2009 Hyundai Santa Fe Problems, Recalls & Reliability
506 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 36/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Fuel system leads the reports, typically around 85,500 miles.
Below average
Where 2009 sits among all Santa Fe years
What owners report
“After filling gas tank the fuel gauge went to empty and the check engine light came on. Bad fuel sensor”— owner report to NHTSA, 2009 Santa Fe
“Engine stalled at traffic lights with no brakes and no power steering.i am scared to think what would have happend driving at 55mph on freeway.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2009 Santa Fe
“The check engine light went on because of the fuel gauge. It was running on a city street. Now i can't tell how much gas i do, or don't, have”— owner report to NHTSA, 2009 Santa Fe
“This has happened multiple times over the past year and has increased in frequency the last 2 months. At random times, in town or on highway with varying speeds, the rpm will jump without me using any more pressure on the gas pedal, which causes the car to accelerate quickly and without warning.…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2009 Santa Fe
“When driving the 2009 santa fe the car will shut off without warning. Power to breaks and steering is lost. Sometimes the car will start again when the car is placed in neutral and restarted. Sometimes the car will not start again for several minutes. In both instances the car is moving on a hilly…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2009 Santa Fe
“While driving and making right turn engine stalled lost brakes and steering, was able to stop in middle of road with traffic coming up fast, put in park re-started. This second time within a year”— owner report to NHTSA, 2009 Santa Fe
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 383 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 78,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 45,000 and 100,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (3)
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,…
Fix: 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…
Hyundai is recalling certain model year 2007 through 2009 Santa Fe vehicles manufactured from April 19, 2006, through July 7, 2008. The occupant classification system (OCS) may need recalibration to accurately detect small statured adults.
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will update the classification software free of charge. The safety recall began on September 7, 2012. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151.
CURT MANUFACTURING IS RECALLING CERTAIN TOW PACKAGE WIRING HARNESSES, PART NUMBER 55538, THAT CONNECT TOW VEHICLE LIGHTING CIRCUITS TO TRAILER LIGHTING CIRCUITS SOLD FOR USE ON CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009 THROUGH 2011 HYUNDAI SANTA FE VEHICLES. THE UNITS ARE NOT…
Fix: CURT MANUFACTURING WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE TOW PACKAGE WIRING HARNESS. THE REMEDY WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 17, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CURT…
Federal defect investigations
Technical service bulletins
62 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and transmission & drivetrain — are on file for the 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2009 Santa Fe TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe reliable?
The 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe drew 506 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 36/100, scored against the model's worst year (2017).
What are the most common 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe problems?
The top reported problems for the 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe are fuel system (126 complaints), engine (67), and electrical (60).
At what mileage do 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe problems show up?
Owners most often report 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe problems around 78,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 45,000 and 100,000 miles.
Does the 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.