Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2009 GMC Sierra 1500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
My truck was bought new by my cousin and not even a year having it the frame started rusting badly. Now we own it & it is scary to drive the frame is so bad rusted. We have put so much money into it it's ridiculous & cant afford to anymore. It's a danger for my family to drive it. I'm scared to drive my 8 year old in it. It's causing more than the frame to rust. We've replaced gas lines, brake lines & so much more. I wished GMC would fix this problem & repair all vehicles this has happened to.
The dash is cracked and busted to the point it rattles no matter what road you are on. The dash was maintained. Just cheap plastic in an expensive truck. The defrost grille is totally broke out. GM should take care of this problem if they want repeat business.
Plastic "molded rivets" are breaking on the knee bolster that holds the metal shield behind it. I've been told this shield is to guard from injury from the steering column during a crash. I've read reports online of people removing this guard since it has started rattling. I will not remove mine, but I'm not going to install bolts through the knee booster to secure it. It's just a matter of time before the remaining plastic breaks free and this will be discarded. If it's truly a safety item, I believe it needs to have better security than molded into the brittle plastic that we all know GM has in these trucks from the lawsuit on dashboards.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 GMC Sierra 1500. While the vehicle was parked, a loud banging sound was heard under the vehicle. Upon inspecting the vehicle, the contact noticed that there was a steel spring that independently fractured. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the spare tire carrier assembly fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 34,000. Updated 8/31/15 updated 10/30/2017
The dash has cracked, specifically around the passenger side air bag, which raises concern that debris upon impact May cause injury or cause the airbag to malfunction. This vehicle has never been in a collision. The cracks progressively worsen over time. GMC refuses to offer assistance for this repair because it is outside of warranty and we are not the original owners. The cracks have appeared since owning the vehicle. This happened out of the blue, overnight, while the vehicle was parked.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that there were several cracks on the dashboard and air bag compartment. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to bill smith Buick (1940 2nd ave nw, cullman, al 35055, [phone]) where it was diagnosed that the dashboard needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 110,000.
Takata recall severe cracks originating from the top left corner of passenger airbag. Airbag looks like it has a bulge causing the dashboard to crack. Concerning that airbag will deploy and pieces of plastic will injure the passenger or driver of pieces are deployes all over the cabin.
Cracked dash...this appears to be a known problem with GM, but no resolution has been provided by the manufacturer as of yet. This issue poses a serious concern that pieces of plastic could become dangerous projectiles in the event of a crash and/or airbag deployment.
Cracks appeared on dashboard above instrument panel and passenger airbag. Crack next to airbag appears to be safety hazard as it could puncture the airbag during deployment or the plastic could easily break and be launched as a projectile.
Dashboard cracking, drivers side about 5" of cracks, passengers side cracked behind airbag. Truck never been in an accident, truck was stationary when discovered. Always garage kept or shaded with dash cover if in sunlight.
Body complaints in other Sierra 1500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2009 GMC Sierra 1500?
NHTSA has 20 complaints about the body & structure of the 2009 GMC Sierra 1500, 9% of the model year's 234 complaints. The component named most often is body (17 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2009 GMC Sierra 1500 body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2009 GMC Sierra 1500, though it has 4 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2009 GMC Sierra 1500 body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 76,000 miles, and 14% before 25,000 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.