HUMMER›H3›2009›H3/hummer/h3/2009/h3/

2009 HUMMER H3 — H3

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2009 H3 H3.

Body SUVEngine H3

The 2009 HUMMER H3 is an SUV powered by the H3 engine, with routine oil service calling for 6 quarts of 5W-30 API oil. Within the 2003–2010 model run, the 2009 model year carries 80 owner complaints and three recalls, placing it well below the 2006 peak of 361 complaints but far above the 2003 low of just two. Its most reported issue is the electrical system, so researchers should treat this year as neither the worst nor the best in the H3's reliability arc, but as a moderate midpoint that still merits close inspection of electrical components.

Model year2010 2009 2008 2007 2006

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity6 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified

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 86 · 590 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12731179. Note the factory engine air filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. 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 86 · 590 CCAOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	12731179 alt 12690386
Engine air filter	15942429 discontinued
Battery	88866262
Front wiper blades	10389563 alt 10389562
Serpentine belt	19210691 alt 12626222
Thermostat	89018168 alt 12587397

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	182.3 in
Overall width	74.8 in
Overall height	74.4 in
Wheelbase	111.8 in
Curb weight	4700 lb
Track (front / rear)	65 / 65.7 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	50/50

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 6 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, SYNTHETIC · 75W-90 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission Fluid	ATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity	4.9
Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Differential Gear Oil	SYNTHETIC · 75W-90
Differential Gear Oil Capacity	3.2 qt
Differential Gear Oil	SYNTHETIC · 75W-90
Differential Gear Oil	SYNTHETIC · 75W-90
Differential Gear Oil Capacity	3.2 qt

Engine torques

Cylinder Head Steps	Install the NEW cylinder head bolts.
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	7.3 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	7.4 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	18.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts	100 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug	12.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug	12.0 ft-lbs
Automatic Transmission Drain Plug	12.0 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order	1-3-5-4-2
Cylinder Firing Order	1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	1.28 lbs
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Type	46
Oil Capacity	4.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number	86
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	590 cca
Standard BCI Group Number	86

Service checks

Pressure Test	15 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	194-225 °F
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)	50-62
Engine Compression	215
Engine Compression	100 Minimum psi
Engine Oil Pressure	12 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPM	1200 rpm

Brakes

Torque to Knuckle	144 ft-lbs / 100 ft-lbs
Torque Caliper to Bracket	27 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle	144 ft-lbs / 100 ft-lbs
Torque Caliper to Bracket	27 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness	Front: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 in
Rotor Max Parallel Variation	0.001 in
Rotor Runout Limit	0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From	1.102 in / 0.472 in

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) · Transfer Case Assembly (drain & refill) · Transmission Fluid & Filter (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 HUMMER H3 sits in a generation where complaint volume fell sharply after the 2006 peak of 361 complaints, dropping to 113 in 2008 and further to 80 in 2009 before reaching a low of 7 in 2010. Recall activity followed a less linear path, with four recalls in 2006, two each in 2007 and 2008, three in 2009, and two again in 2010, indicating that recall frequency did not decline monotonically alongside complaints. Technical service bulletins (TSBs) rose steadily each year, from 75 in 2003 to 953 in 2009 and 1,065 in 2010, reflecting growing service documentation regardless of complaint trends. The 2009 model therefore occupies the middle of a declining complaint arc, showing improved reliability relative to the mid‑generation high but still reporting more complaints than the 2010 model. For a buyer seeking a used H3, the 2009 year offers a reasonable balance of lower complaint counts and modest recall exposure, making it an acceptable choice if the vehicle’s condition and price align with expectations.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

953

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

2 involved a crash · 5 a fire

NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars

Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’03 ’06 ’07 ’08’09’10

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 80 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Electrical System22

Air Bags11

Structure5

Electrical System,Engine4

Visibility4

Visibility/Wiper4

Unknown Or Other3

Engine3

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

15V421000Visibility:Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System:Fan/MotorReported 01/07/2015

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2006-2010 Hummer H3 vehicles manufactured February 5, 2005, to May 24, 2010, and 2009-2010 Hummer H3T vehicles manufactured May 21, 2008, to May 24, 2010. In the… Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace part of the blower motor connector and harness, free of charge. The recall began February 26, 2016. Owners may contact Hummer…

10V179000Structure:Body:HoodReported 30/04/2010

GM IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006 THROUGH 2010 HUMMER H3 VEHICLES. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE A CONDITION IN WHICH THE INTEGRAL CLIP-TABS ON THE LOUVER ON THE HOOD MAY FRACTURE, CAUSING THE HOOD LOUVER RATTLE… Remedy: DEALERS WILL APPLY AN ADHESIVE TO THE HOOD LOUVER TO SECURE IT TO THE HOOD. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 12, 2010. OWNERS MAY…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 953 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 H3. 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 86 battery Vehicles taking 6 qt Engine oil filter 12731179 Engine air filter 15942429 Battery 88866262 Front wiper blades 10389563

Reference guides

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

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

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2009 H3 H3 take?

6 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2009 H3 have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.