Most common 2008 Chevrolet Avalanche problems
Share of the 258 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet Avalanche complaints by model year
Best Avalanche years: 2006, 2012, 2009. Years to avoid: 2002, 2003, 2004. Compare all years →
2008 Chevrolet Avalanche recalls (4)
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
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 originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas,…
Remedy: 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 February 23, 2021.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
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 2500 and Sierra 3500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in…
Remedy: 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 February 22, 2021.
Electrical system
GM is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 Buick, lucerne; Cadillac dts; Hummer h2; model year 2008-2009 Buick enclave; Cadillac cts; model year 2007-2009 Cadillac escalade, escalade esv, escalade ext; Chevrolet avalanche, silverado, suburban, tahoe; GMC acadia, sierra, yukon, yukon xl; Saturn outlook; and model year 2009…
Remedy: Dealers will permanently disable and remove the heated washer fluid module. An updated page for the owner manual will be provided and inserted in the owner manual to document that the feature has been permanently…
Electrical system
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.
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;…
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2008 Chevrolet Avalanche:
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
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, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.
Non-crash engine compartment fires
In a letter dated August 27, 2008, general motors corp. (GM) notified NHTSA that it will conduct a safety recall (NHTSA recall number 08v-441) to address a safety relateddefect that can result in engine compartment fire in approximately 850,000 vehicles equipped with a heated windshield washer fluid option.the subject vehicles of this investigation comprise over three-quarters of the recall population.
What 2008 Chevrolet Avalanche owners say
Air bags all 132 →
The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Avalanche. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the driver's side air bag deployed inadvertently without the vehicle being involved in a crash. The passenger's side air bag also deployed and shattered the passenger's side windshield. The contact pulled over safely and then the side curtain air bag on the driver's side deployed. The contact was aware that the "Service Air Bags" light would intermittently flash on and off; however, the warning light was not illuminated at time of the air bag deployments. Additionally, the passenger's side curtain air bag had also deployed. The contact had not taken the vehicle to the local dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 190,000.
The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Avalanche. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V050000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Body & structure all 44 →
The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Avalanche. The contact stated upon purchasing the vehicle at the used car dealer, he noticed that the dashboard of the vehicle was cracked and the crack was extending towards the front passenger's side air bag location. There was no warning light illuminated. The used dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that it was a known failure; however the vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure had become significantly worse. The contact contacted an unknown Chevrolet dealer to inquire the cost of a dashboard. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
Car was sitting in parking lot all day while I was at work. It was approximately 92 degrees out that day, and the vehicle was parked in an area that had shade for a good portion of the day as I try not to leave it out in the direct sun for too long due to the exterior plastic fading problem that occurs with these vehicles, mine included. When I returned to my car from work, there was a large (approx. 2-3 inch) crack in my dashboard. The crack is by the steering wheel area. It runs from the front of the section piece, toward the steering wheel and ends roughly where the dashboard raises up for the steering wheel area. I have now seen many complaints about this concern online and am hopeful that the manufacturer will do something about this problem as the integrity of the dashboard is now compromised and could present a safety hazard in the event of an accident. …
Electrical system all 21 →
The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Avalanche. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power and independently turned off. After restarting the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 200,000.
My wife drove the truck to walmart to get a couple of items with her were my son in law and daughter. Once arriving there(approx. 3 mi) they noticed some smoke coming from under the hood. My son in law opened the hood to discover a fire, he then ran into walmart where an employee grabbed a fire extinguisher and put out the fire. After they got home I checked it out and the wiring harness that goes to the mass air flow sensor was completely melted. It was still in all th he factory tie downs and wasn't touching anything that could have chafed it or pinched the wires. The truck was on city street then in parking lot
2008 Chevrolet Avalanche engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 20 / 16 |
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
| 6.0L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 12 / 17 / 14 |
| 6.0L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 12 / 17 / 14 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2008 Chevrolet Avalanche a good car?
Based on 258 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2008 Avalanche rates average: 1.2× as many complaints as a typical year of the Avalanche at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2008 Chevrolet Avalanche?
The air bags — 132 complaints, 51% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the body & structure (44) and electrical system (21).
How many recalls does the 2008 Chevrolet Avalanche have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2008 Chevrolet Avalanche, the most recent from February 5, 2021 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Chevrolet Avalanche?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2006, 2012 and 2009. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2002, 2003 and 2004. See the full Chevrolet Avalanche years comparison.
At what mileage do 2008 Chevrolet Avalanche problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 75,000 miles; 22% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.