2008 Chevrolet Express 1500

Routine

Owners filed 9 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the structure › body. No safety recall has been issued.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Structure › Body2
000
Service Brakes2
000
Traction Control System1
000
Tires › Pressure Monitoring and Regulating Systems1
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Master Cylinder1
000
Seat Belts1
000
Air Bags1
000

What owners reported

Newest filings
Service Brakes
Filed Jan 4, 2023WA

The brake system completely failed. the peddle goes to the floor. there is still fluid in the reservoir to proper level but all brakes failed at the same time no stopping ability. had to use parking break to slow and down shift to first gear. This flaw could have killed or injured every passenger/occupant (s) as well as harmed other drivers on roadway/motorway. There should be some type of safety measure to aid in stopping even if a partial failure. But this is a whole system failure. Please advise

Service Brakes
Filed Nov 25, 2018111,000 milesFL

WE'VE COMPLAINED NUMEROUS TIMES ABOUT THE BRAKES. AFTER HAVING A COMPLETE BRAKE REHAB ON JULY 7TH, 2017, I EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE ON FEB. 2ND, 2018 LOSING ALL BRAKES INSTANTLY AS I APPROACHED A 6 LANE INTERSECTION. I CONTACTED THE OWNER OF THE DEALERSHIP BOTH BY PHONE AND EMAIL AND DID NOT RECEIVE ANY RESPONSE. I WAS TOLD THAT A HOSE OR TUBING WAS RUBBING AGAINST THE BRAKE LINES CAUSING AN ABRUPT LOSS OF FLUID? WHY THIS WAS NOT NOTICED DURING THE EARLIER BRAKE WORK SEEMS QUESTIONABLE. MOREOVER, I AM OUT HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS FOLLOWING THE EARLIER BRAKE WORK THAT TOTALED ABOUT ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS JUST 7 MONTHS PREVIOUS. TO THIS DAY THE BRAKES FEEL "MUSHY" AND I HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN THE WORK DONE TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.

Seat Belts
Filed Jul 6, 2017125,000 milesVA

PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN ORDER TO TRAVEL WITH PASSENGERS BUT ON MY FIRST ATTEMPT THIS HOLIDAY DISCOVERED THE SEAT BELTS WILL NOT EXTEND ENOUGH TO ACCOMMODATE MOST PASSENGERS. I CAN NOT AFFORD TO REPLACE THEM NOR DO I WANT TO BE LEGALLY CHARGED WITH UNLAWFUL EQUIPMENT (OR RESPONSIBLE FOR HARM TO ANYONE IN MY VEHICLE). THIS IS MY FIRST TIME DEALING WITH SUCH A DILEMMA AND WOULD APPRECIATE ANY INPUT THAT THE COMPANY MAY ADVISE. IS THIS AN OVERSITE ON THE MANUFACTURER TO BUILD A VEHICLE THAT WILL NOT MEET REGULATIONS?

Air Bags
Filed Mar 18, 2016NJ

VEHICLE HAD AN ELECTRONICALLY FAILED FRONTAL CRASH SENSOR.I PURCHASED A NEW PART FROM GM.THE PART WAS INSTALLED AND THE CONNECTOR WOULD NOT FIT IN.I CHECKED THE ALIGHNMENT OF SLOTS AND THE CONFIGURATION MATCHED THE OLD ONE. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION I NOTICED THE MOLD OF THE PLASTIC WAS DISTORTED.CHECKING THE ORIGIN OF THIS PART (MADE IN SINGAPORE).MY THOUGHTS ARE THAT IF THERE NOT TESTING THE FIT,HOW CAN WE BE SURE THAT IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH IT WOULD EVEN SEND THE SIGNAL TO DEPLOY THE AIR BAG.EVEN THOUGH THE SDM UNIT CHECKS THE RESISTANCE VALUE AND OK'S THE PART AS BEING GOOD.ALSO I AM AN ASE CERTIFIED MASTER TECH WITH 34 YEARS EXPERIENCE.I JUST AM UPSET THAT THE PROFIT MARGIN SHOULD PLAY A ROLE IN VEHICLE PASSENGER SAFETY.

Structure › Body
Filed May 5, 2015122,000 milesSC

THE WHITE FACTORY PAINT IS CHIPPING OFF ON SEVERAL PARTS OF THE VEHICLE, EXPOSING THE PRIMED SHEET METAL. THERE WAS NO REPAINT DONE ON THIS VEHICLE BEFORE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED AND TAKEN CARE OF REGULARLY AS RECOMMENDED BY GM. THE DEFECT IS A 100% FACTORY PROBLEM IN THE PAINT SHOP. IT APPEARS THAT THE PAINT DOES NOT ADHERE TO THE PRIMER. *TR

Structure › Body
Filed Mar 5, 201480,000 milesIL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH REAR DOORS WERE EXTREMELY HARD TO OPEN AND CLOSE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THE DOORS WERE MANUFACTURED TO OPERATE AS THEY WERE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOTIFIED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Master Cylinder
Filed Jun 15, 201218,956 milesCA

I AM A FLEET MECHANIC FOR A COMMUNITY COLLEGE. DURING A ROUTINE SAFETY INSPECTION ON A CHEVROLET EXPRESS 1500 8 PASSENGER VAN FOR THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE. I NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER WAS LEAKING. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THE VERIFIED MY COMPLAINT, OF COURSE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED ON IT AROUND 1 YEAR AGO. THE TOTAL COST PARTS AND LABOR WAS AROUND $900.00 TO FIX IT ON A VAN WITH AROUND 19,000 MILES ON IT. THIS LEAK CAN LEAD TO BRAKE FAILURE AND CAUSE A CRASH. IT CAN ALSO LEAK ON PLASTIC AND OTHER COMPONENTS AND CAUSE THEM TO FAIL AS WELL. *JB

Tires › Pressure Monitoring and Regulating Systems
Filed Jul 23, 201153,098 milesNY

CHECKING TIRE PRESSURE VALVE STEM ON TPMS BROKE FILED BY JIFFY LUBE. *TR

Traction Control System
Filed May 26, 201018,349 milesNY

PURCHASED A NEW 2008 CHEVY EXPRESS 1500 WITHIN 9 MOS HAD ABS AND STABILITY TRACTION LIGHT ON. TECH REPLACED WHEEL SENSOR. HAPPENED AGAIN 6 MOS LATER, 4/7/09 AND 5/15/10. ON MY LAST VISIT THEY SAID THEY FOUND A SHORT, BUT THE LIGHTS ARE ON AGAIN 2 WEEKS LATER. THE SAFETY ISSUE IS WHEN THE ABS AND STABILITY TRACTION LIGHT IS ON (AND ONLY WHEN TRAVELING BELOW 30 MPH) WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, THE ABS AUTOMATICALLY WILL ALLOW THE BRAKE PEDAL TO GO DOWN ALMOST TO THE FLOOR. THIS IN TURN ALLOWS THE VEHICLE TO TRAVEL ADDITIONAL DISTANCE WHEN TRYING TO STOP. THIS HAPPENS ON PERFECTLY LEVEL, SMOOTH AND DRY CIRCUMSTANCES. ONE OF THE MECHANICS AT THE DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATED TO ME THAT THIS PROBLEM EXISTS IN MANY CHEVY VANS UP TO AND INCLUDING 2010. OBVIOUSLY THEY HAVE NO CLUE AS TO WHAT IS CAUSING THIS MALFUNCTION. SOME OTHER MECHANICS HAVE SAID THEY FEEL IT MIGHT BE A COMPUTER GLITCH. IT IS ONLY OF MATTER OF TIME, AND PROBABLY HAS ALREADY HAPPENED, WHEN TRYING TO STOP - REAR ENDING A VEHICLE OR STRIKING A PEDESTRIAN WHO HAS STEPPED OUT IN FRONT. PLEASE ADVISE AS TO WHAT COURSE OF ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN WITH GM. *TR

9 of 9 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2003
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
201410010Routine
20122000Routine
20113200Routine
20104000Routine
20095000Routine
2008 — this page9000Routine
20075111Fatalities reported
20065000Routine
200510100Routine
200412110Routine
200318120Routine
200210100Routine
20015100Routine
20006100Routine
19994100Routine
19964000Routine

Compare every Express 1500 year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.