2.1

hardly worth mentioning
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
76,832 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 3500:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

problem #4

Jan 292015

Silverado 3500

  • 112,328 miles
I have bought vehicles since I was 17 years old. I have never had the whole left side electronics go bad like in my 2008 Silverado, ltz. The windows would not go up or down. Either side. My mirrors would not come in. Extended cab windows would not work. I replaced left door electronics panel, chev. Dealer mechanic tried to syncronize with vehicle computer ($130) found broken wires in harness. Mechanic tried to fix the problem and shut drivers door. Opened door and the wires had broken again plus it shorted out a fuse panel.a new harness and panel was ordered. A week later the new items were installed ( $606.89). The mechanic then said that the left rear door was shorting out and it needed a new harness ($500.99). I waited another week and this harness was installed on 2-13-15. If I had been in a wreck and the doors could not be opened and I could not get my windows down I could have burnt up or the first responders would have had to cut me out of my truck. This happened to me in the middle of the night with my whole left side electronics going dead. A friend of mine also bought a 2008 Chevrolet Suburban and has also had to replace the left side electronics in his drivers door. ([xxx], owner of body shop) he advised that he had heard of many others with the same problems. Information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Germanton, NC, USA

problem #3

Jan 112012

Silverado 3500

  • 80,000 miles
The cab to operator communication started slowly diminishing. Eventually all audible beeps, dings and music on the left side of the cab were shutoff. The speed control cruise was not activation, but the button would light up. Currently the left side of the truck, in the cab, is out of power. I am concerned, does this affect the air bag system too? the truck does a self diagnostics monthly and no issues were noted, but they were obvious issues that a diagnostic should have picked up a notable change. The lighting issue I experienced were with each taillight. I would randomly blow tail light bulbs. A closer look showed corrosion and obvious shorting, but no fuse was faulted. Bulb was burned at the connectors. Further review it was noticed that each tail light had water in the bottom. Traveling caused the water to short out and damage the bulb, leaving me with no rear lighting randomly. I have since drilled holes in the bottom of each tail light as there is not way to remove the moisture. I have also inspected the bulb seals and find they are firmly pressing on to the sealing surfaces, which are clean and free from road dust and grime...plus they are hidden inside the body of the truck. In summary, I would like to receive some level of detail regarding the electrical issue, focusing on how it can be repaired. Regarding the lighting, this is concerning and should be a consideration for risk assessment during design.

- Belmont, NH, USA

problem #2

Nov 152013

Silverado 3500 8-cyl

  • 102,000 miles
Driving at night at 55 mph, the truck intermittently lost power but did not completely quit; the low beam headlights blew and went off.

- Frankfort, KY, USA

problem #1

Jun 092009

Silverado 3500

  • 13,000 miles
If I am going down the road and press my brake pedal and then let up a little bit so that I don't have as much pressure on the brakes the brake lights go out. They go out before I am off of my brakes. So if I am coasting down a hill and apply my brakes and then realize that I have applied too much pressure and I have to let out a little bit to calibrate the pressure correctly my brake lights do not stay on, they go out before the pedal is completely released. I want my brake lights to stay on until I let off my brakes completely, it shouldn't matter how much pressure I have on my brakes, if my brakes are on so should my lights. The reason I am concerned with this is because I had someone nearly run into the back of my car. Also if I am sitting at a redlight and ease up on the brake pedal but still at a full stop, the brake lights go out while I am sitting there, I have to press my brake pedal all the way down to get the brake lights to come on and stay one, if I have any pressure on the pedal the lights should stay on. This has scared me plenty of times at night because I will be stopped and the person behind me has to slam on their brakes to keep from hitting me. I believe this is a design flaw in the brake system with my 08 Silverado. I have been to the dealer to get this fixed as a warranty issue but they say "failure to replicate problem." So that is why I am filling out the complaint.

- Louisville , KY, USA