The Lemon Index2009 Chevrolet Suburban.
The 2009 Chevrolet Suburban has too few complaints to score: 14 in its first 3 years. Owners complain most about stability control, it has 5 recalls, and it gets 16 mpg combined. The best Chevrolet Suburban year is 2014.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 162 owner complaints, owners reported:
Older model year: fewer owners filed complaints back then, so treat the score as rough.
Every Chevrolet Suburban 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 50K to 130K miles on the car (110 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- airbags complaints mostly came at 60K–157K miles
- electrical complaints mostly came at 44K–168K miles
- body structure complaints mostly came at 52K–123K miles
Recalls 5
- airbags 2021
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
- airbags 2021
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
- airbags 2021
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Show all 5 recalls
- electrical 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 AVALAN…
- 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 1375 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- No start, no crank, intermittent electrical operations (check for poor connections within…
- Cadillac/chevrolet/gmc: locations of high speed gmlan wiring concerns
- Pontiac/saturn/buick/gmc/chevrolet/cadillac/hummer: vehicle start and stalls after theft…
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Government investigations
- OpenDesiccated air bag inflator rupture2021
NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.
Safety
Crash stars (older test): front ★★★★★ · side ★★★★★ · rollover ★★★☆☆
Fuel cost and engines
About $4000 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 5.3L 8-cyl, 6.0L 8-cyl.
In owners' words
While driving down the road the stabilitrak light comes on, and the car shuts off. Very dangerous! Glad we weren't on the highway.
2009 Chevrolet Suburban owner · NHTSA complaint 10444394
Quick answers
Is the 2009 Chevrolet Suburban reliable?
There isn't enough data to score it: owners filed only 14 complaints in its first 3 years.
What are the most common 2009 Chevrolet Suburban problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are stability control (29%), electrical (21%) and doors, locks & latches (21%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2009 Chevrolet Suburban have?
5 safety recalls (latest: airbags). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2009 Chevrolet Suburban get?
16 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
At what mileage do 2009 Chevrolet Suburban problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 50,000 and 130,000 miles. The middle report was at 80,000 miles, from 110 complaints.
Does the 2009 Chevrolet Suburban have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues aren't among its top 5 complaint areas.
How much does the 2009 Chevrolet Suburban cost in fuel a year?
About $4000 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2009 Chevrolet Suburban have?
5.3L 8-cyl, 6.0L 8-cyl.
What Chevrolet Suburban year is better than the 2009?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2014, 2010 and 2020.
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