CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 · model year

2009 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500

553 NHTSA complaints, 10 crash reports, and 3 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2009CHEVROLETSILVERADO 1500 carries 553 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 10 crashes, 10 fires, 4 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2009 SILVERADO 1500 is air bags with 229 filings, followed by unknown or other (56) and electrical system (43). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 3 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 2 investigation files overlapping the 2009 SILVERADO 1500, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

553
Complaints
10
Crashes
10
Fires
4
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

553 filings

Crashes Reported

10 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

Above median complaint volume — review patterns below.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
AIR BAGS229
UNKNOWN OR OTHER56
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM43
STRUCTURE:BODY42
ENGINE36
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)13
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM12
SERVICE BRAKES11
POWER TRAIN11
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL10
SEAT BELTS9
STEERING8
EXTERIOR LIGHTING8
SUSPENSION8
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES6

Recalls (3)

21V05200005/02/2021

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

21V05000005/02/2021

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 s

21V05300005/02/2021

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 Alaba

Recent Complaints

20251103AIR BAGS

The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V052000 (Air Bags) while having an inspection completed. After receiving notification of the recall, while driving approximately 35 MPH, the passenger’s side air bag unexpectedly deployed, damaging the dashboard and fracturing the window. The vehicle had not been taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 146,000.

Mileage: 146,000

20250905STRUCTURE:BODY

Driver and passenger side extended cab doors metal is cracking horizontally near the front edge of the doors.

20250621EXTERIOR LIGHTING

The front drivers headlight low beam keeps going out. I just received my second warning for this failure. It got dark before I got home from the store. We took it to a friend who does mechanical work back in the spring. He fixed it; but now it’s doing it again. Yes we had it inspected last November for tag renewal. There are no warning lights or signals that come on.i think it started acting up around November 2024

20250107TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS

P305/55 R 22

20240719STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS

The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that after having the vehicle inspected, the contact was informed that the under body was extremely rusted, and the vehicle was unsafe to drive. The certified mechanic determined that the sub frame could not be repaired and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 200,000.

Mileage: 200,000

20240619SUSPENSION

Recently while up on the hoist the technician said the frame rust was very severe and the truck was in danger of buckling. Should it be so bad at 114,000?

20240619STRUCTURE:BODY

Recently while up on the hoist the technician said the frame rust was very severe and the truck was in danger of buckling. Should it be so bad at 114,000?

20240619UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Recently while up on the hoist the technician said the frame rust was very severe and the truck was in danger of buckling. Should it be so bad at 114,000?

20240612AIR BAGS

There was no incident yet light came on dash 2 days ago and I got a letter in mail for a recall

20240413ENGINE

Solenoid was rubbed by the wiring harness which caused a leak.

20240413FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Solenoid was rubbed by the wiring harness which caused a leak.

20240402ENGINE

The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that the service air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the air bag control module was corroded due to moisture in the driver weld. The vehicle was not covered under a recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

Mileage: 90,000

20240402AIR BAGS

The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that the service air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the air bag control module was corroded due to moisture in the driver weld. The vehicle was not covered under a recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

Mileage: 90,000

20240322STRUCTURE:BODY

I realized last weekend that BOTH of my rear doors were full of water. When I opened the rear door on the drivers side, I heard a water sloshing sound, which caught my attention. I closed & reopened the door & once again I heard the sound clearly. I left the door open & noticed the water pouring out at one corner. The water was draining from inside the door panel. I went to the passenger side of the vehicle & noticed the exact same situation. After 30 minutes of swinging the doors back & forth, I drained over a gallon of water from EACH of the rear doors. Considering the weight of a gallon of water, this is very much a safety hazard, not to mention the corrosion & rust that I am sure have built up over time.

20240227AIR BAGS

Driving up driveway and airbags on the side door panels went off didn't hit anything and they went off

20240224ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

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 [XXX] [XXX] Can you please include Louisiana in this recall since the issue is affecting us? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

20240224AIR BAGS

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 [XXX] [XXX] Can you please include Louisiana in this recall since the issue is affecting us? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

20240224SEAT BELTS

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 [XXX] [XXX] Can you please include Louisiana in this recall since the issue is affecting us? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

20240119AIR BAGS

The contact’s father owns a 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while his dad was driving 25 MPH, he heard a loud explosion coming the front driver’s side air bag. The air bag warning light was illuminated prior to the explosion. The air bag did not deploy because there was no crash. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer and was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 63,000.

Mileage: 63,000

20231218STRUCTURE:BODY

Frame is so rotted it is falling apart in pieces. Truck doesn’t even have 100000 miles

Compare 2009CHEVROLETSILVERADO 1500 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2009 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 have?
The 2009 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 has 553 NHTSA complaints, 10 crashes, 10 fires, 4 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2009 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500?
Yes, the 2009 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 has 3 recall(s). The most common affected component is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2009 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500?
The most-complained component for the 2009 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 is AIR BAGS with 229 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include UNKNOWN OR OTHER and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 2009 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.