2009 Hyundai SONATA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
460 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
68,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2009 model year. Data snapshot: . 374 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Service Brakes is the most frequently named component, appearing in 64 of 460 complaints (13.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 132 | 28.7% |
| Transmission and shifting | 35 | 7.6% |
| Steering behavior | 32 | 7.0% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 27 | 5.9% |
| Engine operation | 24 | 5.2% |
| Fuel system concerns | 6 | 1.3% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Service Brakes | 64 |
| Electrical System | 57 |
| Engine | 56 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 51 |
| Unknown Or Other | 48 |
| Power Train | 37 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 31 |
| Structure:Body | 31 |
Service Brakes: 64; Electrical System: 57; Engine: 56; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 51; Unknown Or Other: 48; Power Train: 37; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 31; Structure:Body: 31
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 63 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 70 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 76 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 64 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 71 |
| 150,000 and above | 30 |
Under 25,000: 63; 25,000 to 49,999: 70; 50,000 to 74,999: 76; 75,000 to 99,999: 64; 100,000 to 149,999: 71; 150,000 and above: 30
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (76). 86 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 5 |
| 2009 | 12 |
| 2010 | 24 |
| 2011 | 38 |
| 2012 | 28 |
| 2013 | 65 |
| 2014 | 49 |
| 2015 | 45 |
| 2016 | 55 |
| 2017 | 33 |
| 2018 | 23 |
| 2019 | 27 |
| 2020 | 20 |
| 2021 | 12 |
| 2022 | 7 |
| 2023 | 5 |
| 2024 | 4 |
| 2025 | 4 |
| 2026 | 4 |
2008: 5; 2009: 12; 2010: 24; 2011: 38; 2012: 28; 2013: 65; 2014: 49; 2015: 45; 2016: 55; 2017: 33; 2018: 23; 2019: 27; 2020: 20; 2021: 12; 2022: 7; 2023: 5; 2024: 4; 2025: 4; 2026: 4
Pattern summary
Service Brakes leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 132 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 35 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 32 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10274749 · 2009-06-23 (June 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
Owner-reported narrative. 23,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10274749 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10284731 · 2009-09-21 (September 21, 2009)
STRUT NOISE SOUNDS LIKE WORE OUT ON NEW 2009 HYUNDAI SONATA GLS. FEAR THEY MAY BRAKE AND CAUSE ME TO HAVE A WRECK. LOUD NOISE OVER BUMPS UNDER CAR. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 1,259 miles reported. Look up ODI 10284731 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10330500 · 2010-05-14 (May 14, 2010)
THE CLUTCH ON MY 5 SPEED 2009 HYUNDAI SONATA IS SPORADICALLY DROPPING TO THE FLOOR AND NOT ALLOWING ME TO CHANGE GEARS. I WAS NEARLY HIT FROM BEHIND, AS THE CAR BEHIND ME ASSUMED I'D BE ACCELERATING, BUT WHEN THE CLUTCH DROPS (WITHOUT MUCH RESISTANCE) THE LINKAGE LOCKS AND I CAN'T CHANGE GEARS. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER TODAY, AND HE SAID THEY HAD NO PROBLEM WITH IT, BUT THE AFTER-MARKET FLOOR MAT WAS CAUSING THE CLUTCH PEDAL TO GET CAUGHT. I REMOVED THE FLOOR MAT WHEN I WENT TO PICK-UP MY CAR (SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS CLOSED FOR THE DAY), AND, IN …
Owner-reported narrative. 22,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10330500 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10332502 · 2010-05-27 (May 27, 2010)
I HAVE A 2009 HYUNDAI SONATA WITH A 5 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION. ON TUESDAY, MAY 25, 2010, I WAS TRAVELING ON ROUTE295 SOUTH IN RI WHEN I TRIED TO SHIFT FROM 4TH GEAR TO 5TH GEAR. I PRESSED MY CLUTCH IN AND TRIED TO SHIFT, THE CLUTCH NEVER CAME BACK UP AND MY CAR STALLED IN THE MIDDLE LANE OF THE HIGHWAY. I COULDN'T GET THE CLUTCH TO COME BACK AND THE CAR LOST ITS SPEED DOWN TO ABOUT 5-10 MILES PER HOUR, IF THAT. THE PERSON BEHIND ME WENT AROUND ME BUT THE WOMAN BEHIND HIM SMASHED INTO ME DOING AROUND 70MPH. HER CAR PUSHED MINE FORWARD AND…
Owner-reported narrative. 27,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10332502 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10313623 · 2010-02-24 (February 24, 2010)
1) WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN INTO A PARKING LOT. THERE WAS A SLIGHT INCLINE. THERE WAS A QUARTER OF A TANK OF GAS IN THE CAR. 2) THE ENGINE APPEARED TO TURN OFF, HOWEVER THE ELECTRONICS NEVER TURNED OFF. POWER STEERING WAS NO LONGER AVAILABLE ONCE THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING. 3) I ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE CAR, BUT IT WOULDN'T START. YOU COULD HEAR THE ENGINE TRYING TO START. I PLACED THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND PUSHED IT INTO A PARKING SPACE. ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER I SUCCESSFULLY RESTARTED THE CAR. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY COU…
Owner-reported narrative. 11,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10313623 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10316139 · 2010-03-03 (March 3, 2010)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, HE SLOWED THE VEHICLE DOWN AND BEGAN APPROACHING A CURB WHEN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON IT'S OWN. THE DRIVER TOOK HIS FOOT OFF OF THE BRAKES THEN HE ENGAGED THE BRAKES AGAIN IN ORDER TO DRIVE ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED EXTREME DIFFICULTY WHILE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL AND ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE OR DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT DOES NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40…
Owner-reported narrative. 400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10316139 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10367552 · 2010-11-24 (November 24, 2010)
2009 HYUNDAI SONATA. CONSUMER STATES WIRING HARNESS CAUGHT ON FIRE *TGW
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10367552 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10406549 · 2011-06-11 (June 11, 2011)
I STARTED MY CAR AND AS I STARTED TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL SO I COULD PULL OUT OF THE PARKING SPACE SMOKE SPEWED FROM MY DASHBOARD. I LOOKED UP UNDER THE DASH AND NOTICED THE WIRING HARNESS IN FLAMES. I EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. I THEN HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A HYUNDAI DEALER. THEY EXAMINED THE DAMAGE AND SAID TAT IT WOULD COST ME $4000 TO REPAIR IT AS I NEEDED A NEW WIRING HARNESS. HYUNDAI CLAIMS IT WASN'T A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT, EVEN THOUGH THE CAR WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW AND THEREHAS BEEN NO ALTERATIONS OR MODIFICATIONS, THE SAME WIRING HARNESS …
Owner-reported narrative. 81,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10406549 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10345325 · 2010-07-26 (July 26, 2010)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO CHANGE GEARS BY ENGAGING THE CLUTCH BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT GEARS. THE VEHICLE THEN STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CLUTCH WAS REPLACED. APPROXIMATELY 500 MILES LATER WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO CHANGE GEARS AND THE CLUTCH BECAME STUCK IN THE DEPRESSED POSITION. HE HAD TO MANUALLY RELEASE THE CLUTCH BY USING HIS FOOT TO RELEASE THE CLUTCH TO CONTINUE OPER…
Owner-reported narrative. 26,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10345325 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10507083 · 2013-04-04 (April 4, 2013)
STRANGE GAS SMELL WHEN CAR IS TURNED ON AND OFF. SPECIALLY AFTER RIDDING VEHICLE AND STOPPING CAR FOR A FEW AND RESTARTING. THE SMELL COMES THRU AIR VENTS. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND THEY STATED NOTHING SHOWS UP IN THEIR COMPUTER. MPG HAS DROPPED TO AROUND 24 ON HIGHWAY AND CITY TO AROUND 16 MPG AND THIS IS A 4 CYLINDER VEHICLE. HAVE BEEN DOING SOME RESEARCH AND HAVE LOCATED SEVERAL SITES STATING SAME PROBLEM. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 61,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10507083 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10632301 · 2014-09-10 (September 10, 2014)
THE CAR WOULD CRANK BUT NOT START. HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM ABOUT A MONTH AGO, THE CAR FINALLY STARTED AFTER SITTING AWHILE. THIS TIME WHEN IT HAPPENED I COULD NOT HEAR THE FUEL PUMP RUN. I DETERMINED THE FUEL PUMP WAS NOT WORKING. WHEN I WENT TO REMOVE THE FUEL PUMP I DISCOVERED THE ACTUAL PROBLEM WAS A DEFECTIVE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION INSIDE THE FUEL TANK. THE PLASTIC TERMINAL PROTECTION INSIDE THE TANK WAS BURNED THROUGH AND THE TERMINAL MELTED. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS CONDITION AS IT WAS INSIDE THE TANK EXPOSED TO THE FUEL, AND COULD HAVE …
Owner-reported narrative. 95,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10632301 at NHTSA ↗