RoadVitals

2008 Chevrolet Uplander 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.
8
Latest Aug 7, 2016
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.
7%
of 118 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 Uplander submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 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

BrakesEngineFuel system
Filed Aug 7, 2016

THIS VEHICLE NEED TO BE RECALLED, I READ ALOT FROM OTHER PEOPLE, AND I AM HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM, TIRE BLOW, ODOR OF GAS, I HAVE KIDS AND THIS IS NOT A SAFE CAR, MY KIDS HAVE ASTHMA AND I CAN NOT HAVE A CAR LIKE THIS, THIS IS DAMAGES AND NIT A SAFE VAN, 2008 CHEV UPLANDER NEED TO BE OFF THE MARKET. I DRIVE THIS CAR SMELLING GAS AND GAS IS ALL OVER THE ROAD AND HIGHWAYS. THIS NEED TO BE ON RECALL

NHTSA ID
10893799
Incident
Aug 6, 2016
EnginePowertrain (other)Steering
Filed Oct 4, 2014

ENGINE CUT OFF WITH RESULT OF LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. IT HAPPENED AND CONTINUES TO HAPPEN IN WET ROAD CONDITION, ESPECIALLY WHEN GOING THROUGH THE SMALLEST OF PUDDLES. RESULTING LOSS OF ANY CONTROL OVER VEHICLE. ENGINE HAS KICKED BACK ON AFTER A FEW SECONDS OF UNCONTROLLABLE COASTING. SO FAR I HAVE AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT. BUT NOW I DO NOT DRIVE THIS VEHICLE IN RAIN OR THREAT OF RAIN. *TR

NHTSA ID
10641364
Incident
Sep 15, 2012
Mileage
35,000 mi
Driver assistanceEngineFuel system
Filed Apr 16, 2014

I HAVE NOTICED RIGHT AROUND THE TIME I GOT THIS VAN THAT JUST IT JUST STARTED MAKING THIS CLUNKING SOUND COMING FROM THE REAR END AND MAKING A NOISE THAT I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT. THE DROP DOWN MODULAR HAS BEEN REALLY BOGGING DOWN AROUND 50MPH AND MAKES ME GIVE IT MORE GAS TO STOP THE KICK BACK. THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AFTER BUYING A SET OF 4 NEW TIRES FOR THE VAN. I BOUGHT WHAT THE VAN RECALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND WONT GO OFF. I HAVE HAD IT CHECKED OUT AND STILL WONT SHUT OFF. I HAVE KEPT THE OIL CHANGED AT REQUIRED TIMES. I NOTICED THE FUEL SYSTEM ALSO HAS BEEN GIVING THE VAN A HARSH MPG ISSUES AND NOT SURE WHY. I THINK IT MIGHT BE THE DROP DOWN MODULAR THAT IS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM. I NOW BEEN HAVING SINCE 2011 THE CLUNKING SOUND COMING FROM THE REAR END AXEL AREA AND THEN AFTER READING ABOUT THE RECALL TODAY REALLY MADE ME SCARED TO DRIVE THIS VAN BECAUSE I'M DISABLED AND IN A WHEELCHAIR. I HAVE THE LOWERED FLOOR OPTION AND I KNOW ITS GOING TO NEED THIS RECALL FIXED AND WELDED. PLEASE SEND ME A EMAIL ON HOW I CAN GET THIS VAN FIXED. I WANTED TO ALSO TELL YOU THAT THIS VAN WAS SOLD TO ME AT $32,850 AND HAD A BLOWN ENGINE THAT THEY DIDN'T TELL ME TILL AFTERWARDS. AT 20,000 MILES THE VAN BLEW UP AND THEY SOLD IT TO ME AS NEW AND IT WAS USED. THEY ALSO TRIED TO SELL ME A EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT WAS PAID FOR BY THE MANUFACTURE FOR $3,500.I FEEL I WAS DONE WRONG AND WOULD NOT OF BOUGHT THIS VAN IF I HAD KNOWN IT WAS BLOWN UP AT 20,000 MILES. I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST A REVIEW TO HAVE IT INSPECTED AND FIXED WITH THE WELDING THAT THE RECALL CALLS FOR. THANK YOU. *TT

NHTSA ID
10583197
Incident
Jan 14, 2011
Mileage
77,680 mi
Engine
Filed Feb 15, 2014

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND THE SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM FLASHED ON THE SCREEN FOLLOWED BY A MESSAGE SAYING REDUCED ENGINE POWER. THEN THE ENGINE BOGGED DOWN. I PULLED OVER AND SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF AND WAITED ABOUT 30 SECONDS. STARTED UP AND IT WAS FINE, MESSAGES AND ENGINE BACK TO NORMAL. HOWEVER, IT GIVES THAT MESSAGE AND THE ENGINE BOGS DOWN ALMOST EVERYTIME I DRIVE THE VEHICLE. MOST OF THE TIME TWICE EACH TRIP. SOMETIMES ITS SNOWY BUT SOMETIMES THE ROADS ARE COMPLETELY CLEAN AND DRY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10564441
Incident
Jan 15, 2013
Mileage
120,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jul 29, 2012

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME ON AND STAYED ON SINCE THIS DATE. IT WAS A FLEET CAR THAT WAS SERVICED BY A DEALERSHIP FOR 161,000. MY HUSBAND TOLD THE DEALERSHIP EVERY TIME THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON, BUT THEY NEVER WOULD FIX IT. WE BOUGHT IT FROM FLEET COMPANY AND WE TOOK IT BY THE SAME DEALERSHIP TO ASK THEM IF THEY COULD HELP US AND THE OWNER PROCEEDED TO TELL ME THAT IT HAS TOO MANY MILES ON IT AND IT IS OUT OF ITS WARRANTY. I TOLD HIM YOU ARE THE DEALERSHIP THAT SERVICED IT FOR ALL THOSE MILES AND YOU KNEW ABOUT IT AND HAVE MANY RECORDS OF THE COMPLAINT AND DID NOT FIX IT. I THEN CONTACTED GM AND THEY WOULD NOT HELP ME EITHER. IT IS WRONG. IT ALSO HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL SYSTEM TOO. I WAS STRANDED AT WORK ONE TIME. IF YOU PARK ON A SLANTED HILL AND YOU HAVE A QUARTER OF A TANK OF GAS IT WILL NOT CRANK. YOU HAVE TO BOUNCE UP AND DOWN ON BACK TO SHIFT GAS AND IT WILL SOMETIMES CRANK. *JS

NHTSA ID
10468150
Incident
Oct 27, 2008
Mileage
17,402 mi
EngineVisibility
Filed Dec 11, 2010

THE VEHICLE WILL NOT HEAT THE INTERIOR CABIN WHEN THE ENGINE IS AT IDLE. THIS CAUSES THE WINDSHIELD TO FOG OR FAIL TO DEFROST AND THE PASSENGERS TO BE COLD AND UNCOMFORTABLE AND DISTRACTED WHILE DRIVING. THIS PROBLEM IS COMMON AMONG UPLANDER VANS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10369970
Incident
Dec 10, 2010
Mileage
52,000 mi
Engine
Filed Aug 12, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET UPLANDER. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH DOWN A HILL THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WAS ABLE TO COAST ONTO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHILE APPLYING EXTREME PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES. THE CONTACT WAS THEN ABLE TO TURN THE VEHICLE BACK ON AND IT BEGAN TO FUNCTION NORMALLY. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17800. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 17898.

NHTSA ID
10349006
Incident
Aug 5, 2010
Mileage
17,800 mi
Body & structureEngineOther / unspecified+1 more
Filed Jun 22, 2008

DRIVING AT 30 MPH, VEHICLE OVERHEATED. STOPPED VAN, TURNED IT OFF, AND THEN RESTARTED AFTER IT HAD TIME TO COOL DOWN. RETURNED HOME DRIVING AT 20 MPH (2.4 MILES) WITH THE VEHICLE OVERHEATING 3 TIMES DURING THAT DRIVE. VEHICLE TOWED TO SERVICE GARAGE AND FOUND: FAN BLADE BROKEN RADIATOR CORE DAMAGED-ENTIRE RADIATOR REPLACED HEAD GASKETS RE-TOOLED THIS HAS NOT RECURRED 2. PASSENGER SIDE AUTOMATIC SLIDING DOOR HAS FAILED NUMEROUS TIMES-WOULD NOT CLOSE, AND SOMETIMES WILL NOT OPEN. (THIS CONTINUES TO RECUR) SERVICE CENTER FOUND: SENSORS NEEDED REPLACED MOTOR NEEDED REPLACED DRIVE BELT REPLACED INSIDE PANEL REPLACED 3. WINDSHIELD WIPERS NOT WORKING PROPERLY SERVICE CENTER FOUND: RELAY SWITCH REPLACED MOTOR REPLACED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10231940
Incident
Jul 21, 2007
Mileage
5,500 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 .