2009 GMC Sierra 1500 Problems

Typical for Model

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2009 GMC Sierra 1500.

20082010
Complaints
280
per 10K Sold
25.0
US Sales
111,842
Crashes
5
Fires
4
Injuries
4
Fatalities
Recalls
4

Worst 2009 GMC Sierra 1500 Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#1121 complaints

Airbags

Avg mileage:84,396 mi
Crash-related:3
#218 complaints

Electrical Faults

Avg mileage:73,119 mi
#317 complaints

Body Structure

Avg mileage:82,585 mi
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2009 GMC Sierra 1500.

Airbags
121
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
84,396
Electrical Faults
18
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
73,119
Body Structure
17
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
82,585
Engine Problems
13
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
93,708
Unintended Acceleration
12
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
35,741
Fuel System
9
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
88,168
Transmission / Drivetrain
9
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
75,627
Brakes
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Suspension Failures
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Electronic Stability Control
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Headlight/Taillight Failures
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Latches / Locks
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
Structural Problems
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Wheel Issues
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Engine & Cooling
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
Gasoline Fuel System
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Seat-Related Issues
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Steering Defects
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Visibility
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Air Bags:Frontal
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Electrical System:Ignition
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Wiring & Fuses
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
Other Equipment
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Seat Belt Issues
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Hydraulic Brakes
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Brake Master Cylinder
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Wipers & Visibility
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2009 GMC Sierra 1500. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2009 GMC Sierra 1500

4 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~3,896,975 vehicles.

21V052000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~557,023 affected

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, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2007-2008 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

21V050000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~2,641,272 affected

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 the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2007-2008 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

21V053000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~692,526 affected

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, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2010 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 Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2009 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 Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C."

18V267000Other Equipment
~6,154 affected

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Chevrolet Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD, 2009 GMC Topkick 5000, 6000, 7000 and 8000 Series and Isuzu F Series, and 2009-2018 Chevrolet Express, and GMC Savana vehicles, equipped with certain Plastic-Handle Fire Extinguishers or Push Button 'Pindicator' Fire Extinguishers. These extinguishers may become clogged, preventing the extinguisher from discharging as expected or requiring excessive force to activate the extinguisher. Additionally, in certain models, the nozzle may detach from the valve assembly with enough force that it could cause injury and also render the product inoperable. For a full list of the affected fire extinguisher models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2017/RMISC-17E062-5427.pdf

Other GMC Sierra 1500 Years

2009 GMC Sierra 1500 — FAQ

Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.

Is the 2009 GMC Sierra 1500 reliable?
Verdict: Typical for Model. The 2009 GMC Sierra 1500 has 280 NHTSA complaints, 5 crash-related, and 4 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Airbags with 121 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2009 GMC Sierra 1500?
Top reported problems: Airbags (121 complaints, avg 84,396 mi); Electrical Faults (18 complaints, avg 73,119 mi); Body Structure (17 complaints, avg 82,585 mi). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 2009 GMC Sierra 1500?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 80,670 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2009 GMC Sierra 1500?
NHTSA complaints for the 2009 GMC Sierra 1500 include 5 crash-related reports, 4 fire reports, 4 injuries, and 0 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 2009 GMC Sierra 1500 have any recalls?
Yes — 4 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 3,896,975 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 2009 GMC Sierra 1500?
Complaint levels are in line with what's expected. Normal used-car due diligence applies — check the specific VIN for accident history, open recalls, and title brands.

Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.

Wider context: See the full GMC Sierra 1500 reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

Check Your Specific 2009 GMC Sierra 1500

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