Most common 2008 Chevrolet Suburban problems
Share of the 213 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet Suburban complaints by model year
Best Suburban years: 2014, 2009, 2020. Years to avoid: 2015, 2021, 2023, 2022, 2024. Compare all years →
2008 Chevrolet Suburban 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 a possible defect involving the 2008 Chevrolet Suburban:
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.
What 2008 Chevrolet Suburban owners say
Air bags all 96 →
The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at 30 MPH, she started to choke and was unable to breathe, which resulted in the driver fully colliding into a cement wall. The driver sustained injuries, and medical attention was provided, and the contact child was taken to the local trauma facility. The contact stated that all of the air bags located in the vehicle were deployed during the incident. A police officer was driving behind during the incident and assisted immediately after the crash. The contact was concerned that the air bags deployed violently, causing a fracture to the driver's neck, which resulted in an emergency trigonometry on the scene, who cut the trachea. The driver suffered injuries and underwent multiple operations due to the incident. The driver sustained lung and trachea injuries from the incident. …
Takata Recall. The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact received a recall notice for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V052000(AIRBAGS); however, upon contacting the dealer, she was informed that the remedy may cause her dashboard to crack and she would be responsible for the repair. The manufacturer was then notified of the matter and confirmed that the dealer would not be held responsible for any cracks or damages to the dashboard. The contact stated that the manufacturer should cover the cost of the dashboard due to the recall. The vehicle had yet to be repaired for the recall. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Body & structure all 30 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Suburban. While the vehicle was parked, the contact's wife proceeded to open the passenger side door from the inside. The chrome paint on the door handle fractured and cut her hand. No medical attention was required. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 137,000.......updated 12/30/15 the consumer stated an exterior door handle, that broke off, had to be replaced. Through reseachthe contact discovered chrome peeling off of the interior door causing the passenger or driver to cut his or her hand. Updated 2/23/2016
Began noticing large cracks on dashboard, which has caused the entire front instrument panel to shift. Panel now sags 1/4" lower on right side. Cracks are also surrounding airbag locations. Should airbags deploy, the plastic could be very dangerous (ie, shrapnel) also, electric lift-gate has failed twice, falling while I am underneath it. I was not injured. Vehicle was stationary in both instances of the cracks and the failed lift-gate.
Engine & cooling all 27 →
The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would shut off without warning. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who was unable to diagnose the failure. The contact has had multiple repairs performed on the engine; however, the failure persisted. The dealer nor the manufacturer were notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 169,000.
The dash board in the vehicle is cracked and none is able to fix problems. The engine misfire and to figure out the problem cost lost of money. The lifters goes bad on vehicle. Suspension works always need.
2008 Chevrolet Suburban 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 Suburban a good car?
Based on 213 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2008 Suburban rates average: 37% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Suburban 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 Suburban?
The air bags — 96 complaints, 45% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the body & structure (30) and engine & cooling (27).
How many recalls does the 2008 Chevrolet Suburban have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2008 Chevrolet Suburban, 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 Suburban?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2014, 2009 and 2020. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2015, 2021, 2023, 2022 and 2024. See the full Chevrolet Suburban years comparison.
At what mileage do 2008 Chevrolet Suburban problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 85,000 miles; 18% 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.