Most common 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 problems
Share of the 444 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet Silverado 1500 complaints by model year
Best Silverado 1500 years: 2012, 2013. Years to avoid: 2019, 2021, 2014, 2022, 2024. Compare all years →
2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 recalls (3)
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2007-2011 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, Yukon XL, and 2009-2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, GMC Sierra 2500 and Sierra 3500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in…
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 22, 2021.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida,…
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 24, 2021.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2009 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas,…
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 23, 2021.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500:
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.
Pedestrian alert sounds
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles.
What 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 owners say
Air bags all 230 →
Takata Recall. The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V053000 (Air Bags) however, the dealer informed the contact that the part for the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated while driving at 45 MPH, the air bag warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 15,450. Parts distribution disconnect.
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while having his vehicle serviced at the local dealer under an air bag recall, the air bag sensor warning lights remained illuminated. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V053000 (Air Bag). The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and stated that the air bag cell light was not corresponding with the instrument panel. The contact stated the vehicle was not repaired correctly. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 98,000.
Body & structure all 54 →
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V050000 (Air Bags). The contact stated that he noticed a crack on the passenger's side dashboard that later expanded throughout the dashboard. The middle defrosts vent had collapsed because of the crack on the dashboard. There was no impact on the dashboard that could have caused the crack. The contact was concerned that the dashboard would be damaged more if the air bag recall repair was performed. The dealer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that the vehicle was out of warranty coverage. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The contact attempted to notify the manufacturer but was unable to speak with a live representative. The failure mileage was 188,472.
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that the dashboard was fractured on the passenger's side near the passenger's side air bag housing. The contact stated that the fracture extended to the driver's side dashboard. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the dashboard needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and offered to replace the air bag free of charge however, the dashboard had to be replaced by the owner out-of-pocket. The approximate failure mileage was 160,000.
Electrical system all 43 →
I have had the Tire Pressure indicator that tells the tire pressure of all four tire replaced several times. John L Sullivan Chevrolet in Roseville California keeps telling me that they are wearing out do to use. But the truck only has 70K in mileage and I they malfunction all the time. I get readings of 99 lbs of air pressure. Then the same tire will say 0 lbs of pressure. And it will say 7, then 29 then 18 lbs of air pressure in a distance of 2 blocks traveled. This is a malfunction due to faulty parts in the GM tire pressure reading system and they need to fix it. If I take it to the Chevy dealer, they want to charge me $209 to per tire to replace them and then they still do not work after they replace them Still get crazy tire pressure readings and it warnings flashing on my instrument panel that are distracting and dangerous. …
My truck has roughly 26,000 miles and the airbag sensing module on it corroded due to water gathering around it in the acoustic padding. It happens because water runs down a line that enters the cab and gets absorbed by the acoustic padding. This is a known issue as there is a recall for other states. My state is not one even though Louisiana is one of the wettest states and we also use salt in the winter when the roads ice. I'm glad I didn't get hurt by this since it can cause the seatbelt pretentioners to fire and/or the airbag to deploy. This is the document from GM/NHTSA. GM Bulletin [redacted] Can you please include Louisiana in this recall since the issue is affecting us?
2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.0L 8-cyl hybrid | CVT | RWD | 21 / 22 / 21 |
| 6.0L 8-cyl hybrid | CVT | 4WD/AWD | 20 / 20 / 20 |
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 21 / 17 |
| 4.3L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 20 / 17 |
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 20 / 16 |
| 6.0L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 20 / 16 |
| 4.8L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
| 6.0L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 13 / 18 / 15 |
| 6.2L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 13 / 19 / 15 |
| 4.3L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 18 / 15 |
EPA ratings. Class: Full-size pickup.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 a good car?
Based on 444 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2009 Silverado 1500 rates average: 13% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Silverado 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 Silverado 1500?
The air bags — 230 complaints, 52% of all complaints for this model year, most often about side/window. Next are the body & structure (54) and electrical system (43).
How many recalls does the 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, the most recent from February 5, 2021 (inflator module). 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 Silverado 1500?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2012 and 2013. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2019, 2021, 2014, 2022 and 2024. See the full Chevrolet Silverado 1500 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 70,000 miles; 35% 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.