There are 32 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2009 Hyundai Santa Fein NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
The vehicle brakes would trigger randomly which is clearly extremely unsafe on: [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] which Triple A can validate. The main issue was the vehicle did not pull a code and since the happened randomly without warning there was no way to get this issue repaired. I called the dealership twice. The dealership recommended I call Hyundai customer relations which did nothing because the car was not under warranty and would not even work with me, even though this issue was extremely dangerous The second time this happened almost caused a vehicle pileup, because it happened on the highway when the brakes where triggered. Luckily I was able to get off of the highway with my brakes engaged, which was obviously not good for the vehicle. The last time this happened on [XXX] is when the master cylinder blew costing us $1,703.22. I called Hyundai they assigned me to 3 different case workers because the first 2 were extremely rude as if I did something wrong and were not empathetic to the seriousness of the situation. Leanna was the new case manager. She wanted me to provide all of the receipts and everything that would be relevant. After an exhausting back and forth for months in which they were clearly trying to dissuade me from taking action they simply rejected any assistance and gave me a silly $50 gift card. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I was decelarating after going highway speed on the highway and the car stalled electrical still worked but braking power steering acceleation all stopped working and engine lights turned on and esc and other lights i retarted the car and no engine lights turned on i went to my mechanic he said it dosnt show on diagnostics so he cant fix it this is just one incident its happend numerous times and it almost caused accident its dangerous and must be dealt with right away
Previously I taken my car in to be serviced June 6th 2022 due to two recalls at 110 stopwatch switch and the 947 underbody corrosion after leaving the service area it is now August 8th my abs and ESC light is illuminating at the same time and yesterday I called the dealership to schedule an appointment that is not until October 4th however when I pushed on the brakes yesterday it made a funny sound and it was hard for me to stop I'm confused if the dealership fix this why I'm having issues a month and a half later and it is important for my safety that this vehicle is running correctly as I have children and kids that commute in the car or ride with me everyday I'm afraid to continue to drive it however I need to get back and forth to work so I'm hoping the dealership provides a rental car until my appointment
THE FUEL GAGE IS BROKEN, IT READS EMPTY WHEN FULL. THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND TOOK IT IN TO FIX IT. $400.00 LATER IT WAS FIXED. NOW I HEAR CLINKING SOUND FROM ENGINE. I THINK THE PISTONS RINGS ARE BAD. I'VE READ OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS VEHICLE. NHTSA NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE!
BRAKES COMPLEXLY FAILED WHILE I WAS DRIVING WITH BRAKES BEING PRESSED COMPLETELY TO FLOOR. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC BESIDE MY HOME IMMEDIATELY . BOTH BREAK LINES WERE LEAKING 'GUSHING' BRAKE FLUID. HYUNDAI RECALLED THIS SAME EXACT PROBLEM ON THEIR 2011 SANTA FE BUT WHEN I NOTIFIED HYUNDAI OF MY BRAKE FAILURE THEY INFORMED ME THAT MY VIN NUMBER WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. ALSO THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ON WHEN THIS OCCURRED ! I WILL UPLOAD AN ACTUAL IMAGE OF LEAKING BRAKE LINES WHEN I RETURN TO THE REPAIR SHOP. VEHICLE PARTS REFERENCE NUMBERS PER HYUNDAI ARE 58722D AND 58718F. REPAIRS ESTIMATE IS APPROXIMATELY $665
2009 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO REAR BRAKE PADS BEING WORN. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT FROM THE DEALER UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT IT WAS STREET LEGAL AND SAFE TO DRIVE. AFTER 5 WEEKS, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR BRAKE PADS WERE WORN TO 0% WEAR AND THE FRONT BRAKE PADS WERE AT 1% WEAR. THIS CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE CALIPERS, ROTORS, AND PADS. *JS
I'VE TAKEN MY 2009 SANTA FE TO THE RICK CASE ROSWELL, GA ON FRIDAY, 7/1/2016 AND AGAIN TODAY, 7/15/2016, BOTH FOR THE SAME ISSUE, MY CAR IS STALLING WHILE I DRIVE IT. ON 7/1 THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE BATTERY, SO HAD A NEW ONE INSTALLED WHILE THERE. BOTH TIMES, I'M BEEN TURNING INTO A CURVE (IT WAS A RIGHT HAND TURN ON 7/1 AND A LEFT HAND TURN ON 7/15). THE FIRST TIME I WAS LUCKY AS IT WAS JUST COMING OFF A STOP LIGHT. LAST NIGHT, HOWEVER, IT WAS A CURVE TO GET ON THE HIGHWAY WITH AN 18 WHEELER THUNDERING BEHIND ME WHEN MY CAR STALLED, AND I LOST THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKING AND ALMOST BECAME AN 18 WHEELER HOOD ORNAMENT. AS I MENTIONED, THE DEALER IS PERPLEXED BY THE ISSUE, NOTHING IS SHOWING UP ON THE DIAGNOSTICS AND THEY CAN'T REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. I HAD TO LEAVE THE DEALERSHIP WITH THE SENSE THAT I'M DRIVING AROUND IN A TICKING TIME BOMB. AS A WOMEN WHO FREQUENTLY DRIVES BY HERSELF IN THE CAR, AND ON THE HIGHWAY 99.9% OF THE TIME, I CAN'T TELL YOU THE FEAR THAT KNOWING THAT THIS CAN HAPPEN AGAIN AT ANY MOMENT AND THAT THE NEXT TIME I MAY NOT BE SO LUCKY, INSTILLS IN ME. THIS IS MY SECOND HYUNDAI AND I HAVE ALWAYS CONSIDERED MYSELF TO BE A PROUD HYUNDAI OWNER, BUT I JUST DID A LITTLE RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT THAT A) NOT ONLY AM I FAR FROM THE ONLY PERSON WHO HAS HAD THIS ISSUE, B) THERE HAS ACTUALLY BEEN A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT THAT HYUNDAI LOST REGARDING THE FREQUENT STALLING OF HYUNDAI VEHICLES. I NEED HYUNDAI TO FIX THIS ISSUE ASAP OR RISK BEING SUED BY MY FAMILY AFTER I'M KILLED IN A CAR ACCIDENT THAT IS THE DIRECT RESULT OF YOUR STALLING VEHICLES.
THERE IS A CURRENT RECALL FOR THIS MAKE AND MODEL CAR TO REPLACE THE BRAKE LAMP SWITCH FOR SAFETY REASONS BUT IT DIDN'T INCLUDE MY VIN FOR SOME REASON, EVEN THOUGH THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED ON MY VEHICLE. THE BRAKE LAMP SWITCH WAS FAILING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE RECALL WOULDN'T BE FOR MY CAR AS WELL AS IT'S THE SAME SAFETY CONCERN.
CAR HAD A DEFECTIVE BRAKE SO IT COULDN'T STOP UNTIL IT CRASHED INTO THE LIGHT POLE AFTER PUMPED OTHER CAR. *TR
VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN AND PULLED IN TO DRIVEWAY OF HOME TO A CONTROLLED STOP BY PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. AT WHICH POINT, VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED THROUGH THE CLOSED GARAGE DOOR AND PROCEEDED AT ACCELERATING SPEED INTO GARAGE AND HIT A WALL (WOODEN BEAMS AND SHEETROCK WALLS) SEPARATING INTERIOR OF GARAGE AND INTERIOR OF KITCHEN AREA OF HOME. VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP AGAINST THE WALL WITH BRAKE PEDAL CONTINUOUSLY PRESSED DOWN. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT INTO PARK, IT RESISTED AND KEY ALSO WOULD NOT COME OUT. EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS PRESSED AT THIS TIME AND AFTER SEVERAL FAILED ATTEMPTS, VEHICLE FINALLY WAS ABLE TO SHIFT TO PARK AND KEY WAS ABLE TO COME OUT TO TURN VEHICLE OFF. VEHICLE CAUSED DAMAGE TO GARAGE DOOR AND INTERIOR WALL OF HOME. *TR
REAR LEFT WHEEL HAD HIGH PITCH SCREECHING SOUND AT 50-55 MPH TAP THE BRAKES AND IT WOULD QUIT MOMENTARILY AND THEN START SCREECHING AGAIN. STOPPED AND CHECKED WHEEL ON RIGHT AND LEFT SIDE. RIGHT SIDE WAS LUKEWARM TO THE TOUCH AND LEFT WHEEL WAS TOO HOT TO KEEP HAND ON IT. I TOOK IT TO LOCAL MECHANIC AND HE SHOWED ME THE PADS ON THE LEFT WHEEL AND THEY WAS WHITE FROM EXCESSIVE HEAT BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT RELEASED BACK FROM THE ROTOR. PADS HAD TO BE PRIED OUT INSTEAD OF NORMALLY COMING OUT EASY. EXTREMELY RUST CORRODED CLEANED UP ALL RUST ON PADS AND BRACKET AND THEY WORK FINE NOW. I DROVE SANTA FE ABOUT 60 MILES AND NEVER HEARD IT NO MORE. *TR
I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 30 MPH AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 6 MILES AT 55 MPH AND I HEARD A HIGH PITCHED SQUEAK. IT CHANGED WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES. I LATER STOPPED AND FELT THE WHEELS AND THE RIGHT REAR WAS HOT. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY DETERMINED IT WAS BRAKE PADS THAT WERE CORRODED/STUCK. THEY WANTED $100 TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I GOT THE IMPRESSION THAT THIS HAPPENS QUITE OFTEN. I THINK IT IS DANGEROUS. IN MY OPINION THIS COULD CAUSE A FIRE. THE BRAKES ARE NOT MADE TO RUN THIS HOT. IT SHOULD ALSO BE COVERED UNDER THEIR 5 YEAR/ 50,000 MILE WARRANTY AND THEY CLAIM IT IS NOT. *TR
I HAD MADE A LEFT HAND TURN AND WENT TO ACCELERATE AND THE VEHICLE KEPT ACCELERATING AND THE ENGINE REVVED UP, I TRIED TO PUSH THE BRAKE TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN AND IT WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN OR STOP. THE ENGINE REVVED UP AND FINALLY AFTER A FEW MOMENTS THE GAS PEDAL CAME UNSTUCK. THE CAR SLOWED DOWN AND I PULLED OVER. LATER THAT DAY MY SON DROVE THE VEHICLE AND IT HAPPENED TWICE TO HIM WHEN HE WENT TO ACCELERATE HE SAID IT JUST KEPT ACCELERATING AND HE SAID HE KEPT HITTING THE BRAKES UNTIL THE CARE WENT BACK TO NORMAL. I DID TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH MY VEHICLE. I DID DO A GOOGLE SEARCH AND IT SEEMS THAT OTHER OWNERS OF THE 2009 HYUNDAI SANTA FE REPORTED THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. *TR
I WAS PULLING INTO THE PARKING SPACE IN A PARKING STRUCTURE. I WAS ALREADY PRESSING THE BRAKE AND JUST BEGAN TO PRESS IT A BIT HARDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE IN THE PARKING SPACE. JUST AS I GAVE THE BRAKE PEDAL A BIT MORE PRESSURE, MY CAR SPED FORWARD, JUMPING A CEMENT WHEEL STOP IN THE PARKING SPACE, CRASHING ME INTO THE WALL OF THE PARKING STRUCTURE. THE FORCE OF HITTING THE WALL THREW THE CAR BACKWARDS WHERE THE WHEELS GOT STUCK BETWEEN THE WHEEL STOP AND THE WALL. HITTING THE WHEEL STOP THEN SENT MY CAR BACK INTO THE CEMENT WALL; REBOUNDING OFF OF THE WALL THIS SECOND TIME, THE CAR WAS PROPELLED OVER THE WHEEL STOP AND FINALLY STOPPED MOVING.THE CEMENT WALL WAS CRACKED AND VERY PRECARIOUS TO THOSE USING THE SIDEWALKS UNDERNEATH. MY CAR HAS SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END. TWO PEOPLE ON STAFF AT THE PARKING STRUCTURE SAW THE ENTIRE THING AND ASKED 'WHAT HAPPENED?" ONE OF THE WITNESSES SAID HE SAW MY BRAKE LIGHTS ON RIGHT BEFORE IT SPED UP AND FLEW INTO THE WALL. CALLED HYUNDAI AND LEARNED THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON MY CAR. ALTHOUGH THIS RECALL STATES THAT IT IS TO REPLACE SOME SORT OF BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH, THE LADY AT HYUNDAI SAID THAT THIS TYPE OF ACCELERATION WAS LISTED AS ONE OF THE PROBLEMS CAUSED BY THIS 'SWITCH' THAT HAS TO BE REPLACED. I TOLD HYUNDAI THAT I AM NOW SCARED TO DRIVE MY CAR UNTIL IT IS CHECKED TO FIX ANY PROBLEMS THAT ARE GOING ON WITH THE BRAKES/ACCELERATION. THEY WERE SO NICE! THEY INVITED ME TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AT ANY DEALERSHIP AND HAVE IT INSPECTED - AT MY COST. I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE SO UNCONCERNED. ANYWAY, THAT IS SANTA FE TALE OF WOE. WOULD APPRECIATE HELP WITH DEALING WITH HYUNDAI TO GET THIS RESOLVED; OR AT LEAST HAVE THEM CHECK IT OUT FOR NO CHARGE. *TR
AT 32,000 MILE THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL SMELLED HOT, BRAKE DUST RESIDUE VISIBLE AND SQUEALING COMING FROM THIS DRIVER'S SIDE REAR WHEEL. FOUND THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR OUTSIDE BRAKE PAD WAS WORN DOWN TO METAL. DRIVER'S SIDE INSIDE PAD AND PASSENGER REAR PADS, BOTH INSIDE AND OUT WERE FINE WITH HARDLY ANY WEAR ON THEM.. HYUNDAI DEALER SAID IT IS NORMAL FOR REAR DISC PAD TO WEAR THIS UNEVEN AND FOR CALIPER'S TO STICK ON CAUSING THIS. I FEEL THIS IS A DEFECT IN EITHER DESIGN OR QUALITY OF PARTS AS OTHER SANTA FE OWNERS ARE ALSO EXPERIENCING THIS AT EVEN LOWER MILEAGE. DEALER WANTS YOU TO PAY $60 TO HAVE YOUR DISC BRAKES CLEANED AND ADJUSTED (WHAT IS THERE TO ADJUST?) WHY DO ONLY HYUNDAI SANTA FE BRAKES NEED THIS UNHEARD OF SERVICE? WHY IS IT ONLY OCCURRING ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE FOR ME AND OTHER OWNERS? DISC BRAKES SHOULD NOT ACT THIS WAY.
REAR BRAKE CALIBER LOCKED UP, BRAKES OVERHEATED. HAD TO HAVE BOTH CALIBERS REPLACE. *TR
WHILE TRAVELING I HEARD A HIGH PITCH SQUEALING NOISE. UNSURE OF WHAT THE NOISE WAS, I TOOK THE SANTA FE TO MY MECHANIC. HE CHECKED THE BRAKES AND SHOWED ME THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE BRAKE HOUSING DID NOT MOVE AS FREELY AS THE OTHERS. HIS SUGGESTION WAS TO NOT DRIVE MORE THAN ABOUT 2 HOURS AT A TIME BECAUSE THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM HEATING UP AND CATCHING FIRE. SINCE THE TIRE IS RIGHT BY THE GAS TANK, THAT TELLS ME THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARD. ANY FIRE NEAR GASOLINE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO... I HAVE SEEN MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON LINE AND FEEL THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. *TR
WHILE DRIVING, DRIVER'S SIDE REAR WHEEL GENERATING A SCREECHING NOISE AND A BURNING SMELL. CHECKED TIRE AND BOTH THE TIRE AND WHEEL RIM WERE RED HOT. TOOK TO HYUNDAI DEALER. SAID CALIPERS NOT SLIDING PROPERLY. THEY CLAIM ON SANTA FE'S YOU HAVE TO BRING THEM IN FOR SERVICE (THE CALIPERS) EVERY 10K OR SO, AS THE REAR CALIPERS HAVE A TENDENCY TO FREEZE. I CHECKED THE INTERNET, AND THERE ARE NUMEROUS POSTINGS ON HYUNDAI SANTA FE OWNERS HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS. ALSO AN ARTICLE IN THIS WEEK'S HARTFORD COURANT AUTO SECTION OF A CONSUMER WITH A SIMILAR PROBLEM. IF I HAD NOT PULLED THE CAR OVER AND CHECKED THIS OUT THOROUGHLY, I COULD HAVE HAD A BLOWOUT AS THE HOT TIRE WOULD HAVE EXPLODED. THERE MAY BE A DEFECT IN SANTA FE CALIPERS. A SAFETY RECALL MAY BE IN ORDER. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, A SQUEAKING NOISE WAS HEARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE REAR BRAKE SHOES WERE CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES FAILED DUE TO CORROSION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED THREE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN EXPLAINED THAT DUE TO THE COLD WEATHER, THE CALIPERS AND BRACKETS CORRODED AND JAMMED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
Showing 1–20 of 32 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