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2009 Chevrolet Uplander

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2009 Uplander.

As the closing model year of the 2005-2009 Chevrolet Uplander, the 2009 edition stands out for what didn't go wrong: across the entire year, owners logged just two complaints and zero recalls, with the lone issues falling in the electrical system and structure categories. That figure represents a steep drop from the model's debut year, when 2005 registered 196 complaints—the highest of the five-year span covered here. For a researcher, the 2009 essentially marks the quietest point in the Uplander's documented reliability history, indicating that the issues which once dogged the nameplate had largely subsided by the time the run reached its final year.

Model year2009 2008 2007 2006 2005

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 34 · 600 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 34 · 600 CCAOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	204.3 in
Overall width	72 in
Overall height	72 in
Wheelbase	120.9 in
Curb weight	4275 lb
Track (front / rear)	62.6 / 63 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	56/44

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine 75W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 19.0 ft-lbs.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission Fluid	ATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity	7.4
Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Differential Gear Oil	75W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity	4.0 qt
Power Steering Fluid	USE GM PART NO. 89021184 OR EQUIVALENT

Engine torques

Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	Upper: 18 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	15 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	Upper: 18 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	15 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	19.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	19.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts

100 ft-lbs

Ignition

Spark Plug Manufacturer	AC Delco
Spark Plug Gap	0.040 in
Spark Plug Torque	11.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

Standard BCI Group Number	34
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	600 cca

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket	40 ft-lbs / 25 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle	137 ft-lbs / 96 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness	Front: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 specification
Rotor Max Parallel Variation	0.001 in
Rotor Runout Limit	0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From	1.27 in / 0.472 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To	1.27 in / 0.472 in
Rotor Minimum Machining	1.223 in / 0.425 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

installation, 92 ft. lbs., step 2: remove bolt, step 3: install new bolt, 92 ft. lbs., step 4: 130 degrees, step 5: 130

92 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant at 150,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 150,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 25,000 mi	Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel System (inspect)
Every 50,000 mi	Engine Air Filter Element (replace)
Every 100,000 mi	Spark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 150,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2009 Chevrolet Uplander shows a dramatic drop in federal complaints, falling to just 2 reports after a steady decline from 196 in 2005 to 109 in 2007 and a slight rise to 118 in 2008. Recalls follow the same downward trajectory, reaching zero in 2009 after four recalls each in 2005‑2006, two in 2007 and one in 2008, while investigations also vanish after 2008. Service bulletins (TSBs) continue an upward trend, climbing from 568 in 2005 to a peak of 897 in 2009, indicating manufacturers are addressing issues through documentation rather than formal recalls. The target year sits at the low‑point of complaints and recalls but at the high‑point of TSB activity, suggesting most known problems were already identified and mitigated through service guidance. With no crash or fire complaints reported for 2009, the data implies that this model year is comparatively reliable and therefore a solid choice for a used purchase.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

897

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

0 involved a crash · 0 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’05 ’06 ’07 ’08’09

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 2 complaints on record, top 2 components.

Electrical System,Structure1

Electronic Stability Control (Esc),Service Brakes,Engine1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 897 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
13598	2025-09-09	Unknown Or Other	New Vehicle Monitoring Programs Section in IVH
PIC5650M	2025-08-06	Unknown Or Other	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIP5601C	2025-07-18	Unknown Or Other	This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic…
PIT5074R	2025-05-30	Unknown Or Other	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIT5074R	2025-05-30	Unknown Or Other	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Uplander. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group 34 battery

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Torque specifications Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

Does the 2009 Uplander have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.