NHTSA vehicle safety data

2009 Hyundai Sonata Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

The 2009 Hyundai Sonata has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns and 460 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Hyundai dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2009 Hyundai Sonata, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

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2009 Hyundai Sonata owner complaints

Owners have filed 460 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009 Hyundai Sonata, describing incidents dated January 19, 2008 to May 19, 2026.

Most-cited components

Service Brakes 98 complaints
Engine 62 complaints
Electrical System 61 complaints
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) 51 complaints
Unknown or Other 48 complaints
Power Train 41 complaints

Of the 460 complaints on file, 21 report a crash and 11 a fire; across all 460 complaints, owners report 26 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11742084 · Filed June 4, 2026
My 2009 Hyundai Sonata was taken to the Hyundai of Lincolnwood dealership on May 19th. The certified technician formally diagnosed severe structural corrosion on both front and rear subframes (engine cradles), declaring the vehicle completely unsafe to drive. The dealership is withholding the…
ODI #11715187 · Filed February 3, 2026
Passenger seat belt doesn’t click in. Miss fire Poor acceleration Exhaust leak Power lost Mechanic can’t find the problem Check engine light on
ODI #11714094 · Filed January 28, 2026
Once the car gets slowed down and reaches 20 mph of speed by applying the brake or not. It gives a sudden jerk, which causes immediate reduction in speed.

Read all 460 complaints

Owner-reported

2009 Hyundai Sonata mileage at failure

371 of the 460 complaints on file for the 2009 Hyundai Sonata give the vehicle's mileage when the problem happened.

Mileage at failure by component, from owners' complaints to NHTSA
Component	Median	Middle half	Based on
Service Brakes	Median 50,000 miles	Middle half 25,000–70,000 miles	Based on 84 complaints
Engine	Median 95,000 miles	Middle half 55,000–135,000 miles	Based on 48 complaints
Electrical System	Median 80,000 miles	Middle half 55,000–115,000 miles	Based on 46 complaints
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)	Median 95,000 miles	Middle half 65,000–125,000 miles	Based on 45 complaints
Power Train	Median 40,000 miles	Middle half 20,000–80,000 miles	Based on 36 complaints

A component's median is its 50th percentile, and its middle half runs from its 25th to its 75th percentile.

Owners give the mileage themselves, often as a round number, and NHTSA doesn't check it. A complaint that names several components counts under each one, and mileages that can't be right, such as 999,999, or 50 miles on a five-year-old car, are left out.

These figures describe the complaints owners filed. They don't predict when a particular vehicle will have a problem, and vehicles that never had one aren't counted.

Mileage from NHTSA's complaints file of October 31, 2026. How these figures are worked out

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2009 Hyundai Sonata in 3 investigations. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

Defect Petition DP22-003: Loss of Motive Power
Closed December 12, 2023
Defect Petition DP21-003: Throttle control system vulnerabilities
Closed June 20, 2023
Preliminary Evaluation PE13-007: Rear Control Arm Failure
Closed August 20, 2013
- Recall 13V-354

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

Crossmember Corrosion may cause Loose Control Arm

NHTSA #13V354000 · Suspension — Rear · NHTSA notice

Reported August 12, 2013 · Hyundai Motor Company

Potentially affected: 364,502 vehicles

Repair completion: 55.88% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Hyundai campaign 113 · Owners notified October 10, 2013 · Vehicles built March 1, 2005 – January 21, 2010 (per NHTSA) · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation

Defect description

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.

Safety consequence

Control arm separation may suddenly change the rear wheel alignment, affecting the handling of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Manufacturer 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.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Stop Lamp Switch may Function Intermittently

NHTSA #13V113000 · Exterior Lighting — Brake Lights — Switch · NHTSA notice

Reported April 1, 2013 · Hyundai Motor Company

Potentially affected: 1,712,336 vehicles

Hyundai campaign 110 · Owners notified April 22, 2013 · Vehicles built March 1, 2007 – November 30, 2009 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

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.

Safety consequence

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.

Manufacturer 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.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

2009 Hyundai Sonata 4-DR w/SAB

—

out of 5

Overall Safety Rating

Not Rated

Frontal Crash

Not Rated

Driver: 5, Passenger: 5

Side Crash

Not Rated

Driver: 5, Passenger: 5

Side Pole

Not Rated

Rollover

Not Rated

Safety Technology

Electronic Stability Control

3 investigations

460 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2009 Hyundai Sonata.

Steering; Suspension

ODI #11742084

Incident: May 19, 2026 · Filed: June 4, 2026

My 2009 Hyundai Sonata was taken to the Hyundai of Lincolnwood dealership on May 19th. The certified technician formally diagnosed severe structural corrosion on both front and rear subframes (engine cradles), declaring the vehicle completely unsafe to drive. The dealership is withholding the vehicle under safety custody but refuses to provide a loaner or rental car. Hyundai Motor America states the replacement parts are on indefinite backorder with no ETA, leaving me stranded with no safe alternative transportation since May 19th. This severe structural corrosion poses an imminent risk of suspension failure while driving

Power Train; Electrical System; Vehicle Speed Control

ODI #11715187

Incident: February 1, 2026 · Filed: February 3, 2026

Passenger seat belt doesn’t click in. Miss fire Poor acceleration Exhaust leak Power lost Mechanic can’t find the problem Check engine light on

Vehicle Speed Control; Engine

ODI #11714094

Incident: January 28, 2026 · Filed: January 28, 2026

Once the car gets slowed down and reaches 20 mph of speed by applying the brake or not. It gives a sudden jerk, which causes immediate reduction in speed.

Electrical System; Unknown or Other; Service Brakes

ODI #11709161

Incident: December 1, 2025 · Filed: January 6, 2026

Brakes seize up while driving and then cannot move the vehicle. This causes a dangerous situation while driving and then breaks lock up and cannot move car even though vehicle is on and then stopped for a stop light. Car must then be turned off and sit for about 30 minutes so it can unseize and when that happens, you can then resume driving and then check engine light comes on. Brake lights were staying on even when vehicle is shut completely off. ABS and ESC lights stay on consistently and never turn off. Vehicle brake switch was replaced at Carolina Hyundai of high point, NC. So break lights have been repaired. They had to order the stop switch lamp replacement for recall as it was never done and will be fixed in next week. 3 door handles fell off and cannot open the rear driver side door at all. Window electric system won’t let windows go up and down and had to make a latch pull string to open driver door. Passenger door will not open at all and no handle and is a dangerous situation. Break switch not being replaced would have cause an electrical fire and is a complete dangerous vehicle even after being inspected less than a week ago

Service Brakes

ODI #11684682

Incident: May 30, 2025 · Filed: September 3, 2025

Brake Calipers are getting stuck often damaging the rotors and pads. This happens even for new calipers and rotors that won't last more than one year after replacement. The parts were original from manufacturer. The rear and front brakes were randomly getting stuck on one wheel after a period of using brakes. This put the vehicle in danger of getting fire from overheating rotors or increasing the risk of a crash because of an unusable brake system. This incident has repeated over time from 2017 till 2025 inducing big spendings for fixing brakes

Electrical System; Engine

ODI #11684677

Incident: August 23, 2025 · Filed: September 3, 2025

Oil Leak on Alternator Engine leaking oil from the front cylinder bank’s valve cover or from the valve cover’s gasket onto the alternator. An unknown amount of oil damaged the alternator resulting in illumination of the charging system warning lamp and disablement of the charging system. If the vehicle is continually driven with a disabled charging system, the engine can shut off, increasing the risk of a crash.

Electrical System; Engine

ODI #11684675

Incident: September 18, 2019 · Filed: September 3, 2025

Engine leaking oil from the front cylinder bank’s valve cover or leaking from the valve cover’s gasket onto the alternator. A sufficient amount of oil could damage the alternator resulting in illumination of the charging system warning lamp and disablement of the charging system. If the vehicle is continually driven with a disabled charging system, the engine can shut off, increasing the risk of a crash.

Air Bags

ODI #11645548

Crash 2 injuries

Incident: February 19, 2025 · Filed: February 28, 2025

The contact owned a 2009 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at 45 MPH, the vehicle was turning the corner. It was unknown if any warning lights were illuminated. As a result, the vehicle was T-boned by a vehicle that was turning the corner, then crashed and the vehicle came to a stop at an unknown location. Most of the impact was received from the front passenger side. The other divers speed was unknown. None of the air bags deployed. The contact suffered injuries to the head and the lungs when she impacted the steering wheel. The contact was taken to the hospital by an ambulance. The contact's daughter was in a coma and had brain trauma and a punctured lung. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. The other vehicle owner was injured as well, the extent of his injuries was unknown. There was no property damage. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 140,000.

Unknown or Other

ODI #11632686

Incident: August 1, 2024 · Filed: December 27, 2024

Excessively cracked dashboard. The entire dash in my 2009 Hyundai Sonata is cracked and a replacement has been denied by Hyundai USA. A cracked dashboard could cause reduced structural integrity. The dashboard is a structural component designed to help absorb and distribute some of the forces in a collision. Cracks can compromise this ability to perform this function potentially increasing the force experienced by the occupants and the and other parts of the vehicle. It can also cause increased risk of debris and shrapnel. During a collision the cracked dashboard may break apart more easily causing sharp or jagged pieces to become projectiles inside of the cabin these fragments can pose a serious injury risk to occupants. It can also result in an impaired airbag deployment. Many vehicles have airbags in the dashboard a severely cracked dashboard could obstruct or improperly deploy airbags for example the air bag may not fully deploy reducing its effectiveness and the dashboard may puncture or otherwise interfere with the airbag as it inflates creating additional safety hazards. Cracks may expose sharp edges or materials under the dashboard which could harm occupants during a collision, especially in areas where passengers may come into contact with the dashboard. A cracked dashboard could also cause a compromised electrical system dashboards house numerous electrical systems, sensors and controls cracks could indicate underlying damage to these components. In a collision these systems may fail or behave unpredictably which could further reduce safety features. Cracked dashboards present a significant risk during a collision and should be addressed by the manufacturer promptly to ensure its customer safety.

Steering

ODI #11630061

Incident: December 10, 2024 · Filed: December 11, 2024

The contact owns a 2009 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the steering wheel suddenly became stiff and failed to turn in either direction. No warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that an appointment was scheduled with the dealer to inspect the vehicle. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 10V426000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 151,000.

Other Hyundai Sonata model years

Check your 2009 Hyundai Sonata VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Hyundai Sonata at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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