Most common 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe problems
Share of the 528 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet Tahoe complaints by model year
Best Tahoe years: 2020, 2014, 2018. Years to avoid: 2021, 2023, 2015, 2011, 2022. Compare all years →
2008 Chevrolet Tahoe recalls (4)
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.
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 4 possible defects involving the 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe:
Interior Door Handle Laceration Risk
The statistical data regarding problem experience in the table above are net counts for unique vehicles.Review of information in this PE discloses that while accounting for approximately two-thirds of the total population, MY 2007 subject vehicles are cited in more than 90 percent of the consumer complaints, injury reports, and warranty claims, respectively.In addition, improvements in the door handle manufacturing…
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 Tahoe owners say
Air bags all 233 →
The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe. While the contact's daughter was entering traffic at 65 MPH, the vehicle in front made an abrupt stop. As a result, the contact's daughter was unable to stop the vehicle in time and crashed into the rear of the vehicle. The contact was concerned that no air bags deployed during the impact. In addition, the contact stated that the OnStar feature failed to activate and it was concluded that it was due to the sensors. During the impact, the contact's daughter's head hit the steering wheel and caused an injury in which physical therapy was required on the weekly basis. The vehicle was towed and a police report was filed. The contact also wanted to advise that vehicle was included in NHTSA Campaign Number 21V52000 (Air Bags). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 139,000.
I was sent a notification in February 2021 to notify of a recall for the airbags on my Tahoe. I have received no further information from General Motors, Chevrolet or the local dealer. The notice says a severe injury or death could result from the malfunction. Seven months is not timely. I checked the General Motors website and it states no parts or repairs are available. I will contact them also so see if this can be escalated. Dangerous.
Electrical system all 87 →
The battery energy control module GM Part # 84442220 located inside the HV battery assembly caught fire. The harness that was most affected was the battery cell voltage sense wires. The way the battery voltage sense circuit is manufactured seems dangerous as there is no fusible link between the battery cell and the module. If a short circuit occurs the full current of the cell will be induced on a very thin gauge wire going to the module which will result in a fire.
Was Delivered. Took for a test drive. Stalled at stop sign. Restarted went down the road stalled and slammed into park. Contacted company was told to take to local GMC/Chevy, (said they did a bunch of research and this part should work) basically guessing had my vehicle for 9 months replaced some sensor. Had my boyfriend Drove to red light, not even half a block, stall (stable track sensor) but lost all electric but v8 still ran took to another ( had towed) to another local shop they had for 4+ months couldn't figure out said it was running 18+ codes and would cost too much to go through. Contacted company the gentleman politely laughed and said ur kidding me right it's been years I tried to explain how long it was taking due to both repairs company had it over a year n half. No sympathy he knew exactly what he sold.
Body & structure all 79 →
Front passenger seatbelt is stuck won't expand to buckle up, when turning on right blinker the high beam lights turn on. Which is unsafe for other drivers being blinded by the bright lights. Back hatch does not operate at all, could potentially be life threatening if that was an only exit due to unexpected Circumstances
Takata recall - I have been checking on this for a year and a remedy is still not available. I was involved in an accident April 10 2017 and the Tahoe sustained significant front and rear damage while stationary. I was hit from behind by a large truck and was then pushed into the car in front of me. No airbags deployed.
2008 Chevrolet Tahoe engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.0L 8-cyl hybrid | CVT | RWD | 21 / 22 / 21 |
| 6.0L 8-cyl hybrid | CVT | 4WD/AWD | 20 / 20 / 20 |
| 4.8L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 20 / 16 |
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
| 6.2L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 12 / 19 / 14 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe a good car?
Based on 528 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2008 Tahoe rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the Tahoe 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 Tahoe?
The air bags — 233 complaints, 44% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the electrical system (87) and body & structure (79).
How many recalls does the 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe, 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 Tahoe?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2020, 2014 and 2018. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2021, 2023, 2015, 2011 and 2022. See the full Chevrolet Tahoe years comparison.
At what mileage do 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 73,000 miles; 33% 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.