2008 GMC Sierra 3500 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Sierra 3500 years
- More complaints than other years 8th of 31 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 25 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 GMC Sierra 3500. That ranks 8th out of 31 Sierra 3500 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (17 complaints, 68%), typically at around 126,000 miles. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.
- 25owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 3NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2008 GMC Sierra 3500 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 17 | 68% | 126,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 8% | 2,640 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 1 | 4% | 38,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 4% | 84,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 4% | 84,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 1 | 4% | 37,673 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 4% | 68,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 4% | 2,600 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 4% | 73,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 4% | 73,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 4% | 118,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2008 GMC Sierra 3500 recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Problem: 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
Problem: 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
Problem: 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.
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture (EA21002) — opened Sep 17, 2021, still open.
- Non-crash engine compartment fires (EA08010) — opened Jun 12, 2008, closed Sep 8, 2008, led to recall 08V441000.
- Non-crash engine compartment fires (PE08010) — opened Feb 4, 2008, closed Jun 12, 2008.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Started the truck in driveway waiting on woman to get in on passenger side BOOM! AIR BAG EXPLODED didn't know what happened and then the passenger side airbag exploded. Shut the truck off got out 5 minutes later passenger side airbag exploded again and it was smoking they are very loud thank God no…
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 GMC SIERRA LD. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V381000 (AIR BAGS), HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR…
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 GMC SIERRA 3500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V381000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. GREENVILLE MOTOR CO (169 INTERSTATE DR, GREENVILLE, AL…
The dashboard is cracked in multiple locations including around the passenger side airbag. The material appears brittle and could potentially shatter in an accident.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 gmc sierra 3500. The contact received a recall notification for nhtsa campaign number: 15v324000 (air bags) and stated that the part needed was unavailable to perform the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a…
Other GMC Sierra 3500 years
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See all GMC Sierra 3500 problems by year, every GMC model, or the GMC VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2008 GMC Sierra 3500?
Owners most often report air bags, tires, electrical system problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 17 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2008 GMC Sierra 3500?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2008 GMC Sierra 3500 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Sierra 3500 model years, the 2008 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.