2009 Hyundai Santa Fe
The Verdict
Worst problem area
Fuel System
Fuel System leads by volume: 127 of 358 complaints (35%) mention it. Complaints mentioning Driver Assistance & Speed Control include more crash reports (11) than those mentioning any other identified area.
Complaints filed fell from 541 in 2008 to 358 in 2009.
Data last changed . Sources: NHTSA complaints and recalls, EPA fuel economy data. Methodology
Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History
| Category | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | vs. 2009 Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fuel cost ($) | 2,950–3,300 | 3,100–3,300 | 3,100–3,300 | 2,700–2,850 | 2,700–2,950 | |
| Combined MPG | 19–21 | 19–20 | 19–20 | 22–23 | 21–23 | |
| City / Highway MPG | 17–18 / 23–24 | 17–18 / 23–24 | 17–18 / 23–24 | 19–21 / 26–28 | 19–20 / 25–27 | |
| CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi) | 423–468 | 444–468 | 444–468 | 386–404 | 386–423 | |
| Complaints filed | 683 | 541 | 358 | 258 | 181 | |
| Recalls issued | 9 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
| Crash-involved complaints | 30 | 17 | 27 | 8 | 12 | |
| Fire-involved complaints | 8 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 8 | |
| Injuries reported | 32 | 12 | 26 | 7 | 9 | |
| Deaths reported | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | |
| Configurations compared | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
Not compared: this database has no vehicle sales or registration figures, so a raw count mostly reflects how many were sold, not how safe the vehicle is.
Common questions
How many recalls does the 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe have?
3 NHTSA recall campaigns as of Sep 16, 2026. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see whether one applies to your car.
What is the most common complaint about the 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe?
Fuel System: 127 of 358 NHTSA complaints (35%) mention it.
What gas mileage does the 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe get?
EPA rates it 19–20 MPG combined.
How much does it cost to fuel a 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe?
EPA estimates $3,100–$3,300 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.
Similar Vehicles
EPA-Rated Configurations (6)
| Configuration | Transmission | Cylinders | Displacement | Drivetrain | Fuel Type | Vehicle Class | City | Highway | Combined | Annual Fuel Cost | CO₂ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration 1 | Manual 5-spd | 6 | 2.7L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD | 17 mpg (low) | 24 mpg (high) | 20 mpg (high) | $3,100 (low) | 444 g/mi (low) |
| Configuration 2 | Automatic 4-spd | 6 | 2.7L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD | 18 mpg (high) | 24 mpg (high) | 20 mpg (high) | $3,100 (low) | 444 g/mi (low) |
| Configuration 3 | Automatic 5-spd | 6 | 3.3L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD | 17 mpg (low) | 24 mpg (high) | 20 mpg (high) | $3,100 (low) | 444 g/mi (low) |
| Configuration 4 | Manual 5-spd | 6 | 2.7L | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | Regular | Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD | 17 mpg (low) | 23 mpg (low) | 19 mpg (low) | $3,300 (high) | 468 g/mi (high) |
| Configuration 5 | Automatic 4-spd | 6 | 2.7L | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | Regular | Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD | 17 mpg (low) | 23 mpg (low) | 19 mpg (low) | $3,300 (high) | 468 g/mi (high) |
| Configuration 6 | Automatic 5-spd | 6 | 3.3L | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | Regular | Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD | 17 mpg (low) | 24 mpg (high) | 19 mpg (low) | $3,300 (high) | 468 g/mi (high) |
Complaints by Category
| Category | Complaints | Crash-Involved | Fire-Involved | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 67 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Transmission & Drivetrain | 24 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 3 |
| Fuel System | 127 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical | 50 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 |
| Brakes | 54 | 7 | 1 | 8 | 0 |
| Steering | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension, Wheels & Tires | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Airbags & Restraints | 31 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Driver Assistance & Speed Control | 52 | 11 | 0 | 9 | 3 |
| Body, Seats & Latches | 16 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Visibility & Lighting | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 36 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.
Recalls (3)
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH · Campaign 13V113000 · Apr 1, 2013
Defect: 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, Hyundai recalled 1,059,824 model year 2007-2009 Accent and Tucson, model year 2007-2010 Elantra, model year 2007-2011 Santa Fe, model year 2008-2009 Veracruz, model year 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, and model year 2011 Sonata vehicles. In September 2013, Hyundai informed the agency that it was adding more vehicles to this campaign, representing an additional 652,512 units. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 1,712,336. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake transmission shift interlock feature, preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.
Consequence: Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of Park without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.
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.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE · Campaign 12V354000 · Jul 26, 2012
Defect: 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.
Consequence: Improper classification or detection may cause the front passenger airbag not to deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury to the front passenger.
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.
EQUIPMENT · Campaign 11E040000 · Oct 6, 2011
Defect: CURT MANUFACTURING IS RECALLING CERTAIN TOW PACKAGE WIRING HARNESSES, PART NUMBER 55538, THAT CONNECT TOW VEHICLE LIGHTING CIRCUITS TO TRAILER LIGHTING CIRCUITS SOLD FOR USE ON CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009 THROUGH 2011 HYUNDAI SANTA FE VEHICLES. THE UNITS ARE NOT WATER-TIGHT AND MOISTURE CAN SEEP INTO THE CONVERTER MODULE AND DEFEAT THE MODULE'S INTERNAL CIRCUIT PROTECTION.
Consequence: WITHOUT THE CIRCUIT PROTECTION, THE MODULE CAN OVERHEAT POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A FIRE.
Remedy: CURT MANUFACTURING WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE TOW PACKAGE WIRING HARNESS. THE REMEDY WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 17, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CURT MANUFACTURING AT 1-715 831-8713.