repaired · 2015 Q1
Suspension: rear
Risk. Control arm separation may suddenly change the rear wheel alignment, affecting the handling of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
2009 Hyundai SonataProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 460 owner complaints about the 2009 Hyundai Sonata, most often about the service brakes. It is covered by 2 safety recalls, and for recall 13V-354 the manufacturer reports only 56% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through June 4, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2009 Hyundai Sonata has problems
460 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
64Service brakes
61Electrical system3 crash/fire/injury
56Engine6 crash/fire/injury
51Electronic stability control (ESC)
41Power train3 crash/fire/injury
40Structure6 crash/fire/injury
34Service brakes, hydraulic
31Vehicle speed control
30Air bags
14915 other systems13 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 64 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 61 | 3 |
| Engine | 56 | 6 |
| Electronic stability control (ESC) | 51 | 0 |
| Power train | 41 | 3 |
| Structure | 40 | 6 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 34 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 31 | 8 |
| Air bags | 30 | 11 |
| 15 other systems | 149 | 13 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
2 recalls
2009 Hyundai Sonata recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
no report yet
Brake lights: switch
Risk. Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Hyundai.
Mileage at failure
When do service brakes problems start?
67kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 54 service brakes complaints. 78% were reported before 100,000 miles.
5under 30k miles42under 100k miles12100k miles or more
Best & worst years
2009 vs. every other Sonata year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Sonata median. How we score
11162922263662349491242762053201992021651,0476964254603453,3801,5591,9217501,157730769375163183135988848174
'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2009 Hyundai Sonata safety ratings
2009 Hyundai Sonata 4-DR w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
3 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2009 Hyundai Sonata, and the recalls they led to.
- Throttle control system vulnerabilitiesNo recall
- Loss of Motive PowerNo recall
- Rear Control Arm FailureLed to recall 13V-354
In owners' words
What Sonata owners report
Recent service brakes complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
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…
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…
The contact owns a 2009 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact heard a loud grinding noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. The contact took the vehicle to a local dealer to be inspected. The contact later discovered that the dealer only did a…
Own a 2009 Sonata?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.