Most common 2009 Chevrolet Aveo problems
Share of the 169 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet Aveo complaints by model year
Best Aveo years: 2010, 2011. Compare all years →
2009 Chevrolet Aveo recalls (1)
Service brakes, hydraulic › Fluid
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Chevrolet Aveo and 2009 Pontiac G3 vehicles. The vehicles may contain brake fluid which does not protect against corrosion of the valves inside the anti-lock brake system (ABS) module, affecting the closing motion of the valves.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ABS module, free of charge, in any vehicle that did not have its module replaced under a previous customer satisfaction campaign.
What 2009 Chevrolet Aveo owners say
Engine & cooling all 65 →
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Aveo. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle shut off independently. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the dealer. The dealer informed the contact that they could not diagnose the vehicle because the vehicle failed to start. The dealer informed the contact that an unknown wiring harness might need to be installed to restart the vehicle; however, the part had been discontinued. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to GM Campaign Number: N110290. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
The vehicle caught fire while travelling at approximately 40 MPH on the highway, us route 93 at exit 33, south in massachusetts, and burnt and the gas tank exploded. There was no accident preceding the fire. The vehicle is a total loss.
Electrical system all 50 →
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Aveo. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle shut off independently. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the dealer. The dealer informed the contact that they could not diagnose the vehicle because the vehicle failed to start. The dealer informed the contact that an unknown wiring harness might need to be installed to restart the vehicle; however, the part had been discontinued. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to GM Campaign Number: N110290. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
I am writing to you with regards to my Chevy Aveo 2009 lt,with automatic transmission. My wife usually drives this car and last week, suddenly my car wouldn't stop running. She was at her work place and she took off the keys but later realized the car was still running, so she returned back and couldn't shut off the engine.. So I had to leave my work and take the car to a Chevy dealership to find out it was a problem with a faulty ignition switch, but said it was not part of the recent GM ignition switch recall. But my question is: a. Why would the switch fail all of a sudden, and what if my wife left the car running all day and if it would've taken off by itself. B. I have been hearing a lot of news about Chevy recall of faulty ignition switches, does this not fall in that category? …
Speed control & acceleration all 22 →
In August 2014, I purchased a used 2009 Chevrolet Aveo for my daughter. The vehicle had low mileage (16K) and, according to carfax, two previous owners with no reported maintenance problems. I had the car inspected by my local Chevrolet dealership before finalizing the purchase from a Nissan dealership and there were no problems detected. On the date in of the incident, my daughter was traveling on the highway coming home for spring break. She was driving approximately 68 MPH when the car began to decelerate - the speed dropped from 68 to 58, then from 58 to 48, then, when the speed dropped to 38 MPH and the car repeatedly failed to respond when she pressed the accelerator to regain speed, she was forced to pull over to the side of the road. She called me and described the problem. She waited about 5 minutes and then cranked the car again. …
Engine light came on while driving and car started to slow down. It can't be throttled beyond 10-15 MPH, so pulled over. Took it to closest auto parts shop and the code reader came up with p2101/p2135 indicating there is a potential problem with 'throttle' functionality. This problem was reported by GM eng. Team and there is a technical service bulletin with the same model but GM is not considering to fix the issue with my car as it is out of warranty. This is a serious safety concern and expect GM to help fixing it. It is same as NHTSA 10034366.
2009 Chevrolet Aveo engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 27 / 34 / 30 |
| 1.6L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 25 / 34 / 28 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2009 Chevrolet Aveo a good car?
Based on 169 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2009 Aveo rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the Aveo 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 Aveo?
The engine & cooling — 65 complaints, 38% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine. Next are the electrical system (50) and speed control & acceleration (22).
How many recalls does the 2009 Chevrolet Aveo have?
There is 1 recall for the 2009 Chevrolet Aveo, the most recent from July 29, 2014 (fluid). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Chevrolet Aveo?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2010 and 2011. See the full Chevrolet Aveo years comparison.
At what mileage do 2009 Chevrolet Aveo problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 43,000 miles; 55% 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.