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2008 Chevrolet SilveradoProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 162 owner complaints about the 2008 Chevrolet Silverado, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 1 safety recall.

2008 Chevrolet Silverado
52
CarFlaw IndexSolid year7% below the Silverado median · #14 of 24 years by complaints
Safety recalls1Free fix at dealersOwner complaints16231 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage84kAir bags, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through March 8, 2023. Updated daily. Photo: Rutger van der Maar, CC BY 2.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2008 Chevrolet Silverado has problems

162 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 bags6213
Electrical system483
Latches/locks/linkages180
Structure144
Power train122
Engine110
Seat belts50
Vehicle speed control51
Engine and engine cooling40
15 other systems355

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

1 recall

2008 Chevrolet Silverado 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.

–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?

84kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 31 air bags complaints. 58% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
3under 30k miles18under 100k miles13100k miles or more
Best & worst years

2008 vs. every other Silverado 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 Silverado median. How we score

'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2008 Chevrolet Silverado safety ratings

2008 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
In owners' words

What Silverado owners report

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

2008 CHEVROLET 1500. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG INFLATION ISSUE AND SEVERE RUSTING TO THE ENTIRE FRAME. THE CONSUMER IS REQUESTING THE TRUCK TO BE REPAIRED/REPLACED OR PROVIDING A TRUCK WHERE THIS PROBLEM DOES NOT EXIST.
Complaint 11510794 · Mar 8, 2023
Takata Recall. The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Silverado. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the front driver's and passenger's air bags deployed without warning, causing the front windshield to explode and damage the passenger's side dashboard. There was no impact to…
Complaint 11466775 · May 31, 2022 · 240,000 miles
The contact owned a 2008 Chevrolet Silverado. The contact stated her son was driving at approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle went off the roadway and hit a tree on the front end on the passenger side. The driver's side airbag deployed, however, the passenger side air bag did not. The contact recently…
Complaint 11463020 · May 2, 2022 · 108,000 miles

Own a 2008 Silverado?

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