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
460 reports, newest first.
Power train, Jul 17, 2009
THROTTLE STUCK WIDE OPEN WHEN PASSING A SHORT LINE OF CARS, RESULTING IN EXCESSIVE SPEEDS OF OVER 80 MPH BEFORE THE IGNITION WAS SHUT OFF AND TURNED BACK ON RESULTING IN NORMALITY. *TR
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Jun 23, 2009
2008 HYUNDAI SONATA WITH UNDER 25,000 MILES ON IT ALREADY NEEDS A REAR BRAKE JOB. WAS TOLD BY OUR DEALER THAT IT IS NORMAL BECAUSE IT IS A FRONT WHEEL DRIVE. WAS TOLD HYUNDAI WILL NOT STAND BEHIND IT, HOWEVER, SOME DEALERS WILL FIX IT FOR NO CHARGE BECAUSE IT IS SO RIDICULOUS. THE DEALER WE BOUGHT THE CARS FROM WILL NOT. *TR
Equipment, Feb 21, 2009
SATELLITE/FM/AM DIGITAL RADIO DOES NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. RADIO HAS BEEN REPLACED AND ALL CONNECTIONS CHECKED. SATELLITE WORKS FINE, FM ONLY WORKS WITH STRONG SIGNALS AROUND AND THE AM DOES NOT WORK AT ALL. CAR DEALER DOES NOT HAVE ANY SOLUTION AND ONLY SAYS THAT THE PROBLEM SHOULD WORK IT SELF OUT ONCE THE ALL DIGITAL SIGNAL ARE UTILIZED. DEALER SAYS AN NON-DIGITAL RADIO CANNOT BE INSTALLED. *TR
Suspension, Jan 30, 2009
2009 HYUNDAI SONATA SOUNDS LIKE IT NEEDS NEW SHOCKS/STRUTS RIGHT OFF THE LOT CAR HAS LESS THAN 300 MILES ON IT WENT TO DEALER THE SERVICE TECH SAID MANY HAD COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SAME THING BUT NO FIX HE TOLD ME TO COMPLAIN TO HYUNDAI CALLED AND THEY SAID SORRY THAT'S THE WAY THEY ARE THAT ITS OPERATING AS DESIGNED THIS WILL BE MY LAST HYUNDAI. *TR
Engine and engine cooling, Jan 8, 2009
NEW CAR WAS DELIVERED TO ME WITH A MAJOR ENGINE OIL LEAK. COULD HAVE RESULTED IN ENGINE FAILURE AND LOSS OF CONTROL. ENGINE WAS REPLACED BUT HAS CAUSED POWER TRAIN VIBRATION AND STRONG ODOR WHEN THE ENGINE IS WARM. *TR
Suspension, Oct 9, 2008
LOUD NOISE OVER BUMPS. SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING IS LOOSE. *TR
Engine and engine cooling, Oct 8, 2008
NEW CAR WAS DELIVERED TO ME WITH A MAJOR ENGINE OIL LEAK. COULD HAVE RESULTED IN ENGINE FAILURE AND LOSS OF CONTROL OF CAR. CAR HAS BEEN IN DEALERS GARAGE FOR 10 DAYS WITH NO REPAIR YET MADE. *TR
Suspension, Aug 8, 2008
I BOUGHT A NEW 2009 HYUNDAI SONATA LIMITED- I TOOK IT THE HYUNDAI SERVICE IN YONKERS NY TO TEST DRIVE MY NEW CAR . IT SEEMED TO ME THE CAR HAD BAD FRONT SHOCKS ABSORBERS. AFTER BEING DRIVEN BY ONE OF THEIR SERVICE MEN HE AGREED THAT SOMETHING WAS VERY WRONG. I WAS TOLD TO BRING BACK THE CAR WHEN THE NEW SHOCKS ARRIVE. THE MANAGER AND HIS SERVICE MEN WERE VERY COURTEOUS TO ME AND HANDLED THE SITUATION VERY PROFESSIONALLY. UNTIL THE TIME THE NEW SHOCKS ARRIVE I WILL NOT USE THE CAR, BECAUSE I CONSIDER IT A DANGER ON THE ROAD. I'M HOPING THAT WILL BE THE ANSWER TO THE PROBLEM. *TR
Latches/locks/linkages, Aug 6, 2008
2009 HYUNDAI SONATA ALL DOORS UNLOCK WHEN CAR IS PLACED IN PARK. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY DESIGN PROBLEM AND CANNOT BE DEACTIVATED OR CORRECTED BY DEALERS. THIS PROBLEM IS PUTTING ALL PASSENGERS AND DRIVERS AT RISK, WHEN CAR IS PLACED IN PARK ESPECIALLY ONCE THE CRIMINALS HERE ABOUT THIS DEFECT. HOW MANY CARS WILL BE HIJACKED AND OR ROBBERIES OCCUR BEFORE SOMEONE REALIZES THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THIS FEATURE!!! *TR
Latches/locks/linkages, Aug 6, 2008
NEW 2009 HYUNDAI SONATA UNLOCKS ALL DOORS ANYTIME CAR IS PLACED IN PARK. THIS FEATURE IS IN THE DESIGN AND CANNOT BE DISABLED. THIS FEATURE PUTS ALL PASSENGERS AND DRIVES AT RISK ANYTIME THE CAR IS STOPPED AND PLACED IN PARK, ESPECIALLY ONCE THE CRIMINALS FIND THIS OUT *TR