Owners of the 2009 GMC Sierra describe electrical failures that range from annoying to life-threatening. Battery cable degradation causes cruise control to disengage without warning, door locks to cycle erratically, and dashboard lights to flicker while driving—all documented at 32,000–40,000 miles. More serious: the chassis electronic control module can fail from internal contamination, shutting down the engine, power steering, and power brakes while the truck is in motion. GM issued a safety bulletin for this but did not notify all owners, and dealerships have denied coverage.
The instrument cluster fails repeatedly, going completely dark while driving so owners cannot see speedometer or fuel gauge. Dashboard lights flicker and gauges become unreadable. These failures were reported starting in 2011; owners note GM acknowledged the defect only after a class-action lawsuit was filed.
Door lock actuators fail repeatedly on the same vehicles. Owners have replaced multiple units and report GM mechanics acknowledge replacing thousands of these parts but refuse to recall them. Stabiltrack and traction control systems cut off unexpectedly, and the transmission control module shorts out, locking the transmission in one gear and disabling shifting. Ignition switches stay in the 'on' position after key removal. Fuse boxes have melted internally with burning odor. Several owners note these problems appear on internet forums, suggesting the issues are widespread and known to the automotive community.
Failure modes owners describe
Battery/Power Cable Degradation
Positive and negative battery cables deteriorate, causing intermittent power loss, cruise control disengagement, door lock cycling, and dashboard light flickering while driving.
When: 32,000–40,000 miles; mid-April on a 1-year-old truck
Symptoms owners cite: Cruise control disengages while driving at highway speeds; Door locks cycle on and off; Dashboard lights flicker on and off; Speed drops when any electrical event occurs
Repairs/costs cited: $1,069.71 for diagnosis and replacement of all positive and negative battery cables
Chassis Electronic Control Module (ECM) Contamination and Failure
ECM internal contamination causes complete loss of engine power, power steering, and power brakes while driving. Service bulletin 14515B replaced 14515A; GM issued a safety recall for this issue but did not contact affected owners or honor the recall on all vehicles.
When: Reported failures not specified; GM was aware of contamination as of January 2015
Symptoms owners cite: Engine shuts off without warning while driving; No power steering; No power brakes; Complete loss of electrical power; Engine will not restart
Codes mentioned: Service bulletin 14515B, Service bulletin 14515A
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer refused to honor recall; vehicle required towing
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Safety recall issued (bulletin 14515B replaces 14515A) for chassis electronic control module internal contamination; dealership denying coverage despite known issue
Fuse Box Melting and Burning
Fuse box overheats, melts, and charred internally, causing burning odor, smoke, and complete failure to start. Circuit harness also damaged.
When: 72,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Abnormal smoke and burning odor when attempting to start; Vehicle fails to start; Check engine light illuminated; Fuse box melted and covered in black char
Repairs/costs cited: Fuse box and circuit harness required repair; vehicle not repaired at time of complaint
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer stated VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign 10V240000 (electrical systems) and referred owner to NHTSA
Door Lock Actuator Failure
Door lock actuators fail intermittently or completely. Owners report multiple replacements on the same vehicle; GM mechanics acknowledge they have replaced thousands of these units but refuse to recall the defective parts.
When: Not specified; occurs repeatedly on same vehicles
Symptoms owners cite: Door locks do not operate via door buttons; Door locks fail to lock or unlock despite key fob working; Intermittent locking and unlocking; Doors fail to unlock when parked; Multiple actuators fail on same vehicle
Repairs/costs cited: Multiple replacements per owner; parts cost not specified by owners
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: GM aware of defect (dealers have replaced numerous units) but refuses to issue recall despite widespread failure
Dashboard Instrument Cluster Failure
Instrument cluster lights, gauges, and displays flicker, dim, or go completely dark while driving. Failures recur despite fuse replacement and module reprogramming. GM was aware of this issue; a recall and class-action lawsuit were filed.
When: First reported 2011; recurring every couple of months through 2014 and beyond; 53,843–96,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: All dashboard lights and gauges go out while driving; Speedometer, tachometer, and fuel gauge become unreadable; Instrument panel blinks on and off intermittently; Clicking noise in dash when vehicle is turned off; In cold weather, cluster does not work except backlight
Repairs/costs cited: Fuse replacement unsuccessful; ignition switch and body control module replaced but failure recurred; owners state this is a very expensive fix
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Class-action lawsuit filed; recall noted in complaints; issue was not addressed until after lawsuit was filed
Stabiltrack/Traction Control and Related Module Malfunction
Stabiltrack and traction control systems cut off intermittently while driving. Warning lights illuminate, and critical systems including power steering and engine power are reduced or disabled. Multiple trips to dealership have not resolved the issue.
When: Starting at 66,000 miles; persisted through 96,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Stabiltrack warning signal appears randomly; Door locks cycle up and down; Airbag light and ABS light illuminate; Engine power reduced to 20 mph; Gauges kill while driving; Traction control and stabiltrack turn off; Service traction control and service stabiltrack messages appear
Repairs/costs cited: Numerous dealership visits failed to correct the issue
Transmission Control Module (TCM) Electrical Failure
TCM shorts out or becomes grounded, causing erratic transmission shifting, gauge fluctuation, and multiple warning lights. Owners report the issue occurs repeatedly without warning and dealers cite backorder delays for replacements, requiring rebuilds.
When: Summer 2020 onward; multiple episodes through 2021
Symptoms owners cite: Power door locks cycle open and closed; Intermittent chime operation; Transmission locks into single gear or shifts harshly; Gauges fluctuate; Traction control and stabiltrack turn off; Service traction control and service stabiltrack messages appear; Transmission position indicator disappears; Speedometer and tachometer fluctuate
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers report parts backordered; requiring TCM rebuild at significant expense
Ignition Switch Failure
Ignition switch remains in the 'on' position after the key is removed, keeping the engine running. Engine will not turn off and vehicle may surge or accelerate sporadically.
When: 21,000–24,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Engine remains on after key is removed from ignition; Vehicle surges forward when braking to a stop; Sporadic acceleration
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer unable to duplicate the failure
Engine Stalling and Loss of Power
Engine stalls or loses power intermittently while driving at various speeds. Root causes identified include wiring harness rubbing against driveshaft causing loose connections, and ECM communication loss with fuel pump module.
When: 47,540–103,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle stalls without warning while driving; Engine power lost while driving at various speeds; Engine power reduced message appears; Transmission does not shift or shifts harshly; All warning indicators flash after repair
Repairs/costs cited: Wiring harness repositioned and damaged wires replaced; fuel pump module, throttle body, and fuel pump sending unit replaced; module reprogrammed
Miscellaneous Wiring and Labeling Errors
Factory wiring harness incorrectly marked; trailer power feed wire labeled incorrectly at fuse panel, causing confusion during installation and loss of trailer power.
When: Not specified
Symptoms owners cite: No power at trailer connection despite wire connected to fuse panel marked 'trailer power feed'
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer disconnected incorrectly marked wire and connected correct wire to restore trailer power
Electrical System Intermittency—Audio and Power Accessories
Audio system speakers cut in and out; power door lock buttons do not work despite key fob functionality; cruise control engages and disengages sporadically. Issues persist despite fuse replacement.
When: Over 1+ year of ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Speakers go off and on sporadically; Power lock buttons on door do not work; Key fob still operates locks; Locks still engage when truck shifts between park and drive; Cruise control cuts out and fails to re-engage for extended periods
Repairs/costs cited: All fuses replaced; issues persisted
Synthesized from 28 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer
allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.