Problems · by component

2009 Hyundai Santa Fe fuel/propulsion system problems

109 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe cite fuel/propulsion system, 30% of all 359 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
109
30% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the fuel/propulsion system

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“My kids and I were going to town one afternoon and I started to smell gas coming from the air vents the gas smell was very strong I opened the hood and could see that it was wet I touched the spot and smelled it and it was fuel.i was worried about driving home with my children in the car so I called my brother he came looked and tracked down the issue and the fuel leak was coming from the front fuel rail.i had never heard of a fuel rail going out on a vehicle before so calling around to parts stores and auto parts recycling places to get it fixed and no one will sale me one they have all told me to take it to dealership.please help it's the only vehicle my children and i have.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 1, 2023Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11553044
“The vehicle's check engine light came on and the fuel gauge shows "E". I did an OBD scan and it shows the fuel sending unit has issues. The gauge will work intermittently and the check engine light will go away. Further reviews from others show the same issues with their vehicle with each needing a bad sending unit replaced.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 30, 2022Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11487322
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 23, 2022Service brakes, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11486122
“2009 Hyundai Santa Fe Stalls out/DEATH TRAP, occasionally with no warning, seem to be when going up or down hills usually with quarter tank of gas approx. Possibly when decelerating. We have replaced both fuel pumps and it was ok for a while. The other day I was going down steep hill and it quit, i coasted to bottom and tried at least 10 times to restart. A DEATH TRAP for people, i had cars flying up on me almost rear ending me even thou I had my emergency flashers were on and my arm out the window flagging then around. I let car sit still a few minutes and it finally cracked. I started looking online for solutions but found many 2009 Santa Fe's have this problem. I called Hyundai and no Recall. I have already spend over $500 trying to repair this. I do see settlement against Hyundai for this problem on other years. They seem to know it is a problem but are not fixing unless forced. Please help.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 2, 2021Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11427441
“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!”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 11, 2021Service brakes, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11416198
“MY GAS GAGE STARTED TO WORK IMPROPERLY. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC I TRUST. HE TOLD ME THE FUEL PUMP SENDERS WERE BAD. AFTER HE REMOVED THEM HE CALLED ME TO TELL ME I WAS LUCKY MY VEHICLE DIDN'T CATCH FIRE OR BLOW UP! ONE SENDER HAS INSULATION BROKEN AND THE WIRE IS EXPOSED. HE ALSO FOUND THAT AN INTERNAL WIRE WAS EVEN WORST. THE PROTECTIVE CONNECTOR WAS GONE! THAT LEFT THOSE WIRES WITH NO PROTECTION. THEY SHOW SIGNS OF BAD CORROSION ON BOTH THE WIRES AND THE TERMINALS. THEY APPEAR TO MAYBE EVEN HAVE SHORTED OUT. THEY ARE BLACK AND A RUST ORANGE COLOR. THEY ARE ALSO PITTED. I CONTACTED HYUNDAI. THEY DIDN'T SEEM TO CARE. THEY WERE MORE CONCERNED THAT I HADN'T BROUGHT MY CAR TO A DEALER FOR OVER FIVE YEARS. I EXPLAINED THAT TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS HERE IN MIAMI HAD CHEATED ME AND TREATED ME BADLY. THE REPRESENTATIVE WAS TRYING TO INSIST IF I HAD BROUGHT MY VEHICLE IN THEY WOULD HAVE DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM SOONER. THAT IS JUST NOT TRUE. THEY ONLY WAY TO OBSERVE THIS PROBLEM WAS TO PHYSICALLY REMOVE THE BACKSEAT AND OPEN THE FLOOR TO EXPOSE THE GAS TANK AND THEN REMOVE THE PUMP! THEY WILL NOT DO ANYTHING! I HAVE THE FEELING THAT THEY WON'T EVEN REPORT THIS TO THEIR…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 23, 2020Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11365954

Showing 6 of 109 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.