2008 Chevrolet Suburban Engine Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOSS MOTIVE POWER WITH THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 130,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. WHEN THE ENGINE WAS STARTED, THE VEHICLE SHOOK VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 9-5466810529. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,600.

VALVE ON CYLINDER 7 WONT OPERATE DUE TO AFM SYSTEM

A LIFTER WENT BAD

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START VEHICLE, IT FAILED TO START. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER MYRTLE BEACH CHEVROLET CADILLAC LOCATED AT 1785 HIGHWAY 501 MYRTLE BEACH SC 29577 WHERE IT DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND OPENED CASE NUMBER: 8-3107409216. THE CONTACT HAD EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 132,000.

THE VEHICLE HAS HAD NUMEROUS ENGINE ISSUES AND ABNORMAL OIL CONSUMPTION. THE MOTOR HAS FAILED AT 149,000 MILES AND FOLLOWS THE PATTERN OF NUMEROUS OTHER COMPLAINTS. OIL CONSUMPTION LIFTER NOISE COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND THE OIL GAUGE DISPLAYED ZERO. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO CHECK THE OIL LEVEL. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS NO OIL IN THE ENGINE, BUT THE DIGITAL DISPLAY READ 13% OIL. THE CONTACT ADDED OIL TO THE VEHICLE AND DROVE TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH AN OIL CONSUMPTION ISSUE. THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED REPLACEMENT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND FILED A CASE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 117,000. UPDATED 06/02/17*LJ *CN

MY VEHICLE HAS AN OIL CONSUMPTION ISSUE, LIKE MANY OF THE 07-08 MODELS. WE HAVE TAKEN IT TO 2 DEALERSHIPS, AND THEY REQUEST THAT WE REPLACE THE CAM AND LIFTERS. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD BY 2 DIFFERENT CHEVROLET DEALERSHIPS THAT THIS IS A BAD DESIGN BY CHEVY, AND THEY SEE IT ALL THE TIME WITH THIS YEAR. THEY ALSO STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT EVEN SELL OUR VEHICLE ON THEIR LOT IF WE TRADED IT IN. I LIVE IN A SMALL TOWN, AND I KNOW 4 PEOPLE WHO HAD THIS SAME ISSUE, AND HAD TO BUY NEW VEHICLES BECAUSE CHEVY DID NOT OFFER A SOLUTION. THE REPAIRS COST APPROXIMATELY $5000. OUR ONLY OPTION IS TO TRADE IT IN OR PAY THE REPAIRS OUT OF POCKET. THIS IS A BAD DESIGN BY CHEVY, AND A SAFETY ISSUE. WE CANNOT DRIVE OUR VEHICLE AT THIS TIME. WHEN THE ISSUE BEGAN IN OCTOBER OF 2016 WE WERE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND IT STARTED MAKING A KNOCKING NOISE. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A CHEVY DEALERSHIP IN FOLEY ALABAMA, (SOUTHERN CHEVROLET) AND WERE TOLD BY THEM IT IS A BAD DESIGN, AND THEY HAVE SEEN MANY TRUCKS WITH THE SAME ISSUE. THEY DIAGNOSED AND GAVE US THE OPTION OF REPLACING THE CAM AND LIFTERS FOR $5000. WE DID NOT DO THIS AT THE TIME, AND TOOK IT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC WHO STATED HE HAD SEEN THIS ISSUE MULTIPLE TIMES HIMSELF. HE GAVE US A TEMPORARY FIX, AND WE DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME. WE TOOK IT TO OUR LOCAL CHEVY DEALERSHIP WHO TOLD US THE EXACT SAME THING. *TR

APPARENTLY THERE WAS A TECHNICAL BULLETIN ISSUED FOR THIS TRUCK. THE SPECIAL WARRANTY WAS FOR 120,000 OR YEAR 2018. IN 2015 I DISPUTED THE ENGINE FAILURE AND ALSO THE OIL CONSUMPTION AND THE#7 CYLINDER. MY TRUCK WAS AT 170,000 MILES AND GM REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. ON AUGUST 20, 2016, MY TRUCK WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS. I RETURNED IT BACK TO THE SAME DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN, THIS REPAIR WAS PERFORMED LESS THAN A YEAR. I CALLED GM AGAIN AND THEY REFUSED TO MAKE THE DEALERSHIP WARRANTY THE REPAIR FROM LAST YEAR. GM KNOWS THAT THIS ENGINE IS FAULTY AND REFUSE TO RECALL THIS 5.3 ENGINE. NOW I HAVE TO PAY FOR A NEW ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT VARIOUS WARNING INDICATORS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MANASSAS CHEVROLET (8000 SUDLEY RD, MANASSAS, VA 20109 (703) 596-3031) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO LUCK CHEVROLET (516 S WASHINGTON HWY, ASHLAND, VA 23005 (804) 368-6473) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE NUMBER ONE AND SEVEN SPARK PLUGS WERE COVERED WITH OIL GUNK. THE SPARK PLUGS WERE REPLACED. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THE MOTOR IN THE VEHICLE WAS BURNING OIL AND CONTINUOUSLY CAUSED THE NUMBER ONE AND 7 SPARK PLUGS TO FAIL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD RECUR EVERY 3-4 MONTHS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

THE ENGINE HAS A DESIGN FLAW AND CONSUMES OIL RAPIDLY, LOSES OIL AND DETERIORATES INTERNAL PARTS OF MOTOR CAUSING TOTAL ENGINE REPLACEMENT OR REPAIR. THIS MOTOR IS CURRENTLY APART OF A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT BUT THE LAWSUIT IS ONLY FOR THIS ENGINE IN THE 2010-2013 VEHICLES. THIS MOTOR HOWEVER HAS BEEN IN GM VEHICLE SINCE 2007 AND I ASSUME THAT THE COMPANY WITHHELD THIS INFORMATION FROM CONSUMERS AND PUBLIC JUST AS THEY DID IN 2010. I BELIEVE THAT GM SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DESIGN FLAW OF MOTOR IN ALL VEHICLES THAT INCLUDED THE ENGINE. PERSONALLY I HAD TO REPLACE MY MOTOR FOR EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION AT THE COST OF $7,712.13 WHICH INCLUDED TAXES. THEN, OF COURSE, THE MOTOR YOU PUT IN INHERENTLY HAS THE SAME ISSUE AND ITS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE IT FAILS DUE TO EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION. THE LAWSUIT IS GOING TO BE FILED FOR 2010-2013 MODELS I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE PRESSURE TO INCLUDE EARLIER MODELS WITH THE EXACT SAME MOTOR.

2008 SUBURBAN 135K. VEHICLE HAS BEEN RUNNING WELL, ALL ROUTINE MAINTENANCE WAS DONE. WITHOUT ANY WARNING THE VEHICLE WAS 3 QUARTS LOW ON OIL. DEALER CHECKED ENGINE TOLD NEW ENGINE NEEDED. I WAS TOLD A COMMON PROBLEM FURTHER INVESTIGATION I NOTED FAR TO MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. THIS SEEMS TO BE A DEFECT IN ENGINE DESIGN. IT SHOULD NOT REQUIRE DEATHS BEFORE THIS ISSUE IS INVESTIGATED. LIKE SO MANY OTHERS REPAIR COST IS AN UNEXPECTED BURDEN. GM RESPONSE THE VEHICLE HIGH MILEAGE AND AGE ARE A FACTOR. THIS PROBLEM HAS AFFECTED VEHICLES WITH A RANG OF MILES. GM SHOULD RECALL THE 5.3L ENGINE AND REPAIR THE DEFECT. THE FIRST ISSUE WITH VEHICLE I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY THE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE. GM HAS INDICATED 2 QUARTS OF OIL BEING BURNED IN 3000 MILES IS NORMAL. PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO LOOK INTO THE MATTER. GM SHOULDN'T BE THE ONLY BAIL OUT. NO PRIOR WARNING WAS GIVEN, NO WARNING LIGHTS OR LOW OIL INDICATION , NO LEAKS.

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.

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.

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.

MY 2008 SUBURBAN STARTED BURNING A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF OIL. SEEMS LIKE I WAS CONTINUOUSLY ADDING OIL. RAISED THE ISSUE WITH THE DEALER, WHO INDICATED IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM BUT PROBABLY NOT WORTH THE EXPENSE OF FIXING IF I COULD KEEP CHECKING THE OIL. THIS ADVICE WAS ALSO BASED ON THE FACT THAT ALL MY MAINTENANCE HAS BEEN PERFORMED AT THIS DEALER, SO THEY KNOW THE VEHICLE WELL. THE LAST WEEK IN JANUARY WAS VERY BUSY AND SAW ME DRIVING ABOUT 100 MILES A DAY. ON THURSDAY, ABOUT 30 MILES FROM HOME, THE CHECK ENGINE AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS STARTING BLINKING, THE CAR LOST POWER, AND THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH. THIS WAS ON A VERY BUSY HIGHWAY (U.S. ROUTE 50 NEAR ANNAPOLIS) DURING RUSH HOUR. THIS CREATED A DANGEROUS SITUATION. I WAS EVENTUALLY ABLE TO GET THE CAR HOME. WHEN I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER, THEY SAID THE OIL WAS DRY (I HAD CHECKED IT THE PREVIOUS WEEKEND), A LIFTER HAD BROKEN, AND A PISTON HEAD WAS SCORED. THE COST OF WORK TO FIX WOULD EXCEED THE COST OF A NEW ENGINE. I NOW HAVE A NEW ENGINE, THE COST OF WHICH WAS NOT IN MY BUDGET. THIS EXPERIENCE REFLECTS WHAT HAS BEEN HAVE REPORTED FREQUENTLY ON AUTOMOBILE RELATED WEB SITES.. GIVEN THAT THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW, CHEVROLET SHOULD BE COVERING AT LEAST PART OF THIS FIX. *TR

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.

I PURCHASED A 2008 CHEVY SUBURBAN LTZ ON SEPTEMBER 24, 2011. SHORTLY THEREAFTER I BEGAN TO NOTICE THAT THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE SEEMS TO BEHAVE ERRATICALLY, I LATER LEARNED THE CAR BURNED OIL. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP IN JANUARY OF 2013 COMPLAINING OF OIL STAINS ON MY DRIVEWAY AND THAT I HAD PLACED TWO QUARTS OF OIL IN MY CAR WITHIN ONE WEEK. THE DEALERSHIP EXPLAINED TO ME THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE ABOUT $4,000-$5,000 OF REPAIRS DONE TO REBUILD MY ENGINE. THEY ALSO EXPLAINED THAT THIS WAS A WARRANTY ITEM AND THAT GM WOULD COVER IT. I WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT GM TOLD THEM THAT I HAD TO GO THROUGH AN "OIL CONSUMPTION TEST" WHICH I DID, THEY PERFORMED AN OIL CHANGE ON JANUARY 31, 2013. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE ON FEBRUARY 19, 2013 AND THE DEALER NOTES THAT IT HAS BURNED .75 (3/4) OF A QUART OF OIL. WHEN I ASKED IF GM WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM, THEY SAID NO, THAT ANOTHER TEST WAS NEEDED. I'VE NEVER PURCHASED OR OWNED A CAR WHERE BURNING OIL IS ACCEPTABLE. I BRIEF GOOGLE SEARCH OF "SUBURBAN OIL CONSUMPTION ISSUES" RESULTS IN APPROXIMATELY 2.8 MILLION RESULTS AND THERE ARE SEVERAL PAGES DISCUSSING THIS APPARENT COMMON PROBLEM. I CALLED GM ON FEBRUARY 19, 2013 AND WAS ONLY ABLE TO SPEAK WITH [XXX] AND A SUPERVISOR IN THE PHILIPPINES WHO ASSIGNED ME A CASE NUMBER I BELIEVE THIS IS A LARGE PROBLEM AND WANT A RECALL AND FIX. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).*TR

2008 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 5.3L AFM OIL CONSUMPTION --> EXTREMELY FRUSTRATED WITH GM SERVICE GIVEN ME THE RUNAROUND REGARDING A POOR ENGINE DESIGN WHICH LEADS TO BAD RINGS AND HIGH OIL CONSUMPTION. BAD RINGS CAN BE VERIFIED BY DOING A COMPRESSION CHECK ON THE CYLINDER, AS OPPOSED TO CHECKING HOW MUCH OIL IS BEING USED PER MILEAGE. EXCESSIVE USAGE IS DEFINE 0.5 QUARTS PER 500 MILES. LAST THREE OIL CHANGES, I HAVE USE 6 QUARTS IN 3000 MILES. MY VEHICLE IS UNDER WARRANTY, AND THEY ARE TRYING TO DELAY THE PROBLEM UNTIL IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY. THERE IS NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF THIS ONLINE. THEY SHOULD REPLACE THE PISTONS AND RINGS AND AFM LIFTERS AND ADD THE NEW OIL BAFFLE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING WITH REDUCED POWER AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY REPLACED THE ENGINE SEALS, CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND THE THROTTLE BODY. THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED AND PERSISTED. THE DEALER THEN ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE ENGINE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE ENGINE WAS NOT REPLACED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 147,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.