The Lemon Index2009 Chevrolet Tahoe.
The 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe is better than average by owner complaints: 30 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 50, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about electrical, it has 5 recalls, and it gets 14 to 21 mpg combined. The best Chevrolet Tahoe year is 2012.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 306 owner complaints, owners reported:
Older model year: fewer owners filed complaints back then, so treat the score as rough.
Every Chevrolet Tahoe 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 103K miles on the car (207 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 75K–120K miles
- body structure complaints mostly came at 52K–100K miles
- electrical complaints mostly came at 57K–120K 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 1451 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- (hybrid) vehicle stalls when shifted out of park
- No start, no crank, intermittent electrical operations (check for poor connections within…
- Flare and or harsh 2-3 shifts
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
- ClosedPedestrian alert sounds2023
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 $3050–4600 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 4.8L 8-cyl, 5.3L 8-cyl, 6.0L 8-cyl, 6.2L 8-cyl.
In owners' words
The electric door locks that engage when the vehicle is placed in gear have stopped working. If a parent relies on this system the doors may not lock resulting in a dangerous situation. This is a system failure...
2009 Chevrolet Tahoe owner · NHTSA complaint 10465784
More owner reports
I have had an ongoing problem with the passenger side rear door lock not locking properly. It seems that the is a problem with the actuator. I have researched this and found that it is a huge problem for many Tahoe owners.
NHTSA complaint 10456828
The locks on my 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe do not lock or unlock. I feel this is a safety hazard because I have 4 children.
NHTSA complaint 10369608
Quick answers
Is the 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe reliable?
Yes, better than average by government complaints. It drew 2× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 50; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Chevrolet Tahoe year by this measure is 2012.
What are the most common 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are electrical (30%), doors, locks & latches (20%) and transmission & drivetrain (20%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe 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 Tahoe get?
14 to 21 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
At what mileage do 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 50,000 and 103,000 miles. The middle report was at 78,000 miles, from 207 complaints.
Does the 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 20% of its owner complaints.
How much does the 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe cost in fuel a year?
About $3050 to $4600 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe have?
4.8L 8-cyl, 5.3L 8-cyl, 6.0L 8-cyl, 6.2L 8-cyl.
What Chevrolet Tahoe year is better than the 2009?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2012, 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