2009 GMC Sierra 2500 Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Good The 2009 GMC Sierra 2500 has 31 NHTSA complaints, a complaint index of 20, and ranks 17th worst out of 21 model years. It carries a Good verdict, though that rating is capped because complaint records for 2005-2009 are less complete.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 20/100
- #17 of 21 Sierra 2500 years
- Verdict
- Good
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 31
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 5
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 1
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Top issue
- Brakes
Top 2009 GMC Sierra 2500 problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Brakes7 (23%)
- Electrical System7 (23%)
- Structure & Body6 (19%)
- Airbags5 (16%)
- Engine4 (13%)
- Fuel System2 (6%)
- Other2 (6%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires2 (6%)
- Seat Belts1 (3%)
- Steering1 (3%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Owners report the truck stalling or shutting off unexpectedly while driving, sometimes just after the warranty period ended.
- Some report brake pedals sinking further than normal and needing extreme effort to stop, along with steering becoming hard to control.
- Owners describe a persistent dashboard rattle that returned repeatedly even after dealer repairs and a tech bulletin fix.
- One owner reported a frame crack that separated behind the control arm on both sides of the vehicle.
- Owners report front tire sidewall blowouts with no visible cause and no warning from the tire monitoring system.
- Door lock actuators reportedly failed, leaving doors unable to automatically lock or unlock.
2009 GMC Sierra 2500 recalls
5 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 21V050000Feb 5, 2021Airbags2,641,272 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2007-2011 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, Yukon XL, and 2009-2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, GMC Sierra 2500 and Sierra 3500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2007-2008 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, 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." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: 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 22, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 1, 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 N212328760.
- NHTSA 21V053000Feb 5, 2021Airbags692,526 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2010 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, 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." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2009 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C."
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: 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 24, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 11, 2021. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328790.
- NHTSA 21V052000Feb 5, 2021Airbags557,023 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
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." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2007-2008 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: 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.
2009 compared with other Sierra 2500 years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2009 GMC Sierra 2500 reliable?
- NHTSA lists 31 complaints for the 2009 Sierra 2500, giving it a complaint index of 20 and a rank of 17th worst out of 21 model years, which earns a Good verdict relative to other Sierra 2500 years.
- Why is the 2009 Sierra 2500 only rated Good instead of Best?
- The verdict is capped to Good because NHTSA complaint records for 2005-2009 model years are less complete, not because of a high complaint count.
- What are the most common problems on the 2009 GMC Sierra 2500?
- Brakes and Electrical System each account for 7 complaints (23% share each), followed by Structure & Body with 6 complaints (19%) and Airbags with 5 complaints (16%).
- Does the 2009 GMC Sierra 2500 have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2009 Sierra 2500, covering airbags, electrical system, and other components; none are do-not-drive recalls.
- What year Sierra 2500 should I avoid instead of 2009?
- Based on complaint index, 2015, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024, and 2025 carry Avoid verdicts, all with higher complaint indexes than the 2009 model's 20.