Free. Instant. No signup. Pulls recalls and complaints for your exact vehicle.
Couldn't find that VIN. Check the digits and try again.
ProblemsByVinFile / 2009-CHEVROLET-SUBURBANNHTSA data synced 4 days ago
2009 · Chevrolet
Chevrolet Suburban problems
1 critical safety recall on file — the kind NHTSA opens when crashes, fires, or injuries are documented. 161 owner complaints alongside. Read those first.
Reliability score
6.6 / 10
Average for the segment. Some recurring trouble spots worth knowing about.
1
Critical
2
Severe
0
Moderate
Should you avoid this 2009 Suburban?
Acceptable — with caveats
Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy.
Reliability score 6.6/10 — around the segment average
3 recall campaigns on file
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model —
not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Embed this reliability snapshot
Free to use on your site, post, or video — keep the link back. Preview the widget →
What owners are saying
recent NHTSA-filed complaints · verbatim
2009 Suburban· electrical
Vehicle continues to have random electrical problems after adding new grounds, new alternator, new battery, checking contacts. It's been at 4 repair shops including a Chevy dealer and continues to have problems. Doors cycle on lock/unlock, lights cycle dimming, ABS and other…
When I bought this vehicle in january, 2019, it had a small crack across the middle of the dashboard. Now the crack has expanded and the whole dashboard is loose and bounces around while driving the vehicle.
Received notice july 2016 that I would be contacted. Never was so I called allen GMC told them about my recall , made and appointment and drove down met with service advisor steve wacker. He said I cannot fix this as I have no parts. I called 800 222-1020 talked to yvonne and…
Case no. 1-4061367 reported to gm customer communication center on 18/11/2009 "steering vibration" while driving above 100 km/h'. According to gm dealer services department confirmed verbally 'acceptable vibration'. Chevrolet has not responded to a complaint case no.…
Had a problem with your 2009 Chevrolet Suburban?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free and official — owner filings are what build the federal safety record behind this page.
Estimate your repair exposure
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
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
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: 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.
Gm is recalling 27,188 my 2009 Cadillac escalade, escalade hybrid, escalade esv, and escalade ext; Chevrolet avalanche, suburban, tahoe, tahoe hybrid, and colorado; and GMC yukon, yukon hybrid, yukon xl, and canyon vehicles
Water in the module could cause a short or open circuit, illumination of the service engine soon lamp, setting of diagnostic trouble codes or the engine may be hard to start, may not start or may stall increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will install a new fuel system control module free of charge. The recall began on may 18, 2009. Owners may contact Cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 and GMC at 1-866-996-9463 or at www.gmownercenter.com.
Gm is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 Buick, lucerne; Cadillac dts; Hummer h2; model year 2008-2009 Buick enclave; Cadillac cts; model year 2007-2009 Cadillac escalade, escalade esv, escalade ext; Chevrolet avalanche, silverado, suburban, tahoe; GMC acadia, sierra, yukon, yukon xl; Saturn outlook; and model year 2009 Chevrolet traverse vehicles equipped with a heated washer fluid system (hwfs)
It is possible for the heated washer module to ignite and a fire may occur.
Fix: Dealers will permanently disable and remove the heated washer fluid module. An updated page for the owner manual will be provided and inserted in the owner manual to document that the feature has been permanently disabled and removed from the vehicle. The safety recall began on june 11, 2010. Owners may contact Buick at 1-866-608-8080, Cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, Saturn at 1-800-972-8876, GMC at 1-866-996-9463 and Hummer at 1-800-732-5493 or at the owner center at www.gmownercenter.com.
Under investigation
1 open at NHTSA
EAAir Bags › Frontal · opened September 2021
NHTSA has an open defect investigation covering this vehicle — the step that can precede a recall, not a finding of fault. EA21002 on NHTSA →
It's got known weak points. With a reliability score of 6.6 out of 10 based on 161 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2009 Chevrolet Suburban has a higher-than-average rate of reported issues. The areas to watch are listed above. Whether it's worth owning depends on price, condition, and how much repair exposure you can absorb.
Should you avoid the 2009 Chevrolet Suburban?
The 2009 Chevrolet Suburban is acceptable, with specific caveats. Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy. The record behind that call: Reliability score 6.6/10 — around the segment average; 3 recall campaigns on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
What's the most common problem on the 2009 Chevrolet Suburban?
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is airbags, with 60 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 105,389 miles. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop.
What's the most expensive thing that goes wrong?
The airbags is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 105,389 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
How do I check if my Chevrolet Suburban has open recalls?
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Is an extended warranty worth it on a 2009 Chevrolet Suburban?
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 161 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $1,100, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.
Recall and complaint data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database, last synced 4 days ago. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2009/Chevrolet/Suburban.
Editorial commentary written by ProblemsByVin contributors and reviewed by ASE-certified mechanics.
We are not affiliated with Chevrolet. Some links on this page are affiliate links and we
may earn a commission if you complete a quote or purchase.