CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500 · model year

2008 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500

131 NHTSA complaints, 4 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2008CHEVROLETSUBURBAN 1500 carries 131 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 4 crashes, 0 fires, 15 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2008 SUBURBAN 1500 is air bags with 40 filings, followed by unknown or other (19) and latches/locks/linkages (14). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 57 investigation files overlapping the 2008 SUBURBAN 1500, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

131
Complaints
4
Crashes
0
Fires
15
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

131 filings

Crashes Reported

4 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
AIR BAGS40
UNKNOWN OR OTHER19
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES14
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM11
STRUCTURE:BODY10
ENGINE8
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR6
STRUCTURE3
EQUIPMENT2
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL2
SERVICE BRAKES2
VISIBILITY:REAR WINDOW WIPER/WASHER1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE1
TIRES1

Recent Complaints

20190809AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTICE FOR AN UNKNOWN RECALL REGARDING THE AIR BAGS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. HUBLER CHEVROLET (1705 LAFAYETTE AVE, CRAWFORDSVILLE, IN 47933, (765) 231-4163) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.

20190710UNKNOWN OR OTHER

BROKEN UPPER DASH THAT POTENTIALLY COULD BECOME PROPELLED BY A DEPLOYING AIRBAG CAUSING INJURY TO DRIVER OR PASSENGERS

Mileage: 168,000

20190516ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

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.

Mileage: 152,000

20190507AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL. RECEIVED NOTICE FROM GM THAT I NEEDED TO SCHEDULE MAINTENANCE TO REPAIR DEFECT. WHEN I CALL, DEALERSHIP TELLS ME THAT NO FIX IS AVAILABLE

20190323UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I'M A OWNER OF A 2008 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN AND I HAVE BEEN THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE. MY DASHBOARD HAS TWO LARGE CRACKS AND THE ONE I'M MOST CONCERNED ABOUT IS THE ONE THERE THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. I VERY CONCERNED THAT THIS COULD TO LEAD TO A CATASTROPHIC INJURY IF THE AIRBAG DEPLOYS.

Mileage: 10,000

20190306ENGINE

VALVE ON CYLINDER 7 WONT OPERATE DUE TO AFM SYSTEM

Mileage: 190,000

20190211AIR BAGS

RECEIVED A RECALL ON JULY 2016 AND STILL NOT BE REPLACED. CAN'T SALE THE VEHICLE UNTIL THIS IS FIXED. OVER 2 1/2 YEARS AND STILL NO REPLACEMENT.WHEN CAN THIS PROBLEM BE RESOLVED?

20181115ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

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.

Mileage: 152,000

20181018AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL DEALER SAYS NO OUTLOOK FOR REPAIR / REPLACEMENT OF AIRBAG UNDER THE RECALL. DEALER SAYS GM HAS NO PLANS FOR REPLACEMENT OR REPAIR REGARDLESS OF RECALL NOTICE. FIRST INQUIRED 7/20/2016, THEN 3/12/2017, 9/15/2017, 3/10/2018, AND 9/15/2018 RECEIVING SAME ANSWER / RESPONSE FROM GM DEALER. DEALER SAYS GM IS INTENTIONALLY SLOW WALKING THE SOLUTION AND THERE IS NOTHING THAT HE [DEALER] CAN / WILL DO ABOUT IT.

20180920ENGINE

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

Mileage: 91,750

20180906AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL, I HAVE NOW RECEIVED THREE ANNUAL NOTICES OF THE RECALL FOR THE KILLER AIRBAG IN MY VEHICLE. TO DATE, I HAVE RECEIVED NO NOTICE OF REPAIR PARTS BEING MADE AVAILABLE. THIS IS AN UNREASONABLE DELAY IN THE REPAIR TO MY VEHICLE PUTTING MYSELF AND MY FAMILY AT RISK OF INJURY OR EVEN DEATH. THREE YEARS IS FAR TOO LONG TO STILL NOT HAVE MY VEHICLE REPAIRED. I AM DEMADING THAT GM BE FORCED TO EITHER REPAIR THE VEHICLE NOW OR BUY IT BACK AT A FAIR MARKET VALUE IF THEY ARE UNABLE TO MAKE REPAIRS WITHIN THE NEXT 20 CALENDAR DAYS BEGINNING 09/06/2018. NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO LIVE "OR DIE" WAITING YEARS TO GET AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS RECALL COMPLETED. IT IS TIME FOR ACTION NOW. NO MORE EXCUSES.

20180628AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V381000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

20180623AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL - I'M THE OWNER OF A 2008 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500 LTZ. TWO YEARS AGO I RECEIVED A LETTER SAYING THAT THE TAKATA AIR BAGS WERE SUBJECT TO RECALL DUE TO EXPLOSIVE HAZARDS, BUT SAID THAT WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE SUBURBAN AS USUAL (? - DOES THAT MAKE ANY SENSE?) AND THAT IT WAS ILLEGAL TO DISCONNECT THEM EVEN THOUGH THEY MIGHT KILL YOU IF THEY EXPLODED! DOES THAT MAKE ANY SENSE? (NOT TO ME!) I AM A GRANDFATHER WITH TWO PRECIOUS GRANDCHILDREN. WE GO CAMPING WITH THEM AND MY GRANDSON WHO IS 14 AND SIX FEET TALL OFTEN SITS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT EVEN THOUGH WE'VE TOLD HIM TO SIT IN ONLY THE REAR SEATS ('I'M NOT A CHILD ANYMORE GRANDPA'). GM HAS PLENTY OF TIME TO REPLACE THESE AIRBAGS. WE LIVE IN INDIANA WE'RE THE SPRING SUMMER HUMIDITY IS OVER 80% ON A REGULAR DAILY BASIS. IF HUMIDITY IS THE ACCELERATOR FOR THE AIRBAGS POTENTIAL EXPLOSIVE MALFUNCTION, WE ARE DRIVING A CAR WITH BOMBS SURROUNDING US!!! I DON'T WANT TO DIE, NOR DOES MY WIFE NOR DO MY GRANDKIDS!!!

Mileage: 148,000

20180612AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER HAS FAILED TO EVEN HAVE A PLAN FOR WHEN TO REPLACE MY DEFECTIVE AIR BAG. THIS IS GOING ON WAY TO LONG.

20180611STRUCTURE:BODY

EARLIER TODAY, THE DASHBOARD ON MY SUBURBAN SPONTANEOUSLY THREE CRACKSWITH NO IMPACT WHATSOEVER. ONE OF THE CRACKS RUNS ALL THE WAY FROM THE WINDSHIELD TO THE TOP OF THE DASH ABOVE THE STEERING WHEEL. THE SECOND CRACK SPLITS OFF THE FIRST ONE AND IS HEADING TOWARD THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW. THIS OCCURRED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS SITTING IN A PARKING LOT, LOCKED UP AND WITH NOBODY IN THE VEHICLE. PRIOR TO THIS HAPPENING, THERE WAS NO PREVIOUS SIGN OF CRACKS OF ANY KIND AND THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE SHADE UNDER A TREE FOR THE ENTIRE DAY. IN ADDITION, IT WAS A RAINY OVERCAST DAY AND THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE WAS ONLY ABOUT 70 DEGF.

Mileage: 116,000

20180611VISIBILITY/WIPER

EARLIER TODAY, THE DASHBOARD ON MY SUBURBAN SPONTANEOUSLY THREE CRACKSWITH NO IMPACT WHATSOEVER. ONE OF THE CRACKS RUNS ALL THE WAY FROM THE WINDSHIELD TO THE TOP OF THE DASH ABOVE THE STEERING WHEEL. THE SECOND CRACK SPLITS OFF THE FIRST ONE AND IS HEADING TOWARD THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW. THIS OCCURRED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS SITTING IN A PARKING LOT, LOCKED UP AND WITH NOBODY IN THE VEHICLE. PRIOR TO THIS HAPPENING, THERE WAS NO PREVIOUS SIGN OF CRACKS OF ANY KIND AND THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE SHADE UNDER A TREE FOR THE ENTIRE DAY. IN ADDITION, IT WAS A RAINY OVERCAST DAY AND THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE WAS ONLY ABOUT 70 DEGF.

Mileage: 116,000

20180420AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL. GM ISSUED A RECALL NOTICE FOR MY CAR IN JULY 2016. THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING TO REMEDY THE RECALL AND CLAIM TO STILL BE WORKING ON A SOLUTION. THAT'S AN UNACCEPTABLE AND VERY DANGEROUS DELAY. IF GM CANNOT FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO, THEY SHOULD GIVE AFFECTED DRIVERS THE OPTION OF USING A LOANER VEHICLE UNTIL THEY DO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO.

20180401AIR BAGS

DASH IS CRACKING INTO PIECES THAT WOULD BE DANGEROUS SHRAPNEL IN THE EVENT OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYING.

20180401UNKNOWN OR OTHER

DASH IS CRACKING INTO PIECES THAT WOULD BE DANGEROUS SHRAPNEL IN THE EVENT OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYING.

20180327STRUCTURE:BODY

DASH 2 CRACKS. ONE ABOVE STEERING COLUMN AND ONE AT THE TOP LEFT OF AIRBAG.

Mileage: 141,000

Compare 2008CHEVROLETSUBURBAN 1500 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 2 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2008 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500 have?
The 2008 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500 has 131 NHTSA complaints, 4 crashes, 0 fires, 15 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500?
The most-complained component for the 2008 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500 is AIR BAGS with 40 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include UNKNOWN OR OTHER and LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES.
Is the 2008 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500 safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.