Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2009 Hyundai Sonata owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
We purchased this vehicle used 9/2022. A week later it began to jump upon accelerating and slowing down. We took it in and they said it was the power train control module and our warranty would not cover it. So it would cost us around $1600. We can't afford that. We have only driven it a few times since. We were parked in front of a curb and the car accelerated us into a curb. Now, the ESC OFF, ABS, and engine light are illuminated. This is not a. It also wear and tear issues, as I've seen many others posting similar experiences. Our car is an '09 with almost 90,000 miles on it.
I bought the used car in the spring, it currently has 44,000 miles on it. When the weather got cold, it began to jerk violently at 20 MPH when I decelerate. When I slow the vehicle it feels as if someone has hit me from behind. When making right hand turns I am concerned that the car will switch gears and lurch me into oncoming traffic. Items on my seat that are not secure are propelled to the floor. I will not let anyone else operate the vehicle because I feel that it would be very easy to lose control of the vehicle during the deceleration. I contacted Hyundai corporation- mistakenly told me it was under warranty and then recanted when they realized I was a second owner which only covers 5 years or 60,000. Hyundai representative states that this is not a safety issue, that there are no technical bulletins applying to my automobile. …
I have a 2009 Hyundai Sonata with a 5 speed manual transmission. On Tuesday, May 25, 2010, I was traveling on route295 south in ri when I tried to shift from 4th gear to 5th gear. I pressed my clutch in and tried to shift, the clutch never came back up and my car stalled in the middle lane of the highway. I couldn't get the clutch to come back and the car lost its speed down to about 5-10 miles per hour, if that. The person behind me went around me but the woman behind him smashed into me doing around 70mph. Her car pushed mine forward and into the next lane. My airbags never deployed. Luckily, I walked away with a bruised left arm and that was all. My husband had called our dealership a few times regarding this issue but because it didn't stick all the time, they couldn't tell us what was wrong. My car is an absolute mess right now and I don't know if it can be repaired.
Takata recall on July 27, 28 2019 the ESC light came on intermittently causing the car to stall driving south on I 75 and later on the streets. After turning the car off and restarting the car it drove along OK. During our return trip, the car stalled again driving north on I 75 , and we pulled to the side of the road only seconds before a 18 wheeler passed us within less than a foot between us. All five us could have been killed. We were lucky to find a national repair shop opened on a Sunday who diagnosed the problem as a faulty crankshaft position sensor( the car has 54,000 miles ) . The part was replaced and after 4 hours we were on our way, minus $400 plus dollars. Research indicates that this continues to be an unsafe and potentially deadly problem -that this sensor must be recalled- and the public made aware of the danger.
While driving the car at a rate of 30 to 40 MPH, I felt a jerk in the engine or transmission speed of my vehicle, and afterwords noticed my ESC off light and engine lights had been illuminated and unable to be shut off with my ESC switch. I also noticed that I was unable to rev my engine past 3000rpm's, consequently affecting my vehicle's usable power band and rendering me(the driver) unable to control the car's overall speed. After turning my vehicle off and then back on, the problem would go away, but only temporarily until I was again driving. I then went to a mechanic to have my car's computer scanned and found that there was a problem with my crankshaft or crankshaft sensor. My computer was then reset, but the problems persisted again shortly after.
This is a 2009 hyunda Sonata, bought new in 2009. Under 20,000 miles, when the car speed is slowing down, the engines started to give a sudden jerk at around 21 miles. You can feel a sudden impact and it is more noticeable during winter. Many trips to the dealership went to no where as the dealer simply ignored the problem and mentioned that they did not notice any issue. After many trips to the dealership at around 45,000 miles in 2014, the dealer finally agreed that it was a problem. Updated to a new software based on bulletin from Hyundai, mentioned that it would go away. Now under less than an year, I started to notice this problem again.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Hyundai Sonata. While driving 3 MPH the wheels locked and/or the transmission locked causing the vehicle to steer to the right and crash into the side of another vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. The driver side and front fender were damaged. There were no injuries. The police was notified but no report was filed. The vehicle was undriveable and was towed to the dealer. The insurance company was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified and was sending a representative to the dealership to inspect the vehicle. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 30,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at 10 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed and a grinding noise emitted as the ESC warning light illuminated. The failure recurred numerous times. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 13V113000 (exterior lighting service brakes, hydraulic ). On a separate occasion, the gear lever failed to shift out of park until after several attempts. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 20,000. The VIN was not available.
The vehicle was aqua planning, the driver lost a complete control over the vehicle. The car was bouncing between road sides, left and right - 3 times. The car hit the gate rails 3 times. None of the air bags came out and the seat belts appeared not to be locked at the moment of accident. As a result the passenger's body moved freely in the car and hit the left rib and internal organs, and hit the right side of the face, including cheek bone and nose. The passenger's face was severely bruised and swollen. Besides, both driver and passenger had a whiplash.
In cold weather and when engine is cold, when slowing down, upon reaching 20 MPH, the car will jerk very roughly into a lower gear. I took it to pohanka Hyundai in virginia stating it was the transmission which they cover for up to 100,000 miles and they said they would not cover it even though my car only had 70,000 miles. This a problem with several cars on the Hyundai forums where I initially researched about my problem. Pohanka Hyundai stated it was a safety bulletin only and not a recall, so I would have to pay for the repair to the transmission.
Transmission complaints in other Sonata years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2009 Hyundai Sonata?
NHTSA has 41 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2009 Hyundai Sonata, 9% of the model year's 460 complaints. The component named most often is manual transmission (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2009 Hyundai Sonata transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for the 2009 Hyundai Sonata, though it has 2 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2009 Hyundai Sonata transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 40,000 miles, and 25% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 3 injuries to transmission & drivetrain problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.