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2008 Chevrolet Silverado

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Silverado years

Owner complaints for the 2008 Chevrolet Silverado are substantially higher than the model-year median of 76.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

118 reports with mileage · 44 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Air Bags. Review the 62 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 48 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Latches/locks/linkages. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

13 crash reports5 fire reports13 injury reports

What owners actually said

162 reports
Mileage unknown · Jan 23, 2015
Air BagsEquipmentCrashInjury

2008 CHEVY SILVERADO 4X4 WT. DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY DURING CRASH. VEHICLE IMPACT WAS ON THE FRONT. A FATALITY OCCURRED DURING THIS CRASH. (PASSENGER IN OTHER VEHICLE) POINT OF IMPACT WAS FRONT OF SILVERADO INTO PASSENGER SIDE OF OTHER VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10678613

Mileage unknown · Jan 16, 2015
Air BagsStructure

A CRACK HAS FORMED AT THE TOP LEFT CORNER OF THE AIRBAG AREA, ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE DASH. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10672969

141,000 miles · Jan 15, 2015
Air BagsStructureCrashInjury

I WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK AFTER WORKING A VERY LONG DAY AND I FELL ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL AND WENT OFF THE SIDE OF 225. ALL I REMEMBER WAS WAKING UP IN BETWEEN TREES ABOUT TWO FEET AWAY FROM SIMS BAYOU. MY VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10672875

100,000 miles · Jan 8, 2015
Air BagsInjury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE AIR BAGS ON ALL FOUR DOORS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN A CRASH, BUT THE CONTACT SUSTAINED UNKNOWN INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED.…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE AIR BAGS ON ALL FOUR DOORS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN A CRASH, BUT THE CONTACT SUSTAINED UNKNOWN INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ODI #10670952

95,100 miles · Jan 5, 2015
Electrical SystemLatches/locks/linkages

ALL FOUR DOORS WOULD NOT LOCK OR UNLOCK BY PRESSING THE LOCK BUTTON ON EITHER FRONT DOORS OR BY USING THE REMOTE WHEN STOPPED. IT SCARES ME AS A PARENT OF A SEVEN YEAR OLD THAT THE DOORS MAY NOT LOCK WHEN NEEDED AND MY CHILD COULD ACCIDENTALLY OPEN THE DOOR WHEN DRIVING ANYWHERE AT ANY SPEED. FOR THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY AND FR…

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ALL FOUR DOORS WOULD NOT LOCK OR UNLOCK BY PRESSING THE LOCK BUTTON ON EITHER FRONT DOORS OR BY USING THE REMOTE WHEN STOPPED. IT SCARES ME AS A PARENT OF A SEVEN YEAR OLD THAT THE DOORS MAY NOT LOCK WHEN NEEDED AND MY CHILD COULD ACCIDENTALLY OPEN THE DOOR WHEN DRIVING ANYWHERE AT ANY SPEED. FOR THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS THIS REALLY CONCERNS ME BECAUSE IF WE WERE IN AN ACCIDENT WHAT IF THE DOORS COULDN'T UNLOCK BY BUTTON OR MANUALLY OR LOCK TO KEEP PASSENGERS IN WHILE DRIVING. IN MY OPINION THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD THAT REALLY NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED BY GM AND AN ACTION TAKEN INTO AFFECT TO CORRECT THIS FAULTY ISSUE OR PARTS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10670342

70,000 miles · Dec 10, 2014
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT SEVERAL ATTEMPTS HAD TO BE MADE BEFORE THE VEHICLE STARTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES.…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT SEVERAL ATTEMPTS HAD TO BE MADE BEFORE THE VEHICLE STARTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

NHTSA ODI #10663393

42,000 miles · Dec 9, 2014
Vehicle Speed ControlCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND BECAME STUCK CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO FIVE OTHER VEHICLES. THE KEY WAS REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. TH…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND BECAME STUCK CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO FIVE OTHER VEHICLES. THE KEY WAS REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000.

NHTSA ODI #10663113

108,000 miles · Nov 20, 2014
Air BagsStructure

MY DASH HAS CRACKS NEAR THE AIRBAG AND I HAVE A CONCERN WITH SAFETY DURING A COLLISION OR AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT FROM SHARP PLASTIC EXPOSED DUE TO THE CRACKS IN THE DASH CUTTING THE AIRBAG OR SHARDS OF PLASTIC BECOMING PROJECTILES POTENTIALLY CAUSING INJURY TO OCCUPANTS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10659805

Mileage unknown · Nov 13, 2014
Service Brakes, Air

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14E036000 (SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DRUM:SHOES/LININGS). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MAN…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14E036000 (SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DRUM:SHOES/LININGS). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI #10654844

170,000 miles · Oct 30, 2014
Power TrainFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD START TO JERK AND HESITATE TO ACCELERATE. ALSO, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE EMITTED EXTREME AMOUNT OF SMOKE TROUGH THE EXHAUST EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED. THE MANUFACTURER OR DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIE…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD START TO JERK AND HESITATE TO ACCELERATE. ALSO, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE EMITTED EXTREME AMOUNT OF SMOKE TROUGH THE EXHAUST EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED. THE MANUFACTURER OR DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILES WAS 170,000.

NHTSA ODI #10651342

Official recalls

1

08V441000 · Electrical System

Aug 28, 2008

GM IS RECALLING 857,735 MY 2006-2008 BUICK LUCERNE; CADILLAC DTS; HUMMER H2; MY 2007-2008 CADILLAC ESCALADE, ESCALADE ESV, ESCALADE EXT; CHEVROLET AVALANCHE, SILVERADO, SUBURBAN, TAHOE; GMC ACADIA, SIERRA, YUKON, YUKON XL, SATURN OUTLOOK; AND MY 2008 BUICK ENCLAVE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A HEATED WIPER WASHER FLUID SYSTEM. A SHORT CIRCUIT ON THE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD FOR THE WASHER FLUID HEATER MAY OVERHEAT THE CONTROL-CIRCUIT GROUND WIRE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS MAY CAUSE OTHER ELECTRICAL FEATURES TO MALFUNCTION, CREATE AN ODOR, OR CAUSE SMOKE INCREASING THE RISK OF A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A WIRE HARNESS WITH AN IN-LINE FUSE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080; CADILLAC AT 1-800-982-2339 OR HTTP://WWW.CADILLAC.COM; CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438; SATURN AT 1-800-972-8876 OR HTTP://WWW.SATURN.COM, GMC AT 1-866-996-9436; OR HUMMER AT 1-800-732-5493; OR THROUGH THEIR WEBSITE AT <A HREF=HTTP://WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM>HTTP://WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM</A> .

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

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