NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2008 Chevrolet Suburban. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
SEATS PRODUCING EXCESSIVE LINT SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE. FIRST NOTICED AT 17000 MILES. STILL HAPPENING.
INTERIOR PAINT ON RADIO BUTTONS, STEERING WHEEL BEGAN PEELING OFF SHORTLY AFTER I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE.
DOOR HANDLES CHROME PLATING PEELS OFF ON INTERIOR DOOR HANDLES. I HAVE CUT MY FINGERS MULTIPLE TIMES OPENING THE DOOR.
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.
DASHBOARD HAS MAJOR CRACKS AROUND AIRBAGS AND ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ARE EXPOSED TO THE SUN.
DASHBOARD OF 2008 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN CRACKED IN 2 PLACES, INCLUDING AROUND PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG AND ABOVE DRIVERS SIDE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/STEERING WHEEL. CONCERNED FOR THE PROPER DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAG DURING POTENTIAL CRASH DUE TO THE CRACKED DASH THAT SURROUNDS THE AIRBAG. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF OTHER SIMILAR VEHICLES POSSESS THE SAME MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE DASHBOARD AND ALL HAVE REPORTED LARGE CRACKS IN THE EXACT SAME AREA. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL FOUR BRAKE ROTORS HAVE ROTTED, WHICH CAUSES THE VEHICLE NOT TO BRAKE PROPERLY. WHENEVER HE ATTEMPTS TO STOP THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKES BEGIN TO PULSATE AND THE VEHICLE FAILS TO STOP COMPLETELY. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER ON FOUR OCCASIONS. DURING THE FIRST VISIT, THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED, BUT THAT HE NEEDED TO WAIT A LITTLE LONGER. THE FAILURE WORSENED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER A SECOND TIME. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THEY NEEDED THE MANUFACTURER'S APPROVAL TO MAKE REPAIRS. DURING THE THIRD AND FOURTH VISITS, A MECHANIC TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT IT WAS BRAKING PROPERLY. THE CONTACT IS SCARED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE IMPROPER BRAKING CONDITIONS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 18,000.
2008 CHEVY SUBURBAN HAS HAD TWO OUTSIDE CHROME DOOR HANDLES BREAK DUE TO BEING HELD IN BY PLASTIC. DEALER HAS SEEN TONS OF THESE NOT ONLY ON SUBURBANS BUT OTHER CHEVY VEHICLES. SEE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN #09-08-64-032. *TR
ALL DOOR ACUATORS FAULTY. DEALER REPLACED 1 REAR DOOR AT PURCHASE (USED). OVER NEXT 12 MONTHS ALL HAVE FAILED. I HAVE NO WAY TO LOCK OR UNLOCK DOORS EXCEPT MANUALLY . (KEYFOB REMOTE AND DRIVER DOOR NOT WORKING). THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT CHEVROLET SHOULD FIXED REGARDLESS OF WARRENTY. PLEASE PURSUE WITH GM/CHEVROLET AS THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE RESPONSE IS TO TAKE TO THE DEALER. $250/DOOR.
PROBLEM: UNSTABLE & INADEQUATE JACK FOR VEHICLE. I HAD A FLAT ON MY VEHICLE AND USED THE FACTORY JACK. WHILE PULLING THE TIRE OFF THE LUGS THE VEHICLE SHIFTED AND THE JACK FELL OVER. LUCKILY THE TIRE WAS STILL WITHIN THE WHEEL-WELL AND TIRE/RIM BROKE THE FALL. EVEN THOUGH I WAS ON A FLAT LEVEL CONCRETE PARKING LOT, THE STABILITY OF THE JACK IS POOR (VERY SMALL FOOTPRINT AND TOP OF THE RAM IS ALSO SMALL). NOT VERY MUCH FRONT-BACK MOVEMENT CAUSES INSTABILITY FOR THE JACK. IN ADDITION, THE MAXIMUM JACK HEIGHT PROVIDED BARELY ENOUGH CLEARANCE TO PUT A NEW TIRE ON (20? FACTORY TIRES). THIS WOULD HAVE NOT BEEN POSSIBLE ON ANY OTHER SURFACE LIKE THE SHOULDER OF A HIGHWAY. I DO ADMIT THAT I HAD NOT PROPERLY ?CHOCKED? THE TIRES THAT ALLOWED FOR MORE MOVEMENT THAN NORMAL, BUT THE MOVEMENT THAT CAUSED THE FALL WAS NOT EXCESSIVE. I PERSONALLY ROTATE MY TIRES ON ALL FOUR OF MY VEHICLES FREQUENTLY USING A FLOOR JACK AND NEVER HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. THE FACTORY JACK IS UNSAFE AND UNDERSIZED FOR THIS LARGE VEHICLE (SUBURBAN). A CO-WORKER ALSO EXPERIENCED THIS SAME ACCIDENT WITH HIS TAHOE WHILE IN HIS GARAGE. *TR
DOOR HANDLE FAILURE THREE TIMES, WAITING FOR FOURTH TO FAIL AT ANYTIME. GM COMPLAINT DEPT REFUSES TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY. THREE DOOR LOCKS FAILED BY 39,000 MILES, LAST ONE BEING RIGHT PASSENGER DOOR. WE HAVE A 1978 CHEVY PU AND THE DOOR LOCKS NEVER FAILED! THIS IS ABSURD, A $55,000 TOP OF THE LINE LTZ MODEL SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM, AND GM WON'T ACKNOWLEDGE POOR QUALITY PARTS AND WORKMANSHIP! WHAT CAN A CONSUMER DO TO RECTIFY THIS SITUATION?. *JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ELECTRONIC LOCKS ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOORS ARE NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THE DOORS ARE SUPPOSED TO LOCK WHEN THE VEHICLE SHIFTS OUT OF PARK. INSTEAD, THE CONTACT HAS TO MANUALLY LOCK THE DOORS. WHEN THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT IS IN THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, SHE MUST CLIMB INTO THE BACK SEAT TO UNLOCK THE DOORS AND GET HER CHILD. IF THE VEHICLE IS MOVING AND THE DOORS ARE UNLOCKED, THEY COULD POSSIBLY OPEN AND CAUSE THE CHILD TO FALL OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR, BUT CURRENTLY THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOORS ARE NOT LOCKING AND UNLOCKING PROPERLY. THE CONTACT WANTS ALL THE DOORS ON THE VEHICLE REPAIRED, BUT SHE HAS NOT YET HEARD A RESPONSE FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 5,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,875.
TALAPA RECALL. NO SOLUTION OR AVAILABLE REPLACEMENT PARTS. NOTHING HAS OCCURRED YET, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE ENOUGH TIME HAS GONE BY A FIX SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED. ALTERNATE SOLUTION, DISABLE AIRBAG UNACCEPTABLE.
REAR WIPERS ARE NOT STANDARD EQUIPMENT ON VEHICLES THAT HAVE A NEAR VERTICAL REAR WINDOW, LIKE AN SUV, WHICH GETS SOILED DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER. THAT PRACTICALLY BLOCKS REAR VISIBILITY AND CONTRIBUTES TO REAR ROLLOVER ACCIDENTS, AS WELL AS COLLISIONS WITH OTHER OBJECTS. MOST IF NOT ALL SUV'S CAN HAVE A REAR WIPER INSTALLED AS AN ACCESSORY, SO MAKING IT STANDARD WILL BE VERY EASY FOR THE MANUFACTURERS. IN FEBRUARY THE PRESIDENT SIGNED INTO LAW LEGISLATION ADDRESSING REAR ROLLOVER ACCIDENTS, AND THIS REQUIREMENT SHOULD BE ADDED TO THAT BILL. *TR
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026