2008 GMC Sierra 1500 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
524 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2008 GMC Sierra 1500, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 3 defect investigations. It scores 46/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Airbags leads the reports, typically around 80,000 miles.
Below average
Where 2008 sits among all Sierra 1500 years
What owners report
“Takata recall/received important safety recall in july 2016 and have not received notice that parts are available make repairs.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2008 Sierra 1500
“Cracks in dash above the airbag and instrument cluster. This is a problem gm is ignoring.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2008 Sierra 1500
“Jan 2015 the air bag light came on. Many complaints on this issue. Also june of 2015 the door locks started acting up. Passenger side will not lock/unlock now the driver door is acting up also... Many complaints seen on both these concerns.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2008 Sierra 1500
“Severely cracked dash. Cracked in 5 places. Worried what would happen if passenger airbag is ever deployed.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2008 Sierra 1500
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 302 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 73,650 miles. Half of those reports fall between 38,000 and 116,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (2)
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…
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…
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
945 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2008 GMC Sierra 1500. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2008 Sierra 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 GMC Sierra 1500 reliable?
The 2008 GMC Sierra 1500 drew 524 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 46/100, scored against the model's worst year (2014).
What are the most common 2008 GMC Sierra 1500 problems?
The top reported problems for the 2008 GMC Sierra 1500 are airbags (273 complaints), other (51), and electrical (48).
At what mileage do 2008 GMC Sierra 1500 problems show up?
Owners most often report 2008 GMC Sierra 1500 problems around 73,650 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 38,000 and 116,000 miles.
Does the 2008 GMC Sierra 1500 have recalls?
2 recall campaigns apply to the 2008 GMC Sierra 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.