2008 CHEVY SUBURBAN WILL BE IN THE SHOP NEXT WEEK FOR THE 3RD TIME FOR SAME PROBLEMS DEALING WITH FRONT AIR CONDITIONER CEASING TO BLOW AIR AND PROBLEMS WITH DOOR LATCHES & LOCKS NO LONGER ABLE TO BE ACTIVATED BY REMOTE OR FRONT MASTER DOOR ACTIVATOR. HAVE REPLACED AC BLOWER MOTOR, RESISTOR, AND DRIVER FRONT DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR. IT IS NOW THE DRIVER BACK DOOR LOCK NOT WORKING. ALSO, VEHICLE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH; TOOK IT TO MECHANIC; SENT ME ON TO DEALER. HAD TO REPLACE ALL FUEL INJECTORS AND CAMSHAFT. *TR
2008 Chevrolet Suburban complaints
Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2008 record →
2008 CHEVY SUBURBAN HAS DEFECTIVE EXTERNAL DOOR HANDLES - THEY BREAK LOOSE FROM THE CAR BODY AND MAKE THE DOOR INOPERABLE FROM INSIDE - SO ONE CANNOT EXIT IN AN ACCIDENT. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO UNLOCK THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR USING THE KEY FOB AS WELL AS THE UNLOCK BUTTON ON THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE CONTROL PANEL. ALL OF THE LOCKS EXCEPT FOR THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR UNLOCKED SUCCESSFULLY. IN ORDER TO UNLOCK THE DOOR THE CONTACT HAD TO MANUALLY UNLOCK THE DOOR FROM INSIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR ACTUATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 44,550. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 06/07/11*LJ UPDATED 06/24/11
THERE IS NO REAL EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE EVENT, THE POWER LOCKS JUST STOPPED WORKING ON ALL 4 DOORS. ALSO HAVE HAD THE EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLES REPLACED TWICE AT A COST OF 250.00 EACH. THE 4 LOCK ACTUATORS ARE AT A COST OF 1000.00 THE COMPANY HAS A FLEET OF 10-20 SUBURBANS AND TAHOES WHICH ALL THE VEHICLES ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME DEFECTS. THIS IS A MAJOR LIFE SAFETY ISSUE WITH CHILDREN IN THE CAR NOT BEING ABLE TO UNLOCK OR LOCK THE DOORS IN AN EMERGENCY. *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.
2008 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN AFTER TURNING ON THE AC IT BEGAN TO BLOW HOT AIR ON THE DRIVERS SIDE BUT COLD ON THE PASSENGER. IWAS READING A FORUM ONLINE AND IT SEEMS THE THIS IS A WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM WITH GM VEHICLE LINK ENCLOSED. HTTP://AUTOFORUM.CLASSIFIEDS1000.COM/CHEVROLET-SILVERADO_1500_PICKUP/DUAL_AC_BLOWS_COLD_AIR_ON_PASSENGER_BUT_HOT_ON_DRIVER. *TR
2008 CHEVY SUBURBAN- ALL LOCKS HAVE STOPPED WORKING HAVE BEEN TOLD IT IS THE LOCK ACTUATOR. HUGE SAFETY ISSUE AS I CAN NOT GET CHILDREN OUT OF CAR. THE ACTUATORS HAVE FAILED ON EVERY LOCK IN THE VEHICLE, UNACCEPTABLE! *LN
DRIVERSIDE DRIVER AND PASSENGER AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS INOPERABLE. *TR
PASSENGER'S SIDE HANDLE OF OUR 08 SUBURBAN KEPT CUTTING PEOPLE'S HANDS ON EXIT. FINALLY HAD DEALER REPLACE FOR $120+. NOW, ABOUT A MONTH LATER, MY SIDE (DRIVER) IS DOING THE SAME THING. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A QUALITY/DESIGN DEFECT AND I DON'T FEEL I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THESE REPAIRS WHEN I'VE FOUND SO MANY ONLINE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. CURRENTLY I'M TYPING THIS WITH A SLICED INDEX FINGER THAT HURTS LIKE SIN. THANKS FOR ANY HELP. *TR
I OWN A 2008 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. IN LESS THAT TWO (2) YEARS, THREE (3) OF THE DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS HAVE STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY. GENERAL MOTORS HAS DONE NOTHING TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM AFTER MAKING THEM AWARE OF IT. THE FAILURE OF THE DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS IS CONSTANT. THERE WERE NO EVENTS LEADING TO THE FAILURE OTHER THAN AN INFERIOR PART. THE ONLY WAY TO UNLOCK THE REAR DOORS IS TO CRAWL OVER THE FRONT SEATS INTO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. IN THE EVENT OF A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT THIS WILL BECOME A SAFETY HAZARD DUE TO THE FOLLOWING REASONS. 1. THE POWER LOCKS INSIDE THE DOOR AND THE REMOTE FAIL TO UNLOCK DOORS 2. THERE ARE NO KEY HOLES ON THE REAR DOORS TO UNLOCK THEM IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH 3. THIS WILL LEAD TO ENTRAPMENT INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE IF THE DOORS ARE LOCKED IN A CRASH 4. THIS WILL LEAD TO PASSENGER EJECTION IF THE LOCKS ARE NOT LOCKED MANUALLY 5. STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY IS LOST IN THE DOOR WHEN IT IS NOT LOCKED. *TR
THE LOCKS ON BOTH OF MY 08 SUBURBANS STARTED TO FAIL STARTING WHEN TRYING TO LOCK OR UNLOCK THE DOORS WITH REMOTE BUTTON AND THE INTERIOR LOCK BUTTON. THE PROBLEM STARTED WITH THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR NOT LOCKING OR UNLOCKING AND HAS PROGRESSED TO THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR DOOR. THIS HAS OCCURRED IN BOTH OF MY LTZ 08 SUBURBANS. YOU CAN NOT GET OUT OF THE CAR IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, NOR CAN YOU LOCK OR UNLOCK THE DOORS IF NEEDED TO QUICKLY LOCK IF BEING THREATENED. DEALER STATES THEY HAVE HAD NUMEROUS CALLS HOWEVER ITS NOT COVERED OR RECALLED. *TR
ACTUATOR IN DOOR LOCKS NOT WORKING. WHEN THESE GO OUT , THE DOOR CANNOT BE OPENED FROM THE OUTSIDE WITH HANDLE OR REMOTE. IF A CHILD OR PERSON WAS IN THE VEHICLE AND THERE WAS A FIRE , THEY COULD NOT GET OUT. *TR
2008 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. CONSUMER STATES UNINTENDED SUDDEN ACCELERATION. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED RAPIDLY FROM A STANDING START TO ENTER THE TRAFFIC LANE AHEAD OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC FROM THE LEFT. HE DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL QUICKLY, THEN LET UP, BUT THE ENGINE RPM CONTINUED TO CLIMB, AS IF THE ACCELERATOR WERE FULLY DEPRESSED. UPON HEARING THE ENGINE CONTINUE TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN, AND FEELING THE VEHICLE SURGE FORWARD, THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKE WITH FULL FORCE, USING BOTH FEET AND WAS SUCCESSFUL IN BRINGING THE VEHICLE TO STOP; DISTANCE TRAVELED WAS ABOUT 40 FEET FROM THE POINT WHERE THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. ONCE STOPPED, THE CONSUMER PUT THE TRANSMISSION IN PARK, WHERE UPON THE ENGINE ACCELERATED TO THE REV LIMIT. HE IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE ENGINE USING THE IGNITION SWITCH, TO AVOID ENGINE DAMAGE. AFTER A MOMENT, HE RESTARTED THE ENGINE, WHICH RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. *JB
Reading these
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 2008 Chevrolet Suburban → · Every Suburban year → · How the figures are calculated →