2009 Chevrolet Avalanche
Trims, performance, features, fuel economy, safety and known problems — with the pros and cons against similar 2009 models.
- Class
- Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD
- Body styles
- 1500 P/U Crewcab S/Box 2WD, 1500 P/U Crewcab S/Box 4WD, 2500 P/Ucrewcab S/Box 2WD, 2500 P/Ucrewcab S/Box 4WD
- Engines
- 5.3L 8-cyl, 6.0L 8-cyl
- Drivetrain
- Rear-Wheel Drive
- Fuel
- Regular Gasoline, FFV
- MPG (best)
- 16 combined · 14 city / 20 hwy
- Length
- 218.1 in
- Curb weight
- 5,437–6,643 lb
- NHTSA rating
- Not rated
- Recalls
- 4 campaigns
Pros & cons
What's good
Nothing stands out against similar models in the data.
Watch out for
- Below-average fuel economyBest version gets 16 MPG combined, 18% below the 2009 SUV - average of 19.5 MPG.
- No AWD or 4WDTwo-wheel drive only, unusual for a SUV -.
Calculated from EPA, NHTSA and vPIC data against 6 similar 2009 models — not a review. How we calculate this →
Overview
The 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche is a SUV - offered with 2 engines (5.3L 8-cyl and 6.0L 8-cyl) and rear-wheel drive.
It measures about 218 inches long and 79 inches wide on a 130-inch wheelbase, with a curb weight of roughly 5,437 lb (1500 P/U Crewcab S/Box 2WD).
EPA rates its most efficient version at 16 MPG combined (14 city / 20 highway), 18% worse than the 2009 SUV - average of 19.5 MPG, for an estimated $4,200 a year in fuel.
It has 4 recall campaigns on file and owners have filed 83 complaints with NHTSA since 2015, most often about the air bags.
What changed for 2009
- All-wheel / four-wheel drive no longer offered
Compared with 2008; trim, feature and price changes aren't covered. See the 2008 Avalanche →
Dimensions & weight
| Body | Length | Width | Height | Wheelbase | Track F / R | Curb weight | Weight F/R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1500 P/U Crewcab S/Box 2WD | 218.1 in | 79.1 in | 73.2 in | 130.3 in | 68.5 / 67.7 in | 5,437 lb | 52/48 |
| 1500 P/U Crewcab S/Box 4WD | 218.1 in | 79.1 in | 74.4 in | 130.3 in | 68.5 / 67.7 in | 5,679 lb | 52/48 |
| 2500 P/Ucrewcab S/Box 2WD | 218.1 in | 79.1 in | 73.2 in | 130.3 in | 68.5 / 67.7 in | 6,356 lb | 55/45 |
| 2500 P/Ucrewcab S/Box 4WD | 218.1 in | 79.1 in | 74.4 in | 130.3 in | 68.5 / 67.7 in | 6,643 lb | 55/45 |
Transport Canada CVS (Open Government Licence – Canada), Canadian-market figures.
Will it fit your garage? Check with your measurements →Engines, MPG & running costs
| Version | Engine | Transmission | Drive | City / Hwy / Comb | vs. class | Fuel / yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avalanche 1500 2WD | 5.3L 8-cyl | Automatic 6-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive | 14 / 20 / 16 | -18% | $4,200 | 555 |
| Avalanche 1500 2WD | 6.0L 8-cyl | Automatic 6-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive | 14 / 19 / 16 | -18% | $4,200 | 555 |
| Avalanche 1500 2WD FFV | 5.3L 8-cyl | Automatic 6-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive | 14 / 20 / 16 | -18% | $4,200 | 555 |
EPA estimates; "vs. class" is combined MPG against the 2009 EPA class average. How we calculate this →
Safety ratings & technology
NHTSA has not published 5-Star ratings for the 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche under the current (2011+) test program.
Similar 2009 SUV -s
| Model | Best MPG / range | NHTSA overall | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche (this car) | 16 MPG | Not rated | 4 |
| 2009 Toyota Land Cruiser | 15 MPG | Not rated | 6 |
| 2009 Chevrolet Suburban | 16 MPG | Not rated | 4 |
| 2009 Subaru Legacy/Outback | 22 MPG | Not rated | 0 |
| 2009 Mercury Mariner | 32 MPG | Not rated | 1 |
| 2009 Mercury Mountaineer | 17 MPG | Not rated | 0 |
| 2009 Isuzu Ascender | 16 MPG | Not rated | 0 |
Recalls (4)
Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module · Feb 5, 2021
NHTSA campaign 21V052000 · 557,023 vehicles
- Problem
- General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2009 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2007-2008 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
- Risk
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
- Fix
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 23, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 20, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328780.
Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module · Feb 5, 2021
NHTSA campaign 21V053000 · 692,526 vehicles
- Problem
- General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2010 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2009 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C."
- Risk
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
- Fix
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 24, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 11, 2021. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328790.
Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module · Feb 5, 2021
NHTSA campaign 21V050000 · 2,641,272 vehicles
- Problem
- General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2007-2011 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, Yukon XL, and 2009-2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, GMC Sierra 2500 and Sierra 3500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2007-2008 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
- Risk
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
- Fix
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 22, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 1, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328760.
Electrical System · Jun 4, 2010
NHTSA campaign 10V240000 · 1,365,070 vehicles
- Problem
- GM IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2009 BUICK, LUCERNE; CADILLAC DTS; HUMMER H2; MODEL YEAR 2008-2009 BUICK ENCLAVE; CADILLAC CTS; MODEL YEAR 2007-2009 CADILLAC ESCALADE, ESCALADE ESV, ESCALADE EXT; CHEVROLET AVALANCHE, SILVERADO, SUBURBAN, TAHOE; GMC ACADIA, SIERRA, YUKON, YUKON XL; SATURN OUTLOOK; AND MODEL YEAR 2009 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A HEATED WASHER FLUID SYSTEM (HWFS). A RECALL WAS IMPLEMENTED IN 2008 TO ADD A FUSE TO THE CONTROL CIRCUIT HARNESS TO ADDRESS THE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES OF A PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD (PCB) ELECTRICAL SHORT. HOWEVER, THERE HAVE BEEN NEW REPORTS OF THERMAL INCIDENTS ON HWFS MODULES AFTER THIS IMPROVEMENT WAS INSTALLED. THESE INCIDENTS RESULTED FROM A NEW FAILURE MODE ATTRIBUTED TO THE DEVICE'S THERMAL PROTECTION FEATURE. THE SIGNIFICANCE VARIES FROM MINOR DISTORTION TO CONSIDERABLE MELTING OF THE PLASTIC AROUND THE HWFS FLUID CHAMBER.
- Risk
- IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE HEATED WASHER MODULE TO IGNITE AND A FIRE MAY OCCUR.
- Fix
- DEALERS WILL PERMANENTLY DISABLE AND REMOVE THE HEATED WASHER FLUID MODULE. AN UPDATED PAGE FOR THE OWNER MANUAL WILL BE PROVIDED AND INSERTED IN THE OWNER MANUAL TO DOCUMENT THAT THE FEATURE HAS BEEN PERMANENTLY DISABLED AND REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 11, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, SATURN AT 1-800-972-8876, GMC AT 1-866-996-9463 AND HUMMER AT 1-800-732-5493 OR AT THE OWNER CENTER AT WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM.
Not every 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche is affected — only a VIN check confirms your car.
Owner-reported problems
Unverified owner reports; best-sellers collect more.
Used 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche buyer's checklist
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 4 recalls this year — ask for proof of repairs.
- Air Bags — 48 owner reports. Confirm the airbag warning light turns off after start-up and any airbag recall was completed.
- Structure › Body — 5 owner reports. Open and close every door, the hood and tailgate; look for rust or misaligned panels.
- Electrical System — 4 owner reports. Test every window, lock, light, screen and USB port; check the battery age.
- Mileage to watch. Owners typically reported problems around 78,000 miles; ask what was repaired near that point.
- Before you pay: service records, a history report and an independent inspection.
Generated by DecodedCars from NHTSA recalls and owner complaints for the 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche. Not a substitute for a professional inspection.
Other Avalanche years
Compare all years →| Year | MPG (best) | Length | Overall | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 Avalanche | 17 | 218.1 in | Not rated | 3 | 108 |
| 2012 Avalanche | 17 | 218.1 in | Not rated | 3 | 45 |
| 2011 Avalanche | 17 | 218.1 in | Not rated | 5 | 138 |
| 2010 Avalanche | 17 | 218.1 in | Not rated | 3 | 108 |
| 2008 Avalanche | 16 | 218.1 in | Not rated | 3 | 237 |
| 2007 Avalanche | 16 | 218.1 in | Not rated | 3 | 368 |
| 2006 Avalanche | 14 | 221.7 in | Not rated | 0 | 27 |
| 2005 Avalanche | 15 | 221.7 in | Not rated | 0 | 35 |
Sources: EPA, NHTSA, Transport Canada, Wikimedia Commons. Not affiliated with NHTSA, the EPA or Chevrolet. How we calculate this →