This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that may have a Service Engine Soon Malfunction Indicator Lamp on or reduced engine power message. Technician may find Diagnostic Trouble Codes P2120, P2122, P2123, P2125, P2127, P2128, and/or P2138. Technician will need to inspect the Accelerator Pedal Position circuits for poor terminal tension.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2009 Chevrolet Silverado cruise control problems
moderate Owners of the 2009 Chevrolet Silverado have filed 11 NHTSA complaints about the cruise control, typically surfacing around 39,289 miles at roughly $600 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See cruise control across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
11
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$600
| Model year | cruise control complaints |
|---|---|
| 2005 Silverado | 17 |
| 2006 Silverado | 9 |
| 2007 Silverado | 10 |
| 2008 Silverado | 6 |
| 2009 Silverado (this page) | 11 |
| 2010 Silverado | 9 |
| 2011 Silverado | 10 |
| 2012 Silverado | 6 |
| 2013 Silverado | 8 |
What stands out
Among the 19 model years of Chevrolet Silverado in our records for cruise control problems, this one ranks #2 by owner-complaint volume.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering cruise control on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician with the installation of Cruise Control on a vehicle which did not come equipped with the option. Technician will need to contact the Techline Customer Support Center to determine if a calibration is available for the vehicle. If they are able to provide a calibration for the vehicle then order steering wheel with cruise control buttons, steering wheel sir coil, and steering column wiring harness.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician with the installation of Cruise Control on a vehicle which did not come equipped with the option. Technician will need to contact the Techline Customer Support Center to determine if a calibration is available for the vehicle. If they are able to provide a calibration for the vehicle then order steering wheel with cruise control buttons, steering wheel sir coil, and steering column wiring harness.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an instrument panel backlighting flashes, flickers or inoperative, unwanted horn activation, radio controls inoperative or unwanted activation, OnStar unwanted activation, and cruise control inoperative. Technician should inspect for a short to ground on the steering wheel near the Supplemental Inflatable Restraint coil connector X2 and make necessary repairs to any shorted circuits and then position the wiring.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗CADILLAC/GMC/CHEVROLET: INFORMATION ON CRUISE CONTROL BEING INOPERATIVE DUE TO BPP CIRCUIT SIGNAL AND/OR TCC/CRUISE BRAKE PEDAL PARAMETERS, WHEN BRAKE PEDAL IS RELEASED BUT SHOWS APPLIED. MODELS 2007-2013 ALL ESCALADES, AVALANCHE, SILVERADO, SUBURBAN, TAHOE, SIERRA, ALL YUKONS.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of 2009 Chevrolet Silverados report multiple cruise control and throttle system failures. The most common issue is cruise control that doesn't slow the truck on downhill grades—it just lets the vehicle coast and accelerate, with no engine braking. One owner compared it to a 2004 model that worked fine, and says GM told him this is "proper operation" with no fix available; a police department had the same model with the same complaint in for service the same day.
Several owners hit throttle position sensor failures causing engine power loss, rough idle, and disabled traction/stabilitrak systems. These failures happen across a range of mileages (22,000 to 62,000 miles). In one case, the sensor was replaced but the same code returned within miles, suggesting incomplete repair or a systematic design problem. One owner also reported the accelerator pedal stuck open on the floor mat during highway merging, requiring manual intervention to release it.
Most alarming is a report where cruise control would not disengage and the brake pedal failed to stop the truck—owner had to shift to neutral and kill the engine. Another reported engine stall at 75 mph with simultaneous rear differential seizure. These are safety-critical failures, yet some owners report GM denied assistance and some complaints were never taken to dealers for diagnosis.
Same Chevrolet Silverado cruise control reports on nearby years: 2007 · 2011
Failure modes owners describe
Cruise control fails to maintain speed on grades/slopes
Cruise control does not slow the vehicle on downhill grades or slight slopes. Vehicle free-rolls at whatever speed gravity pulls it, with no engine braking. Owner reports this is unsafe and makes cruise control unusable on inclines. GM reportedly told owner this is 'proper operation' with no software or mechanical fix available.
When: No specific mileage reported
Symptoms owners cite: Cruise control does not decelerate on downgrades; No engine braking effect; Vehicle free-rolls on slopes; Unsafe operation on inclines
Repairs/costs cited: GM advised owner there is no software or mechanical fix; owner cannot use cruise control on slopes and must ride brakes instead
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: GM stated this is proper operation for the vehicle; no fix acknowledged
Throttle control system malfunction with engine stall
Engine stalled while driving at highway speed (75 mph), and rear differential seized simultaneously, causing the vehicle to skid. Roadside assistance technician diagnosed throttle control system malfunction and advised vehicle was unsafe to drive. Owner was able to drive to home and dealer replaced throttle control system.
When: 62,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Engine stall at highway speed; Rear differential seizure; Vehicle skid; Unsafe to drive condition
Repairs/costs cited: Throttle control system replaced at dealer
Excessive brake pedal pressure required with racing idle
Owner had to apply excessive pressure to brake pedal to stop the vehicle. Once stopped, RPMs would race excessively before the vehicle returned to normal operation. Dealer diagnosed a maintenance issue. Manufacturer denied assistance with repairs.
When: 18,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Excessive brake pedal pressure needed to stop; RPMs race after vehicle stops; Excessive idle after stopping
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle not repaired; dealer diagnosed as maintenance issue
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer denied assistance with repairs
Cruise control does not disengage; brake pedal fails
Cruise control would not disengage while driving. Owner depressed brake pedal but it failed to stop the vehicle. Owner had to shift into neutral and turn off the engine to stop. This is a critical safety failure where two independent systems (cruise control and brakes) both malfunctioned simultaneously.
When: 32,500 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Cruise control will not disengage; Brake pedal fails to stop vehicle; Uncontrolled acceleration
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle not taken to dealer; not repaired
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer was not made aware of the failure
Throttle position sensor failure with traction/stability control loss
Multiple warning messages displayed: service traction control, service stabilitrak, traction control off, stabilitrak off. Owner experienced bucking and drastic power loss. Dealer diagnosed faulty throttle position sensor and noted this is a recurring problem for the vehicle. Repair performed under warranty.
When: Less than 40,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Service traction control warning; Service stabilitrak warning; Traction control disabled; Stabilitrak disabled; Bucking sensation; Drastic power loss
Repairs/costs cited: Throttle position sensor replaced; dealer noted this is recurring for the model
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Service performed under vehicle warranty
Throttle body failure with reduced engine power
Vehicle lost power while driving at 35 mph with 'reduced engine power' message displayed on instrument cluster. Dealer diagnosed throttle body failure and replaced it. Similar to throttle position sensor failures but involving the throttle body component.
When: 59,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Loss of vehicle power; Reduced engine power warning displayed
Repairs/costs cited: Throttle body replaced by dealer
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified of failure
Throttle position sensor failure with check engine light and reduced power
Check engine light and traction control indicator light illuminated while driving on highway. Message center displayed 'engine reduced power' and 'service traction control soon' messages. Vehicle exhibited rough idle. Scan revealed throttle position sensor needed replacement. After repair and code clearing, the same failure recurred within a few miles, indicating the problem was not resolved.
When: No specific mileage reported
Symptoms owners cite: Check engine light illuminated; Traction control indicator light; Engine reduced power message; Service traction control warning; Rough idle; Recurring failure after repair
Repairs/costs cited: Throttle position sensor replaced; code cleared but same failure repeated within few miles
Accelerator pedal stuck on floor mat
While accelerating to merge onto interstate, gas pedal became stuck down on floor mat, causing unintended rapid acceleration even after owner removed foot from pedal. Owner had to use feet to pull floor mat back to release the pedal. This happened multiple times over several years, with most recent occurrence noted in November 2012.
When: Multiple incidents over several years; most recent November 2012
Symptoms owners cite: Gas pedal stuck in down position; Unintended rapid acceleration; Pedal stuck on floor mat; Loss of throttle control
Repairs/costs cited: Owner manually corrected by pulling floor mat; no dealer repair mentioned
Throttle position sensor failure with power loss and traction control disabled
Throttle position sensor failure caused significant reduction in engine power and disabled both traction control and stabilitrak functions. This occurred approximately one year after the owner purchased the vehicle.
When: One year after purchase (not specific mileage stated)
Symptoms owners cite: Significant reduction in engine power; Traction control disabled; Stabilitrak disabled
Repairs/costs cited: Throttle position sensor replacement performed
Engine power reduction with throttle position sensor failure
Engine power reduced significantly while driving at 25 mph. Vehicle was towed to dealer, who diagnosed throttle position sensor failure. Repair was performed and manufacturer was notified.
When: 22,302 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Significant reduction in engine power; Reduced acceleration
Repairs/costs cited: Throttle position sensor replaced by dealer
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified of failure
Accelerator pedal sticks while merging at highway speed
Accelerator pedal stuck while driving on interstate at 65 mph during merge maneuver. Owner had to slam on brakes and took approximately 30 seconds to slow the vehicle enough to pull to roadside. Owner states this has not happened since the single incident.
When: Single incident reported; current mileage not stated
Symptoms owners cite: Accelerator pedal stuck open; Unintended acceleration at highway speed; Difficulty slowing vehicle with brakes; Loss of throttle control
Repairs/costs cited: No repair mentioned; incident resolved on its own
Synthesized from 11 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 0 most recent
Had cruise control trouble with your 2009 Chevrolet Silverado?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the cruise control problem on the 2009 Chevrolet Silverado?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 11 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $600 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the cruise control typically fail?
Across the 9 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most cruise control failures cluster between 22,302 and 62,000 miles, with the median around 39,289. A quarter of owners report trouble before 22,302; a quarter make it past 62,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $600 for cruise control repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to cruise control?
No active recalls currently cover cruise control issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2009/Chevrolet/Silverado.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.