2009 Chevrolet Suburban problems
NHTSA has received 133 complaints about the 2009 Chevrolet Suburban, and 29% of them involve air bags. Next are electrical system (12%) and engine (9%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 133 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Air bags 29% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 1 and 0
- Injuries and deaths
- 3 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 84,000 miles 94 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 5 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 7 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 24 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 7 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 12 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 5 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 7 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 4 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 8 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 8 |
| 200k+ miles | 7 |
What the data shows
Of the 94 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 84,000 miles. For air bags specifically, the median reported mileage is about 95,000 miles (11 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 1 complaint mentions a crash; 3 injuries reported. Its complaints are less severe on average than those of 90% of model years in our database.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2009 ranks 32nd most-complained-about out of 35 model years of the Chevrolet Suburban with enough data (46 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 5 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 chevrolet suburban. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at a low rate of speed, she attempted to make a left turn and was hit by a car coming from the opposite side. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. The driver was treated for whiplash and multiple bulged disks in her back which would require surgery. A police report was not filed. The driver was able to drive the vehicle home after the accident.
Passenger seat motor overheated. Initial indication was smell. Seat is powered (forward and back only). Seat switches were not in use at the time. Vehicle was in powered and in motion. Smoke followed w/i 20" of initial smell. Vehicle stopped at sight of smoke and driver was able to locate plugs for motor under passenger seat. Driver removed plug, burned hand significantly in the process.
I have noticed over the last few oil changes at every 3000 miles. There seems to be an extensive amount of oil consumption with this motor. It seems to me that it consumes a quart every 1000 miles. There is no visible leaks on the motor or any where in the engine compartment. Also I have noticed that at a cold start up there is a "puff" of black smoke that comes out of the tail pipe.
Dash has continued to crack - over 4 cracks that has affected the defrost vent, dash and now I receive periodic airbag warnings upon starting ignition and/or parking. I am concerned as a driver, mother of 3 and caregiver of elderly mom that the air bags will deploy at anytime and/or not function correctly upon a crash or collision.