2009 Hyundai Santa FE Recalls, Complaints & Specs
2 safety recalls list the 2009 Hyundai Santa FE, and owners have filed 358 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
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2 safety recalls for the 2009 Hyundai Santa FE
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Switch (exterior lighting)
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 Accent, model year 2007-2011 Azera, Sonata and Sante Fe,2006-2011 Tucson, 2009-2011 Elantra Touring, 2007-2010 Elantra, 2008-2011 Veracruz, 2009-2011 Genesis, 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, 2007-2008 Entourage, and 2006-2008 Tiburon vehicles. Originally, in April 2013,…
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. The safety recall began on April 22, 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's recall campaign number is 110.
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Air bags: sensor/control module-inactive
Hyundai is recalling certain model year 2007 through 2009 Santa Fe vehicles manufactured from April 19, 2006, through July 7, 2008. The occupant classification system (OCS) may need recalibration to accurately detect small statured adults.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will update the classification software free of charge. The safety recall began on September 7, 2012. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151.
358 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2009 Hyundai Santa FE have filed 358 complaints with NHTSA; 27 describe a crash and 5 describe a fire. Reports cite 26 injuries and 3 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 71,096 miles. Complaints peaked in 2015 with 53 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“Brake Lights Stay, On ESC OFF Light Illuminated, Cruise Control Won't Engage, Unable to Shift Out of Park. Fuse had to be pulled because the battery was going dead due to lights not turning off. Its d”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, August 23, 2026 · Service brakes
“2 unrepaired recalls. Frame rusted and unsafe to lift to repair the other recall which is an oil leak onto the alternator. Car won't run now. Corporate asked if I had a lawyer. They have declared my c”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, May 29, 2026 · Electrical system
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe (Santa Fe 2WD, Santa Fe 4WD). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 19–20 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 17–18 / 23–24 |
| Fuel | Regular |
| EPA class | Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD, Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD |
| Engine | 6 cyl, 2.7/3.3 L |
| Transmission | Automatic 4-spd; Automatic 5-spd; Manual 5-spd |
Compare Hyundai Santa FE model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Hyundai Santa FE model year in NHTSA's database.
Checking a specific 2009 Hyundai Santa FE
How do I know if my 2009 Hyundai Santa FE has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 2 campaigns currently list the 2009 Hyundai Santa FE; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Hyundai dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 12V354000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Hyundai models
- Sonata16,085 complaints
- Elantra8,715 complaints
- Tucson6,287 complaints
- Palisade2,447 complaints
- Accent2,032 complaints
- Ioniq 51,339 complaints
- Veloster1,292 complaints
- Genesis1,244 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.