2009 Hyundai Sonata Steering Problems

While driving at about 30 mph, your steering wheel suddenly became stiff and wouldn't turn left or right, with no warning light appearing. You've scheduled a dealer appointment to have it checked, but the vehicle hasn't been diagnosed or repaired yet. The issue may be related to a known steering problem affecting your model year. Fixing this will likely involve inspecting the steering column and related components for mechanical failure or fluid issues.

Your passenger-side front wheel seized while driving, and your ESC (Electronic Stability Control) warning light came on. The problem appears to be related to a faulty yaw sensor that controls your traction system. You were able to prevent it from happening again by turning off the traction control, but the underlying issue hasn't been diagnosed or fixed. Getting the yaw sensor checked and replaced by a mechanic would likely resolve this problem.

STEERING WHEEL WOULD LOCKS UP FOR A SECOND OR 2 WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN AROUND 15MPH THEN I WOULD HAVE TO LET MY FOOT OF THE GAS JUST TO GET THE STEERING WHEEL BACK TO NORMAL. HAD THIS HAPPEN TOO MANY TIMES ALREADY. TRIED FIXING THE PROBLEM BY HAVING A MECHANIC SHOP CHANGE THE AXLES AND BUYING A NEW RACK N PINION AND TIRES AND GETTING A ALIMENT DONE IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR. STEERING IS STILL GETS STIFF WHILE MAKING TURNS EVEN WITH ALL THE NEW PARTS ON THE CAR NOW

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN IN EITHER DIRECTION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT TURNING TO THE RIGHT WAS MORE DIFFICULT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 149,000.

REAR END OF VEHICLE SWAYS AROUND AS IF DRIVING ON ICE. FEELS EXACTLY LIKE DESCRIPTIONS OF ISSUE WITH RECALL 13V354000. HYUNDAI SAYS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL. EXCESSIVE PLAY IN REAR END, AND VERY NOTICEABLE BURNING SMELL COMING FROM REAR END AFTER DRIVING. CAUSING EXCESSIVE WEAR OF REAR BRAKES AND TIRES. HAS CAUSED REAR BRAKE HOSES TO FAIL. OCCASIONALLY BRAKE PEDAL SINKS TO FLOOR WHILE DRIVING IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, VEHICLE FEELS AS IF A GUST OF WIND COULD SEND IT OFF THE ROAD. NEED TO DO A TON OF STEERING TO KEEP THE CAR GOING STRAIGHT. FRONT END WAS ALIGNED 25,000 MILES AGO.

POWER STEERING GETS STIFF AND MAKES IT HARD TO TURN INTERMITTENTLY. I TOOK IT TO DEALERSHIP FOR THEM TO CHARGE ME $145 JUST TO SAY NOTHING IS WRONG.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO TURN LEFT AND RIGHT INDEPENDENTLY AND THE TRACTION CONTROL AND ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, BUT DID NOT POWER OFF THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT SLOWLY DROVE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CROSSMEMBER WAS CORRODED AND THE REAR DRIVER SIDE WHEEL ALMOST DETACHED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO SURESKY HYUNDAI (2 HATFIELD LN, GOSHEN, NY 10924, (845) 294-5177) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CROSSMEMBER WAS CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED A CASE NUMBER. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000. *TT

WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE "ESC OFF" LIGHT ILLUMINATES FOR NO REASON. THIS HAS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, NORMAL SURFACE STREETS, AND HAS OCCURRED WHILE BRAKING. POWER STEERING GOES OUT RANDOMLY DURING TURNS WHILE ON CITY STREETS OR HIGHWAYS. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC WHO TESTED THE POWER STEERING AND FOUND NO ISSUE WITH THE POWER STEERING PUMP. THE PUMP IS IN GOOD WORKING ORDER AND DID NOT NEED TO BE REPLACED. I HAD SEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THE STEERING, WITH A RECALL ISSUED, ON 2008 AND 2011 SONATA MODELS, HOWEVER THE 2009 MODEL WAS NOT INCLUDED. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND COULD CAUSE A CRASH. ON THOSE RECALLS THE COMPUTER CIRCUIT BOARD IN THE POWER STEERING CONTROL UNIT HAD BECOME DAMAGED AND MADE THE VEHICLE MORE DIFFICULT TO TURN POSSIBLY CAUSING A WRECK. STEERING ISSUE HAS BEEN ONGOING OVER THE YEARS.

WHEN STARTING THE CAR, ENGINE MAKES SCREECHING LOUD NOISES MOSTLY ON COLD CRANKS. THE IGNITION SWITCH BY PASSES THE ALT POSITION AND STARTS THE CAR. MAKES LOUD NOISE LIKE STARTER IS NOT RELEASING.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED TO TURN. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (MAPLE HILL AUTO GROUP, 5622 W MAIN ST, KALAMAZOO, MI 49009) WHERE THE DEALER FOUND NO ISSUE WITH THE POWER STEERING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL OTHER TIMES, BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT FREQUENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000. *TT *TR

BOTH OF MY 2009 SONATA'S HAVE/HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I GOTTEN RID OF 1 OF THEM. POWER STEERING GOES OUT INTERMITTENTLY WHEN TURNING. DEALER NEVER DOCUMENTED BUT DID PUT POWER STEERING FLUID IN. 2011 SONATA'S DID HAVE A RECALL. HYUNDAI SAID OUT OF WARRANTY NOW AS IT HAS 117K MILES. BOTH MY 2009 SONATA'S HAD THE PROBLEM, I WIFE GOT RID OF HERS LAST YEAR. PLESE MAKE HYUNDAI DO THE RIGHT THING....DRIVING IS UNSAFE WITH FAULTY STEERING.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE IGNITION SWITCH SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO TYSINGER HYUNDAI IN HAMPTON, VIRGINIA TO BE REPAIRED, BUT THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. IN ADDITION, THE DEALER STATED THAT A LOCKSMITH WOULD NEED TO UNLOCK THE IGNITION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,248. UPDATED 10/18/17*LJ *TR

VEHICLE SITTING IN DRIVE WAY. GEAR SHIFT WONT WONT MOVE,AND IGNITION KEY WON'T TURN TO START ENGINE .SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH IGNITION SWITCH

STEERING IS LOCKING UP IN TURNS WHILE TURNING ON THE HIGHWAY! THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS! JUST CALLED DEALERSHIP & THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THIS HOWEVER IF YOU SEARCH STEERING PROBLEMS ON THE INTERNET IT'S A VERY KNOWN PROBLEM FOR THESE CARS! SOMETHING NEEDS DONE!

MY LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AND OFF ON THE ESC NOT SURE WHY OR WHAT TO DO.

WHEN RUNNING SOMETIME THE STEERING WHEEL WILL BE HARD TO TURN WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT, I CONTACTED HYUNDAI FOR THIS IS PART OF THE RECALL ON ALL HYUNDAI SONATA BUILT ON DECEMBER 2009. BUT HYUNDAI IS TELLING ME THAT IT NOT COVER BY THE RECALL ON THE STEERING WHEEL PROBLEM. WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO FIXED THIS PROBLEM. ...UPDATED 04/11/17 *BF *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE HAD GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AND BECAME A FREQUENT FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000. UPDATED 05/10/16*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE STEERING EVENTUALLY RETURNED TO NORMAL. UPDATED 05/11/16. *JB

WHEN I WENT TO START MY CAR I COULD NOT START MY CAR THE KEY SWITCH KEEPS LOCKING AND THEN THE STEERING WHEEL WILL LOCK UP WHEN U ARE TRYING TO GET THE KEY OUT AND I WAS EVEN PUSHING ON THE BRAKE TO GET IT TO RELEASE THE LOCK IT TOOK FIVE MINUTES TO FINALLY TO GET THE KEY TO TURN TO START THE CAR. I HAVE HAD IT ONE DAY WHERE I COULD NOT TURN THE CAR OFF AND THE KEY WAS STUCK IN IT AND THE DEALER SHIP COULD NOT EVEN GET THE CAR TO SHUT OFF OR GET THE KEY TO TURN IT WAS ALSO STUCK IN IT . I'M WORRIED ABOUT BEING SOMEWHERE WHERE I CAN'T START THE CAR OR THE KEY STUCK IN IT AND IT'S LOCKED UP ALL TOGETHER FOR GOOD I'VE HEARD THERE BEEN COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM AND IF IT'S GONNA BE FIXED OR NOT

THE STEERING GOES IN AND OUT OF POWER STEERING AT SLOW TO MEDIUM SPEEDS FROM AUG 2014 TO TODAY.

POWER STEERING FAILED TOTALLY ON 1/12/15--MANUAL HARD STEERING WORKED. IN SEPTEMBER I TOOK SONATA IN FOR STOP LIGHT RECALL AND ALSO HAD A 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT DONE. GOT 5 MINUTES DOWN THE ROAD WHEN THE ESC LIGHT CAME ON WHICH WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A PROBLEM IN THE RECALL. I TOOK IT RIGHT BACK AND THEY SAID SOMETHING PROBABLY DIDN'T GET RESET AFTER THE ALIGNMENT. EVER SINCE THE POWER STEERING WAS VERY TIGHT AND SOMETIMES INTERMITTENT UNTIL THE CAR WAS WARMED UP. COMPUTER CHECK SHOWED NOTHING WRONG. WORKED WELL FOR ABOUT 4 WEEKS AND THEN POWER STEERING TOTALLY DISAPPEARED ON 1/12/15--CAR WAS TOWED TO HYUNDAI DEALER. DIAGNOSIS: COUPLER SEIZED UP--MAYBE CORROSION OR WEAR??? I HAD A TRULY PERFECT CAR WHEN I WENT FOR RECALL NOW I HAVE A HUGE REPAIR BILL. I AM THE ONLY DRIVER OF THIS GARAGED CAR WITH LOW MILEAGE--SOMETHING DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT WITH THIS WHOLE SCENARIO. COULD THE ROT THAT IS REPORTED IN A SECOND RECALL OF THE REAR BE ALSO HAPPENING IN THE FRONT END? *TR

DURING THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS OF RAIN, WE HAVE HAD MULTIPLE OCCASIONS WHERE OUR VEHICLE HAS LOST POWER STEERING AND OUR BATTERY LIGHT GOES ON DURING LOW SPEED OPERATION. . THERE WAS NO DEEP PUDDLES, JUST NORMAL RAIN ON STREETS. IN SOME CASES, TOTAL STALL AND OTHERS ENGINE SCREECHES AND RESTARTS. WITHOUT WARNING. FILED COMPLAINT WITH HYUNDAI AMERICA. TOOK TO DEALER. WAS ADVISED THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM FOR 2007-2009 HYUNDAI SONATAS. AND THERE WAS NO KNOWN FIX . HAD VEHICLE CHECKED. ADVISED ALL SPLASH GUARDS AND SHIELDS IN PLACE. COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED AT DEALERSHIP. ONE SERVICE REP AT DEALERSHIP ADVISED HIS WIFE HAS SAME PROBLEM. ALL BELTS AND PULLEYS AND TENSION SPRINGS OK. WE ARE VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THE RESPONSE WE HAVE RECEIVED AT HYUNDAI TO A "KNOWN " SAFETY PROBLEM. TO BE MORE SPECIFIC, FIVE(5) OCCASIONS HAVE OCCURRED. TOLD TO COME BACK WHEN IT RAINS. *TR

MY STEERING AND BRAKES SUDDENLY LOCKED UP. I HAD MY KIDS IN THE CAR AND LUCKY THAT IT HAPPENED RIGHT BY MY HOUSE. NO TRAFFIC. EVEN THE SUSPENSION WAS AFFECTED.I IMMEDIATELY GOT KIDS OUT OF THE CAR AND CONTACTED MY INSURANCE TO TOW THE CAR. *TR

THE ESC LIGHT HAS BEEN GOING OFF INTERMITTENTLY IN MY VEHICLE FOR THE PAST 2 WEEKS, CAUSING THE SHIFTER TO DOWNSHIFT INSTEAD OF KEEP MOVING THE CAR WHEN I PRESS THE GAS, AND THE GAS PEDAL BECOMES UNRESPONSIVE. THIS HAPPENED ON THE INTERSTATE (I-78) TODAY, AND I ALMOST GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT IN THE MIDDLE LANE. I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM, AND IT SEEMS THERE WAS A RECALL ON PREVIOUS HYUNDAI MODELS, YET HYUNDAI HAS FAILED TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE IN THE 2009 SONATA. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL REGARDING THIS ISSUE. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS, AND COULD BE RELATED TO THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR OR A NUMBER OF THINGS, BUT BOTTOM LINE, IT CAUSES THE CAR TO BECOME UNRESPONSIVE WHILE IN MOTION, AND THE DRIVER NEEDS TO PULL OVER, SHUT OFF THE CAR, AND TURN IT ON AGAIN FOR IT TO MAYBE WORK, MAYBE NOT. THIS IS A HORRIBLE HEADACHE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED, AND I AM SURE THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY SONATA OWNER WITH THIS ISSUE. HERE IS EVIDENCE: HTTP://WWW.SONATAFORUMS.COM/FORUM/HYUNDAI-SONATA-ENGINE-TECHNICAL-DISCUSSION/1906-ESC-OFF-LIGHT-COMES-INTERMITTANTLY.HTML SO PLEASE GET IT DONE AND ISSUE A MUCH NEEDED RECALL FOR THIS MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT. *JS

DRIVING CAR AND PULLED IN PARKING SPACE, PUT IN REVERSE TO TURN AROUND AND STEERING COLUMN WAS TOTALLY DISCONNECTED. THE STEERING WHEEL JUST WENT ROUND AND ROUND AND I HAD ABSOLUTELY NO CONTROL OF THE CAR. HAD I NOT BEEN IN A PARKING LOT IT COULD HAVE BEEN A FETAL CRASH IN THE 8 AM WORK TRAFFIC. I FIND ON THE CONSUMER REPORT WEB SITE THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHERS AS WELL. HOWEVER MY DEALER CHARGED ME FOR ALL THE REPAIRS AND A TOWING FEE. I HAVE NO FAITH IN THIS CAR ANYMORE. *TR

IN SPITE OF FOLLOWING MANUFACTURERS GUIDELINES FOR TIRE INFLATION AND FOLLOWING PROPER ROTATION TIMETABLES AND HAVING THE CAR ALIGNED THIS CAR EATS TIRES. I HAVE REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES 5 DIFFERENT TIMES IN LESS THAN 100,000 MILES. I PURCHASE PREMIUM, NAME BRAND TIRES WITH A MILEAGE RATING OF 60,000 MILES. IN 2011 I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR ALIGNMENT AT A HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP. THEY INFORMED ME THAT "ALL LOWER CONTROL ARMS, CAM BOLTS AND BUSHINGS SEIZED DUE TO RUST; CAN'T ALIGN PROPERLY. I HAD A PLATINUM EXTENDED 100,000 MILE BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY THROUGH HYUNDAI. THE DEALERSHIP CALLED TO ADVISE OF THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE ADJUSTER CAME AND INSPECTED AND "EXTENDED WARRANTY DENIED COVERAGE AS RUST WAS THE CAUSE, THEY WILL NOT PAY FOR REPAIRS." THE DEALERSHIP ARGUED THAT THIS IS THE NORTHEASTERN PART OF THE US AND WE HAVE SNOW AND THE ROADS ARE SALTED IN THE WINTER. DEALERSHIP FELT THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED AND TRIED AGAIN BUT COVERAGE DENIED. AS THE OWNER I CALLED THE ABOUT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY AND WAS ALSO DENIED. BECAUSE CORRECT ALIGNMENT IS NOT POSSIBLE DUE TO RUST ISSUES THERE IS A HANDLING/STABILITY PROBLEM IN THE VEHICLE CAUSED FROM RUSTED ALIGNMENT COMPONENTS. I HAVE FOLLOWED PROPER SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE BUT DUE TO THE PROPENSITY OF RUSTING THIS HYUNDAI SONATA HAS DETERIORATED WORSE THAN COMPARABLE AUTOMOBILES THEREFORE CAUSING A SAFETY CONCERN AND A RESULTING LOSS OF VALUE. IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT THIS CAR IS EXPOSED TO NORTHERN SALTED ROADS MINIMALLY. I LEAVE THE NORTH THE FIRST OF JANUARY AND HEAD SOUTH AND RETURN IN EARLY APRIL AND HAVE DONE SO FOR THE PAST 3 WINTERS. *TR