2009 Hyundai Sonata Engine Problems
Owners have filed 56 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2009 Hyundai Sonata, 12% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 108,300 miles. The words owners use most often: “valve cover gasket” (14% of reports).
- 56engine complaints
- 108,300median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 3mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 54%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.
- Valve cover gasket: mentioned in 8 of 56 complaints (14%)
- Onto alternator: mentioned in 5 of 56 complaints (9%)
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 47 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 56 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 3 a fire, 3 an injury.
Hyundai Sonata engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Sonata | 2 | 12% | — |
| 2024 Sonata | 3 | 7% | — |
| 2023 Sonata | 28 | 32% | 5,540 |
| 2022 Sonata | 25 | 27% | 15,000 |
| 2021 Sonata | 34 | 25% | 44,000 |
| 2020 Sonata | 32 | 18% | 30,849 |
| 2019 Sonata | 87 | 54% | 90,000 |
| 2018 Sonata | 212 | 57% | 19,750 |
| 2017 Sonata | 385 | 50% | 74,400 |
| 2016 Sonata | 452 | 62% | 82,500 |
| 2015 Sonata | 629 | 55% | 65,000 |
| 2014 Sonata | 303 | 40% | 84,000 |
| 2013 Sonata | 738 | 39% | 96,000 |
| 2012 Sonata | 567 | 36% | 92,000 |
| 2011 Sonata | 967 | 29% | 100,000 |
| 2010 Sonata | 29 | 8% | 70,000 |
| 2009 Sonata | 56 | 12% | 108,300 |
| 2008 Sonata | 48 | 11% | 114,000 |
| 2007 Sonata | 41 | 6% | 114,000 |
| 2006 Sonata | 44 | 4% | 100,000 |
| 2005 Sonata | 6 | 4% | 96,728 |
| 2004 Sonata | 5 | 2% | 130,000 |
| 2003 Sonata | 3 | 2% | 131,000 |
| 2002 Sonata | 5 | 2% | 145,000 |
| 2001 Sonata | 1 | 0% | 20,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine for the 2009 Hyundai Sonata. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Once the car gets slowed down and reaches 20 mph of speed by applying the brake or not. It gives a sudden jerk, which causes immediate reduction in speed.
Oil Leak on Alternator Engine leaking oil from the front cylinder bankâs valve cover or from the valve coverâs gasket onto the alternator. An unknown amount of oil damaged the alternator resulting in illumination of the charging system warning lamp and disablement of the charging system. If the…
Engine leaking oil from the front cylinder bankâs valve cover or leaking from the valve coverâs gasket onto the alternator. A sufficient amount of oil could damage the alternator resulting in illumination of the charging system warning lamp and disablement of the charging system. If the vehicle…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2009 Hyundai Sonatas have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 56 owner complaints about engine for the 2009 Hyundai Sonata (12% of the 460 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 Sonata engine?
No recall currently lists engine for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 108,300 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2009 Hyundai Sonata?
The most frequent phrase is “valve cover gasket”, in 8 of 56 complaints, followed by “onto alternator” (5).
Other 2009 Hyundai Sonata problems
See all 2009 Hyundai Sonata problems or engine problems across all Sonata years.