FaultScore

2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 headlight problems

10 of the 553 complaints about the 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 are about the lighting — 2% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 35,000 miles.

A

10

Complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Exterior Lighting 8 80.0%
Headlights 1 10.0%
Switch 1 10.0%

Lights across every Chevrolet Silverado 1500 year

2001 12 5.8%
2004 12 5.8%
2005 10 4.8%
2007 25 12.0%
2009 10 4.8%
2014 40 19.2%
2015 28 13.5%
2016 16 7.7%
2017 16 7.7%
2019 16 7.7%
2020 11 5.3%
2023 12 5.8%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Kerrville, TX

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

The front drivers headlight low beam keeps going out. I just received my second warning for this failure. It got dark before I got home from the store. We took it to a friend who does mechanical work back in the spring. He fixed it; but now it’s doing it again. Yes we had it inspected last November for tag renewal. There are no warning lights or signals that come on.i think it started acting up around November 2024

NHTSA complaint #11668385 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 163,000 miles Canon, GA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

DASH ON VEHICLE IS CRACKED, AS IT GETS COLDER IT CONTINUES TO GET WORSE CAUSING CRACK TO THE POINT OF THE DASH FALLING APART AS DRIVING

NHTSA complaint #11387196 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 158,000 miles Cape Girardeau, MO

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

FREQUENTLY WHEN DRIVING TRUCK WILL DO SOME OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING THINGS, DOOR LOCKS LOCKING AND UNLOCKING, DASH LIGHTS FLASHING, STEREO COMING ON AND OFF, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL TURNS OFF, ALL LIGHTS, EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR, TURN OFF AND ON SOMETIMES STAYING OFF LONG ENOUGH AT NIGHT WILL SCARE YOU, TRUCK SPEEDS UP BUT THEN SOMETIMES LOSING POWER. ALL OF THOSE THINGS HAPPEN WHEN THE TRUCK IS IN MOTION. I DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY EVERY DAY WHICH IS BAD WHEN TRUCK DOES THESE THINGS. NOT A SAFE SITUATION FOR ME. THEN SOMETIMES WHEN YOU TURN IT OFF YOU HEAR A LOUD CLICKING NOISE. IF YOU DO NOTHING BATTERY WILL BE DEAD WHEN YOU TRY TO START IT NEXT TIME. I CAN GET IT TO STOP THE CLICKING BY RAISING HOOD I AND TAPPING ON POSITIVE BATTERY CAN I LET OR THE MEGA FUSE THAT IS ON THE FIREWALL. CHEVROLET HAS RECALLED THE 2008 TRUCKS FOR SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THIS. I

NHTSA complaint #11327276 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 138,000 miles Pulaski, VA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLAMPS OPERATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS WITH THE LOW BEAM HEADLAMPS. HARVEY'S GM CHEVROLET CADILLAC BUICK 1500 TYLER AVE, RADFORD, VA 24141 (540) 639-3923 REPLACED THE HIGH BEAM SOCKETS WIRING ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED NOR INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 138,000. *BF

NHTSA complaint #11300115 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 75,000 miles Walpole, NH

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP WORKING IN MOTION IN RAIN.

NHTSA complaint #11093473 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 35,000 miles North Augusta, SC

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. IN ADDITION, THE DOOR LOCKS WERE OPERATING INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000. UPDATED 02/15/17*LJ

NHTSA complaint #10937550 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 5 miles Elgin, TX

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS DID NOT ALWAYS ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHENEVER THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHERE THE BRAKE BOOSTER AND THE BRAKE SWITCH WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5. THE CONSUMER STATED HE PUSHED THE BRAKE PEDAL ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR TO ACTIVATE THE BRAKE LIGHTS. HE OBSERVED THE BRAKE LIGHTS USING THE GLASS WINDOWS. HE QUICKLY LET OFF THE PEDAL ABOUT 1/2 TO ONE INCH AND HE NOTICED THE LIGHTS WENT OUT BEFORE THE PEDAL WAS FULLY RELEASED. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE BRAKE SWITCH WAS DEFECTIVE.

NHTSA complaint #10459580 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 5 miles Elgin, TX

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS DID NOT ALWAYS ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHENEVER THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHERE THE BRAKE BOOSTER AND THE BRAKE SWITCH WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5. THE CONSUMER STATED HE PUSHED THE BRAKE PEDAL ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR TO ACTIVATE THE BRAKE LIGHTS. HE OBSERVED THE BRAKE LIGHTS USING THE GLASS WINDOWS. HE QUICKLY LET OFF THE PEDAL ABOUT 1/2 TO ONE INCH AND HE NOTICED THE LIGHTS WENT OUT BEFORE THE PEDAL WAS FULLY RELEASED. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE BRAKE SWITCH WAS DEFECTIVE.

NHTSA complaint #10459580 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 7,000 miles Justin, TX

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW FROM CLASSIC CHEVROLET IN GRAPEVINE, TX IN JANUARY 2010. THE FIRST FEW MONTHS I HAD THE VEHICLE, I HAD NO PROBLEMS. STARTING IN MARCH 2010 I NOTICED THAT MY RADIO(NAVIGATION SYSTEM) WOULD SOUND LIKE IT WOULD SHORT OUT INTERMITTENTLY. I DIDN'T REALLY THINK ANYTHING OF IT. I THOUGHT THAT IT HAD TO BE THE RADIO STATION OR INTERFERENCE WITH OTHER WIRELESS SIGNALS. I NEVER REALLY THOUGHT IT WOULD BECOME A PROBLEM UNTIL RECENTLY. ON 5/5/2012, I WAS TRAVELING 70MPH AT NIGHT DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHEN, ALL OF A SUDDEN, MY ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SEEMED LIKE IT WAS "RESETTING" ITSELF MULTIPLE TIMES. FROM DOOR LOCKS TO INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, TO NAVIGATION SYSTEM, TO EVEN HEADLIGHTS, EVERYTHING CYCLED MORE THAN 3 OR 4 TIMES IN RAPID SUCCESSION. I WAS MERELY DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, I HADN'T JUST TOUCHED ANYTHING, I WAS JUST CRUISING ALONG. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ONLINE, IT IS APPARENT THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE AMONG THIS DESIGN OF THE SILVERADO. FORUM AFTER FORUM HAS OWNERS DESCRIBING THIS SAME ISSUE AND MORE PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. IT IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN THAT COULD END UP KILLING SOMEONE. HEADLIGHTS AND RUNNING LIGHTS THAT TURN OFF WITHOUT CAUSE? WHAT IF THE AIRBAG SYSTEM IS AFFECTED AND IT CAUSES A PREMATURE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT WHILE SOMEONE IS TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED? THIS IS NOT AND ISOLATED ISSUE AND THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO STEP IN TO FORCE GENERAL MOTORS TO RECALL THIS VEHICLE ALONG WITH ANY OTHER VEHICLES WITH THE SAME ISSUE. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT GENERAL MOTORS MAY BE AWARE OF THE ISSUE BECAUSE THE 2011 AND 2012 SILVERADOS HAVE HAD DESIGN CHANGES MADE TO THEIR ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS.(I READ THIS IN FORUMS AS WELL.)

NHTSA complaint #10458078 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 13,200 miles Depew, NY

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

WHEN DRIVING HEADLIGHTS FLICKER CONSTANTLY. NOTIFIED DEALER AUGUST 2010. DEALER STATED THEY HAVE HAD COMPLAINTS, BUT FIND NO PROBLEM. THIS OCCURS NO MATTER WHAT SPEED YOU ARE DRIVING.

NHTSA complaint #10354050 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 problems

← Full 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 report