2009 Chevrolet Tahoe Reliability
The 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe has 306 owner complaints and 5 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about air bags and unknown or other. Compared with other Tahoe model years, it rates as a caution year: complaints run above the Tahoe's typical year, while the 2010 has a cleaner record.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
306
NHTSA owner complaints
5
Recall campaigns
5
Complaints citing a crash
1
Complaints citing a fire
2009 Chevrolet Tahoe complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2009 model year, filed between 2008 and 2026. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 99 | 32% |
| Unknown or other | 98 | 32% |
| Body structure | 54 | 18% |
| Electrical system | 40 | 13% |
| Latches, locks & linkages | 23 | 8% |
| Engine | 16 | 5% |
| Powertrain / transmission | 16 | 5% |
| Service brakes | 15 | 5% |
2009 Chevrolet Tahoe recalls
5 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2009 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09V154000 | May 6, 2009 | Fuel system | 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 vehicles. The fuel system control modules… |
| 10V240000 | Jun 4, 2010 | Electrical system | 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 avalanche, silverado, suburban, Tahoe; gmc… |
| 21V053000 | Feb 5, 2021 | 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,… |
| 21V052000 | Feb 5, 2021 | 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… |
| 21V050000 | Feb 5, 2021 | 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… |
How the 2009 compares with nearby Tahoe years
Verdicts come from CarWhere's year-by-year Tahoe analysis where it covers the year, otherwise from the years shown here.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 1,177 | 4 | Air bags | Avoid |
| 2008 | 586 | 4 | Air bags | Avoid |
| 2009 (this page) | 306 | 5 | Air bags | Caution |
| 2010 | 319 | 4 | Unknown or other | Solid |
| 2011 | 457 | 5 | Unknown or other | Avoid |
Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA and are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, so they compare years of the same model rather than different models.
What to check on a used 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe
- Air bags: make sure the air bag warning light goes out after start-up and that any air bag recall was completed on this VIN.
- Body: look under the car for rust or damaged subframe and rocker areas, and check panel gaps for signs of repair.
- Electrical: test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system; scan for stored fault codes.
- Doors and latches: open and lock every door, the liftgate or trunk and the hood from the key fob and by hand.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 5 campaigns above was completed on this VIN; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records, and have an independent mechanic inspect the car before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe can be better or worse than its model year. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
2009 Chevrolet Tahoe reliability FAQ
Is the 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe reliable?
The 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe has 306 owner complaints and 5 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about air bags and unknown or other. Compared with other Tahoe model years, it rates as a caution year: complaints run above the Tahoe's typical year, while the 2010 has a cleaner record.
What are the most common 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe are air bags (99), unknown or other (98), body structure (54), electrical system (40). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe have recalls?
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe, including 09V154000 (fuel system) and 10V240000 (electrical system). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe compare with the 2008 and 2010 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2008 has 586 complaints and 4 recalls (avoid); the 2010 has 319 complaints and 4 recalls (solid). The 2009 has 306 complaints and 5 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
More Chevrolet Tahoe research
Other Chevrolet Tahoe model years:
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2009 Tahoe, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.