The 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche has 4 recalls, the most critical being a passenger-side airbag inflator that can explode and send sharp metal fragments into the cabin, posing a risk of serious injury or death.
The airbag issue spans multiple filings tied to vehicles registered in high-humidity and other specific states and regions, but the underlying danger is the same across all of them: the inflator can rupture violently rather than deploy normally. Prior repair attempts did not fully resolve the issue, which is why multiple campaigns exist for this defect. There is also a fire risk: vehicles equipped with the optional heated washer fluid system have a module that can ignite and cause a fire under the hood.
At a glance
What can fail
The front passenger air bag inflator may explode due to propellant breakdown after prolonged exposure to high humidity, heat, and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with a different inflator at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
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At a glance
What can fail
The front passenger air bag inflator contains a propellant that can degrade and rupture after prolonged exposure to high heat, humidity, and temperature swings.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with a different one at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The front passenger air bag inflator may fail to deploy or deploy incorrectly in a crash.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The heated washer fluid system can overheat due to a failure in its thermal protection feature, causing the plastic around the fluid chamber to distort or melt.
What the fix does
Dealers will permanently disable and remove the heated washer fluid module. An updated manual page documenting this removal will be provided.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
