2009 Chevrolet Silverado 2500: common problems

Owners of the 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 filed 61 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 61
involving a crash: 6

What fails most often

1 Air bags 39% of all complaints
2 Electrical system 15% of all complaints
3 Structure 10% of all complaints
4 Service brakes 8% of all complaints
5 Steering 7% of all complaints
6 Vehicle speed control 7% of all complaints
7 Engine 5% of all complaints
8 Tires 5% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Air bags: 24 complaints (39% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Electrical system: 9 complaints (15% of all).
Structure: 6 complaints (10% of all).
Service brakes: 5 complaints (8% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Steering: 4 complaints (7% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 61 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

smoke, burning smell, fire5 · 8%
knocking, grinding or other noise3 · 5%
warning lights, check engine3 · 5%
airbag warning light2 · 3%
airbags did not deploy2 · 3%
brake failure2 · 3%
door locks, latches, handles2 · 3%
jerking, harsh shifts2 · 3%
vibration2 · 3%
fuel system, fuel smell1 · 2%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Air bags	24	2
Electrical system	9	0
Structure	6	0
Service brakes	5	2
Steering	4	0
Vehicle speed control	4	0
Engine	3	0
Tires	3	0
Equipment	2	1
Powertrain	2	0
Electronic stability control	1	0
Engine and cooling	1	0
Exterior lighting	1	0
Fuel/propulsion system	1	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

The vehicle was not diagnosed by the insurance company or a dealer to determine why the air bags failed to deploy. The vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 16v381000 (air bags). The manufacturer was notified after the crash. The approximate failure mileage was 92,060.
Air bags · crash · 2018-10-10 · NHTSA complaint #11139441
The air bags failed to deploy although the display message indicated that the air bags had deployed. The driver and three passengers all suffered various head, back, and neck injuries that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The failure mileage was 68,000.
Air bags · crash · 2014-09-11 · NHTSA complaint #10632356
Resulting in substantial damage to my truck as well as the other car, also a ticket for me. The truck didn't slide, jerk or anything, just gradually slowed till impact. I drive a tractor-trailer that has better braking response.
Service brakes · crash · 2013-12-21 · NHTSA complaint #10556899
Brake failure on two occasions,second failure resulted in vehicle damage.
Service brakes · crash · 2010-07-17 · NHTSA complaint #10343723
Tl contact owns a 2009 chevrolet silverado 2500. While driving 55 mph his spare tire fell from underneath the vehicle and hit another vehicle behind him. The tire damaged the front end and two people were injured. A police report is available. The brackets were loose and bent when the tire came off.
Equipment · crash · 2010-02-25 · NHTSA complaint #10314099
Our truck 7 pin female hitch plug caught fire and caught our trailer on fire. There is a recall for the 2009 Chevy 2500's but the recall is not on our VIN Number. We would like to report this just in case it is happening to other 2009 Chevy 2500 trucks. ,
Electrical system · 2023-08-07 · NHTSA complaint #11536874
i have a 2009 Chevy 2500 HD and my ABS, Stable Trac and air bag lights resently went on and i all the sudden lost brake power and found out that the Abs module and Harness were melted really bad. i have not reported it to anyone yet i dont know how to go about it .
Air bags · 2023-04-08 · NHTSA complaint #11516137
The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the trailer brake warning message displayed. Additionally, while towing a trailer, the trailer brake erroneously activated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the trailer brake sensor was faulty. The vehicle was not repaired.
Electrical system · 2022-04-22 · NHTSA complaint #11461747

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

20092
20105
20114
20121
20132
20142
20155
20163
20177
201813
20192
20207
20214
20221
20232
20241

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 4,799 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 13% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Silverado 2500 has 121 complaints (34 years in the data). This year has 61, below average.

What to check before buying

Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 2500?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, electrical system, structure. Total complaints: 61. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (8%), knocking, grinding or other noise (5%), warning lights, check engine (5%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 2500?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 2009 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.