Worst 2009 Hyundai Elantra Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
Steering Defects
Airbags
Electrical Faults
Check the actual VIN — every car is different.
This page shows the model year's reputation. The VIN tells you about this specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer rollbacks. Full report just $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2009 Hyundai Elantra.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering Defects | 127 | 5 | — | 79,554 mi | |
| Airbags | 40 | 11 | — | 96,066 mi | |
| Electrical Faults | 23 | 1 | 4 | 80,472 mi | |
| Brakes | 17 | 2 | 1 | 51,472 mi | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 17 | 7 | — | 145,608 mi | |
| Engine Problems | 13 | 2 | 5 | 90,055 mi | |
| Electronic Stability Control | 10 | 1 | — | 74,000 mi | |
| Body Structure | 9 | 3 | 2 | 107,508 mi | |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 7 | 1 | — | 81,800 mi | |
| Hydraulic Brakes | 7 | — | 4 | 59,780 mi | |
| Tire Defects | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Wipers & Visibility | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Wheel Issues | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Equipment Adaptive/Mobility | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Headlight/Taillight Failures | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Seat Belt Issues | 2 | 1 | — | — | |
| Steering:Hydraulic Power Assist System | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Structural Problems | 2 | 1 | — | — | |
| Suspension Failures | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 1 | 1 | — | — | |
| Air Bags:Side/Window | 1 | 1 | — | — | |
| Electrical System:Horn | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Other Equipment | 1 | 1 | — | — | |
| Exterior Lighting:Tail Lights | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Gasoline Fuel System | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Fuel System | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Automatic Transmission | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Caliper | 1 | — | — | — |
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2009 Hyundai Elantra. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Recalls for 2009 Hyundai Elantra
4 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~2,581,912 vehicles.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2007-2010 Elantra and 2009-2011 Elantra Touring vehicles. On February 21, 2020 Hyundai expanded the recall to include 46,425 model year 2007-2008 Entourage and 2007 Santa Fe vehicles. Moisture may enter the Anti-lock Brake (ABS) Module and result in an electrical short.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Elantra vehicles manufactured June 1, 2008, to April 30, 2010, and 2009-2010 Elantra Touring vehicles manufactured November 1, 2008, to April 30, 2010. The electronic power steering (EPS) electronic control unit (ECU) may sense a discrepancy in the steering input signals and, as a result, disable the steering power assist.
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.
HYUNDAI IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2007-2009 ELANTRA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 14, 2006, THROUGH NOVEMBER 1, 2008. THE FRONT PASSENGER SEATS IN THE VEHICLES CONTAIN A WEIGHT SENSOR DESIGNED TO DEACTIVATE THE RIGHT FRONTAL AIRBAG WHEN OCCUPANTS OF CERTAIN WEIGHTS OCCUPY THE SEAT. THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR FOR THE WEIGHT SENSOR IS LOCATED UNDER THE CENTER CONSOLE, BETWEEN THE FRONT SEATS. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES THE CONNECTOR COULD BECOME CONTAMINATED AND MALFUNCTION SUCH THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG WILL DEPLOY REGARDLESS OF THE WEIGHT OF THE OCCUPANT.
Other Hyundai Elantra Years
2009 Hyundai Elantra — FAQ
Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.
Is the 2009 Hyundai Elantra reliable?
What are common problems with the 2009 Hyundai Elantra?
At what mileage do problems start on the 2009 Hyundai Elantra?
How safe is the 2009 Hyundai Elantra?
Does the 2009 Hyundai Elantra have any recalls?
Should I buy a 2009 Hyundai Elantra?
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.
Wider context: See the full Hyundai Elantra reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.
Check Your Specific 2009 Hyundai Elantra
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud.
Check Any VIN — $4.99