10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
74,469 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2009 Hyundai Santa Fe fuel system problems

fuel system problem

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2009 Hyundai Santa Fe Owner Comments (Page 3 of 6)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #69

Sep 302017

Santa Fe

  • 115,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

While driving and making right turn engine stalled lost brakes and steering, was able to stop in middle of road with traffic coming up fast, put in park re-started. This second time within a year

- Apex, NC, USA

problem #68

Jun 082016

Santa Fe

  • 100,000 miles
Like the other posted complaints, my 2009 Santa Fe is having fuel gauge issues. It never shows the correct level. I changed the fuel cap but this did nothing to solve the problem. My check engine light comes on because of this problem. The readout comes back: "fuel level sensor". this can be a dangerous situation and will prevent me from passing a state inspection. I use my trip odometer to gauge where I am with fuel tank level. I have to set my trip to zero at every fill-up. At 144 miles I know I'm at 1/2 a tank roughly. This is an issue that Hyundai is refusing to admit to so they can save money. Maybe this isn't an air bag, but, if I loan my car to my daughter and she runs out of fuel on a highway......I don't want to think about it. Force Hyundai to fix this!

- Fishkill, NY, USA

problem #67

May 012017

Santa Fe

  • miles
The fuel gauge slowly oscillates between the (assumed) correct value and zero, often triggering the low-level light. It makes it impossible to be confident about how much gas you have in the vehicle. It doesn't matter if the vehicle is stationary, in motion, or what kind of driving condition you are in, or whether the engine is running or not. It seems to be a malfunction in the sensor or electronic controls. My local dealer said this is a common issue (~$400 to fix) but Hyundai hasn't issued a recall because it's not a "safety issue". this is a safety issue as you are never sure whether it is correctly indicating a low fuel level or not... I worry about my 16 year old daughter driving by herself at night without knowing whether she has enough gas or not to make it home! if this is a known/common issue for this make/model it should be recalled and repaired by Hyundai.

- Castle Rock, CO, USA

problem #66

Aug 152016

Santa Fe

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Fuel indicator gauge fluctuates severely and does not show correct level. Since the level is incorrect, and the warning indicator does not function, this can cause the vehicle to unexpectedly run out of fuel and shut down the engine while driving. This causes dangerous driving conditions. There are numerous complaints about this issue.

- Woodstock, GA, USA

problem #65

Jan 092017

Santa Fe

  • 140,000 miles
Gas gauge does not register amount of gas that is in the tank. Fill up tank and gauge remains a empty or goes to full and the quickly moves to empty. Many complaints about same issue with 2009 Santa Fe. Safety issue because you never know how much gas you have and can very easily run out of gas on a major highway causing a major accident.

- Belle Mead, NJ, USA

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problem #64

Feb 102017

Santa Fe

  • 125,000 miles
I noticed the fuel gauge was erratic and mostly incorrect. After a couple of weeks it quit working at all. Ive tried to reset the trip odometer and keep up with the amount of gas I should have in the tank. I gave out of gas on an interstate at 11pm in sub freezing weather. The dealership diagnosed the fuel sensor as the problem. I've noticed several hundreds of similar complaints here. The estimated fix is $500. Additionally there is a hissing sound from the tank when I stop to fill up. Upon filling the tank the engine will not crank initially. It apprears to be flooding the engine with gasoline. If im patient I will eventually get it cranked. When I pull off it shuts off. This continues as I intentionally drive around in the parking lot due to having this happen once after pulling out onto the highway almost caused an accident. I am a retiree on fixed income. The auto will not pass nc emissions inspection due this month until the check engine light goes off.

- Fairview, NC, USA

problem #63

Feb 272017

Santa Fe

  • 19,804 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The fuel reading fluctuates continuously with incorrect readings sometimes it says empty when it's full or has a significant amount of gas in it. Then the check engine light comes on. I took it to an auto care shop to have them use their computerized system to see why my check engine light is on. It showed the codes P0464 and P0463. This is the fuel sensor circuit and it is extremely dangerous because you could be driving and the gage suddenly reads empty and your car shuts down. If your on the highway and this happens your dead! this is happening to so many Hyundai Santa Fe's yet no one is doing anything about it. This needs to be addressed asap or there will be extreme consequences! this happens when the vehicle is in motion when it's stationary and everytime you start the car! it is so dangerous and I'm afraid to drive my car now

- Salisbury, MA, USA

problem #62

Jan 092017

Santa Fe

  • 100,500 miles
Fuel gauge not working properly, it will go from showing there is gas in the tank to completely empty, then back to gas in the tank. This has lead to the check engine light coming on. I don't want to get stuck out in this cold weather with an empty tank due to a faulty fuel gauge

- Milwaukee, WI, USA

problem #61

Nov 012016

Santa Fe

  • 75,000 miles
My fuel gauge is not working now the engine light has come one

- Johnston, RI, USA

problem #60

Dec 042016

Santa Fe 6-cyl

  • 65,000 miles
Faulty fuel sensor gauge. When trying to fill an empty tank the pump shuts off after only a couple of gallons. If I wasn't paying attention I would have thought it was full. I've seen complaints that the fuel gauge stops working on this car at similar mileage, if that happens too I won't know how much gas is in my car. I could then run out of gas while driving and lose power steering. This is an accident hazard.

- Gurnee, IL, USA

problem #59

Oct 272016

Santa Fe

  • 98,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

After filling my gas tank, the fuel gauge on my 2009 Santa Fe would read empty and the low fuel light would illuminate. In addition, the "check engine" light came on. After driving a few miles the fuel gauge would fluctuate between empty and half full. The mechanic checked the onboard computer and the code said it was the fuel sensors. He replaced both of them, at a cost of $500, and it seems to have solved the problem. Mileage was slightly under 100,000 miles.

- Florence, KY, USA

problem #58

Sep 222016

Santa Fe

  • miles
Have had the same issue as others. Fuel gauge isn't working, or works erratically. Check engine light is intermittent. Never know if the engine light is still on for fuel issue or something different, that could be considered dangerous. Code returned as fuel sensor or sending unit. I now believe it has caused issues with my catalytic converter. What does it take for Hyundai to step up to the plate?? I will never buy this again. Too many problems that no one can fix. I swear this car is haunted!

- Raymond, ME, USA

problem #57

Aug 282016

Santa Fe

  • 109,200 miles
I want to join the many others who have launched complaints on this and other websites about the faulty fuel gauge sensors of the 2009 Santa Fe. When I fill my gas tank, the fuel gauge only registers at half a tank and the low fuel light comes on. Now my check engine light is on. When I brought the vehicle to auto zohn to have the engine light checked, it does, indeed, come up as a faulty fuel level sensor. Hyundai is obviously aware of this problem as evidenced by all of the consumer feedback, yet it has failed to do anything to assist. Unlike their counterparts at Toyota, Volkswagen and Chrysler, it shouldn't take a tragedy for Hyundai to step up and address this safety concern.

- Charlton, MA, USA

problem #56

Jul 152016

Santa Fe

  • 107,130 miles
Starting on July 15, 2016, the check engine light (mil) came on, as well the fuel gauge incorrectly indicating the amount of fuel, in the fuel tank, at 107130 miles. I had the mil diagnosed as P0464, fuel sensor defect. Many other Hyundai Santa Fe owners, have reported this problem, requesting financial assistance to repair this significant safety problem, to Hyundai customer service, to no avail. Their response has been it is not their concern and have not offered to provide financial assistance. If I were to be driving at highway speed, e.g., 55-75 mph, and have the engine shut down, due to lack of fuel, the power steering would be significantly impaired, with loss of control. This could lead to loss of control of my vehicle, with subsequent probability of an "accident", resulting in personal injury, resulting in death, to me and my family members, as well as others, as well as serious property damage. The cost for replacement of the fuel level sensors is approximately $600 to $800. This fuels sensor problem and mil, occurs when stationary, when the ignition switch is turned to start, as well as when in motion, at any speed. I believe that before some disastrous event occurs, Hyundai should assist in the replacement of these defective fuel sensors.

- Englewood, CO, USA

problem #55

Jul 142016

Santa Fe

  • 65,000 miles
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.

- Roswell, GA, USA

problem #54

May 252016

Santa Fe

  • 105,000 miles
Fuel sensor shows gas level erratically both on gauge and digital display, usually when fuel level is below 1/3 left in tank. Check engine light also then displays erratically. This happens only when vehicle is stopped in traffic or in parked position with engine on. Happens only, so far, in stop and go traffic and not on the hwy. Has been occurring since May 2016 with 105,000 miles.

- North Potomac, MD, USA

problem #53

Feb 012016

Santa Fe

  • 90,000 miles
Around 90,000 miles my fuel sensor started not working the check engine light will come on and the needle will go up and down as well as the digital miles left on trip, I bought an extended warranty when I purchased the vehicle, but it only lasted until 80,000 miles of course. The sensor barely works and when it does it only lasts for a little while. I have to keep track myself of how much gas is in the car. I have seen several complaints about this issue and recalls for much less. I do not think vehicle owners should have to pay to replace these sensors and/or fuel pumps when this is clearly a defect by Hyundai. I will never purchase another Hyundai again.

- Surprise, AZ, USA

problem #52

Jul 012015

Santa Fe

  • miles
The check engine light and low fuel light come on even with a full tank of gas. I've received several estimates to have the fuel sensor replaced and it will cost anywhere from $600 to $700. This should be a recall considering the amount of people with the same problem and safety issues.

- Lexington, KY, USA

problem #51

May 242016

Santa Fe

  • 87,124 miles
About a month ago my engine light kept coming on and every time I filled the tank with gas the car wont start unless I keep the foot on the gas while turning the ignition key then I have to switch the gear to drive with a foot on the brake and one on the gas. I took it to the dealership and had to replace the purge valve and the purge hose. Not even a week I went to fill the tank and my gauge dropped to empty and while I drive it starts to go up and down constantly it is hard to tell how much gas you have, I notice is very common on this make and model and year. This should be a recall since it is a safety hazard.

- San Antonio, TX, USA

problem #50

Apr 092016

Santa Fe

  • miles
After fueling my car, the gas gauge immediately dropped to empty and the light would come on. While driving it would then slowly creep up to about 3/4 of a tank. At the half way mark, it would go up and down gradually so that I could never trust how much gas was truly in my tank, leading me to always want to refuel at the halfway mark. This happened continually in between fueling and never corrected itself.

- Lincoln, CA, USA

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