RoadVitals

2008 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 Engine Problems

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

Data refreshed

Engine 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.
9
Latest Mar 6, 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.
9%
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 engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. 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. 9 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 engine

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

Engine
Filed Mar 6, 2019

VALVE ON CYLINDER 7 WONT OPERATE DUE TO AFM SYSTEM

NHTSA ID
11184658
Incident
Mar 1, 2019
Mileage
190,000 mi
Engine
Filed Sep 20, 2018

JAN 26, 2015, 91,750 MILEAGE. SUDDEN SUSPENSION STABILIZER LIGHT, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND RUNNING ROUGH. DEALER SAID BRAKE SWITCH AND REPLACED. POSSIBLE OTHER ELECTRICAL ISSUE ALSO RULED OUT. FEB. 15, 2015, 92,413 MILEAGE. SAME PROBLEM NOW DIAGNOSED AS #4 LIFTER BROKE. FIXED FOR HALF COST. LESS THAN 300 MILES LATER, MARCH 3, SAME LIFTER BROKE AGAIN. THREE DAYS LATER ON FAMILY FUNERAL OUT OF TOWN TRIP IT BROKE AGAIN, SAME #4 LIFTER. THREE TIMES IN 1000 MILES IS RIDICULOUS. FINALLY RIGHT... FOR THREE YEARS! AUG. 30, 2018, 136,000+ MILES. MULTIPLE BROKEN LIFTERS WITH CAM DAMAGE. REBUILD OR REPLACE MOTOR FOR $6500 OR MORE. REPLACED WITH FACTORY GM CRATE REMAN. FOR $7500. PLUS TAX. ALL AT MY COST! WHY IS THIS NOT A FACTORY DESIGN FLAW PROBLEM ON RECALL, AUTO WARRANTY OR EVEN COMPLETELY STOP PUTTING THIS AFM LIFTER ON THE MARKET. TO MY BEST RECOLLECTION, THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN IN REGULAR DAILY CITY TRAFFIC IN LITTLE TOWN FERNANDINA BEACH, FLORIDA FOR THREE OF THE FOUR TIMES IT BROKE. ONE TIME WAS HIGHHWAY TRAVEL COMING HOME FROM SARASOTA FLORIDA. NOT JUST AN ECONOMIC OR INCONVENIENCE ISSUE BUT A SERIOUS POTENTIAL FOR ACCIDENTS WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOOSES POWER WHEN THIS HAPPENS. COULD BE SERIOUSLY REAR ENDED OR T-BONED TRYING TO PULL OUT IN TRAFFIC. FROM THE RESEARCH I'VE DONE SO FAR AND THE BLOGS ON THIS ISSUE FOR NEARLY 10 YEARS ON LINE, ITS TIME TO GET GM TO FIX THE REAL PROBLEM OR STOP BUILDING IT AND PAY FOR THE REPAIRS.

NHTSA ID
11130406
Incident
Jan 26, 2015
Mileage
91,750 mi
Body & structureEngine
Filed Sep 28, 2016

ENGINE MOUNTS REPEATEDLY FAIL AND HAVE BEEN REPLACED 4 TIMES, NOW IT OCCURS 1 PER YEAR. THE ENGINE TWISTS AND CLUNKS AROUND INSIDE THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.

NHTSA ID
10910287
Incident
Sep 1, 2010
Mileage
41,000 mi
Engine
Filed Sep 28, 2016

ENGINE LIFTERS STARTED TAPPING THEN STUCK THEN WERE MUSHROOMED BY CAM SHAFT. HAD TO REPLACE ENGINE. COST $7,300. TOLD A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID
10910274
Incident
Oct 1, 2015
Mileage
97,000 mi
Engine
Filed May 24, 2016

EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION OF THE 5.3L ENGINE. IT 'BURNS' A QUART OF OIL BETWEEN 1100 AND1500 MILES. THE TSB ISSUED ON THE ENGINE FIXED NOTHING. CHEVY SAID THEY WON'T DO ANY MORE WHICH IS INDICATIVE OF THE CORPORATE CULTURE AT CHEVY. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID
10870585
Incident
May 1, 2009
Mileage
14,000 mi
Engine
Filed Sep 30, 2015

THIS ENGINE IS BURNING 2-3 QUARTS OF OIL IN BETWEEN OIL CHANGES (CAR HAS LESS THAN 50,000 MILES ON IT). THIS IS THE ONLY CAR I HAVE HAD IN 30 YEARS THAT BURNS THIS MUCH OIL. I AM CONSTANTLY ADDING NEW OIL TO THIS ENGINE AND STILL HAVING TO CHANGE THE OIL REGULARLY IN ORDER TO STAY IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY DESPITE REFILLING HALF OF THE OIL WITH NEW OIL BETWEEN CHANGES.

NHTSA ID
10778808
Incident
Apr 17, 2015
Mileage
42,693 mi
Body & structureEngine
Filed Nov 19, 2013

LAST YEAR 2012, THE SUBURBAN WAS BLOWING SMOKE OUT TAILPIPE, LESS THAN 100K MILES, SO DEALERSHIP INSTALLED NEW VALVE COVER WITH PROPER GROMMIT FOR PCV UNDER WARRANTY. SEPT. 2013 115K MILES, ENGINE BUCKING, DASH LIGHTS ALL ON, RUNNING ON 7 CYLINDERS, CHEVY DEALERSHIP STATES #1 SPARK PLUG "CAME OUT". AND THAT OIL PRESSURE SENSOR WAS BAD, BUT STILL PRESSURE, SO NOT URGENT....NOV 19, 2013 - TRUCK NOW MAKING 'BACK FIRE' NOISES AND PRESSURE SENSOR MOVING BACK AND FORTH ACROSS 40....AFRAID WILL BREAK DOWN AGAIN. ALSO, HAVE PEELING CHROME ON INSIDE DOOR HANDLES LIKE PRIOR COMPLAINT, THAT IS CUTTING HANDS/FINGERS! *TR

NHTSA ID
10552888
Incident
Nov 18, 2013
Mileage
118,250 mi
Engine
Filed May 9, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. THE CONTACT STARTED THE IGNITION AND A TAPPING SOUND EMITTED FROM THE ENGINE. THE FAILURE RECURRED AS THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE CAM SHAFT LIFTERS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS SCHEDUELD FOR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 119,000.

NHTSA ID
10511305
Incident
May 4, 2013
Mileage
119,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jan 30, 2012

ON FOUR OCCASSIONS, THIS VEHICLE LOSES POWER AND STALLS OUT WHILE DRIVING - HAS HAPPENED ON FOUR OCCASSIONS ANNUALLY WITHIN THE MONTH: 12/2009; 12/2010; 01/2011; 01/2012. ON EACH OCASSION, THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THROTTLE BODY UNDER WARRANTY. PROBLEM DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN FIXED AND IS A SAFETY CONCERN. *TT

NHTSA ID
10445920
Incident
Jan 17, 2012
Mileage
85,000 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

Airbags40Body & structure19Interior & seats15Electrical11

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .