Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
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Our database holds 914 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Showing 1–25 of 914 · page 1 of 37
The truck was parked in the driveway not running. My husband took his lunch box out of the front seat,closed the door and the airbag deployed. He then went to the driver's side to see if it would still start so he could drive it to work the next day and be able to schedule repairs the drivers side then deployed knocking him onto the ground injuring his neck ,he was seen in ER after that.
I had the recall #09184 regarding the faulty air bag for my Chevy Silverado. I took my truck to Chevy dealership in Marshfield mo. They were supposed to fix the airbags and bc the air bags deployed without an accident the seat belts locked up. They did not fix the seat belts. Making my Trunk unable to pass state inspection. They refused to fix the full issue.
At a stop avoided hitting a truck pulling trailer I may have hit trailer not sure but I hit a pole . I was on my way to national guard ema took me hit the steering wheel needed stitches below my lip and glue above my lip my feet are lose and my knees crack bottom dash and my wrist is injured. Not sure if police report was made police were on site they towed my truck to b&m towing in giddings Texas paid $500 to tow company and another $500 to bring it to my home in San Antonio
Was in an accident and no air bags deployed.
I was driving down a main road near the Piedmont triad international airport having a casual conversation with my passenger. I went to make a left turn into a Sheetz gas station when all of a sudden the passenger airbag deployed, without warning or wreck. The passenger hand flew up into windshield and cracked the windshield. The Immediately after the passenger airbag deployed without warning the airbag in the steering wheel deployed and my arm was slung into the driver side window and went completely through.
My son was sitting in our Silverado waiting for the truck to warm up before he left for work. As he was sitting there both driver and passenger side air bags deployed. It hit my son in the head. The truck has never been in an accident. It doesn't have a branded title. There doesn't seem to be a logical explanation for why this happened.
There is a recall number 09184C that only pertains to certain states but I live in a wet state also not listed and the carpet under my seat held moisture and now my airbag control module totally disintegrated from being in moisture for so long, they won't accept my truck in for inspection or repair
Airbags deployed without collision or any bumps or anything. I was pulling out of parking space in public parking lot. I turned my wheel to the left and the airbags deployed.
The contact owned a 2008 Chevrolet Silverado. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 70 MPH and making a right downhill turn, he crashed into the rail guard before impacting a tree where the vehicle came to a stop. No warning lights were illuminated. No air bags deployed. The contact was concerned about whether the air bags should have deployed for the type of impact experienced. The contact stated that the Driver's side seat belt had locked. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was deemed a total loss and towed to a local tow yard, where it remains. The contact fell unconscious due to the impact and was rushed to a local medical center via helicopter. The contact sought medical attention for injured knees, 7 fractured ribs, a broken right arm, and was left bedridden. A police report was not filed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 278,000.
While driving uphill in my 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, I experienced a sudden and dangerous loss of power, accompanied by a flashing check engine light, ticking noise, and loss of oil pressure. The engine began to shake violently and I nearly rolled backward into another vehicle before I was able to shut it off. After restarting the truck, it began jerking and misfiring, making it completely undriveable. The issue occurred without warning and required a tow. Symptoms Observed: •Low oil pressure warning •Ticking/knocking noise from engine •Engine shaking and loss of power •Jerking and severe misfire when restarted •Flashing check engine light •Diagnosed failed/stuck AFM lifter in cylinder 6 •Engine misfire isolated to cylinder 6 (confirmed by unplugging ignition coil with no change) •Oil consumption and burning smell over prior months •Possible camshaft damage due to lifter failure Shops Involved: 1.Pep Boys (North Clairemont, San Diego) – Charged $400 and claimed to fix the issue, but symptoms returned immediately. 2.Rosecrans Automotive (San Diego) – Confirmed the issue is likely due to AFM system failure (collapsed lifter/cam damage). Estimated repair cost: $4,500+. Additional Impact: •Required towing after complete loss of drivability •Rental car for over a week (ongoing) •Potential lost income due to inability to commute to work •Total cost between diagnostics, failed repair, and upcoming repairs is significant Safety Concerns: •Sudden power loss occurred while climbing a steep hill—nearly caused a rear-end collision •Jerking, misfire, and engine instability made it unsafe to control •No prior warning; failure happened instantly Why I am reporting: This is clearly a systemic issue with GM’s Active Fuel Management system, especially in 5.3L V8 engines like mine. It poses not only a major safety risk to drivers and other vehicles, but also an enormous financial burden on consumers. Based on online forums an
The passenger airbag randomly just blew up and destroyed my windshield are vision was impaired couldn’t see couldn’t hear cuz our ears where ringing and toxic chemicals and particles where flying around in the car from it blowing up. We had a 3 year old in the truck and my bestfriend. Are safety was definitely put at risk we where on the freeway and like I said we couldn’t see anything and windshield was completely shattered and none of us could hear a thing something terrible could have definitely went wrong.
The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed white smoke coming from the exhaust with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic; however, the failure was not duplicated. The contact stated that the following day, while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. Additionally, there was an abnormal ticking sound coming from the vehicle. The contact used a diagnostic machine and retrieved several codes indicating electrical failures. The vehicle was towed to another independent mechanic; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact stated that the engine had been replaced twice. The contact stated the last engine was replaced in 2021. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that shortly after purchasing the vehicle, the contact discovered that the driver’s side of the vehicle was lowered and was leaning to the side. Upon inspection it was discovered that the driver's side leaf spring hanger had detached from the frame of the vehicle due to extreme rust. The local dealer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 287,000.
Truck was purchased in June 8, 2021. I have had zero accidents , was assured it was not a salvage vehicle it displayed no warning lights I begin to received the notices, the warning light started to come on from time to time, took the truck to our local Gosche Chevy Dealer. I was informed that it has an airbag for a 2500 Truck and they will not replace it. I have not been in any accident with this vehicle. What am I to do, as I am a retired cancer /heart issues stricken senior citizen and this repair is not in my month to month budget and my only transportation for my medical appointments
My vehicle has a recall on it ,I no longer feel safe driving it so I will like to have my vehicle replace with a new vehicle, that doesn't have safety hazard or recall
Vehicle frame rust. Available for inspection. Compromised vehicle frame can result in a catastrophic incident posing a significant safety risk to self and others. Vehicle was inspected by an ASE certified mechanic who identified compromised vehicle frame.
Purchased truck in Massachusetts for 13,000.00 and on the outside it was a beautiful truck. Frame is completely rotted and I was never able to get it inspected and I have no vehicle and no way to repair or replace it.
T ruck left my wife totally stranded in the middle of a busy intersection. It was running but would not accelerate. I ran the codes and 2 codes that has never popped up before was P1682 and P2138. One said it could be the ignition and the other said it could be accelerator position sensor on gas peddle. My mechanic said this is a communication problem where the wires go into the ECM. Bad connection or moisture getting in. I have had a few wonky codes pop up that we believe to be bad connections. GM NEEDS TO GET THIS RECALLED AND RESOLVED. Trucks just stopping in the middle of the highway and in traffic is super dangerous. After i pushed on connection going into ecm, it started and I have not been able to duplicate code. We will see once it rains if it comes back. Way too many computers running these cars. A computer should never be involved with the running of engine, acceleration, braking or steering. KEEP THE COMPUTERS FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEMS!
2008 chev. Silverado severe u underside rusting , including factory tow attachments. uncle has 28599 miles , bought new and not driven in inclement weather. Wax coating on frame almost completely worn off. Was told it will not pass NYS inspection next year.
The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer to be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V050000 (Air Bags); however, the contact was informed that the instrument panel failed to allow access to the odometer and the recall repair was denied. The dealer informed the contact that for the recall repair to be completed, an odometer reading was required. The contact stated that the instrument panel was functioning intermittently. The contact was concerned that the recall repair was not related to the odometer failure and provided the dealer with an approximate mileage; however, the recall remedy was still denied. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 178,002.
I started by vehicle and as soon as it started, I felt and heard a very loud explosion under the seat, and the seat belts retracted extremely tight. Then I noticed the airbag light on the dashboard. Smoke filled the cab of the truck. Then I realized the airbag module under the seat had exploded.
Cracked dashboard extending from air bag compartment. Cracked dashboard extending from drivers side windshield up to instrument cluster. This truck spends most of its time in the garage and has less than 100,000 miles. First crack appeared around 40,000 miles and second around 88,000 miles.
The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while inspecting the vehicle, it was discovered that the subframe had sustained severe rusting and cracking underneath the front driver’s side of the cabin. The cause of the failure was not yet determined, and the vehicle was not yet repaired. The local dealer was contacted regarding the failure, but no assistance was offered. The manufacturer was not contacted or informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 143,000.
The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while washing the vehicle, the contact became aware of rusted metal coming from underneath the vehicle. The contact stated that the frame was completely rusted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a crack on the sub frame on the driver’s side of the vehicle. The sub frame was welded, and the vehicle was repaired. The contact researched and learned that it was a known failure. The dealer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the issue was a known failure. The dealer confirmed that the vehicle was not under recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 160,978.
Frame rotted through on left side by gas tank back to front of rear spring shackle, rear center tube support broken on both sides allowing rear shock brackets to rub brake lines and wiring harness. The rest of the frame has perforation and excessive rust scaling.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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