2009 Hyundai Sonata
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Service brakes is the leading concern among 460 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 10th highest complaint count among 26 Sonata model years with reports.
Of the 2009 reports, 21 involved a crash and 11 involved a fire. 26 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Suspension, rearAug 12, 2013
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.
Control arm separation may suddenly change the rear wheel alignment, affecting the handling of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Campaign 13V354000 on NHTSA.gov
Exterior lighting, brake lights, switchApr 1, 2013
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.
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.
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.
Campaign 13V113000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: electrical system
61 reports, newest first. Show all
Fuel system, Gasoline, Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Jun 29, 2013
SOME TIMES WHEN STARTING THE CAR WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE THE RPMS GO UP TO ABOUT 1200 AND THEN DOWN TO 800 RPMS. WHEN MY FOOT IS REMOVED FROM THE BRAKE THE CAR WANTS TO ACCELERATE AND GO ON ITS OWN OFTEN. WHILE STOPED AT A STOP SIGN OR STOPED WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE THE CAR WILL LURCH FORWARD WHEN RELEASED, SOME TIMES SPINNING THE TIRES. IT IS PROGRESSIVELY GETTING WORSE AFTER RETURNING FROM A 5000 MILE TRIP IN JUNE, 2013. THE CAR PURCHASED NEW AND HAS A AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WITH APROX. 65000 MILES TOTAL ON THE CAR. THIS IS A ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN AND SHOULD HAVE A RECALL. *TR
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, May 1, 2013
HEADLIGHTS DIM BUT DON'T AUTOMATICALLY SHUT OFF WHEN TURNING OFF THE CAR THUS DRAINING BATTERY LEAVING DEAD CAR. *TR
Electrical system, Apr 21, 2013
AROUND FEB OF THIS YEAR, MY CAR BATTERY DIED AND I GOT IT REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE. SOON AFTER I STARTED EXPERIENCING AN ADDITIONAL GRINDING NOISE THAT WOULD OCCUR SOMETIMES AFTER START UP. UPON INVESTIGATION, I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE STARTER BY HYUNDAI. I TOOK MY CAR TO MY MECHANIC HOWEVER AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE IGNITION SWITCH SELECTOR, THAT IT HAD GONE BAD AND THAT IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I HOPE THIS SOLVES THE PROBLEM. *TR
Electrical system, Mar 18, 2013
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN OVER IN THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED THAT THE IGNITION LOCK FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE RECURRED APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS LATER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 64,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. *TR
Electrical system, Dec 21, 2012
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF BUT SHE WAS UNABLE TO TAKE THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION. THE DRIVER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION BUT THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE OR REMOVE THE KEY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Electrical system, Electronic stability control (ESC), Apr 9, 2012
THE BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. THE GEAR SHIFT NOT ABLE TO BE SHIFTED OUT OF THE PARK POSITION. THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) MALFUNCTION LIGHT ILLUMINATES. VERY SIMILAR TO RECALL FOR SAME MODEL ON ANOTHER YEAR (2006). *TR
Electrical system, Equipment, Sep 26, 2011
VEHICLE NAVIGATION SYSTEM FAILED. ON LINE THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE COMPLAINING FOR THE SAME THING. THIS NEEDS TO HAVE A RECALL. UPDATED 10/31/11 *BF UPDATED 11/08/11 *TR
Electrical system, Wheels, Aug 17, 2011
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE REPLACING A FLAT TIRE SHE NOTICED THAT THE INSIDE WALL OF THE TIRE WAS WORN. THE MECHANIC THAT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY A COTTER PIN THAT WAS INSTALLED BACKWARDS. ALSO, SHE ADDED THAT SHE HAD TO REPLACE TWO BATTERIES AFTER SHE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE BECAUSE SHE CONSTANTLY NEEDED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE JUMP STARTED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,850 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 14,000.
Electrical system, Aug 15, 2011
A FEW DAYS AFTER THE IGNITION CYLINDER WAS REPLACED, THE SPEEDOMETER STARTED MALFUNCTIONING. MY WIFE DROVE THE CAR TO WORK. WHILE THE CAR WAS RUNNING, SHE NOTICED THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE WAS AT ZERO READING WHILE THE CAR WAS DOING AT LEAST 25 MILES PER HOUR. SHE TURNED AROUND AND DROVE AN OLDER CAR INSTEAD. OVER THE WEEKEND, I DROVE THE HYUNDAI SONATA AROUND BUT THE SPEEDOMETER PROBLEM DID NOT SHOW UP. BUT THE FOLLOWING MONDAY AFTERNOON, I EXPERIENCED THIS SPEEDOMETER PROBLEM FIRST HAND. I NOTICED THE CAR WOULD ACCELERATE FROM STOP WITH THE NEEDLE EITHER SLIGHTLY GOING UP OR NOT AT ALL. I WAS AT LEAST GOING 25 MILES PER HOUR ON AN EXPRESSWAY. THE NEEDLE CONTINUED TO BE STUCK AT ZERO UNTIL I HAD TO APPLY THE BRAKE, AND THEN MOMENTARILY, THE NEEDLE WOULD BOUNCE UP BETWEEN 20-30 MPH BEFORE GOING BACK TO ZERO AGAIN. *TR
Electrical system, Jan 24, 2011
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WERE NOT ILLUMINATING. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. ALSO THE TAILLIGHTS WERE NOT ILLUMINATING. THE BRAKE LIGHTS AND TURN SIGNALS STILL FUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN INTO THE DEALER WHERE THE JUNCTION BOX WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED A SECOND TIME AND THE JUNCTION BOX WAS REPLACED AGAIN. THE FAILURE OCCURRED A THIRD TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS GOING TO BE TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000.
Electrical system, Nov 24, 2010, fire
2009 HYUNDAI SONATA. CONSUMER STATES WIRING HARNESS CAUGHT ON FIRE *TGW