2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
1,315 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 3 defect investigations. It scores 51/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Airbags leads the reports, typically around 83,000 miles.
Below average
Where 2008 sits among all Silverado 1500 years
What owners report
“Takata recall no remedy and no parts available more than 16 months after the recall. Unacceptable.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2008 Silverado 1500
“Power door locks failed, someone can open the door when the truck is being driven and fall out of the truck, the locks are suppose to engage when the truck is put into drive.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2008 Silverado 1500
“Dashboard cracking all over, in particular around the passenger airbag. Concern of potential shrapnel from the dashboard if the airbag was to be deployed.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2008 Silverado 1500
“The chassis frame is rusting excessively in my truck with 34000 miles. Takata recall. Airbag light always on, seems defective.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2008 Silverado 1500
“Excessive oil consumption found when changing oil at 3,000 miles and no oil was in the engine at all.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2008 Silverado 1500
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 705 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 68,875 miles. Half of those reports fall between 40,000 and 110,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (3)
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…
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…
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…
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…
QUALITY VANS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004 THROUGH 2008 VANS MANUFACTURED BETWEEN AUGUST 2005 AND NOVEMBER 2007, EQUIPPED WITH RICON PLATFORM STYLE WHEELCHAIR LIFTS. THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY…
Fix: QUALITY VANS IS WORKING WITH RICON TO CORRECT THE WHEELCHAIR LIFTS FREE OF CHARGE (PLEASE SEE 07E095). OWNERS MAY CONTACT RICON AT 1-818-267-3000 OR QUALITY VANS AT 1-480-464-7007.
Federal defect investigations
Still open as of the last data refresh. An investigation is not a recall; it may close with no action. All open investigations →
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade,…
Model years named: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
Led to recall campaign 08V441000.
Technical service bulletins
1,611 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2008 Silverado 1500 TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 reliable?
The 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 drew 1,315 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 51/100, scored against the model's worst year (1999).
What are the most common 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 problems?
The top reported problems for the 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 are airbags (656 complaints), electrical (149), and other (118).
At what mileage do 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 problems show up?
Owners most often report 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 problems around 68,875 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 40,000 and 110,000 miles.
Does the 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.