RoadVitals

2008 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 Electrical Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Electrical reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
11
Latest May 16, 2019
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
11%
of 101 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2008 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 11 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming electrical

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Electrical
Filed May 16, 2019

REAR RADIO/CONTROL SYSTEM STARTED TO SMOKE WHILE STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION IN OCTOBER 2018. WE HAVE NOT TRIED THE RADIO, BUT THE HEATED SEAT DOESN'T WORK. WE ARE UNSURE IF WE SHOULD GO OUT OF TOWN WITH IT AND HAVE NOT HAD IT INSPECTED.

NHTSA ID
11208083
Incident
Oct 15, 2018
Mileage
152,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Nov 15, 2018

REAR RADIO/CONTROL SYSTEM STARTED TO SMOKE WHILE STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION ABOUT A MONTH AGO. WE HAVE NOT TRIED THE RADIO, BUT THE HEATED SEATS STILL WORK. WE ARE UNSURE IF WE SHOULD GO OUT OF TOWN WITH IT AND HAVE NOT HAD IT INSPECTED.

NHTSA ID
11151818
Incident
Oct 15, 2018
Mileage
152,000 mi
BrakesElectrical
Filed Mar 7, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEPT FLASHING. THE BRAKING ABILITY SEIZED. THE CONTACT HAD TO MANEUVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER CONTROL MODULE SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

NHTSA ID
10840232
Incident
Mar 6, 2016
Mileage
150,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Mar 28, 2014

WHEN I TRIED TO OPEN REAR DOOR, IT WOULD NOT OPEN, DUE TO DOOR LATCH ASSEMBLY GOING BAD. ONLY KNOWING THIS IS A PROBLEM AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH. NOW I DO NOT HAVE THE PROBLEM WITH NOT BEING ABLE TO OPEN DOOR AT ALL, THE MANUAL SWITCH STILL WORKS, BUT I SYMPATHY FOR THEM THAT DON`T. I CAN JUST IMAGINE IF I HAD TO GET A CHILD OR A HANDICAPPED ADULT FROM THE BACK SEAT IN A HURRY AND THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN FOR ME TO DO SO. I HAVE READ ON SOME OTHER SITES THAT GM IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, AND KNOW THE PART IS DEFECTIVE. I HAVE ALSO RESEARCHED ENOUGH TO KNOW THERE IS A NEW PART NUMBER FOR THE OEM PART. SO IF THEY KNOW IT IS JUNK, MAKE IT RIGHT. A HUMANS LIFE OVER A HAND FULL OF MONEY. NOT TOUGH FOR SOMEONE WITH FEELINGS TO MAKE. I HOPE THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION FINDS A WAY TO MAKE THEM TO REPAIR,REPLACE, AND IF SOMEONE HAS PAID TO FIX THEIR PROBLEM, BEFORE IT WAS RECALLED, REIMBURSEMENT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10575438
Incident
Mar 14, 2014
Mileage
77,200 mi
ElectricalInterior & seats
Filed Jan 26, 2013

FAILURE OF POWER ASSISTED DOOR LOCKS. DOORS WILL NOT OPEN WITH POWER SWITCH. SOLENOID HAS BURNT OUT. GM HAS RECOGNIZED PROBLEM WITH FAULTY PARTS MANUFACTURED IN CHINA. REPLACED FIRST SOLENOID THAT WAS CLOSE TO BEING UNDER WARRANTY. THE THREE OTHER UNITS THAT HAVE NOW FAILED WILL COST $90.00 EACH TO REPLACE. THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN FILED WITH THE NTSB AND GM BUT THE REFUSE TO DO A MANUFACTURERS RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ID
10494805
Incident
Aug 21, 2012
Mileage
30,471 mi
ElectricalInterior & seats
Filed Sep 15, 2012

I'M HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE DOOR LOCKS. ALL OF THEM GOES OUT AT SOME TIME. I'M NOT ABLE TO GET INTO MY VEHICLE WITH THE KEY OR ANYTHING. I'M AFRAID THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A TIME WHEN I'M NOT ABLE TO GET INTO MY VEHICLE FOR SOMETHING IMPORTANT OR EVEN TO GET MY KIDS. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH THIS PROBLEM. I THINK THIS SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO FOR A RECALL. PLEASE HELP! THESE POWER LOCK ARE DEFECTIVE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10475476
Incident
Aug 6, 2010
Mileage
8,600 mi
Body & structureElectrical
Filed Jul 15, 2012

LEFT AND RIGHT REAR EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLES BROKEN/INOPERABLE. THOSE WERE REMOVED AND REPLACED AT DEALERSHIP, BUT AT HALF PRICE (PARTS AND LABOR) SINCE I HAD GONE OVER THE 36,000 MILE WARRANTY. SINCE THAT TIME, I HAVE HAD ALL FOUR MOUNTS ON EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLES BREAK MAKING IT NECESSARY TO OPEN THE DOORS VERY CAREFULLY SO THAT THE HANDLES DO NOT BREAK OFF COMPLETELY SO I CAN OPEN THE DOORS. ALSO I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE ACTUATORS ON THE DRIVER'S DOOR AND THE LEFT REAR DOOR. NOW THE LOCKS ON ALL FOUR DOORS WORK ONLY INTERMITTENTLY, BOTH BY REMOTE CONTROL AND BY MANUALLY USING THE MASTER ELECTRIC LOCKS ON FRONT DOORS. I BELIEVE THE PROBLEMS WITH THE LOCKS AND HANDLES COULD SOMEDAY CAUSE A PERSON'S DEATH, SHOULD THEY EVER NEED TO EXIT OR ENTER DURING EMERGENCY SITUATIONS (JUST USE YOUR IMAGINATION). GM SHOULD RECALL AND ADDRESS THESE PROBLEMS IMMEDIATELY AS THIS HAS BEEN KNOWN ABOUT FOR YEARS NOW! *TR

NHTSA ID
10465750
Incident
Oct 8, 2009
Mileage
40,814 mi
Electrical
Filed Dec 24, 2011

ENGINE STALLS IN TRAFFIC, RAPIDLY GOES FROM DRIVE TO PARK MULTIPLE TIMES, DOOR LOCKS RAPIDLY CYCLE MULTIPLE TIMES, GAUGES FLASH, RADIO CLOCK DOES NOT KEEP TIME. THIS IS MY 3RD REPORT SINCE AUGUST TO YOUR OFFICE FOR THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS THE 4TH TIME SINCE AUGUST OUR VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP TOTALING MORE THAN 8 WEEKS. CHEVROLET CAN'T FIX THE PROBLEM AND KEEPS TRYING TO BLAME IT ON AN AFTER-MARKET DVD PLAYER WE HAD PROFESSIONALLY INSTALLED. THE DVD PLAYER WAS DISCONNECTED AND SUSPECTED WIRES REPAIRED BY CHEVROLET BUT THE PROBLEM KEEPS HAPPENING. THERE ARE MANY OTHERS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING VERY SIMILAR PROBLEMS. THE NY TIMES PUBLISHED AN ARTICLE SUMMER OF 2010 THAT YOU SHOULD READ ABOUT THIS YEAR GROUP ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEMS AND YOU, NHTSA, ARE UNDER FIRE IN IT. I AM PUBLISHING THE WEB LINK HERE TO HELP BRING MORE ATTENTION TO THIS PROBLEM: HTTP://WHEELS.BLOGS.NYTIMES.COM/2010/06/11/COMPANY-INVOLVED-IN-G-M-RECALL-SAID-THE-PROBLEM-RUNS-DEEPER/ THE INTERNET TRAFFIC IS QUICKLY INCREASING ABOUT THIS BASE VEHICLE FRAME/YEAR GROUP OF TRUCKS EXPERIENCING SERIOUS ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEMS. AT FIRST GLANCE MOST INTERNET TRAFFIC POINTS TO THE WINDSHIELD FLUID HEATER PROBLEM. WHEN YOU DIG DEEPER INTO THE BLOGS AND FORUMS YOU START TO UNCOVER FAR MORE SERIOUS PROBLEMS THAT PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING. *TR

NHTSA ID
10441145
Incident
Aug 2, 2011
Mileage
55,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Aug 31, 2011

I AM A MILITARY HELICOPTER TEST PILOT AND FAA LICENSED AIRCRAFT MECHANIC. WE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE NEW IN 2008 AND IT HAS BEEN PROPERLY MAINTAINED AND CARED FOR. WE HAD TO REPLACE A DEAD BATTERY IN JULY 2011 AND FOLLOWING THAT THE RADIO STOPPED KEEPING TIME WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF. THEN A FEW WEEKS LATER THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHORTED OUT MULTIPLE TIMES WHILE DRIVING. THE DOOR LOCKS CYCLED REPEATEDLY AND THE INSTRUMENT CONSOLE FLASHED IN UNISON. ALSO FOLLOWING EACH EVENT THE RADIO CLOCK TIME AND DATE HAD RESET. IT HAS DONE THIS ON FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS SINCE LATE JULY. AS A PRECAUTION THE BATTERY CONNECTIONS WERE RECHECKED AND FOUND PROPERLY SECURED, ALTHOUGH THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE CAUSED THIS PROBLEM. EACH TIME THE PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED IT HAS HAPPENED QUICKLY BUT THE ENGINE MOMENTARILY EXHIBITED REDUCED POWER WHEN IT HAPPENED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10422746
Incident
Aug 2, 2011
Mileage
55,000 mi
Body & structureElectrical
Filed Mar 4, 2011

AFTER HAVING TO REPLACE MY CHROME DOOR HANDLE THAT BROKE ON MY BACK LEFT DOOR, THE POWER LOCK IS NOW NOT WORKING ON THE SAME DOOR. MY CHILDREN RIDE IN THIS CAR, AND I TOO AM EXTREMELY FRUSTRATED THAT THEIR SAFETY IS IN JEOPARDY BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. I'M BEYOND DISAPPOINTED THAT MY $55,000 VEHICLE HAS HAD SO MANY ISSUES. PLEASE GM RECALL THIS VEHICLE AND FIX THIS LOCK ISSUE! IT'S NOT SAFE!! *TR

NHTSA ID
10386519
Incident
Mar 4, 2011
Mileage
47,385 mi
ElectricalInterior & seats
Filed Jun 14, 2010

PASSENGER SIDE DOOR LOCK STOPPED WORKING ON 08 SUBURBAN. DEALER REPLACED LOCK. *TR

NHTSA ID
10336295
Incident
Oct 10, 2009
Mileage
29,000 mi

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .