2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Problems & Issues

On the 1999-2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, the 4L60E 4-speed automatic behind the half-ton Silverado is notorious for wearing out its 3-4 clutch pack and cracking the input 'sun shell' (reaction sun gear shell) as mileage climbs. Owners report the truck suddenly loses 3rd and 4th gear (revs up but won't pull) while reverse and low gears still work, or a hard grinding/no-move with a fractured sun shell. The 3-4 clutch is the known weak point and often burns up first; the larger input drum on 2004-and-up units also likes to crack internally. This is one of the single most-searched failures for these trucks.

On the 2007-2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, p0700 is not a specific fault by itself — it is an umbrella/MIL-request code the ECM stores whenever the transmission control module (TCM) detects an internal transmission problem and asks the ECM to turn on the check-engine light. On the Silverado 1500 it almost always appears alongside more specific companion codes, and the underlying failure follows two dominant, well-documented patterns depending on the transmission. On trucks with the 6L80 six-speed automatic (many 5.3L and 6.2L V8 trucks, plus 2014-onward 4.3L V6 trucks; 2015-onward 6.2L trucks use the 8L90 eight-speed instead), the internal TEHCM (Transmission Electro-Hydraulic Control Module — GM's combined valve body, solenoids, pressure switches, and TCM in a single pan-mounted unit) develops internal circuit-board/solenoid faults from heat and fluid degradation, throwing P0700 together with codes like P0796, P0777, P0842, or P0973 and dropping the truck into limp mode. On older/base trucks with the 4L60E four-speed (2007-2013 4.3L/4.8L), the same P0700 is typically triggered by a failed shift solenoid (P0753/P0758) or a faulty internal mode switch. Because P0700 is a stored 'passenger' code, a scan tool that can talk to the TCM (not just a basic reader) is required to pull the specific sub-code that identifies the actual failed component.

On the 2000-2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, silverado V8 trucks commonly develop leaks at the crimped sections of the engine oil cooler lines or at the quick-connect fittings near the radiator/oil cooler adapter. Owners often report sudden puddles of oil, oil sprayed under the truck, or a rapid drop in oil pressure with little warning. This is widely documented in owner communities and service literature because the failure can dump a large amount of oil very quickly and risk engine damage.

On the 2003-2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, the engine oil pressure sensor/sending unit on LS truck V8s commonly fails or gets its screen clogged with sludge, sending the dash gauge bouncing, pegging high, dropping to zero, or reading falsely low—often with an 'oil pressure' warning even though actual pressure is fine. GM added a screen around the sensor mid-2007 that made the debris problem worse. A leading, cheap-to-fix false-alarm complaint that scares owners into thinking the pump failed.

On the 2007-2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, the original galvanized-steel brake (and fuel) lines on these trucks lack the modern nylon/PVF anti-corrosion coating, so in cold-weather/road-salt states the lines rust from the outside in and rupture. A brake-line burst causes sudden, often warning-light-free loss of brake pressure and a long/soft pedal. NHTSA's brake-line corrosion investigation (EA11-001) covered the earlier 1999-2003 GM trucks and was closed in 2015 without a recall, with NHTSA urging salt-belt owners to wash the underbody and inspect lines; no recall covers these later trucks either.

On the 2007-2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, some GMT900 Silverado 1500 trucks equipped with the heated windshield washer fluid system experienced internal shorts in the washer heater module. Owners reported smoke, melting components, dead batteries, and in some cases underhood fires even when the truck was parked. GM issued a safety recall for the heated washer module due to the fire risk.

On the 2000-2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, silverado 1500 trucks commonly develop front hub bearing wear, especially on higher-mileage 4x4s and trucks used on rough roads or with oversized tires. Owners report a humming or growling noise that changes with speed and steering input, and because the wheel speed sensor mounts in the hub assembly, ABS and traction control warnings may appear as the bearing deteriorates. Excessive play can eventually affect braking feel and tire wear.

On the 2000-2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, silverado owners across both GMT800 and early GMT900 generations frequently report a clunk or knock felt in the steering column/floor area, especially over small bumps or while turning into driveways. The issue is commonly traced to play or binding in the intermediate steering shaft splines or joints rather than a major steering gear failure. GM issued multiple service bulletins and revised shafts/lubrication procedures over the years.

On the 2007-2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, gMT900-generation Silverado 1500 trucks (and platform-mates Tahoe/Suburban/Avalanche/Sierra/Yukon/Escalade) are widely reported to develop long cracks and splits across the top of the dashboard pad, typically radiating from the passenger airbag seam, defroster vents, and the corners near the windshield. GM moved to a large one-piece molded dash for these years with no relief joints, and the plastic dries out and loses plasticizer under windshield heat and UV exposure, causing the surface to fracture. Owners commonly see it appear between 4 and 8 years of age, worse in hot/sunny climates. A class-action suit was filed and dismissed in 2019, and GM treats it as a cosmetic, non-warranty item, so owners pay out of pocket. Beyond appearance, owners raise concern about cracked plastic over the passenger airbag becoming projectiles or affecting deployment, though that has not been the subject of a recall.

On the 2000-2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, a frequent Silverado complaint is failure of the HVAC mode or blend door actuators, which causes repetitive clicking from behind the dash and leaves the system stuck on one vent mode or one temperature setting. Owners often notice one side blowing hot while the other stays cold, air stuck on defrost, or recirculation not functioning correctly. The small plastic gears inside the actuators wear or strip, and recalibration may not restore operation once gear damage occurs.

On the 2000-2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, silverado 1500 trucks equipped with electronic shift transfer cases commonly develop failures in the transfer case encoder motor, mode position sensor, or related switch/module circuitry. Owners report the truck getting stuck in 2HI, 4HI, or 4LO, flashing selector lights, or displaying a Service 4WD message. GM service information and large numbers of owner complaints/forum reports document the issue across both GMT800 and GMT900 trucks.

On the 1999-2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, gMT800/GMT900 Silverados are notorious for rusting out the rocker panels (below the doors) and cab corners (lower rear corners of the cab). The double-wall panels trap road salt, water, and debris; body drains plug, gaskets rot and let water run down inside, and the metal rusts from the inside out—often hidden behind step bars or plastic cladding until it's crumbling. It's one of the defining problems of high-mileage salt-belt trucks and hurts resale badly.