5 (2%)
2009 Hyundai Elantra complaints: complaints filed per quarter152009 Q32011 Q42014 Q22016 Q32018 Q42021 Q22023 Q32026 Q1
316 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2009 Q3 to 2026 Q3; peak 2013 Q2 (15).

2009 Hyundai Elantra recalls

4 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.

See all 4 recalls for the 2009 Hyundai Elantra →

2009 Hyundai Elantra fuel economy and fuel cost

City
24.5 MPG
Highway
33 MPG
Combined
27.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,350
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 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2007Good30267627.5
2008Caution65314727.5
2009Caution70253427.5
2010Avoid85379329
2011Caution60432532

All Hyundai Elantra years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2009 Hyundai Elantra a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2009 Hyundai Elantra ranks #7 of 21 among Elantra model years (Complaint Index 70/100, verdict: Caution). It has 253 complaints and 4 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Hyundai Elantra?
The most reported problem areas are steering (133 complaints), airbags (42 complaints), and brakes (34 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 78,000 miles.
Does the 2009 Hyundai Elantra have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2009 Hyundai Elantra, most recently reported 2020, covering brakes, steering, electrical system, and airbags.
What is the fuel economy of the 2009 Hyundai Elantra?
EPA rates the 2009 Hyundai Elantra at 27.5 MPG combined (24.5 city / 33 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,350. 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.