One problem related to brake disc pads has been reported for the 2009 Hyundai Elantra. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2009 Hyundai Elantra based on all problems reported for the 2009 Elantra.
Winter of 2009 I noticed that brakes on my 2009 Hyundai Elantra would lock up and not work whenever driving on loose wet snow. The car would just slide as if on ice and there would be no feeling as of pads on steel from the brake pedal. Took car into fairfax Hyundai in fairfax, va. They inspected brakes and deemed that nothing was broken. However they weren't able to test drive the vehicle under the same snow conditions. Vehicle's brakes work fine when snow is plowed and compacted. On 16 December 2010 we had similar snowfall and vehicle behaved the same dangerous way. This time however I was able to clear the brakes of snow by rapidly stomping on the brake pedal until I could feel pad on steel and stop the vehicle from sliding. Haven't bothered to take vehicle in to fairfax Hyundai since they found nothing last year. Have sent notification, however, to Hyundai USA and to consumer reports. I don't want anyone to be hurt by this brake failure in snowy conditions. At the least drivers should be alerted that they can stop the vehicle by rapidly stomping on the brakes to clear the snow that seems to build up between the pads and the rotors.