2008 Gmc Sierra 1500 problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Air Bags (209) · Latches/Locks/Linkages (21) · Structure:body (18)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Gmc Sierra 1500 model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
195 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (2)
Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module 2021-02-05 · campaign 21V050000 · 2,641,272 vehicles
Defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2007-2011 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, Yukon XL, and 2009-2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, GMC Sierra 2500 and Sierra 3500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 22, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 1, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. G
Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module 2021-02-05 · campaign 21V052000 · 557,023 vehicles
Defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2009 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylv
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 23, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 20, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-878
Service bulletins (646)
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 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.
Exterior Lighting 2025-06-02 · 07-08-42-006U · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this service bulletin provides technicians with information on available bcm calibrations to restore bulb outage detection on vehicles produced by a second stage manufacturer (upfitter), and/or turn signals flash fast after factory box removed.
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 646 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2026-08-27 · Traction Control System · 157,000 mi“the contact owns a 2008 gmc sierra 1500. the contact stated that while driving at approximately 30 mph and towing a camper, the vehicle began to bounce while navigating curves. the traction control warning light illuminated. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the engine variable displacement lifter pins ha…”
2026-08-17 · Seat Belts · 208,809 mi“the contact owns a 2008 gmc sierra 1500. the contact stated that while driving 5 mph with her husband and grandson inside the vehicle and entering the driveway at the residence, there was an abnormally loud explosion coming from inside the vehicle and the driver’s side seat belt tightened unexpectedly. the contact was able to park the vehicle. the …”
2026-03-23 · Seat Belts“i was driving down the highway at 70 mph, when there was a loud bang followed by a gun powder smell. my seatbelts went tight...hazard lights automatically came on...radio went dead...and the airbag light came on. the pretensioners in both driver and passenger seats had deployed. i pulled over and shut the truck off, to get out and inspect it. there…”
2026-03-16 · Fuel System, Diesel · 163,000 mi“the contact owns a 2008 gmc sierra 1500. the contact stated that while the vehicle was parked in the garage, diesel fuel started leaking onto the garage floor. the contact recently purchased the vehicle, inspected the source of the leak, and discovered that the fuel lines were completely rusted. additionally, the contact stated that after refueling…”
2025-10-07 · Air Bags“the contact owns a 2008 gmc sierra 1500. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 21v050000 (air bags). the local dealer was contacted and informed the contact about the disclaimer about the dashboard possibly being damaged. the dealer informed the contact that there were no loaner vehicles, but then called back and offered a loa…”
2025-08-27 · Air Bags“the contact owns a 2008 gmc sierra 1500. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 21v050000 (air bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. the local dealer was contacted. the contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the manufacturer was not …”
2025-08-25 · Electrical System:instrument Panel:speedometer/Odometer · 250,205 mi“odometer fraud. the contact purchased a 2008 gmc sierra 1500. the contact discovered a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. the vehicle was a private sale. at the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 126,498. it was later discovered that the mileage on the title was approximately 250,205.…”
2025-08-21 · Air Bags“i have contacted blaise alexander in muncy pa 17756 in 2020 or 2021 and they told me that the part was on back order they would contact me when the part has come in 5 years later they still have not contacted me i have reached out by phone through email and facebook messenger to set up a time to fix my 2008 gmc sierra and haven’t heard anything wel…”
2025-06-13 · Visibility/Wiper“driving down the road on way home from work airbags blew out. the one in the steering wheel and the one on the passenger side. it busted windshield on passenger side. shards of stuff all over dash on passenger side. that airbag popped 2 times. …”
2025-05-31 · Air Bags · 💥 crash“air bags did not deploy when another vehicle hit truck on front passenger side at 35-40 mph…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.