2008 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Air Bags (10) · Electrical System (4) · Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System (2)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Chevrolet Silverado 3500 model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
Safety recalls (4)
Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module 2020-01-10 · campaign 20V011000 · 699 vehicles
Defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2007-2008 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 vehicles equipped with non-desiccated, passenger frontal air bag inflators containing phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant that were used as interim remedy parts for previous Takata recalls. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front passenger or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began February 11, 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-866-522-9559. GM's number for this recall is N192290990.
Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module 2015-05-28 · campaign 15V324000 · 330,198 vehicles
Defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007-2008 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD and 3500HD trucks manufactured November 28, 2006, to August 29, 2008, and 2007-2008 GMC Sierra 2500HD and 3500HD trucks manufactured November 27, 2006, to August 29, 2008. The affected vehicles are equipped with a passenger side frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture upon its deployment.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants, potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on July 27, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's numbers for this recall are 15438 and 15817.
Electrical System 2014-07-02 · campaign 14V407000 · 9,371 vehicles
Defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 Chevrolet Silverado HD 2500/3500 trucks manufactured January 18, 2007, to June 22, 2011, and GMC Sierra HD 2500/3500 trucks manufactured January 22, 2007, to June 21, 2011, and equipped with an auxiliary battery. Owners may unknowingly draw too much current through the vehicle's trailer harness resulting in the melting of fusible link for the auxiliary battery.
Risk: If the fusible link melts it may come into contact with adjacent components, damage the electrical center cover, the nearby wiring harness conduit and other vehicle components, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: GM will notify owners and dealers will replace the jumper harness with one that includes a 40 amp inline fuse, and provide the owner with supplemental Owner Manual information, free of charge. The recall began on August 29, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 14260.
Electrical System 2010-06-04 · campaign 10V240000 · 1,365,070 vehicles
Defect: GM IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2009 BUICK, LUCERNE; CADILLAC DTS; HUMMER H2; MODEL YEAR 2008-2009 BUICK ENCLAVE; CADILLAC CTS; MODEL YEAR 2007-2009 CADILLAC ESCALADE, ESCALADE ESV, ESCALADE EXT; CHEVROLET AVALANCHE, SILVERADO, SUBURBAN, TAHOE; GMC ACADIA, SIERRA, YUKON, YUKON XL; SATURN OUTLOOK; AND MODEL YEAR 2009 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A HEATED WASHER FLUID SYSTEM (HWFS). A RECALL WAS IMPLEMENTED IN 2008 TO ADD A FUSE TO THE CONTROL CIRCUIT HARNESS TO ADDRESS THE P
Risk: IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE HEATED WASHER MODULE TO IGNITE AND A FIRE MAY OCCUR.
Fix: DEALERS WILL PERMANENTLY DISABLE AND REMOVE THE HEATED WASHER FLUID MODULE. AN UPDATED PAGE FOR THE OWNER MANUAL WILL BE PROVIDED AND INSERTED IN THE OWNER MANUAL TO DOCUMENT THAT THE FEATURE HAS BEEN PERMANENTLY DISABLED AND REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 11, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, SATURN AT 1-800-972-8876, GMC AT 1-866-996-9463 AND HUMMER AT 1-800-732-5493 OR AT THE OWNER CENTER AT
Service bulletins (525)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Unknown Or Other 2026-02-16 · PIT4506J · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communication provides information to the technician that some owners of heavy duty trucks and utilities may ask if they can lower their tire pressures. tire pressures being set to the "tire and loading label" will ensure the safe handling and ride characteristics of the
Unknown Or Other 2025-09-09 · 13598 · Other
new vehicle monitoring programs section in ivh
Unknown Or Other 2025-08-07 · PIC5650M · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an intermittent no crank, no start, or start stall concern with the security light coming on. technician may find diagnostic trouble codes b3055, b3060, b3935, c0750, c0755, c0760, c0765, and/o
Unknown Or Other 2025-07-31 · PIT5161L · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that may have a bump feel or clunk noise at a stop or on launch. dealer should communicate to the customer this condition is a normal operating characteristic
Unknown Or Other 2025-07-18 · PIP5601C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this pi communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from tac.
Unknown Or Other 2025-05-30 · PIT5074R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communication provides information to the technician about the use of j-35616-64b and mini 50 terminal test probe, replacement terminals, and terminated leads.
Showing the 6 most recent of 525 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2026-07-15 · Electrical System:instrument Panel:speedometer/Odometer · 270,000 mi“odometer fraud. the contact purchased a 2008 chevrolet silverado 3500. the contact discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. the vehicle was a private sale. at the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 162,000. it was later discovered upon checking a carfax report that the mileage was 270,000.…”
2023-09-12 · Unknown Or Other“airbag and steering wheel problems. neither driver's nor passenger's airbag deployed in a major crash. our truck was hit by a fully loaded dump truck, speed unknown. our driver had "mustang sign," bruising to chest. passenger had seatbelt bruising. no warning lights or other indication was present to indicate that there was any problem with the air…”
2019-08-23 · Engine“tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet silverado 3500. the contact stated that the vehicle shuddered upon starting. the failure also occurred while driving various speeds. the contact drove to team chevrolet buick gmc cadillac (404 jake alexander blvd s, salisbury, nc 28147, 704-212-2019) where it was diagnosed that the engine cylinder was faulty. t…”
2018-12-03 · Air Bags“tl* takata recall. the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet silverado 3500. while reversing, the vehicle stalled and completely shut off and the service air bags and pass lock sensor illuminated. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 16v381000 (air bags); however, the parts to do the repair were unavailable. the contact stated that t…”
2018-10-01 · Visibility/Wiper“tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet silverado 3500. the contact stated that the windshield wipers malfunctioned. the motor for the wipers was replaced three times and the circuit board underneath the hood was replaced once. the vehicle was taken to blade chevrolet & rvs (1100 freeway dr, mt vernon, wa 98273, (360) 424-3231) where they initially r…”
2018-03-02 · Air Bags“cox chevrolet in bradenton florida is refusing to fix the recalled item on my truck…”
2017-08-17 · Unknown Or Other · 206,000 mi“dash has crack near passenger air bag and behind instrument panel…”
2017-07-24 · Unknown Or Other · 66,558 mi“dash has severely cracked. if air bag was to deploy, the hard plastic of the cracked dash could very likely injure occupants within the vehicle. while driving down smooth roadway, we started hearing cracking noises and found the dash cracking.…”
2017-06-09 · Electrical System: Integrated Trailer Brake Control · 230,000 mi“tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet silverado 3500. upon starting the vehicle, the service trailer brake system warning indicator illuminated and remained illuminated while driving. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the contact researched online and found a recall for the chassis electronic module. the contact called hardy chevrolet at (…”
2017-06-08 · Electrical System · 248,000 mi · 🔥 fire“started vehicle, drove 100 yards, check charging system popped up on display, smoke immediately started pouring in vents as it burst into flames under the hood. got kids out and called fire department. vehicle burned from the motor to the box while waiting for fire department.…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.