There are 50 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2009 Hyundai Sonatain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Brake Calipers are getting stuck often damaging the rotors and pads. This happens even for new calipers and rotors that won't last more than one year after replacement. The parts were original from manufacturer. The rear and front brakes were randomly getting stuck on one wheel after a period of using brakes. This put the vehicle in danger of getting fire from overheating rotors or increasing the risk of a crash because of an unusable brake system. This incident has repeated over time from 2017 till 2025 inducing big spendings for fixing brakes
The contact owns a 2009 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact heard a loud grinding noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. The contact took the vehicle to a local dealer to be inspected. The contact later discovered that the dealer only did a visual inspection of the brake pads and rotors. The mechanic stated that there were metal shavings from the brake pads and that the contact should wash the wheels to clear the metal shavings. The wheels were washed as instructed; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 181,000.
The problem as reported by so many others that the rear brake system has an inherent failure in the caliper/rotor/brake pads. I have vested nearly $2500.00 on the three for mentioned parts and labor over last 4 years. Between Midas and now a private mechanic have tried better lube on slide pins but the problem still persists. A little research states that the caliper piston doesn't retract from the rotors and in turn heating up the brake components to the point of failure. Some Law firms have stated the problem is a production flaw my problem with a system with this failure rate isn't recognized by the Hyundia. Calipers should simply last 80 to a 100 thousand miles under most driving conditions. Looking forward to your response. Kerry yakel
BRAKE LIGHT FAULTY IT STAYS ON CONTINUOUSLY.
BRAKE PEDAL LIGHT FAULTY STAYS ON ALWAYS.
ISSUE 1 AT 29,476 MILES, 23 SEPT 2011. REAR BRAKES SEIZED DUE TO REAR CALIPER SLIDES STICKING. PADS AND ROTORS REPLACED UNDER WARRANT BY DEALER, BILL MARSH TRAVERSE CITY, MI . REPAIR ORDER 737578. ISSUE 2 REAR BRAKES NOISE AND WORN. 69,385 MILES. 29 MAY 14. REAR CALIPER PISTON SEIZED. NEW CALIPERS, PADS AND ROTORS. REPAIR ORDER 771872. ISSUE 3, REAR BRAKES NOISE AND HOT. 104, 051 MILES. 24 OCT 2017. RR CALIPER SEIZED. PADS, ROTORS BOTH SIDES REAR AND FRONT REPLACED. RIGHT REAR CALIPER REPLACED. BILL MARSH RO NO 427604. ISSUE 4 REAR BRAKES NOISE. TRAVERSE REAR CALIPER FAILED AGAIN. REAR ROTORS, PADS, AND RR CALIPER REPLACED. 28 FEB 2019. BILL MARSH HYUNDAI REPAIR ORDER 432896. 4 REPLACEMENTS OF RIGHTREAR BRAKE CALIPER , BRAKE PAD, AND ROTORS ARE EXCESSIVE AND ABNORMAL. THIS MODEL YEAR SONATA SHOULD BE ADDED TO RECALL FOR REAR BRAKES. MANY MORE COMPLAINTS OF PREMATURE REAR BRAKES FAILURE ARE NOTED ONLINE FOR MODEL YEARS 2009, 2010. BRAKES GET EXTREMELY HOT AND FUEL ECONOMY SUFFER GREATLY WHEN THIS FAILURE OCCURS.
I OWN A 2009 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE OPERATING I NOTICED A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN SPEED, COASTING, FUEL ECONOMY, AND BRAKING DISTANCE. UPON PARKING MY CAR I SMELLED BURNING BRAKES. AS I WALKED PAST THE DRIVER REAR TIRE I COULD FEEL THE HEAT RADIATING FROM THE TIRE. I DIDN'T DARE TOUCH THE RIM FOR FEAR IT WOULD BURN ME. DIAGNOSIS REVEALED A SEIZED REAR DRIVER BRAKE CALIPER PISTON. THIS CAUSED RUINED THE REAR BRAKES AND PUT UNDUE STRESS ON THE FRONT BRAKES. I HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE BRAKING SYSTEM AS THEY HAD ALL BECOME A SAFETY HAZARD. I PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY WHICH COVERED THE REAR CALIPER REPLACEMENT BUT NOTHING ELSE. BURNING THROUGH BRAKES IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. I HAVEN'T NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000.
REAR BRAKE CALIPERS HAVE SEIZED AT LEAST 7 TIMES, CAUSING ME TO NEED TO REPLACE THEM. I'M AT 115,000 MILES AND HAVE HAD THE LEFT ONE SEIZE, DESTROYING THE ROTOR AND PAD 4 TIMES, AND THE RIGHT ONE SEIZE 3 TIMES (ONCE RECURRING WITHIN 15,000 MILES OF REPLACEMENT). THE CAR HAS BEEN REPAIRED AT DIFFERENT SHOPS, BUT THE PROBLEM KEEPS RECURRING. FIRST TIME OCCURRED SHORTLY AFTER 30,000 MILES. OCCURS EVERY 1-2 YEARS SINCE THEN. MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE IS NOW (CAR IS BEING REPAIRED THIS MORNING, LEFT REAR CALIPER/ROTOR/PAD). NOTICED MASSIVE SHIMMYING THIS TIME. PREVIOUS TIMES HAVE BEEN NOTICED FROM: GRINDING NOISE, CAR WON'T ACCELERATE OVER 10 MPH (LOCKED IN ENGAGED BRAKE MODE THAT TIME), AND SEVERE BUCKING WHILE BEING DRIVEN.
STOP LAMP SWITCH REPLACEMENT. ON 01/14/17 I HAD AN APPOINTMENT AT PLAZA HYUNDAI LOCATED AT 2700 NOSTRAND AVE, BROOKLYN NY 11210 TO REPLACE MY STOP LAMP SWITCH. THEY DID NOT HAVE THE PART IN STOCK AT THAT TIME. THE PART WAS ORDERED ON 01/14/2017 AND AS OF THIS WRITING (02/17/2017) THEY HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE PART AND HAVE NO ESTIMATED TIME OR ARRIVAL ON THE PART. NO ONE EVEN NOTIFIED ME THAT THE CAMPAIGN WAS NOT COMPLETED. I HAD TO COME BACK IN THE FOLLOWING DAY 01/15/2017 BECAUSE MY BREAK LIGHTS WERE NOT TURNING OFF. AT THAT TIME THEY ATTEMPTED TO CHARGE ME FOR A DIAGNOSTIC, BUT I ADVISED THE MANAGER THAT I WAS THERE LESS THAN 24 HOURS AGO TO ADDRESS THE STOP LAMP SWITCH, WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSING THE ISSUE. THEY TOLD ME AT THAT TIME THAT THE PART WAS STILL ON ORDER. THEY REFUSE TO GIVE ME AN ETA. I CALLED HYUNDAI'S CORPORATE OFFICE, AND THEY COULD NOT GET AN ANSWER FROM PLAZA AUTO EITHER. THIS IS A SERIOUS RECALL AS IT EFFECTS MY ABILITY TO SIGNAL THAT I'M BREAKING. I WILL ATTEMPT TO GO TO ANOTHER SERVICE DEPARTMENT OR REMEDY MYSELF, BUT I THINK THAT THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE.
THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH IS NOT FUNCTIONING/BROKEN CAUSING THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO STAY ON AND ESC BUTTON IS NOT FUNCTIONING.
I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR SINCE JULY 2014. I PURCHASED THE CAR WITH 54K MILES. I CURRENTLY HAVE 107K MILES AND IT'S OCTOBER 2016.I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY BRAKES 4 TIMES, SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE THE REAR BRAKE CALIPERS FAIL CAUSING BRAKES TO LOCK WHILE DRIVING PRODUCING SIGNIFICANT HEAT AND DAMAGE TO THE BRAKE COMPONENTS. THE PROBLEM ALSO CAUSE A SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF FUEL ECONOMY. IT APPEARS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS VEHICLE AND A RECALL HAS BEEN PUT IN PLACE STARTING IN MODEL YEAR 2011. THE RECALL NEEDS TO BE EXTENDED TO INCLUDE 2009 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES *TR
PURCHASED MY 2009 SONATA IN FEBRUARY 2009, BY MID JULY I HAD TO REPLACE THE REAR BRAKES. I WAS A LITTLE SURPRISED SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW AND ONLY HAD ABOUT 5000 MILES. I WAS TOLD THAT I WAS REQUIRED TO CHECK THE BRAKES EVERY 3500 MILES AND IT WASN'T COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, NOT EVEN THE 5 YEAR BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY. IT IS NOW 2016 I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY REAR BRAKE CALIPERS, PADS AND ROTORS EVERY 6 MONTHS AT A COST OF OVER $400 EVERY TIME. THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF GRINDING, HEAT AND MASSIVE VIBRATION IN THE REAR WHILE BRAKING TO THIS POINT. I HAVE RETURNED MY CAR FOR BOTH CURRENT RECALLS (NOT APPLICABLE TO BRAKES). WITH SO MANY MODELS HAVING THE SAME ISSUES, ITS VERY DISAPPOINTING THAT HYUNDAI WILL NOT REPAIR THEIR FAULTY ENGINEERING AND THE NHTSA HAS NOT INVESTIGATED THIS MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE WITH BRAKING SYSTEMS IN THESE CARS.
A FEW MILE FROM HOME ON RURAL HIGHWAY DRIVERS SIDE REAR BRAKES SUDDENLY SEIZED LURCHING THE VEHICLE, TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTED, ENGINE RPM WENT WAY UP. UPON ARRIVING AT HOME, BRAKES WERE SMOKING HOT AND ON INSPECTION BRAKE PADS AND METAL ALMOST GONE, ROTOR HAD THINNED TO 1/4 ", AND METAL POWDER WAS ALL OVER THE RIM, SIDE AND REAR OF CAR.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HYUNDAI SONATA. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, AN ABNORMAL ODOR WAS PRESENT OUTSIDE THE REAR DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT A GRINDING NOISE WAS HEARD WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CALIPER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED AFTER 7,000 MILES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. ...UPDATED 05/17/17 *BF *CN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HYUNDAI SONATA. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, AN ABNORMAL ODOR WAS PRESENT OUTSIDE THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT A GRINDING NOISE WAS PRESENT WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE CALIPER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED AFTER 7,000 MILES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
THE REAR BRAKE CALIPERS APPEAR TO BE DEFECTIVE IN THAT A HIGH PERCENTAGE SEEM TO FAIL. THIS IS THE SECOND CALIPER THAT HAS REQUIRED REPAIR/REPLACEMENT, WHICH NECESSARILY ALSO REQUIRES REPLACEMENT OF BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS. IT APPEARS THAT THE CALIPERS STICK IN THE EXTENDED POSITION CAUSING (IN THE BEST CASE) THE RAPID WEAR OF THE ROTORS AND CALIPERS, AND (IN THE WORST CASE) A HEAT BUILD UP, AND A FAILURE OF THE BRAKES. INTERNET BLOGS INDICATE THAT THIS IS NOT JUST A PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLE BUT IS SYSTEMIC WITH HYUNDAI SONATAS, AND PARTICULARLY 2009 AND LATER. I WILL NOTE THAT HYUNDAI HAD A BRAKE RECALL REGARDING CALIPERS FOR SONATAS BETWEEN 2011 AND 2014, BUT THAT IT DID NOT EXTEND TO THE 2009 SONATAS.
I HAVE A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH MY BRAKES. WHILE DRIVING THEY WILL SUDDENLY GO OUT. I HAVE TO PRESS THE PEDAL ALMOST TO THE FLOOR TO TRY AND STOP THE CAR. MY CAR WAS REPAIRED IN SEPTEMBER 2015, NOVEMBER 2015, DECEMBER 2015 AND MY BRAKES WENT OUT AGAIN ON YESTERDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2016 WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND COULD END UP BEING A DEADLY PROBLEM.
THE CAR HAS HAD FOUR REAR CALIPER FAILURES. THESE CALIPER FAILURES HAVE ALSO CONSUMED THREE SETS OF REAR BRAKE PADS AND TWO SETS OF REAR ROTORS. THE FAILURE APPEARS TO BE AN EXCESSIVE WEAR/SLOW TO RELEASE CONDITION THAT CREATES AN OVERHEATING OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM, WHICH HAS SYMPTOMS OF A BURNING SMELL FROM THE BRAKES AND THE RIM OF EACH WHEEL BEING FAR TOO HOT TO TOUCH. ONCE WE NOTICED THE MOST RECENT FAILURE, WE NOTICED THAT THE BURNING SMELL CAN START WITHIN ABOUT 1/2 MILE DRIVE.
HAD TO REPLACE BRAKES TWICE. AFTER READING 200 COMPLAINTS ONLINE, I HAVE DISCOVERED IT IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH ALL SONATAS. THE NEW BRAKES HAVE TO BE GROUND DOWN TO FIT THE SONATA.
THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE REAR BRAKES ON THIS CAR AND THE DEALER CHARGED ME $550 TO FIX A PROBLEM THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED BY A RECALL AS WITH SOME OF THE OTHER SONATA BRAKE PROBLEMS. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026