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2008 Chevrolet AvalancheProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 258 owner complaints about the 2008 Chevrolet Avalanche, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 4 safety recalls, and for recall 21V-050 the manufacturer reports only 28% of affected cars repaired.

2008 Chevrolet Avalanche
31
CarFlaw IndexUse caution2.2× the Avalanche median · #3 of 12 years by complaints
Safety recalls4Lowest repair rate 28%Owner complaints25818 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage80kAir bags, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through August 7, 2024. Updated daily. Photo: Kevauto, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2008 Chevrolet Avalanche has problems

258 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Air bags1327
Structure444
Electrical system212
Engine151
Latches/locks/linkages130
Electronic stability control (ESC)60
Steering60
Fuel/propulsion system50
Suspension51
11 other systems220

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

4 recalls

2008 Chevrolet Avalanche recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

28%repaired · 2023 Q1

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 21V-050 · Feb 5, 2021 · 2,641,272 vehicles · 734,119 repaired

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

38%repaired · 2023 Q3

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 21V-052 · Feb 5, 2021 · 557,023 vehicles · 212,499 repaired

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Electrical system

Recall 08V-441 · Aug 28, 2008 · 857,735 vehicles

Risk. THIS MAY CAUSE OTHER ELECTRICAL FEATURES TO MALFUNCTION, CREATE AN ODOR, OR CAUSE SMOKE INCREASING THE RISK OF A FIRE.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Chevrolet.

Mileage at failure

When do air bags problems start?

80kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 47 air bags complaints. 68% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
5under 30k miles32under 100k miles15100k miles or more
Best & worst years

2008 vs. every other Avalanche year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Avalanche median. How we score

'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2008 Chevrolet Avalanche safety ratings

2008 Chevrolet Avalanche 4-DR w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

2008 Chevrolet Avalanche frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crashNot rated
2008 Chevrolet Avalanche side barrier test, NHTSA
Side barrierNot rated
  • Rollover: 3 stars (21.2% risk)
  • Stability control: Standard
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
2 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2008 Chevrolet Avalanche, and the recalls they led to.

  1. NON-CRASH ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRESEA08010 · closed Sep 8, 2008
    Led to recall 08V-441
  2. Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureEA21002 · still open
    Open
In owners' words

What Avalanche owners report

Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

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…
Complaint 11607118 · Aug 7, 2024
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…
Complaint 11456886 · Mar 15, 2022 · 190,000 miles
AFTER A COUPLE OF YEARS MY VEHICLE DEVELOPED SEVERAL CRACKS IN THE DASH, ESPECIALLY AROUND THE AIRBAG. YESTERDAY I HAD THE AIRBAG RECALL PERFORMED. AS A RESULT OF THE REPAIR, THE CRACKS ARE NOW BROKEN PIECES. I NOW FEAR THAT IN THE EVENT OF AN AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT, SHARDS OF SHARP PLASTIC WILL BE…
Complaint 11405930 · Apr 1, 2021 · 62,600 miles

Own a 2008 Avalanche?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.