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ProblemsByVin File / 2009-CHEVROLET-SUBURBAN
2009 · chevrolet

chevrolet Suburban problems

3 safety recalls. 161 owner complaints. We mapped every trouble spot before you sign the papers.

0 5 10
Reliability score
6.6 / 10

Average for the segment. Some recurring trouble spots worth knowing about.

1
Critical
2
Severe
0
Moderate

Top trouble spots 6 categories with 3+ complaints

airbags
60 reports · avg $1,100
moderate
electrical
20 reports · avg $850
moderate
body
13 reports · avg $1,500
moderate
engine
13 reports · avg $3,100
moderate
steering
3 reports · avg $700
moderate
tires
3 reports · avg $150
moderate

What owners are saying recent NHTSA-filed complaints · verbatim

2009 Suburban · other
ON THREE (3) SEPARATE OCCASIONS IN THE PAST YEAR, THE VEHICLE ENTERS WHAT APPEARS TO BE AN "ELECTRICAL SYSTEM RESET" OF SORTS. THIS HAS OCCURRED ON LONG DISTANCE TRIPS DURING OPERATION AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WILL SUDDENLY POWER OFF AND ON REPEATEDLY,…
12/26/2018 · NHTSA ODI #11163558.0
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…
12/18/2020 · NHTSA ODI #11384047.0
2009 Suburban · other
DASH ON SUBURBAN HAS DEVELOPED MULTIPLE CRACKS THAT COULD POSE A SAFETY ISSUE IN THE EVENT AN AIRBAG MAY FIRE.
12/17/2015 · NHTSA ODI #10811050.0
2009 Suburban · body
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.
12/16/2019 · NHTSA ODI #11289286.0

Estimate your repair exposure

Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.

0 mi 200k mi
At 80,000 miles
Likely repair cost in next 24 months
$0

Active recalls showing 3 of 3

critical NHTSA 21V052000 05/02/2021

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.
severe NHTSA 09V154000 06/05/2009

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.
severe NHTSA 10V240000 04/06/2010

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.

Common questions

Is the 2009 Chevrolet Suburban reliable?

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.

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. 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. 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 aren't always better value.

Related vehicles

Recall and complaint data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public records database, last synced 10 hours ago. 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.
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