RoadVitals

2009 Chevrolet Silverado Electrical Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Electrical reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
17
Latest Jan 10, 2022
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
22%
of 76 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
3
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2009 Chevrolet Silverado submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 17 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming electrical

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Electrical
Filed Jan 10, 2022
Fire reported

The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. The contact stated while driving 30 mph, when an unknown warning light was illuminated. The contact called an independent mechanic who informed the wiring harness was melted and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V407000 (Electrical System), however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 195,000.

NHTSA ID
11446889
Incident
Jan 2, 2022
Mileage
195,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Jan 5, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE DOOR AJAR WARNING CHIMED BEFORE THE POWER DOORS LOCKED AND UNLOCKED INDEPENDENTLY, THE GAUGES FLUCTUATED AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

NHTSA ID
10818102
Incident
Oct 6, 2014
Mileage
70,000 mi
ElectricalFuel system
Filed Apr 15, 2015

WIFE DROVE TRUCK TO THE STORE IT WAS RAINING HARD THIS DAY. CAME OUT AND TRUCK WAS DEAD. JUMPED THE TRUCK AND TOOK IT HOME.LOOKED AT THE BATTERY. STILL HAD FACTORY BATTERY. REPLACED THE BATTERY. NEXT MORNING THE TRUCK WAS DEAD. JUMPED THE NEW BATTERY TRUCK STARTED . TURNED TRUCK OFF /COULD HEAR SOMETHING RUNNING IN THE FUEL TANK. FOUND OUT THAT THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE FUEL MODULE ABOVE THE SPARE TIRE. CALLED THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE THIRD TIME. CREG SMITH AUTO GROUP. GALION OHIO 44833. COULD NOT GET THE SERVICE MANAGER ON THE PHONE. LEFT HIM A VOICE MAIL. NEVER RETURNED MY CALL. NEXT DAY CALLED FOR SERVICE MANAGER. THEY COULD NOT FIND HIM IN THE BUILDING. TOLD A MAN ON THE OTHER END OF THE PHONE EVERYTHING THAT WAS GOING ON. SOMETHING WAS DRAINING MY BATTERY AND SOMETHING WAS RUNNING.24/7. MAN TOLD ME HE WOULD CALL ME BACK. NEVER DID. LEFT FOR DEALERSHIP WITH THE TRUCK. TRUCK STOPPED ON ME IN MIDDLE OF THE ROAD HAD IT TOWED HOME. NEVER MADE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. I AM VERY UPSET WITH EVERYTHING NOW. I TURNED THE KEY AND THE TRUCK STUCK ON WAS STILL TRYING TO START AFTER I TURNED KEY OFF. . WAS AFRAID OF THE FUEL SYSTEM AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TOGETHER. .ONE SPARK COULD BLOW ME UP. NOW TRUCK WILL NOT START AT ALL. PLEASE HELP ME. I WAS TOLD BY DEALER THAT I HAD TO COME TO A DEALER .ALL PARTS HAD TO BE REPROGRAMMED FOR THE TRUCK. I HAVE NO MONEY ! ONLY OWE 2,400 AND TRUCK IS PAID OFF PLEASE HELP ME. *TR

NHTSA ID
10705849
Incident
Apr 14, 2015
Mileage
72,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Mar 13, 2015

LOCKS STARTED LOCKING/UNLOCKING. GEAR INDICATOR WAS GOING FROM DRIVE TO PARK. HEAT CAME ON BY ITSELF AND FAN WENT FROM HIGH TO LOW. SPEEDOMETER WENT FROM 70MPH TO 55 MPH WITH LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. HEADLIGHTS WERE FLASHING ON AND OFF. AFTER PULLING OFF I-75 AND GETTING TO A SAFE STOPPING AREA THE TRUCK WOULD NOT START AFTER TURNING THE ENGINE OFF. THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FELT EXTREMELY HOT: ESPECIALLY THE BATTERY. AFTER 10 MINUTES, THE TRUCK WAS ABLE TO START AND CONTINUE THE REST OF THE TRIP. AFTER DOING SOME INTERNET RESEARCH, THIS PROBLEM IS WELL DOCUMENTED ON VARIOUS CHEVY FORUMS AND CAR MESSAGE BOARDS. REPLACING THE MEGA FUSE AND BATTERY CABLES APPEARS TO SOLVE THE MAJORITY OF THE ISSUES AS IT DID IN MY CASE. THE DEFECTIVE MEGA FUSE AND BATTERY CABLES CAUSED THE EXCESSIVE VOLTAGE THROUGH THE CABLES, CAUSING EXTREME HEAT WHICH RESULTED IN SCORCH MARKS ON THE TERMINAL ENDS OF THE BATTERY CABLES AND THE INSULATION OF THE CABLES CHANGING COLOR AS WELL AS THE ABOVE ISSUES. I AM VERY GRATEFUL THAT AN ELECTRICAL FIRE DIDN'T HAPPEN WHICH I BELIEVE COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN THE CASE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10694196
Incident
Jan 18, 2015
Mileage
930,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Jan 16, 2015

I WAS DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND USED MY LEFT TURN SIGNAL ALL OF THE LIGHTS IS THE TRUCK STARTED FLASHING AND THE DOORS UNLOCKED AND LOCKED THEM SELVES. THEN TWO MILES LATER STILL IN HEAVY TRAFFIC I FLASHED MY LIGHTS AT A TRUCK TO LET HIM KNOW HE COULD SAFELY ENTER MY LANE AT WHICH POINT THE TRUCK CUT COMPLETELY OFF GOING 35 MPH IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. THIS IS VERY UNSAFE AND I AM LUCKY THAT NO ONE WAS FOLLOWING TO CLOSE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10673022
Incident
Jan 16, 2015
Mileage
131,000 mi
ElectricalEngineVisibility
Filed Nov 2, 2014
Fire reported

WENT OUT TO TRUCK TO MOVE IT AND NOTICED WIPERS UP ON WINDSHIELD, TRIED TO START IT AND ONLY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON , LOOKED UNDER HOOD TO FIND AN ELECTRICAL BURNING SMELL COMING FROM FUSE BOX. DISASSEMBLED FUSE BOX TO FIND IT WAS MELTED AND FOUND EVIDENCE OF COMBUSTION, WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR X2 PIN N5 WAS MELTED AND CONNECTOR X5 PINS G1 H1,2,3,4 K 4,5,6 AND J 2,3,4 HAD MELTED THIS IS ALL THE DAMAGE THAT I FOUND. *TR

NHTSA ID
10651897
Incident
Oct 13, 2014
Mileage
73,500 mi
Electrical
Filed Aug 18, 2014

KEY COMES OUT OF THE IGNITION WHILE TRUCK IS RUNNING. *TR

NHTSA ID
10626145
Incident
Aug 15, 2012
Mileage
75,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed May 15, 2014

SEVERAL TIMES WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE STABILITY CONTROL WARNING LIGHT WOULD FLASH, THE DOOR LOCKS WOULD CYCLE AND THE GAUGES WOULD STOP WORKING. AFTER A FEW SECONDS THE WARNING LIGHT WOULD GO OFF AND THE TRUCK WOULD RETURN TO NORMAL. *TR I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND I WAS INFORMED THAT BOTH BATTERY CABLES HAD HIGH RESISTANCE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IT IS RIDICULOUS THAT BATTERY CABLES NEED TO BE REPLACED AT 62000 MILES. THE SERVICE ADVISER MADE A COMMENT THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM BUT IT USUALLY HAPPENS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY.

NHTSA ID
10588767
Incident
Apr 17, 2014
Mileage
62,000 mi
Electrical
Filed May 2, 2014

USED THE TRUCK AND PARKED THE TRUCK WITH NO PROBLEMS. THEN THE TRUCK SAT FOR 1DAY AND HAD HEAVY RAIN STORMS COME THROUGH THE AREA. THEN WENT TO USE THE TRUCK AND WHEN I WENT TO START IT UP THE TRUCK WOULD NOT TURN OVER DEAD AND HAD A STRONG SMELL PLASTIC BURNING WITH THE CARGO LIGHT STAYING ON .CHECK THE CIRCUIT BOARD UNDER THE HOOD AND FOUND THAT SOME OF THE FUSES HAD MELTED .NO OTHER PROBLEM WITH THE TRUCK UNTIL NOW. *TR

NHTSA ID
10586092
Incident
May 1, 2014
Mileage
63,000 mi
ElectricalEngineSteering
Filed Mar 12, 2014

DRIVING ON I10 HEADING TO HOUSTON, THE ENTIRE TRUCK COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN, AND THEN TURNED BACK ON, THIS AGAIN HAPPENED 02/2014....THE WHOLE TRUCK SHUT DOWN , THANK GOD THE WHEELS DID NOT LOCK UP OR WE WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED BOTH TIMES. IT IS AT THE DEALERS ...FREEDOM CHEVY SAN ANTONIO TX....SOMETHING IS BAD ON THE TRUCK...LIKE PLAYING WITH A LIGHT SWITCH...THE DASH, EVERY INSTRUMENT SHUT OFF BOTH TIMES, NOW I AM WORRIED THAT IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN, AND I CAN NOT AFFORD ANOTHER TRUCK. I THOUGHT THAT THE 1ST TIME WAS JUST A FLUKE, BUT WHEN IT DID IT AGAIN, I KNOW NOW SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT AND IS VERY DANGEROUS FOR ME AND MY LITTLE GIRL...PLEASE REPLY IF A HUMAN REALLY READS THIS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10568800
Incident
Nov 16, 2013
Mileage
27,860 mi
Electrical
Filed Feb 26, 2014

AFTER HEARING ABOUT THE RECALLS ON CHEVROLET CARS ABOUT THE IGNITION I HAD TO TELL YOU THAT THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO MY TRUCK. THERE WAS A SUDDEN JARRING & THE TRUCK SHUT DOWN & WOULD NOT START BACK UP. *TR

NHTSA ID
10565925
Incident
Jul 18, 2012
Mileage
100,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Mar 11, 2013

WHILE DRIVING ALONG HIGHWAY I NOTICED THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE WAS ON ZERO. UPON FARTHER INVESTIGATION I FOUND ALL INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS WERE OFF AND DIRECTIONAL AND HAZARD FLASHERS WOULD NOT OPERATE. I STOPPED, RECYCLED MASTER SWITCH OFF THAN ON, LIGHTS WORKED PROPERLY. EVENT OCCURRED AGAIN SIX DAYS LATER. *TR ## VIN FAILED ##

NHTSA ID
10502413
Incident
Mar 4, 2013
Mileage
78,565 mi
Electrical
Filed Aug 20, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THAT THEY NEEDED TO REPLACE THE WIRING HARNESS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT SOMEONE WOULD RETURNED HIS CALL LATER. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 56,000.

NHTSA ID
10471574
Incident
Aug 15, 2012
Mileage
56,000 mi
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Feb 8, 2012

THIS HAS BEEN ON GOING FROM DAY ONE MY TRUCK HAS 30900 MILES ON IT AND ALMOST 3 YEARS OLD HEAD LIGHTS FLICKER OR DIM OUT FOR NO REASON ALONG WITH THE DASH LIGHTS DEALER SAID IT WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO IT WAS JUST THAT TYPE OF VOLTAGE REGULATOR. *TR

NHTSA ID
10447171
Incident
Feb 8, 2012
ElectricalEngine
Filed Nov 29, 2011

AT 46,487 MILES HAD TO SPEND $415.75 TO CORRECT ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON. NOW DOOR CHIME COMES ON AT RANDOM TIMES WHEN KEY IS NOT IN IGNITION. *KB

NHTSA ID
10437644
Incident
Nov 2, 2011
ElectricalEngine
Filed May 8, 2010

ENGINE JUST SHUTS DOWN. NO POWER. HAVE TO PULL OVER AND WAIT 5 MINUTES OR SO AND THEN IT WILL RESTART. NO PATTERN. HAS HAPPENED TRAVELING ON HWY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10329367
Incident
Jan 15, 2010
Mileage
1,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Feb 5, 2010
Fire reported

ON MARCH 10, 2009 WE PURCHASED A BRAND NEW 2009 CHEVROLET SILVERADO FROM NU CAR CHEVROLET IN NEW CASTLE, DELAWARE. ON SEPTEMBER 25, 2009, WHILE ON VACATION IN OCEAN CITY, MD, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WITH US AND OUR TWO YOUNG CHILDREN (AGES 2 AND 5) INSIDE, STRAPPED IN THEIR CAR SEATS. WE WERE ABLE TO PULL THEM FROM THEIR CAR SEATS (TERRIFIED) AND GET A FIRE EXTINGUISHER FROM THE RESTAURANT WERE WE WERE PARKED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. WE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED BACK TO NU CAR CHEVROLET ON SEPTEMBER 26, 2009 AND IT HAS REMAINED WITH THEM EVER SINCE. THE DEALERSHIP AND GENERAL MOTORS DETERMINED THE CAUSE TO BE A DEFECTIVE WIRING HARNESS AND HAS ADMITTED FAULT (THERE WAS NO AFTER MARKET WIRING IN THE VEHICLE AND NO PREVIOUS ACCIDENTS). AS OF TODAY, FEBRUARY 5, THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO REPAIR THE ISSUE AND ARE NOW GOING BACK AND FORTH WITH US TRYING TO GET US TO PAY MORE MONEY FOR A NEW VEHICLE SINCE THEY CAN'T FIND A 2009 REPLACEMENT MODEL. WE ARE REFUSING TO PAY ANY ADDITIONAL MONEY AND STATED THAT WE WILL ACCEPT A REPLACEMENT VEHICLE WITH SAME FEATURES AT NO COST OR WE WANT A FULL REFUND OF OUR VEHICLE PURCHASE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10306668
Incident
Sep 25, 2009
Mileage
9,997 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

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Data on this page last refreshed .