Problems · NHTSA complaints

2009 Chevrolet Express 1500 Passenger problems

Owners filed 15 complaints about the 2009 Chevrolet Express 1500 Passenger with NHTSA between Jul 2010 and Feb 2025. The most-cited component is air bags (5).

Complaints
15
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Air bags5
  2. Tires3
  3. Power train1
  4. Vehicle speed control1
  5. Electrical system1
  6. Structure1
  7. Seat belts1
  8. Wheels1
  9. Steering1
  10. Other / unknown1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20101
20111
20122
20132
20144
20150
20162
20170
20180
20191
20201
20210
20220
20230
20240
20251

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Air bags

5 reports1 crash
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2009 CHEVROLET EXPRESS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 62 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A FEW CUTS ON THE KNEE THAT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE PASSENGER FROM THE OTHER VEHICLE SUSTAINED A BROKEN COLLAR BONE AND A HEAD INJURY, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 229,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 13, 2014Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10654755

Tires

3 reports
“WHILE CHECKING THE TIRE PRESSURE OF A CUSTOMER'S VEHICLE THE TPMS SENSOR AND AIR VALVE BROKE CAUSING THE TIRE TO DEFLATE. THE TIRE HAD TO BE REPAIRED AT A TIRE REPAIR SHOP. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 23, 2013TiresODI 10536945

Power train

1 report
“The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Express. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the contact became aware that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The transmission was replaced, and the contact continued to drive the vehicle normally. The contact stated that while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle started to vibrate abnormally. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and the vehicle was towed to a local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the transmission and the driveshaft had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 30,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 24, 2025Power trainODI 11644633

Vehicle speed control

1 report
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET EXPRESS. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT WARNING WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. THE CONTACT TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF FOR SEVERAL SECONDS AND THEN RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND DROVE TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,000. *BF CONSUMER STATED SAME THNG HAPPENED THE SECOND TIME 7 MONTHS LATER.*JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 13, 2020Vehicle speed controlODI 11364173

Electrical system

1 report
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET EXPRESS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED SEVERAL TIMES AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V614000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED THE SAME FAILURE AS THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. HAWTHORNE CHEVROLET (1180 GOFFLE RD, HAWTHORNE, NJ 07506, (973) 453-2564) WAS CONTACTED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SCHEDULED FOR A REPAIR APPOINTMENT. AN INDEPENDENT CERTIFIED MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL SHORT DUE TO CONTAMINATION ON THE CHASSIS ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXCLUDED FROM MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBER: 14515, AND PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 25, 2019Electrical systemODI 11222451

Structure

1 report
“WHITE 2009 CHEVROLET EQUINOX PAINT IS PEELING OFF OF CAR. IT STARTED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE ABOVE THE WINDOWS FIRST AND WITHIN A FEW DAYS, THE PASSENGER SIDE IS DOING THE EXACT SAME THING. WE NOTICED SOME "DIMPLING" IN THE PAINT ON THE LIFT GATE AS WELL. WE HAVE CONTACTED GM (CHEVROLET) AND HAVE BEEN TOLD TO TAKE IT TO A LOCAL DEALER FOR A "DIAGNOSTIC" EVALUATION. MY CAR HAS ONLY BEEN EXPOSED TO NATURAL ELEMENTS AND THIS SHOULD NOT BE OCCURRING IN ONLY 6 YEARS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 20, 2016StructureODI 10837304
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.