AI Damage2009 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid reliability: common problems
Owners of the 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid filed 22 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and powertrain. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 22
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 32% of all complaints
- 2 Powertrain 18% of all complaints
- 3 Service brakes 18% of all complaints
- 4 Air bags 9% of all complaints
- 5 Electronic stability control 9% of all complaints
- 6 Engine 9% of all complaints
- 7 Structure 9% of all complaints
- 8 Vehicle speed control 9% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 7 complaints (32% of all).
- Powertrain: 4 complaints (18% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Service brakes: 4 complaints (18% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Air bags: 2 complaints (9% of all).
- Electronic stability control: 2 complaints (9% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 22 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Air bags | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Hybrid propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 6 | 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.
I notice in many circumstances when switching gas/electric modes the vehicle lurches forward. The feeling is the same as letting out the clutch quickly on a vehicle with a manual transmission.
The brakes went to the floor and I put both feet on the brake pedal at this point. The rpms went up. It was like the engine came to life by itself. It self accelerated over the concrete spacer and sidewalk into the bank's brick wall. The airbag deployed upon impact. There was never a time it decelerated.
I have a large crack in my dash. There was no accident of any kind done. It just split.
Has no power steering. Reduced engine power. Throwing 47 codes. No communication between transmission and computer. Stability track turns off. Doors and auto shut off turn off and on when this occurs.
I reported this several times to chevrolet I was not happy with their research. I am having issues with the brakes in my car. Sometimes while braking the brakes will automatically disengage and you feel like you are being thrown forward.
When I press down on the gas, my vehicle stalls about five seconds before it actually takes off. When I try to stop, it does not stop right away as I press down on the break. I've almost rear another vehicle on several occasions while sitting at a red light.
While driving 35 mph, the vehicle stalled and the check hybrid system error message displayed. The vehicle was restarted after two hours. The vehicle was taken to multiple independent mechanics who diagnosed that the hybrid coolant system failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired.
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2009 chevrolet tahoe hybrid. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 16v381000 (air bags). The part was not available within a reasonable time frame to schedule the recall repair. The dealer did not give a specific date for when the part would become available.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 7,533 of 32,257 model years in the NHTSA data (top 23% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Tahoe Hybrid has 19 complaints (5 years in the data). This year has 22, above average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, powertrain, service brakes. Total complaints: 22. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: stalls while driving (23%), warning lights, check engine (18%), brake failure (14%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid?
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 Tahoe Hybrid 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 2026-11-06.