Most common 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 problems
Share of the 914 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet Silverado 1500 complaints by model year
Best Silverado 1500 years: 2012, 2013. Years to avoid: 2019, 2021, 2014, 2022, 2024. Compare all years →
2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 recalls (3)
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.
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.
Equipment adaptive/mobility
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 standard no.
Remedy: 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.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500:
Non-crash engine compartment fires
In response to an information request letter sent by the office of defects investigation(odi) during preliminary evaluation pe08-010, GM provided odi with 41 allegations of non-crash engine compartment fires including 16 allegations of fires originating with the ignition in the off position.one of the fires was determined to be caused by an arson event.odi has also received 5 reports, 4 of which are of duplicative…
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 Silverado 1500 owners say
Air bags all 594 →
The contact owned a 2008 Chevrolet Silverado. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 70 MPH and making a right downhill turn, he crashed into the rail guard before impacting a tree where the vehicle came to a stop. No warning lights were illuminated. No air bags deployed. The contact was concerned about whether the air bags should have deployed for the type of impact experienced. The contact stated that the Driver's side seat belt had locked. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was deemed a total loss and towed to a local tow yard, where it remains. The contact fell unconscious due to the impact and was rushed to a local medical center via helicopter. The contact sought medical attention for injured knees, 7 fractured ribs, a broken right arm, and was left bedridden. A police report was not filed. …
The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that the message "Check Air Bags" warning was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V050000 (AIR BAGS). However, the failure persisted. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed across the street, another vehicle crashed into the front passenger's side of the vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained a laceration on the right hand caused by a sharp piece of the steering wheel. The contact did not seek medical assistance. A police report was filed. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to her residence. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 53,000.
Electrical system all 91 →
The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the check engine, the stabilitrak, the service trailer brake system, and the seat belt warning lights were illuminated before the vehicle began to decelerate. The contact stated that the vehicle turned off and back on independently. The contact stated he continued to experience the failure and parked on the side of the road for 30 minutes before restarting the vehicle and continued driving to his destination. The contact stated he had experienced the failure on 3 different occasions. The contact took the vehicle to two different independent mechanics and the second location informed him that the chassis electronic control module needed to be replaced. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. …
The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed white smoke coming from the exhaust with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic; however, the failure was not duplicated. The contact stated that the following day, while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. Additionally, there was an abnormal ticking sound coming from the vehicle. The contact used a diagnostic machine and retrieved several codes indicating electrical failures. The vehicle was towed to another independent mechanic; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact stated that the engine had been replaced twice. The contact stated the last engine was replaced in 2021. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. …
Body & structure all 60 →
The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while washing the vehicle, the contact became aware of rusted metal coming from underneath the vehicle. The contact stated that the frame was completely rusted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a crack on the sub frame on the driver's side of the vehicle. The sub frame was welded, and the vehicle was repaired. The contact researched and learned that it was a known failure. The dealer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the issue was a known failure. The dealer confirmed that the vehicle was not under recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 160,978.
Premature frame rust. This vehicle was professionally undercoated 4 times using premium products (fluid film, NH OIL undercoating), and the frame has rotted prematurely. 132,000 miles and it will not pass inspection . Chevrolet should make this right, as I have not finished paying off the vehicle. There needs to be an investigation into the manufacturing and the lack of rust protection. The rust is concentrated in 2 spots on the bottom of the frame. I was made aware of the problem this spring by my technician. I am shocked and will be financially unable to recover from their planned obsolescence. Otherwise every aspect of the truck works as it should.
2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.3L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 20 / 17 |
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 20 / 17 |
| 4.8L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
| 4.8L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 18 / 16 |
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
| 6.0L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 13 / 18 / 15 |
| 4.3L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 18 / 15 |
| 6.0L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 13 / 17 / 14 |
EPA ratings. Class: Full-size pickup.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 a good car?
Based on 914 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2008 Silverado 1500 rates use caution: 1.4× as many complaints as a typical year of the Silverado 1500 at the same age. It is one of the Silverado 1500 years we suggest avoiding. 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 Silverado 1500?
The air bags — 594 complaints, 65% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the electrical system (91) and body & structure (60).
How many recalls does the 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 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 Silverado 1500?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2012 and 2013. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2019, 2021, 2014, 2022 and 2024. See the full Chevrolet Silverado 1500 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 70,000 miles; 32% 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.