Most common 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 problems
Share of the 20 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 complaints by model year
Best Avalanche 1500 years: 2010, 2012, 2006. Years to avoid: 2003, 2005, 2004, 2002, 2007. Compare all years →
What 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 owners say
Air bags
Cracks in dash cover around air bag and over instrument cluster. No hard road hits, no junk on the dash. Heard a rattle, looked up there and found the cracks. Thousands of incidents across internet. Seat tracks rough sliding and motor failure. Outside mirror motor failure. I am the only driver and dont move seats much. Lack of use kills motors? Rear window leaking water due to plastic frame shrinking, cracking and leaving a gap. Only took the window out once before finding it leaking 2 years later due to the plastic frame shrink and crack. Door handles paint falling off in flakes. Fronts replaced by dealer at 17K. 38K rear handles started doing it. Dealers unwilling to do anything after 36K. 78K on truck now, making last 575.00 payment this month and truck needs thousands in repairs. …
My truck has 2 major cracks on the dash that just appeared within the last 6 months. I have owned the vehicle since July 2013. One is right in front of the drivers seat on the dash and cracks from my display behind my steering wheel all the way to the windshield. The second crack in the dash is in front of the passengers seat and runs into the airbag. All GM model SUV/trucks from 2007-2013 are having the same problem! I do not understand why GM will not recall this issue. If either of my air bags have to deploy, we could get killed by the sharp cracked shards busting out of the dash and stabbing us. I bought this specific vehicle when my first born son was 1 month old because I was driving a little Honda civic and wanted something safer for my child. Now he is 2 1/2 and I also have a second son now that just turned 6 months. …
Transmission & drivetrain
09 Chevy Avalanche the drive shaft or ball joint was undersized by 5/1000 to make the 6 speed transmission shift correctly/thus causing slack which makes noises from a jar to sounding like you were hit in the rear. 3 times to dealer--3/30/10 at3,788 mi, 10/28/10 w/8,185 mi to3/3/11 w/14,000 mi. They tell me now its no fix, but has 100,00 mi warranty. It is getting worse and could finally twist and break which May cause an accident w/ bodily harm,it is getting much worse and affects late 08 models thru 2011. A certified letter sent on 11/22/10 and received 11/29/10 tpscottlawson..director of customer and relationship services, as of 3/11/11 never replied to my e-mail or phone. A $48,000 vehicle that seems like a 1,000 dollar. Their has to be thousands of these on the road.
I was driving to a church function with my wife and about 30mph under acceleration, my truck started lugging like it was in 6th gear. It started shaking then the tachometer was fluctuating up and down about 500 RPM's. I checked the transmission fluid and looked good. I have a very important business trip tomorrow morning and now I am stuck. I took it for another drive to see if the problem occurred at a higher speed and it does. I put the cruise on about 60mph and the truck was bucking and the RPM's were going crazy. I drive mostly highway miles. Very disappointed in the service I have had with this truck so far with another issue and now I have to deal with this.
Body & structure
Cracks in dash cover around air bag and over instrument cluster. No hard road hits, no junk on the dash. Heard a rattle, looked up there and found the cracks. Thousands of incidents across internet. Seat tracks rough sliding and motor failure. Outside mirror motor failure. I am the only driver and dont move seats much. Lack of use kills motors? Rear window leaking water due to plastic frame shrinking, cracking and leaving a gap. Only took the window out once before finding it leaking 2 years later due to the plastic frame shrink and crack. Door handles paint falling off in flakes. Fronts replaced by dealer at 17K. 38K rear handles started doing it. Dealers unwilling to do anything after 36K. 78K on truck now, making last 575.00 payment this month and truck needs thousands in repairs. …
Got in to my car that morning and heard a rattling noise coming from my dash and came to find out my dash was cracked. I do nothing but highway driving so there were no extenuating circumstances to cause it. I take great care of my vehicles and have never had this happen before. I researched the problem and have come to find out that it is a Chevy issue that is not being disclosed or are they taking responsibility there are a number of websites with Chevy truck owners who have the same problem. I believe this needs to be addressed by your organization on the behalf of the thousands of Chevy truck owners who need the issue rectified .
2009 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 20 / 16 |
| 6.0L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 a good car?
Based on 20 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2009 Avalanche 1500 rates average: 32% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Avalanche 1500 at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500?
The air bags — 9 complaints, 45% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (3) and body & structure (3).
How many recalls does the 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Chevrolet Avalanche 1500?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2010, 2012 and 2006. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2003, 2005, 2004, 2002 and 2007. See the full Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 75,000 miles; 29% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.