Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2009 Chevrolet Suburban owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I am STILL waiting for this recall to be fixed. Why is this taking so long? Every time I drive this vehicle, it is a danger for my passenger due to the defective airbag. It almost seems to me that maybe this is a stall tactic so there will be less of a cost for the repairs due to the less vehicles still on the road. Just my opinion. I would like to know what is taking so long to fix. It is already late 2021 and this vehicle is a 2009. Wow. I guess the safety of the customers is second to the cost of repairs.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at a low rate of speed, she attempted to make a left turn and was hit by a car coming from the opposite side. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. The driver was treated for whiplash and multiple bulged disks in her back which would require surgery. A police report was not filed. The driver was able to drive the vehicle home after the accident. The contact stated that the vehicle had been included in NHTSA campaign number: 16V381000 (air bags); however, the parts to do the repair were unavailable. The dealer nor the manufacturer had been notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 167,000.
My 2009 Suburban has multiple cracks in the dash that continue to get worse. I also have new cracks that go from the natural dash seam to the airbag cover/encasing on the passenger side. This presents the question: if the airbag needs to deploy, what happens if the broken dash punctures it and it doesn't perform at all -or- what if the cracked dash becomes shrapnel and harms the passengers? It was clearly an unfinished design since the underside of the dash is completely hollow, it flaps up and down once cracked. It's no wonder they have cracked all the way across, they have absolutely no support under there. These vehicles are made to tow, get through all sorts of weather and road conditions, and haul a large group. But the dash can't withstand it? Problematic.
Dash cracked and totally inploded. Loose parts everywhere. These parts fly everywhere when moving vehicle. Airbag loose and probally could implode without wrecking accident. Definately a hugh safety factor. Maybe nahta would like to drive my vehicle with couple top execs from GM over country roads and Dodge loose scraphnel.05/07/2019
Dash has continued to crack - over 4 cracks that has affected the defrost vent, dash and now I receive periodic airbag warnings upon starting ignition and/or parking. I am concerned as a driver, mother of 3 and caregiver of elderly mom that the air bags will deploy at anytime and/or not function correctly upon a crash or collision.
Dash around airbag is cracked along with above instrument cluster. It appears it is identical to all other dash cracks in both location and type on 07-13 tahoes/suburbans/avalanches. Obliviously a manufacturing defect coupled with the Takata recall could create an exploding dash with extra brittle shrapnel.
It has been several years since the Takata airbag recall was announced. The local dealer, bunnin Chevrolet, has continually been unable to consumate the recall for my vehicle. What can be done to remedy this danger, short of not driving the vehicle?
My 2009 Suburban has a crack in the dash right near the airbags. It is about 1 1/2" in length. I am worried that it will crack worse and cause my airbags to deploy when not necessary or fail to deploy when needed.
The discovery of the defect was on September 2012. There is a crack on the dash above the vehicles instrumentation I.e. Speedometer, oil pressure, gas level, etc. I reported to local GM dealership (henry brown Chevrolet) about the defect and my concern for safety. They said there is no available safety recall for this problem. Thinking that this was an isolated case I did not pursue the matter. Then recently when I surfed the internet I came upon a group of GM vehicle owner with the same type of vehicle and the same type of issue. So I investigated further. Going to different web blogs, I found more GM vehicle owners with the same problem. Everybody have the same issue. They have cracked dash on their GM vehicles. Some have the cracks on both side where the passenger airbag is. The danger is that this might puncture the airbag and render it ineffective. …
Takata recall- I have now called my local GM Chevy dealer dealer monthly since the Takata recall has come out and they have refused to replace the airbags. They site that they do not have any to replace them with. My response has been, I have 4 children that I drive daily and god forbid but if I were to get in an accident and the airbags deployed and we found out then that they were defective. It May be too late and the injuries sustained be life threatening. There is no reason we need should have to wait till something bad happens when this is a simple fix. I need my airbags replaced asap and need to know how to make this happen. I even received a letter in the mail that states contact your local dealership and schedule your free repair. This is absolutely asinine that my airbags have not been fixed within the last 18months since the recall. I need something done now.
Related recalls
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.
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.
NHTSA investigations
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.
Airbag complaints in other Suburban years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2009 Chevrolet Suburban?
NHTSA has 38 complaints about the air bags of the 2009 Chevrolet Suburban, 36% of the model year's 106 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2009 Chevrolet Suburban airbag problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 21V-053 (inflator module, Feb 5, 2021); NHTSA recall 21V-052 (inflator module, Feb 5, 2021); NHTSA recall 21V-050 (inflator module, Feb 5, 2021). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2009 Chevrolet Suburban airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 95,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 1 injury to air bags problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.