Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2008 GMC Sierra 2500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
High speed collision with a cement truck destroyed most of the front portion of the vehicle. Neither passenger nor driver airbag deployed and seat belts did not lock up, injuring the driver. No warning lights indicating an airbag problem appeared prior to crash. The vehicle is now impounded at towing company yard pending insurance investigation.
The curtain airbags on both the passenger and driver side deployed while driving down the road. The truck is available for inspection although the deployed bags have been cut off in order to drive it home. Pictures were taken before doing so and are available for inspection. My son is pretty shaken up and has injuries to his shoulder, face and his ears are ringing.
Driving around a corner when the steering locked its self in position causing the truck to not turn, almost as if when you shut the vehicle off and turn the wheel it locks in position. This caused the vehicle to leave the road and hit a tree. The driver side airbag did not deploy. The passenger side airbag did deploy.
The airbag light came on a little bit ago but I haven't had the time to get it checked do to my crazy schedule. Yesterday while my truck was sittng in the parking lot at work the airbag deployed. The truck was not running and the keys were not or near the truck. There is no damage or marks of any kind to the front of the truck showing any sign of impact to trigger the airbag to deploy. I called and spoke to GM and the response was pretty much that it is out of warranty. The truck is now sitting at a local dealer and the service manager spoke with GM also and said they are going to look into it but sounded like they didn't want to cover it either. This is a piece of safety equipment that failed it should not expire with the warranty!!!
A year or so after recievinv my airbag recall service, my dash started cracking. It started at the passenger side airbag. It is now cracked in other places and rattles constantly while in motion. I feel this is a safety hazard. I've yet to see a GMC/Chevy from 2007.5-14 that this is not a problem. It seems that the dash pieces could cause serious injury/death if not fixed. GM will not fix the problem on their end with out the consumer paying $450-750. They said that was the replacement cost with the exact same dash. That dash would most likely crack as well. Why has GM not been held accountable? Will people have to become injured/dead before the problem is fixed? Pictures can be sent on request.
Purchased our 2008 GMC 2500hd from classic GMC new. Have taken the truck in teice to try to get them to replace the cracked dashboard. They admit it is a common complaint. They did say that GM has paid to replace some dashboards or paid partial if still in the warranty period. Of course by the time we realized it was a common issue the truck was out of warranty. We recently (dec. 2017) took the truck to classic to get a trade-in value & they only offered $13K because the dashboard was cracked. So, hoping there is a class action filed. The cracking certainly will be a factor if the airbag ever deploys.
Cracks on top of dash as in thousands of others. Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/gmdashcrack/?fref=nf cracks are on passenger top left of airbag and on driver side over left side of instrument panel. Woke up one day and they were both there. Faulty materials which can cause death or serious injury. Link: http://www.abcactionnews.com/money/consumer/taking-action-for-you/another-big-auto-maker-gets-hit-with-a-suit-over-cracking-dash-boards
Tl* Takata recall. The contact owns a 2008 GMC Sierra 2500. The contact received a recall notice for NHTSA campaign number: 15V324000 (air bags). After contacting the dealer and the manufacturer on multiple occasions, the contact was informed that the part needed to repair the vehicle was not available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Faulty hoses sweating out transmission and steering fluids. Replaced once by dealership, then an independent shop after dealership used same OEM parts that fail. Dashboard crack top left corner of air bag panel Takata defective equipment all three complaints are similar to thousands of other vehicles
Takata recall. My truck has been on the recall list for over 1 year now, still with no remedy to fix it. The idea that my passenger air bag can deploy and injure or kill my wife or my child makes me very uneasy. GMC will not offer a loaner vehicle until it is fixed and I need to drive it for work. I limit my vacations with my family in the truck due to the possibility of injury. Not only that but I can't even sale my vehicle having this issue, and it hurts my trade in value because there is no remedy and no other dealer can resale with an open recall. I feel there needs to be more done to enforce the automakers to help the consumers and customers out. The automakers chose Takata and should be held responsible for ensuring all customers on the road are safe. …
Related recalls
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2007-2008 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 vehicles equipped with non-desiccated, passenger frontal air bag inflators containing phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant that were used as interim remedy parts for previous Takata recalls.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began February 11, 2020.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007-2008 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD and 3500HD trucks manufactured November 28, 2006, to August 29, 2008, and 2007-2008 GMC Sierra 2500HD and 3500HD trucks manufactured November 27, 2006, to August 29, 2008.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on July 27, 2015.
NHTSA investigations
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.
Airbag complaints in other Sierra 2500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2008 GMC Sierra 2500?
NHTSA has 39 complaints about the air bags of the 2008 GMC Sierra 2500, 62% of the model year's 63 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2008 GMC Sierra 2500 airbag problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 20V-011 (inflator module, Jan 10, 2020); NHTSA recall 15V-324 (inflator module, May 28, 2015). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2008 GMC Sierra 2500 airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 75,000 miles, and 18% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 2 injuries to air bags problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.