2008 GMC Sierra Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Sierra years
- Fewer complaints than other years 13th of 23 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 68 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 GMC Sierra. That ranks 13th out of 23 Sierra model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (29 complaints, 43%), typically at around 66,500 miles. Complaints mention 4 crashes, 3 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 68owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 4complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2008 GMC Sierra 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 | 29 | 43% | 66,500 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 15 | 22% | 67,435 | — | — |
| Structure | 12 | 18% | 59,500 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 11 | 16% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 3 | 4% | 42,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 2 | 3% | 68,835 | — | — |
| Power Train | 2 | 3% | 71,500 | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 3% | 77,628 | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 1% | 74,300 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 1 | 1% | 93,792 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 1% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 1% | 93,792 | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 1% | 73,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 1% | 43,783 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2008 GMC Sierra recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Electrical system
Problem: 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 potential consequences of a printed circuit board (pcb) electrical short. However, there have been new reports of thermal incidents on hwfs modules after this improvement was installed. These incidents resulted from a new failure mode attributed to the device's thermal protection feature. The significance varies from minor distortion to considerable melting of the plastic around the hwfs fluid chamber.
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 www.gmownercenter.com.
Electrical system
Problem: Gm is recalling 857,735 my 2006-2008 buick lucerne; cadillac dts; hummer h2; my 2007-2008 cadillac escalade, escalade esv, escalade ext; chevrolet avalanche, silverado, suburban, tahoe; gmc acadia, sierra, yukon, yukon xl, saturn outlook; and my 2008 buick enclave vehicles equipped with a heated wiper washer fluid system. A short circuit on the printed circuit board for the washer fluid heater may overheat the control-circuit ground wire.
Risk: This may cause other electrical features to malfunction, create an odor, or cause smoke increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will install a wire harness with an in-line fuse free of charge. The recall began on september 12, 2008. Owners may contact buick at 1-866-608-8080; cadillac at 1-800-982-2339 or http://www.cadillac.com; chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438; saturn at 1-800-972-8876 or http://www.saturn.com, gmc at 1-866-996-9436; or hummer at 1-800-732-5493; or through their website at <a href=http://www.gmownercenter.com>http://www.gmownercenter.com</a> .
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
- 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.
2008 gmc sierra. Consumer writes in regards to takata airbag safety recall.
The contact owns a 2008 GMC Sierra. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 21V052000 (Air bags) The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where the recall was serviced; but, a week later the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer or…
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2008 gmc sierra. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v324000 (air bags); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The…
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 gmc sierra. The contact stated that the dashboard cracked on the passenger side of the vehicle and expanded to a gaping hole. It was diagnosed that the dashboard needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified. The approximate failure…
Purchased my 2008 gmc sierra truck in november 2015 after having for only 5 months driver side door lock will only lock or unlock sometime, making it unsafe if you needed to exit quickly due to accident or fire. Seen many other post about same problem. Should be a recall on this.
Other GMC Sierra years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 Sierra | 61 | 0 |
| 2016 Sierra | 6 | 2 |
| 2015 Sierra | 53 | 6 |
| 2014 Sierra | 101 | 11 |
| 2013 Sierra | 39 | 3 |
| 2012 Sierra | 29 | 2 |
| 2011 Sierra | 43 | 2 |
| 2010 Sierra | 34 | 0 |
| 2009 Sierra | 37 | 1 |
| 2008 | 68 | 2 |
| 2007 Sierra | 59 | 2 |
| 2006 Sierra | 53 | 4 |
| 2005 Sierra | 117 | 9 |
| 2004 Sierra | 188 | 7 |
| 2003 Sierra | 206 | 6 |
| 2002 Sierra | 249 | 4 |
| 2001 Sierra | 264 | 4 |
| 2000 Sierra | 443 | 8 |
| 1999 Sierra | 600 | 5 |
| 1998 Sierra | 190 | 0 |
| 1997 Sierra | 238 | 0 |
| 1996 Sierra | 246 | 2 |
| 1995 Sierra | 261 | 6 |
See all GMC Sierra problems by year, every GMC model, or the GMC VIN decoder.
Similar GMC models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2008 GMC Sierra?
Owners most often report air bags, electrical system, structure problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 29 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2008 GMC Sierra?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2008 GMC Sierra a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Sierra model years, the 2008 has fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.