NHTSA vehicle safety data
2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Recalls, Ratings & Complaints
The 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns and 445 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Chevrolet dealer.
NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 owner complaints
Owners have filed 445 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, describing incidents dated January 1, 2009 to October 23, 2026.
Most-cited components
- Air Bags 231 complaints
- Unknown or Other 56 complaints
- Structure 54 complaints
- Electrical System 43 complaints
- Engine 41 complaints
- Service Brakes 17 complaints
Of the 445 complaints on file, 9 report a crash and 6 a fire; across all 445 complaints, owners report 3 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Newest complaints
ODI #11773192 · Filed
This is not an incident that happened, but I have a front impact sensor that has gone bad. After doing some research, and looking at all of the reports, claims, and lack of replacement inventory, it seems obvious to me that there is a problem with these parts. There should be a factory recall on…
ODI #11697134 · Filed
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…
ODI #11685405 · Filed
Driver and passenger side extended cab doors metal is cracking horizontally near the front edge of the doors.
Owner-reported
2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 mileage at failure
223 of the 445 complaints on file for the 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 give the vehicle's mileage when the problem happened.
| Component | Median | Middle half | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | Median 75,000 miles | Middle half 50,000–115,000 miles | Based on 76 complaints |
| Structure | Median 85,000 miles | Middle half 50,000–130,000 miles | Based on 35 complaints |
| Electrical System | Median 70,000 miles | Middle half 45,000–105,000 miles | Based on 30 complaints |
| Engine | Median 80,000 miles | Middle half 45,000–115,000 miles | Based on 30 complaints |
A component's median is its 50th percentile, and its middle half runs from its 25th to its 75th percentile.
Owners give the mileage themselves, often as a round number, and NHTSA doesn't check it. A complaint that names several components counts under each one, and mileages that can't be right, such as 999,999, or 50 miles on a five-year-old car, are left out.
These figures describe the complaints owners filed. They don't predict when a particular vehicle will have a problem, and vehicles that never had one aren't counted.
Most complaints NHTSA received since May 17, 2021 give no mileage. So that they aren't undercounted, each one received since then that gives a mileage also stands in for those that gave none, which can put a component's median above most of the mileages it is based on.
Mileage from NHTSA's complaints file of October 31, 2026. How these figures are worked out
NHTSA defect investigations
NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 in 2 investigations. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.
- Engineering Analysis EA21-002: Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Open since September 17, 2021
- Defect Petition DP22-005: Pedestrian alert sounds
Closed August 7, 2023
Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode
NHTSA #21V052000 · Air Bags — Frontal — Passenger Side — Inflator Module · NHTSA notice
Reported February 5, 2021 · General Motors, LLC
Potentially affected: 557,023 vehicles
Repair completion: 54.81% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)
Manufacturer campaign N212328780 · Owners notified September 20, 2021 · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation
Recall group: Takata airbag inflators
Defect description
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.
Safety consequence
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Manufacturer remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 23, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 20, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328780.
Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode
NHTSA #21V050000 · Air Bags — Frontal — Passenger Side — Inflator Module · NHTSA notice
Reported February 5, 2021 · General Motors, LLC
Potentially affected: 2,641,272 vehicles
Repair completion: 44.01% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)
Manufacturer campaign N212328760 · Owners notified March 1, 2021 · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation
Recall group: Takata airbag inflators
Defect description
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.
Safety consequence
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Manufacturer remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 22, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 1, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328760.
Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode
NHTSA #21V053000 · Air Bags — Frontal — Passenger Side — Inflator Module · NHTSA notice
Reported February 5, 2021 · General Motors, LLC
Potentially affected: 692,526 vehicles
Repair completion: 56.96% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)
Manufacturer campaign N212328790 · Owners notified May 11, 2021 · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation
Recall group: Takata airbag inflators
Defect description
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."
Safety consequence
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Manufacturer remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 24, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 11, 2021. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328790.
Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
Other Chevrolet Silverado 1500 model years
Check your 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 VIN
Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Chevrolet Silverado 1500 at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
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