DRIVING AROUND 45MPH, TRYING TO TURN LEFT AND THE STEERING LOCKED UP AND THE APS LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK TO PEARSON HYUNDAI AND HAD CHECKED OUT. PER PEARSON, THEY FOUND A CODE C1290, TORQUE SENSOR MAIN SIGNAL FAULT. WILL NEED A NEW STEERING COLUMN. APPR. COST OF $1600.00. PER PEARSON, THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND VEHICLE SHOULDN'T BE DRIVEN UNTIL REPAIRED. NEED INFORMATION ON ANY AND ALL REC…
2009 Hyundai Elantra steering problems
severe 140 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $700
Complaints
140
Recalls
0
Crashes
5
Avg fix
$700
What owners are reporting 7 most recent
For the past month I have broke down multiple times. Used all my aaa tows. Everything turns off while driving 60mph with kids in the vehicle. Absolutely no power steering. I haven’t had interior lights, radio etc in 6 months. 8 belts since March. I’m a single mother stranded again freezing
IT HAPPENED TWICE : AROUND JUNE 2018, AND TODAY 12/20/2019. TODAY, WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED AT 40 MILES/HR IN A CITY ROAD , SUDDENLY THE EPS WARNING LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED, THEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED UP. I ALMOST GOT HIT BY OTHER CARS. LUCKILY I MANAGED TO GO TO THE SIDE ROAD, TURNED OFF THE CAR AND TURNED ON AGAIN , THEN THE THE CAR WAS WORKING NORMALLY. BACK IN 2018, THIS EPS WA…
A STEADY "EPS" LIGHT CAME ON MY HYUNDAI ELANTRA 2009. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS ABOUT 9/2018. THERE WERE NO NOTICEABLE MALFUNCTIONS WHILE DRIVING. A FEW WEEKS LATER, HOWEVER, THE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING WHEN I STARTED THE CAR, AND WHEN TRYING TO REVERSE FROM DRIVEWAY, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY HARD AND I INITIALLY COULD NOT TURN IT. WHEN I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND ON, I WAS ABLE TO MO…
STEERING WHEEL IS CLUNKING AND THE EPS LIGHT IS CONSTANTLY ON. IT INITIALLY BLINKS WHEN VEHICLE IS TURNED ON AND THEN STAYS ON SHORTLY AFTER. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY OTHER RECALLS REGARDING STEERING WHEEL EPS RELATED FAULTS AND THE STEERING SUDDENLY STIFFENING UP, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL ON THE VEHICLE EITHER ON LOCAL ROADWAYS OR EVEN ON THE HIGHWAYS (NOT ONLY ON THE ELANTRA, BUT ALSO ON SONATA MODEL…
At random times while driving (operating vehicle while in motion on public roads) the EPS light turned on and power steering stopped working. I pulled over on the side of the road and would shut off the engine and restart the vehicle and the power steering would restart. Sometime it would take several times to stop and start the vehicle for the power steering to start working again. The power ste…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME LOOSE AND THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE SPUN AROUND AND CRASHED INTO A MEDIAN ON THE DRIVER SIDE AND STRUCK A GUARDRAIL. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE HEAD AND RIBS. THE FRONT PASSENGER SUSTAINED CHEST PAINS. THE DRIVER AND THE PASSENGER BOTH RECEIVE…
Common questions
How serious is the steering problem on the 2009 Hyundai Elantra?
It's a meaningful issue. 140 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $700.
At what mileage does the steering typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $700 for steering repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to steering?
No active recalls currently cover steering issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Other problem areas on this vehicle
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities.
Repair cost estimates are independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area.
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