YearToAvoid

2009 GMC Denali Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

No verdict The 2009 GMC Denali has 2 owner complaints and 0 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 13 out of 100 — #8 highest of 9 Denali model years. The most reported problem area is airbags (1 complaints, 50% of the total).

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
13/100
#8 of 9 Denali years
Verdict
No verdict
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
2
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
0
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
0
reported in complaints
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Top issue
Airbags
Best nearby year
2013
rated Good

Top 2009 GMC Denali problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Airbags1 (50%)
  2. Other1 (50%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

2009 GMC Denali complaints: complaints filed per month1Nov 2017Jun 2018
2 complaints filed with NHTSA from Nov 2017 to Jun 2018; peak Nov 2017 (1).

2009 GMC Denali recalls

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

2009 compared with other Denali years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100200720082009201020112012201320142015
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2007No verdict030—
2008No verdict2540—
2009No verdict1320—
2010Caution6350—
2011Avoid88110—

All GMC Denali years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2009 GMC Denali a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2009 GMC Denali ranks #8 of 9 among Denali model years (Complaint Index 13/100). It has 2 complaints and 0 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2009 GMC Denali?
The most reported problem areas are airbags (1 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 140,000 miles.
Does the 2009 GMC Denali have any recalls?
No safety recall campaigns list the 2009 GMC Denali in NHTSA’s recall database at the time of the last data update.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.