Is the 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe a bad year?
359 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Santa Fe years.
Keep it
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe are in line with other Santa Fe years. Fuel system and brakes stand out for this year: see below.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2009 Santa Fe owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 85,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel systemSTANDS OUT | 127 (35%) | 66k–101k miles · around this mileage | Fuel pump replacement $220–$1,500 · Fuel injector replacement (one injector) $300–$1,200 |
| BrakesSTANDS OUT | 49 (14%) | 17k–85k miles · around this mileage | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Engine | 67 (19%) | 56k–111k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Electrical system | 50 (14%) | 60k–99k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Air bags | 29 (8%) | 3k–85k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 24 (7%) | 40k–117k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Steering | 17 (5%) | 45k–120k miles · around this mileage | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Body structure | 14 (4%) | 50k–90k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Stability control | 6 (2%) | 62k–128k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Speed controlSTANDS OUT | 51 (14%) | 18k–65k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Exterior lighting | 9 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Visibility and wipers | 9 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Suspension | 8 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Equipment | 5 (1%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 85,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 359 complaints: 27 mention a crash · 5 mention a fire · 15 report an injury · 10 say the car was towed.
5 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Oct 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
We had a sudden loss of power while traveling on the interstate at 70 mph. Had to get over quickly as the traffic was heavy and the car had no power.
I was driving my white Hyundai santa fe limited, 3.3L, 6CYL SUV home from work at approximately 4:30 pm eastern standard time.
I was a passenger in the vehicle when it crashed into a fire hydrant doing approximately 40MPH. The seatbelt failed to lock and the airbags failed to deploy.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 85,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe: 3
In September 2013, Hyundai informed the agency that it was adding more vehicles to this campaign, representing an additional 652,512 units. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash.
The occupant classification system (OCS) may need recalibration to accurately detect small statured adults. Improper classification or detection may cause the front passenger airbag not to deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury to the front passenger.
The units are not water-tight and moisture can seep into the converter module and defeat the module's internal circuit protection. Without the circuit protection, the module can overheat possibly resulting in a fire.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Hyundai: 55
Repair instructions Hyundai sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Some vehicles may have an engine that potentially leaks oil from the front cylinder bank's valve cover onto the alternator
Diagnose and repair a transaxle for the following Incorrect Ratio DTC (transaxle clutch slipping more than 200 rpm in gear)
DTC P2135/P0638 or cold engine RPM fluctuation; tps replacement and ECM update
Ata solenoid diagnostic trouble codes P0740, P0741, P0742, P0743, P0746, P0748, P0750, P0755, P0760, P0765, P0770
NHTSA defect investigations: 1
Throttle control system vulnerabilities
Neighbouring years
2008 Santa Fe: 540 complaints, keep it · 2010 Santa Fe: 260 complaints, consider selling.
Every Hyundai Santa Fe year
2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · 2026 · All Santa Fe years side by side
Other Hyundai models: Hyundai Accent · Hyundai Azera · Hyundai Elantra · Hyundai Elantra Touring · Hyundai Entourage · Hyundai Genesis · Hyundai Genesis Coupe · Hyundai Ioniq 5 · Hyundai Kona · Hyundai Kona Electric · Hyundai Palisade · Hyundai Santa Cruz · Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid · Hyundai Santa Fe Sport · Hyundai Sonata · Hyundai Sonata Hybrid · Hyundai Tiburon · Hyundai Tucson · Hyundai Tucson Hybrid · Hyundai Veloster · Hyundai Veracruz · Hyundai XG350. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe a bad year?
359 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Santa Fe years. At 85,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: fuel system (127), brakes (49), engine (67), electrical system (50), air bags (29).
How many recalls does the 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe have?
3 recall campaigns list this model year: Exterior lighting (NHTSA 13V-113), Air bags (NHTSA 12V-354), Equipment (NHTSA 11E040000). A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.