2009 GMC Sierra 2500: common problems

Owners of the 2009 GMC Sierra 2500 filed 31 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 31
involving a crash: 1

What fails most often

1 Electrical system 23% of all complaints
2 Air bags 16% of all complaints
3 Service brakes 16% of all complaints
4 Structure 13% of all complaints
5 Electronic stability control 6% of all complaints
6 Engine 6% of all complaints
7 Latches, locks, linkages 6% of all complaints
8 Tires 6% of all complaints

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

Electrical system: 7 complaints (23% of all).
Air bags: 5 complaints (16% of all).
Service brakes: 5 complaints (16% of all).
Structure: 4 complaints (13% of all).
Electronic stability control: 2 complaints (6% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 31 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

door locks, latches, handles5 · 16%
warning lights, check engine5 · 16%
airbag warning light2 · 6%
jerking, harsh shifts2 · 6%
knocking, grinding or other noise2 · 6%
steering or power steering problems2 · 6%
tires: bulges, blowouts2 · 6%
driver assists: adaptive cruise, lane keeping1 · 3%
brake failure1 · 3%
rust, corrosion1 · 3%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Electrical system	7	0
Air bags	5	0
Service brakes	5	0
Structure	4	0
Electronic stability control	2	1
Engine	2	0
Latches, locks, linkages	2	0
Tires	2	0
Engine and cooling	1	0
Fuel/propulsion system	1	0
Fuel system	1	0
Seat belts	1	0
Steering	1	0
Vehicle speed control	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 have a 2009 gmc seirra and it shuts off for no reason at all while you are driving.and I feel this is very dangerous.there are several complaints about this and there should be a recall on this.my vehicle has less than 50,000 thousand miles on it.and of course it started happening 2-months after the warranty was up.
Electronic stability control · crash · 2015-03-30 · NHTSA complaint #10702507
Service airbag warning light came on, and is still on. Vehicle had been running then parked for about 2 hrs. When started the light came on with the bulb check suite then stayed on when all the other lights went out
Air bags · 2020-09-10 · NHTSA complaint #11354210
The contact stated that after driving for 45 minutes, the vehicle was parked for two hours and the service air bag warning light illuminated. The contact called ballas buick gmc ([address], toledo, [ZIP], [phone]) and provided a fee for the diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired.
Air bags · 2020-09-10 · NHTSA complaint #11354252
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 gmc sierra 2500. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 16v381000 (air bags) however, the part needed for the repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.
Air bags · 2020-07-09 · NHTSA complaint #11338455
Multiple cracks in the dash. 3 are at the passenger airbag. 2 of those have cracked all the way through allowing a piece of the dash capable of dislodging if the airbag deploys creating a hazardous projectile. The crack above the instrument cluster measures over 7 inches in length. Pictures provided.
Structure · 2020-01-17 · NHTSA complaint #11300128
My pickup has broken exhaust manifold bolts, causing the check engine light to come on, the code is for an emission problem, g.m. Will not repair it under the emission warranty, at this time there are 40,021 miles on the vehicle.
Engine · 2018-03-12 · NHTSA complaint #11078697
While driving the stabiltrak fault light came on and the right front brake locked up and jerked the vehicle to the right. The vehicle was traveling at 30 mph on a secondary road.
Electronic stability control · 2017-12-18 · NHTSA complaint #11055390
The door lock actuator on the driver's door will not work or only partially work at times. Sometimes it works, sometimes it does not work and some times it half engages so the door can be half way opened, but the latch is still engaged so it cannot be opened all the way.
Electrical system · 2016-09-07 · NHTSA complaint #10904473

When owners complained

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

20092
20101
20114
20122
20132
20144
20152
20164
20171
20181
20191
20205
20252

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 6,740 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 18% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Sierra 2500 has 59 complaints (31 years in the data). This year has 31, below average.

What to check before buying

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

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2009 GMC Sierra 2500?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, air bags, service brakes. Total complaints: 31. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: door locks, latches, handles (16%), warning lights, check engine (16%), airbag warning light (6%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2009 GMC Sierra 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 GMC Sierra 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.