2008 Chevrolet Colorado Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Nov 24, 2025 · 81 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other Colorado years
Fewer complaints than other years 13th of 23 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
Not rated

Owners have filed 81 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Chevrolet Colorado. That ranks 13th out of 23 Colorado model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (32 complaints, 40%), typically at around 77,703 miles. Complaints mention 6 crashes, 7 fires, 4 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.

Chevrolet Colorado
2024 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 photographed in Hermitage, Pennsylvania. Finished in Nitro Yellow Metallic.. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: MercurySable99, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

Compare with another car

Most common 2008 Chevrolet Colorado problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Electrical System32 · ~77,703 mi
Air Bags14 · ~58,073 mi
Engine8 · ~91,500 mi
Service Brakes, Hydraulic8 · ~35,600 mi
Exterior Lighting7 · ~89,000 mi
Power Train7 · ~33,000 mi
Service Brakes7 · ~45,000 mi
Engine and Engine Cooling6 · ~27,000 mi
Seat Belts6 · ~71,000 mi
Suspension4 · ~68,000 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Electrical System3240%77,703——
Air Bags1417%58,073——
Engine810%91,500——
Service Brakes, Hydraulic810%35,600——
Exterior Lighting79%89,000——
Power Train79%33,000——
Service Brakes79%45,000——
Engine and Engine Cooling67%27,000——
Seat Belts67%71,000——
Suspension45%68,000——
Unknown or Other45%11,500——
Vehicle Speed Control45%75,000——
Fuel System, Gasoline34%31,500——
Steering34%1,700——
Structure34%119,000——
Tires34%19,474——
Visibility34%47,000——
Fuel/propulsion System22%44,000——
Wheels22%19,474——
Equipment11%25,223——
Latches/locks/linkages11%1,700——
Service Brakes, Electric11%1,700——
Visibility/wiper11%98,200——

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2014, with 12 complaints
2008: 7200872009: 332010: 102010102011: 442012: 7201272013: 332014: 122014122015: 992016: 4201642017: 442018: 5201852019: 772020: 3202032022: 222025: 120251

n = 81 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2008 Chevrolet Colorado recalls (2)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

Child seatNov 18, 2010 · NHTSA campaign 10V575000 · 192,676 vehicles

Problem: Gm is recalling certain model year 2004-2011, chevrolet colorado, gmc canyon, model year 2006, isuzu i-280/i-350, and model year 2007-2008, i-290/i-370, regular cab vehicles and extended cab vehicles without a rear seat and equipped with a front 60/40 split bench seat. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 225, "child restraint anchorage systems." the top tether anchor for the front center seat is not accessible and the owner manual does not include instructions regarding how to use the top tether.

Risk: Both nhtsa and gm discourage placement of a child in a front seat. Nevertheless, there are individual circumstances that may require placement of a child in a restraint in the front center seating position of this vehicle that does not offer a rear seat. Lack of access to the top tether anchor and a lack of instructions as to how to use it, may result in improper installation of a child restraint. Improper installation of a child restraint can result in a reduction in the restraint's performance in the event of a crash and an increased risk of injury or death to the child seated in the restraint.

Fix: Dealers will cut a hole into the back panel trim cover to allow access to the top tether anchor for the front center seat position and will provide supplemental information as to use in the owner's manual. The manufacturer has not yet provided an owner notification schedule for this campaign. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, gmc at 1-866-996-9463, isuzu at 1-800-255-6727 or visit gm's website at www.gmownercenter.com.

Exterior lighting:brake lights:switchJul 29, 2009 · NHTSA campaign 09V310000 · 185,903 vehicles

Problem: Gm is recalling 185,903 model year 2004-2009 colorado, gmc model year 2009-2004 canyon, model year 2006 i-280, i-350, model year 2007-2008 i-290, and i-370, passenger vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of alabama, arizona, florida, georgia, hawaii, louisiana, mississippi, nevada, new mexico, puerto rico, south carolina, texas, u.s. Virgin islands and utah. Some of these vehicles have a brake lamp switch that may not work as designed due to contamination in the switch.

Risk: This condition could cause the simultaneous loss of all brake lamps or cause all of the brake lamps to stay on continuously. Both of these conditions could fail to warn others of the driver's intentions and could lead to a vehicle crash.

Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the necessary components as specified in the recall bulletin free of charge. Gm anticipates that parts will be available by june 2010. A special coverage for vehicles registered in all other states will be implemented in the same time frame. In the interim, owners who experience the failure can obtain a free repair, however they will be required to return when the new design part becomes available. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, gmc at 1-866-996-9463, isuzu at 1-800-255-6727 or at www.gmownercenter.com.

To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.

Recent owner reports

Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.

The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at an independent mechanic for a service appointment, the contact was informed that the sub frame underneath the vehicle was paper thin due to corrosion. The vehicle was not repaired. In addition, the contact…

Structure · received Nov 24, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11701207

The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Colorado. Upon inspection of his vehicle, the contact discovered a hole in his vehicle's subframe. The contact then had an independent mechanic perform a further inspection of the vehicle and two additional holes were discovered in the vehicle's subframe. The…

Suspension · received Aug 17, 2022 · NHTSA complaint 11479739

The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact stated that her son informed her that the frame was corroded. The dealer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that she needed to pay out-of-pocket for the diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The…

Structure · received May 4, 2022 · NHTSA complaint 11463338

The electric ingnition system is not working on this and a million trucks in the country please fix this 10 minute waiting time to start

Air Bags · received Nov 26, 2020 · NHTSA complaint 11376406

The engine light is on because of tire pressure monitor. The seal around windshield is leaking causing water to pile up in driver side floor. Talked to someone else that has same year model truck they have exact same problems as mine.

Wheels · received Jun 14, 2020 · NHTSA complaint 11328767

Other Chevrolet Colorado years

← 2007 Colorado · 2009 Colorado →

See all Chevrolet Colorado problems by year, every Chevrolet model, or the Chevrolet VIN decoder.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2008 Chevrolet Colorado?

Owners most often report electrical system, air bags, engine problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 32 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2008 Chevrolet Colorado?

Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2008 Chevrolet Colorado a good year?

Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Colorado model years, the 2008 has fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.