The Lemon Index2009 Chevrolet Colorado.
The 2009 Chevrolet Colorado has too few complaints to score: 5 in its first 3 years. Owners complain most about transmission & drivetrain, it has 3 recalls, and it gets 16 to 20 mpg combined. The best Chevrolet Colorado year is 2010.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 67 owner complaints, owners reported:
Older model year: fewer owners filed complaints back then, so treat the score as rough.
Every Chevrolet Colorado year. 2009 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 40K to 88K miles on the car (55 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- electrical complaints mostly came at 40K–83K miles
Recalls 3
- child seat 2010
GM IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2011, CHEVROLET COLORADO, GMC CANYON, MODEL YEAR 2006, ISUZU I-280/I-350, AND MODEL YEAR 2007-2008, I-290/I-370, REGULAR CAB VEHICLES AND EXTENDED CAB VEHICLES WITHOUT A REAR SEAT …
- lights 2009
GM IS RECALLING 185,903 MODEL YEAR 2004-2009 COLORADO, GMC MODEL YEAR 2009-2004 CANYON, MODEL YEAR 2006 I-280, I-350, MODEL YEAR 2007-2008 I-290, AND I-370, PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED I…
- fuel system, gasoline 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 VEHIC…
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems Chevy told dealers about
Chevy sent dealers 1043 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- There are multiple concerns with the onstar system
- Cadillac/chevrolet/gmc/hummer: some suvs and trucks are exhibiting a condition where by…
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Safety
Crash stars (older test): front ★★★★★ · side ★★★★☆ · rollover ★★★★☆
Fuel cost and engines
About $3200–4000 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 2.9L 4-cyl, 3.7L 5-cyl, 5.3L 8-cyl.
Quick answers
Is the 2009 Chevrolet Colorado reliable?
There isn't enough data to score it: owners filed only 5 complaints in its first 3 years.
What are the most common 2009 Chevrolet Colorado problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are transmission & drivetrain (20%), airbags (20%) and electrical (20%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2009 Chevrolet Colorado have?
3 safety recalls (latest: child seat). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2009 Chevrolet Colorado get?
16 to 20 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
At what mileage do 2009 Chevrolet Colorado problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 40,000 and 88,000 miles. The middle report was at 54,000 miles, from 55 complaints.
Does the 2009 Chevrolet Colorado have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 20% of its owner complaints.
How much does the 2009 Chevrolet Colorado cost in fuel a year?
About $3200 to $4000 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2009 Chevrolet Colorado have?
2.9L 4-cyl, 3.7L 5-cyl, 5.3L 8-cyl.
What Chevrolet Colorado year is better than the 2009?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2010, 2020 and 2022.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works