There are 33 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2009 Hyundai Sonatain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Car was making a loud ticking noise while running and increased when accelerating. Also would shut off while accelerating. Auto shop ran a diagnostic and said there is a rod bearing failure.
The contact owns a 2009 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was jump-started and driven to a local mechanic where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 193,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS SON WAS DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITH AN ABNORMAL KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE. HIS SON ALSO STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT'S SON COASTED THE VEHICLE INTO A PARKING LOT WHERE THE VEHICLE REMAINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT UNDER RECALL. A CASE NUMBER WAS PROVIDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 180,000.
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN I HEARD SOMETHING POP INSIDE THE HOOD FOLLOWED BY A LOUD KNOCKING SOUND. I LOST ACCELERATION POWER AND I HAD ALMOST GOTTEN HIT BY SEMI WHILE ROLLING TO SIDE OF THE ROAD. TAKEN IT TO MECHANIC SHOP SAID THAT'S MY ENGINE ROD BEARING WAS BROKEN. SAD SINCE THIS IS MY FIRST VEHICLE.
WAS DRIVING DOWN INTERSTATE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON CAR CUT OFF TOOK ALL I HAD TO COAST TO THE SHOULDER HAD TO CALL TOW TRUCK TO COME GET ME TOOK TO A GARAGE AND THEY INFORMED ME I NEEDED A NEW MOTOR.
WAS DRIVING AND OUT OF NO WHERE THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND ALL POWER WAS LOST. COULD HARDLY CONTROL THE STEERING. PULLED OVER AND WAITED A MOMENT AND STARTED THE CAR AGAIN. AFTER TWO MINUTES THE SAME PROBLEM HAPPENED. MECHANIC SAID TO BRING IT STRAIGHT TO HYUNDAI AND DEMAND A NEW ENGINE. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL. VERY DANGEROUS TO HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING. *TR
I WAS EXITING THE FREEWAY AND MY CAR ENGINE JUST DIED. I COULDN'T STOP AND RAN THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. MY CAR WOULDN'T START AFTER THAT. I HAD IT TOWED TO A GARAGE WHERE THEY TOLD ME THE ENGINE HAD SEIZED UP. *TR
THE CAR DRIVES NORMALLY UNTIL YOU PRESS ON THE BRAKES AFTER GOING HIGH SPEEDS IT JERKS. AT STOPS IF THE CAR ISN'T IN NEUTRAL THE ENGINE STUTTERS WE'VE REPLACED THE CAM SHAFT SENSOR 3 TIMES NOW AND THAT'S THE CODE THAT COMES UP EVERYTIME THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AFTER THE JERKING. WE ALSO REPLACED THE SPARK PLUGS AND COILS HOPING IT WOULD HELP THE SHAKING AT STOPS AND IT DIDN'T.
THE VALVE COVER GASKET LEAKS OIL ONTO THE EXHAUST.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND POWERED OFF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE P0014 CODE APPEARED AND THE CAM SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE CAM SENSOR WAS REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ONCE AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE VIVID AND RR VIVID SOLENOIDS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND A FULL SERVICE WAS COMPLETED, INCLUDING FLUSHING THE ENGINE WITH CLEANSER AND CHANGING THE OIL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT AT JIM BURKE HYUNDAI (1424 5TH AVE N, BIRMINGHAM, AL 35203, (205) 386-959). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO JIM BURKE HYUNDAI WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND CODES: P0013 AND P0011 (CVVT AND ASSY NOT HOLDING THE CAMSHAFT TIMING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 79,930.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2009 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT ON FIRE WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS BY THE MECHANIC. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000. ..*BF *BF *TR *JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR FLASHED ON AND OFF. THE VEHICLE DID NOT PASS INSPECTION DUE TO THE EMISSIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO NORTHTOWN HYUNDAI (3675 SHERIDAN DR, AMHERST, NY 14226, (716) 992-6536); HOWEVER, THE ENGINE INDICATOR WAS NOT ILLUMINATED AT THE TIME. THE DEALER PERFORMED NUMEROUS ELECTRICAL REPAIRS TO THE DASHBOARD, BUT THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,633.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR SUDDENLY ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY, THE CAMSHAFT SENSORS, AND THE TIMING CHAIN WERE ALL FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 109,000.
"TAKATA RECALL" WHEN I SLOW DOWN MY CAR JERKS.
THE #3 BEARING SPUN CAUSING THE CAR NOT TO BE ABLE TO RUN. SIMILAR TO THE 2011 RECALL. NOW CAR HAS A ROD KNOCK.
WHILE DRIVING ON A FREEWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 70MPH, MY SONATA STOPPED ACCELERATING. I HAD TO PULL OFF THE ROAD IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC AS MY CAR WAS RAPIDLY DECELERATING. I TURNED OFF THE IGNITION, AND AFTER LETTING IT SET FOR A FEW MINUTES, I WAS ABLE TO START UP AGAIN AND PROCEED WITHOUT TROUBLE. THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES IN SINCE, BOTH ON A FREEWAY AND ONCE ON A SIDE STREET. I AM ON MY WAY TO MY DEALER TODAY TO CHECK THIS OUT. ALSO, I HAVE CHECKED THE INTERNET, AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE AMONG THESE MODELS.
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET, THE CAR STARTED SLOWING DOWN WITH JERKING AND SHAKING LIKE MOTIONS WHICH WAS VERY DISTRACTING AND CAUSED ME TO BECOME AFRAID IN THE MOVING TRAFFIC. IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT SOMETHING WAS GOING WRONG. THEN I GLANCED AT TEMPERATURE GAUGE AND NOTICED IT WAS HEATING UP IN THE RED AND RAN HOT. NOW IT WON'T RUN.
EMISSIONS WARNING HAD BEEN ON FOR A SHORT TIME. 20 MINUTES AFTER A BIG PUFF OF SMOKE, THE CAR DIED AND THE MECHANIC SAYS THE MOTOR IS LOCKED AND IT WILL NEED A NEW ENGINE. VERY LITTLE WARNING OR POOR CAR PERFORMANCE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START UNTIL THE THIRD ATTEMPT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED A LOCAL DEALER (JACK GIAMBALVO HYUNDAI 2425 INDUSTRIAL HWY, EAST YORK, PA 17402 (717) 755-2944). THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD HAVE TO OCCUR WHILE AT THE DEALER IN ORDER TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,788.
WAS BACKING CAR OUT OF OUR GARAGE AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON (SOLID AND NOT BLINKING) SO DROVE CAR BACK INTO OUR GARAGE AND TURNED IT OFF. NO UNUSUAL SOUNDS OBSERVED WHEN BACKING OUT OR PULLING BACK IN TO GARAGE. FROM THAT POINT ON THE CAR WOULD NO LONGER START. CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. 110,618 MILES AND WAS TOLD ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AS PERMANENT TIMING CHAIN HAD JUMPED TIME. DEALER COULD NOT PROVIDE ANY REASON WHY THE CHAIN WOULD JUMP TIME. LEARNED THAT RECALL EXISTS FOR NEWER MODELS OF SONATAS THAT HAVE SAME ENGINE THAT HAVE ISSUE WITH INTERNAL OIL DISTRIBUTION TROUBLE THAT SEIZES ENGINE CAUSING TIMING CHAIN TO JUMP. ENGINE REPLACED BY DEALERSHIP WITH USED 62,000 MI ENGINE.
Showing 1–20 of 33 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