Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2009 GMC Sierra 1500
NHTSA data on file today
The 2009 GMC Sierra 1500 has 4 NHTSA recall campaigns and 234 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #21V052000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #21V050000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #21V053000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #18V267000 Fire Extinguisher May Be Clogged or Inoperable NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Air Bags 122 complaints
- Unknown or Other 38 complaints
- Electrical System 20 complaints
- Structure 20 complaints
- Engine 13 complaints
- Vehicle Speed Control 12 complaints
Of the 234 complaints on file, 4 report a crash and 4 a fire; across all 234 complaints, owners report 3 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $6,500–$14,500AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2009 GMC Sierra 1500 faces significant airbag recalls and numerous airbag-related complaints, impacting its safety reputation, alongside issues in electrical and engine systems.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| airbags | 60,000–90,000 miles | $400–$1,200 | very common |
| electrical system | 70,000–100,000 miles | $300–$1,000 | common |
| engine | 80,000–110,000 miles | $1,500–$3,500 | common |
| vehicle speed control | 90,000–120,000 miles | $200–$800 | occasional |
| fuel system | 100,000–130,000 miles | $500–$2,000 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil change every 5,000 miles
- Brake fluid replacement every 30,000 miles
- Transmission fluid change every 50,000 miles
- Coolant change every 5 years
- Tire rotation every 10,000 miles
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Airbag warning light
- Electrical system malfunctions
- Engine knocking sounds
- Unresponsive accelerator pedal
- Poor fuel efficiency
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2009 GMC Sierra 1500 at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.