2009 Hyundai Elantra Steering Problems
Owners have filed 133 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 2009 Hyundai Elantra, 52% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 78,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “steering column” (21% of reports).
- 133steering complaints
- 78,000median miles at failure
- 5mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $3,000typical repair cost reported by owners
- 25%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Steering column: mentioned in 28 of 133 complaints (21%)
- Electronic power: mentioned in 14 of 133 complaints (11%)
- Wheel became: mentioned in 10 of 133 complaints (8%)
- Eps indicator: mentioned in 8 of 133 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical steering repair on the 2009 Hyundai Elantra at $3,000, and half of them between $2,300 and $3,350.
Based on 17 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2012–2019), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do steering problems happen?
Based on 106 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 133 complaints, 5 mention a crash, 2 an injury.
Hyundai Elantra steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Elantra | 1 | 5% | — |
| 2024 Elantra | 7 | 13% | 21,000 |
| 2023 Elantra | 3 | 3% | 13,653 |
| 2022 Elantra | 2 | 2% | — |
| 2021 Elantra | 5 | 4% | 376 |
| 2020 Elantra | 20 | 8% | 4,700 |
| 2019 Elantra | 9 | 4% | 40,000 |
| 2018 Elantra | 16 | 6% | 5,200 |
| 2017 Elantra | 71 | 9% | 40,500 |
| 2016 Elantra | 19 | 6% | 46,000 |
| 2015 Elantra | 26 | 10% | 40,000 |
| 2014 Elantra | 28 | 7% | 14,000 |
| 2013 Elantra | 271 | 21% | 40,000 |
| 2012 Elantra | 88 | 13% | 67,000 |
| 2011 Elantra | 75 | 17% | 66,000 |
| 2010 Elantra | 195 | 51% | 73,000 |
| 2009 Elantra | 133 | 52% | 78,000 |
| 2008 Elantra | 55 | 18% | 71,405 |
| 2007 Elantra | 34 | 13% | 71,000 |
| 2006 Elantra | 3 | 2% | 32,000 |
| 2005 Elantra | 6 | 4% | 166,780 |
| 2004 Elantra | 5 | 3% | 40,000 |
| 2003 Elantra | 16 | 7% | 97,566 |
| 2002 Elantra | 16 | 5% | 94,829 |
| 2001 Elantra | 24 | 8% | 49,500 |
| 2000 Elantra | 2 | 1% | — |
| 1999 Elantra | 2 | 2% | — |
| 1998 Elantra | 1 | 2% | — |
| 1997 Elantra | 2 | 2% | — |
| 1996 Elantra | 1 | 1% | — |
| 1995 Elantra | 6 | 5% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Steering:electric power assist system
Problem: 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.
Risk: If power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Hyundai will verify the proper operation of the Electronic Power Steering (EPS) and update the EPS control unit, free of charge. The recall began April 14, 2015. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-671-3059. Hyundai's number for this recall is 127.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2009 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH on the highway, the vehicle lost power steering assist. The power steering assist warning light was illuminated during the failure. The contact pulled over to the side of the road, turned off and restarted the…
I am reporting Hyundaiâs failure to complete open Campaign 127/NHTSA Recall 15V-100 on my 2009 Hyundai Elantra. I acquired the vehicle from a family member in late July 2026 after the previous owner died and the vehicle was delayed in probate. I sought recall service immediately after legal…
Power steering assist motor stopped working, leaving the car with hard manual steering. Dealer inspection confirms the issue across several year models, inclding my 2009. There were 2 other year models with the same issue in their shop with mine that day. One was 2018. One was a 2023. Car is very…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2009 Hyundai Elantras have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 133 owner complaints about steering for the 2009 Hyundai Elantra (52% of the 254 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2009 Hyundai Elantra steering?
Yes: 1 safety recall list steering. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do steering problems start?
The median reported mileage is 78,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix steering problems on the 2009 Hyundai Elantra?
Owners report a typical cost of $3,000 (half paid between $2,300 and $3,350), from 17 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about steering problems on the 2009 Hyundai Elantra?
The most frequent phrase is “steering column”, in 28 of 133 complaints, followed by “electronic power” (14).
See all 2009 Hyundai Elantra problems or steering problems across all Elantra years.