2009 Hyundai Sonata Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
CautionComplaint Index
60/100
#9 most-complained of 21 Sonata years
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
The 2009 Hyundai Sonata has 460 owner complaints and 2 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 60 out of 100 — #9 highest of 21 Sonata model years (verdict: Caution). The most reported problem area is brakes (140 complaints, 30% of the total). Complaints report 21 crashes, 11 fires, and 26 injuries.
- Complaints
- 460
- Recalls
- 2
- Crashes / fires
- 21 / 11
- Injuries / deaths
- 26 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 25
- 21 city / 32 hwy
Top 2009 Hyundai Sonata problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Brakes140 (30%)
- Engine92 (20%)
- Electrical System71 (15%)
- Other54 (12%)
- Structure & Body47 (10%)
- Transmission & Powertrain41 (9%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires36 (8%)
- Airbags30 (7%)
- Steering26 (6%)
- Fuel System23 (5%)
2009 Hyundai Sonata recalls
2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- 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.
- 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 Sonata fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 21 MPG
- Highway
- 32 MPG
- Combined
- 25 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,600
- 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 Sonata years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2009 Hyundai Sonata a reliable year?
- Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2009 Hyundai Sonata ranks #9 of 21 among Sonata model years (Complaint Index 60/100, verdict: Caution). It has 460 complaints and 2 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
- What are the most common problems with the 2009 Hyundai Sonata?
- The most reported problem areas are brakes (140 complaints), engine (92 complaints), and electrical system (71 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 68,000 miles.
- Does the 2009 Hyundai Sonata have any recalls?
- Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2009 Hyundai Sonata, most recently reported 2013, covering suspension, wheels & tires and electrical system.
- What is the fuel economy of the 2009 Hyundai Sonata?
- EPA rates the 2009 Hyundai Sonata at 25 MPG combined (21 city / 32 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,600. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.