2009 Hyundai Santa FE: common problems

Owners of the 2009 Hyundai Santa FE filed 359 complaints with NHTSA, most often about fuel/propulsion system and engine. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 359
involving a crash: 27

What fails most often

1 Fuel/propulsion system 30% of all complaints
2 Engine 17% of all complaints
3 Vehicle speed control 14% of all complaints
4 Electrical system 14% of all complaints
5 Service brakes 14% of all complaints
6 Air bags 8% of all complaints
7 Powertrain 7% of all complaints
8 Fuel system 5% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Fuel/propulsion system: 109 complaints (30% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engine: 60 complaints (17% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Vehicle speed control: 51 complaints (14% of all), 11 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Electrical system: 50 complaints (14% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Service brakes: 49 complaints (14% of all), 7 of them with a crash reported by the owner.

Engines and transmissions

US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.

2.7 L · petrol · 6 cyl
3.3 L · petrol · 6 cylnamed in 4 complaints
automatic, 4-speed
automatic, 5-speed
manual, 5-speed

Drive: FWD, AWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 359 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

warning lights, check engine92 · 26%
fuel system, fuel smell70 · 19%
stalls while driving43 · 12%
rust, corrosion26 · 7%
airbag warning light17 · 5%
steering or power steering problems17 · 5%
unintended acceleration14 · 4%
windows, sunroof14 · 4%
loss of power / limp mode13 · 4%
smoke, burning smell, fire13 · 4%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Fuel/propulsion system	109	2
Engine	60	3
Vehicle speed control	51	11
Electrical system	50	1
Service brakes	49	7
Air bags	29	8
Powertrain	24	3
Fuel system	19	0
Steering	17	1
Structure	14	5
Exterior lighting	9	0
Visibility	9	0
Suspension	8	1
Engine and cooling	7	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

Additionally, due to a known recall involving the failure of the airbag deployment system, the airbags did not deploy during the crash. These combined defects caused me and my children to suffer significant injuries, including broken cervical spine. Broken thoracic spine and Broken Sternum.
Service brakes · crash · 2025-01-21 · NHTSA complaint #11637444
Air bags did not deploy driver of car was shaken up but no physical injuries. Car damaged towed to junk yard and insurer totaled vehicle.
Air bags · crash · 2021-06-29 · NHTSA complaint #11422744
Hyundai is aware of a statistically significant number of unintended accelerations with this generation of vehicles. Other public voqs and private consumer complaints support the contacts allegations that the vehicle had a catastrophic failure with the electronic throttle control system.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2021-01-05 · NHTSA complaint #11386678
I was pulling into a parking space, stepped on the brake and the car speed up, crashing into a store front, breaking the glass window and knocking out some bricks.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2020-10-20 · NHTSA complaint #11365373
I was wearing my seat belt. The air bags never deployed. Had the airbags deployed, it may have saved my face and preventing other injuries.
Air bags · crash · 2018-04-26 · NHTSA complaint #11090336
Airbag light continuously on. Never had a problem before. Have been in an accident but cleared. Car was put back together and not on a salvage title. Fuel pump sensors are at fault. Need to replace fuel pump sensors. All fault codes appear when vehicle is not in motion.
Fuel/propulsion system · crash · 2018-03-13 · NHTSA complaint #11078986
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. The car has major damage to the underbody, front-end, the inside of the vehicle dash, the motor mounts, engine and other damages are unknown at this time.
Engine · crash · 2013-08-09 · NHTSA complaint #10534413
As I was pulling into my garage (the last 5-7 feet), I applied light pressure the accelerator to ease into my space and the car surged. During the surge, I applied as much force as I could slamming both feet (one on top of the other) on the brake, but the car responded too late. I had collided with the garage wall.
Powertrain · crash · 2012-03-03 · NHTSA complaint #10450177

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

20095
201021
201115
201218
201323
201436
201553
201637
201731
201834
201921
202016
202111
202210
20239
20248
20256
20265

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 1,120 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 3% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Santa FE has 276 complaints (28 years in the data). This year has 359, above average.

What to check before buying

Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2009 Hyundai Santa FE?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: fuel/propulsion system, engine, vehicle speed control. Total complaints: 359. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (26%), fuel system, fuel smell (19%), stalls while driving (12%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2009 Hyundai Santa FE?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 2009 Hyundai Santa FE from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 2009 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.