RoadVitals

2008 GMC C4500 Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints 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.
1
Latest Sep 19, 2011
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
2
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
1

What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2008 GMC C4500, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.

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

Reports by component

Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category

  • Electrical150.0%
  • Engine150.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Each component in detail

What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words

Electrical

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

AT APPROXIMATELY 2:15 PM ON 9/16/2011 THIS AMBULANCE WAS TRAVELING AT 55-60 MPH IN ROUTE BACK TO THE STATION AFTER DROPPING A PATIENT AT THE HOSPITAL, THE DRIVER REPORTS THAT THERE WAS A LOAD POP!; FOLLOWED BY A HISSING SOUND UNDER THE HOOD. AS HE PROCEEDED TO MOVE TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD TO INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM THE DRIVER OBSERVED WHITE SMOKE BILLOWING OUT THE BACK OF THE UNIT. BEFORE HE COULD GET STOPPED; THE WHITE SMOKE BEGAN ENTERING THE CAB THROUGH THE AC VENTS. HE PULLED OVER AND AS HE AND HIS EMT PARTNER EXITED THE VEHICLE THE FRONT END OF THE TRUCK ERUPTED IN FLAMES!!! THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER HAD THERE BEEN A LIFE EMERGENCY IN THE PATIENT COMPARTMENT. ON 9/19, WE HAD THE UNIT INSPECTED BY THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE FORENSIC DIVISION. DURING THE FORENSIC INSPECTION IT WAS OBSERVED THAT THE RIGHT SIDE ALTERNATOR HAD SEIZED AND BROKEN IN HALF! WHEN THIS EVENT OCCURRED IT SEVERED THE THE AC COMPRESSOR LINES AND POSSIBLY OTHER LINES WITH FLAMMABLE FLUIDS AS THERE ARE PRESSURE AND RETURN LINES FOR ALL TYPES OF FLUIDS(FUEL, BRAKE FLUID, TRANSMISSION FLUID, POWER STEERING FLUID) LOCATED IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY OF THE ALTERNATOR. *KB

NHTSA ID 10426321 · filed Sep 19, 2011

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Engine

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

AT APPROXIMATELY 2:15 PM ON 9/16/2011 THIS AMBULANCE WAS TRAVELING AT 55-60 MPH IN ROUTE BACK TO THE STATION AFTER DROPPING A PATIENT AT THE HOSPITAL, THE DRIVER REPORTS THAT THERE WAS A LOAD POP!; FOLLOWED BY A HISSING SOUND UNDER THE HOOD. AS HE PROCEEDED TO MOVE TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD TO INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM THE DRIVER OBSERVED WHITE SMOKE BILLOWING OUT THE BACK OF THE UNIT. BEFORE HE COULD GET STOPPED; THE WHITE SMOKE BEGAN ENTERING THE CAB THROUGH THE AC VENTS. HE PULLED OVER AND AS HE AND HIS EMT PARTNER EXITED THE VEHICLE THE FRONT END OF THE TRUCK ERUPTED IN FLAMES!!! THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER HAD THERE BEEN A LIFE EMERGENCY IN THE PATIENT COMPARTMENT. ON 9/19, WE HAD THE UNIT INSPECTED BY THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE FORENSIC DIVISION. DURING THE FORENSIC INSPECTION IT WAS OBSERVED THAT THE RIGHT SIDE ALTERNATOR HAD SEIZED AND BROKEN IN HALF! WHEN THIS EVENT OCCURRED IT SEVERED THE THE AC COMPRESSOR LINES AND POSSIBLY OTHER LINES WITH FLAMMABLE FLUIDS AS THERE ARE PRESSURE AND RETURN LINES FOR ALL TYPES OF FLUIDS(FUEL, BRAKE FLUID, TRANSMISSION FLUID, POWER STEERING FLUID) LOCATED IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY OF THE ALTERNATOR. *KB

NHTSA ID 10426321 · filed Sep 19, 2011

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

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.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .