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2009 Gmc Sierra 1500 Engine Problems

13 owner-reported engine complaints from NHTSA data

13
Complaints
2
Fires
Mar 2016Oct 2017
Date Range

Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.

Owner Complaints (13)

criticalENGINE
Filed: Jun 2025

Your 2009 GMC Sierra 1500's engine has experienced valve lifter failure twice—once in the original engine and again after a dealership replaced it with a new engine. Both failures were sudden with no warning lights or symptoms beforehand, creating unsafe driving conditions. The issue appears to be related to the Active Fuel Management (AFM) system. Fixing this will likely require a complete engine replacement or major valve lifter and AFM system repair.

NHTSA #: 11667844
highENGINE
Filed: Aug 2025

Your vehicle hesitated when accelerating at highway speeds, and the check engine and traction control lights came on. A diagnostic test revealed that cylinder #4 has a failed lifter that's preventing it from maintaining proper compression, causing the engine to misfire. The dealer confirmed the lifter failure but the manufacturer offered no assistance. Fixing this will likely require replacing the lifter in cylinder #4 and possibly related engine components.

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NHTSA #: 11681424
mediumENGINE
Filed: Oct 2017

AT AROUND 100,000 MILES, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND INDICATE LOW OIL PRESSURE. CHANGING THE SENSOR OUT DID NOT EFFECT THE SITUATION. CHANGING THE OIL WOULD HELP BUT USUALLY ONLY FOR AROUND 3,500 MILES. THE ENGINE WAS LOSING OIL MORE THAN IT SHOULD. THEN AT AROUND 129,000 MILES, THE TRUCK STARTING SHAKING BECAUSE OF THE ENGINE AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. IT WAS DETERMINED TO BE A CYLINDER 7 MISFIRE. CHANGING THE COIL PACK, SPARK PLUG, AND SPARK PLUG WIRE DID NOTHING. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE WAS IRREPARABLE AND NEEDED REPLACING. UPON RESEARCH, IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A FAIRLY COMMON PROBLEM AMONG 2008-2012 GM ENGINES WITH THE AFM SYSTEM. GM SHOULD ABSOLUTELY ISSUE A RECALL AND REPAIR THESE DEFECTIVE ENGINES OR OTHERWISE REIMBURSE THE OWNERS FOR THE REPAIRS.

NHTSA #: 11034520
mediumENGINE
Filed: Apr 2017

ACTIVE FUEL MANAGEMENT FAILURE NUMBER 4 CYLINDER. P0304 DTC. HAS A LOUD TICKING NOISE AND A MISS ON NUMBER 4 CYLINDER. THE TRUCK HAS BEEN MAINTAINED AND AS I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM, IT APPEARS TO BE MORE LIKELY THAN NOT TO AFFECT THESE TRUCKS.

NHTSA #: 10971531
mediumENGINE
Filed: Mar 2017

AT 80000 MY TRUCK IS GOING THROUGH 4 TO 6 QTS OF OIL BETWEEN OIL CHANGES. AS A MASTER TECHNICIAN THIS HAS GOT TO BE THE POOREST EXCUSE FOR ENGINEERING I HAVE EVER COME ACROSS WITH THIS AFM SYSTEM THEY HAVE. I KNOW SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT HAVE LOST AN ENGINE BY 100000 MILES. WITH TODAYS TECHNOLOGY THAT'S A BAD JOKE ON THE CONSUMER. WITH SHORTER INTERVALS AND SOME ADDITIVE'S I HAVE MANAGED TO GET TO 1 QT EVERY 1900 MILES AND THAT'S AS GOOD AS IT GETS.

NHTSA #: 10967667
mediumENGINE
Filed: Jul 2016

LIFTER FAILURE! EXPENSIVE REPAIR! COMMON ISSUE ON AFM 5.3 V8 ENGINES. DRIVING DOWN HWY. JUST HAD HAD LOW OIL PRESSURE ISSUES AND MADE NECESSARY REPAIRS THE VERY DAY BEFORE (CLEANED SMALL SCREEN THAT PICKS UP OIL TO SEND PRESSURE TO DASH GUAGE) CHANGED OIL AT DEALERSHIP, ONLY TO DRIVE TRUCK LESS THAN 75 MILES AND LOUD KNOCKING IN ENGINE OCCURED, TRUCK WENT INTO "LIMP MODE" HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP FOR A FULL LIFTER REPLACEMENT. AGAIN, COMMON PROBLEM THAT SHOULD OF BEEN RECALLED/REPAIRED BEFORE DRIVERS ARE LEFT STRANDED FACING HUGE EXPENSIVE REPAIR BILLS.

NHTSA #: 10885481
mediumENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Filed: Mar 2016

I HAVE REGULAR MAINTENANCE DONE ON VEHICLE FROM CERTIFIED GMC DEALERSHIP. HOWEVER, A FEW DAYS AGO WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE BOTH THE ENGINE LIGHT AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS CAME ON, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO DISPLAY LOW ENGINE WARNING AND LOSING ALMOST ALL ACCELERATION. TOOK IT IN TO DEALERSHIP, AND WAS CHARGED NEARLY $800 FOR REPAIR.

NHTSA #: 10840455
mediumENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Filed: Mar 2016

I HAVE THE ENGINE WITH ACTIVE FUEL MANAGEMENT AND AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INSTATE THE ENGINE GOES IN TO FAILURE MODE. LIFTER COLLAPSED TEARING THE CAM UP AS WELL. SPENT ABOUT 3000 DOLLARS HAVING ISSUE FIXED WITH NEW GM PARTS ONLY TO HAVE IT FAIL AGAIN. CALLED GM AND THEY SAID THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT IT'S FROM FAULTY PARTS AND IT WAS THE CUSTOMERS PROBLEM. THE ENGINE SMOKES BAD AND BURNS OIL AND RAW GAS SITS ON THE PISTON WITHOUT BEING BURNED OFF PROPERLY.

NHTSA #: 10840123
mediumENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Filed: Mar 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 GMC SIERRA 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE LOW OIL PRESSURE STOP ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE OIL PRESSURE RELEASE VALVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,908.

NHTSA #: 10702842
mediumENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Filed: Aug 2013

DRIVING ONLY 20 MPH IN THE PROCESS OF STOPPING. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. VERY DIFFICULT TO STOP. ENGINE RAN VERY ROUGH. AFTER STOPPING THE VEHICLE WOULD ONLY ACCELERATE UP TO APPROX 25 MPH. STOPPED AGAIN AND TURNED OFF ENGINE. RE-STARTED ENGINE AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO A CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STILL ON. DEALERSHIP REPLACED SENSOR KI.

NHTSA #: 10535940
mediumENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Filed: Jul 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 65 MPH WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DECELERATE INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE ANY FURTHER UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED SEVERAL MOMENTS LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TWICE FOR THE FAILURE BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,300.

NHTSA #: 10410839
mediumENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
FireFiled: May 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EMITTED SMOKE FROM THE EXHAUST PIPE SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE OIL WAS ADDED TO THE ENGINE. THE SERVICE MANAGER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE ENGINE OIL LIFTER OPERATED AS A 4 OR 8 CYLINDER AND WHEN IT SHUT OFF, THE OIL SUPPLY RELEASED SMOKE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT SERVICE THE VEHICLE UNTIL THERE WAS A COMPLETE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 5,040.

NHTSA #: 10329253
mediumENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
FireFiled: May 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 GMC SIERRA 1500. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LIFTERS INSIDE THE MOTOR MALFUNCTIONED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO MAKE A TICKING AND RATTLING SOUND. OCCASIONALLY, A GRAY CLOUD OF SMOKE WOULD EMIT FROM THE EXHAUST PIPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE NOISE IN THE VEHICLE SOUNDED AS IF THERE WAS NO OIL IN IT. THE FAILURE OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THEY WOULD NOT PERFORM ANY REPAIRS UNLESS THE VEHICLE WAS INOPERABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 5,020. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100.

NHTSA #: 10328920

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