2009 Chevrolet Silverado Problems & Complaints

Better than average59% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Silverado at the same age

Owners have filed 76 complaints about the 2009 Chevrolet Silverado with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That is 59% fewer than a typical Silverado model year at the same age, making the 2009 one of the better Silverado years. The most reported problem area is the electrical system (17 complaints, typically around 72,000 miles).

76complaints
0recalls
5crashes
3fires
4injuries
1deaths

Most common 2009 Chevrolet Silverado problems

  • Electrical system~72,000 miles
    1722%
  • Air bags~77,000 miles
    1621%
  • Body & structure~55,000 miles
    1418%
  • Engine & cooling~54,000 miles
    1013%
  • Speed control & acceleration~59,000 miles
    811%
  • Brakes~36,000 miles
    79%
  • Fuel & propulsion system~72,000 miles
    79%
  • Other / not specified~75,000 miles
    68%
  • Windows, wipers & sunroof~78,000 miles
    34%
  • Stability & traction control~39,000 miles
    34%
  • Transmission & drivetrain~52,000 miles
    34%
  • Wheels & tires~27,000 miles
    23%
  • Locks & latches~78,000 miles
    23%
  • Steering~52,000 miles
    23%
  • Lights
    11%

Share of the 76 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.

Chevrolet Silverado complaints by model year

’95’96’97’98’99’00’01’02’03’04’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’172631862722791.7k1.3k8777106956223161821831627662756864124765125
Owner complaints per model year, Chevrolet Silverado. Colour = our verdict for that year (red: avoid, orange: caution, green: better than average, blue: too new).

Best Silverado years: 2016, 2010, 2013. Years to avoid: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 1999. Compare all years →

What 2009 Chevrolet Silverado owners say

Electrical system

The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. The contact stated while driving 30 mph, when an unknown warning light was illuminated. The contact called an independent mechanic who informed the wiring harness was melted and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V407000 (Electrical System), however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 195,000.

195,000 miles · Jan 2022 · fire

Wife drove truck to the store it was raining hard this day. Came out and truck was dead. Jumped the truck and took it home.looked at the battery. Still had factory battery. Replaced the battery. Next morning the truck was dead. Jumped the new battery truck started . Turned truck off /could hear something running in the fuel tank. Found out that there were problems with the fuel module above the spare tire. Called the dealership for the third time. Creg smith auto group. Galion ohio 44833. Could not get the service manager on the phone. Left him a voice mail. Never returned my call. Next day called for service manager. They could not find him in the building. Told a man on the other end of the phone everything that was going on. Something was draining my battery and something was running.24/7. Man told me he would call me back. Never did. Left for dealership with the truck. …

72,000 miles · Apr 2015

Air bags

The contact owned a 2009 Chevrolet SIlverado. The contact stated that while driving at 50 MPH, the contact drifted off the highway which caused his vehicle to flip over three times and land right side up. The contact was able to escape the vehicle without major injury. The air bags did not deploy during the crash. The authorities arrived at the scene and the contact was examined by paramedics. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent tow yard where it was destroyed. Later that evening, the contact went to the emergency room where he was treated for a broken left rib. The dealer nor the manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The contact received a recall notice for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V053000(AIR BAGS). The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000

90,000 miles · Aug 2021 · crash · 1 injury

Takata Recall. The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer for NHTSA campaign number 21V052000 (Air Bags) however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired for the failure. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 105,139.

105,000 miles · Oct 2021

Body & structure

2009 Chevy Silverado lost traction on highway during slippery road conditions, vehicle spun out and hit a metal roped fence head on and also went across the median and slammed the front end of vehicle into a guard rail stopping it instantly from going into on coming traffic. The vehicles damage was on the front end directly in the center causing a wedge into the radiator, engine and bent the front of the frame. The impact was very loud and solid. The impact caused the truck to stand on the front of vehicle, slamming the back end of the vehicle on the ground with great force. The airbag didn't deploy which at the speed of around 60 MPH and the place the vehicle was hit in, makes me very concerned on the safety of this vehicle. …

Body · 39,000 miles · Feb 2013 · crash · 1 injury

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Silverado. The contact stated that the passenger side dashboard cracked where the air bag was located. The vehicle was taken to a dealer. The technician diagnosed that the dashboard needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 19,000. The VIN was unavailable. Updated 4/13/15

19,000 miles · Jul 2014

2009 Chevrolet Silverado engines & fuel economy

EngineTransmissionDriveMPG city / hwy / combined
6.0L 8-cyl hybridCVTRWD21 / 22 / 21
6.0L 8-cyl hybridCVT4WD/AWD20 / 20 / 20
5.3L 8-cyl6-speed automaticRWD15 / 21 / 17
4.3L 6-cyl4-speed automaticRWD15 / 20 / 17
5.3L 8-cyl4-speed automaticRWD14 / 20 / 16
6.0L 8-cyl6-speed automaticRWD14 / 19 / 16
5.3L 8-cyl4-speed automatic4WD/AWD14 / 19 / 16
5.3L 8-cyl6-speed automatic4WD/AWD14 / 20 / 16
4.8L 8-cyl4-speed automaticRWD14 / 19 / 16
6.0L 8-cyl6-speed automatic4WD/AWD13 / 18 / 15
6.2L 8-cyl6-speed automaticRWD13 / 19 / 15
4.3L 6-cyl4-speed automatic4WD/AWD14 / 18 / 15

EPA ratings. Class: Full-size pickup.

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2009 Chevrolet Silverado a good car?

Based on 76 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2009 Silverado rates better than average: 59% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Silverado 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?

The electrical system — 17 complaints, 22% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the air bags (16) and body & structure (14).

How many recalls does the 2009 Chevrolet Silverado have?

NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2009 Chevrolet Silverado. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.

What are the best and worst years of the Chevrolet Silverado?

The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2016, 2010 and 2013. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 1999. See the full Chevrolet Silverado years comparison.

At what mileage do 2009 Chevrolet Silverado problems happen?

The median mileage reported in complaints is about 59,000 miles; 39% 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.