2008 Chevrolet Tahoe problems, complaints & recalls

2008 Chevrolet Tahoe recalls (3)

• Recall 21V052000Feb 5, 2021557,023 vehicles
  AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

  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, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2007-2008 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. 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 driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

  Remedy: 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 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328780.

• Recall 21V050000Feb 5, 20212,641,272 vehicles
  AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

  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 (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2007-2008 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, 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, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. 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 driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

  Remedy: 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. GM's number for this recall is N212328760.

• Recall 10V240000Jun 4, 20101,365,070 vehicles
  ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  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.

  Remedy: 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.

NHTSA defect investigations

• EA21002Opened Sep 17, 2021Open

  Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

  From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.C…

• PE09044Opened Sep 14, 2009Closed May 23, 2010

  Interior Door Handle Laceration Risk

  The statistical data regarding problem experience in the table above are net counts for unique vehicles.Review of information in this PE discloses that while accounting for approximately two-thirds of the total population, MY 2007 subject vehicles are cited in more than 90 percent of the consumer complaints, injury reports, and warranty claims, respectively.In addition, improvements in the door handle manufacturing process during the MY 2007 production resulted in a decline in the occurrence of peeling/flaking of the thin chrome plating.Other environmental factors were also identified that may…

• EA08010Opened Jun 12, 2008Closed Sep 8, 2008led to recall 08V441000

  Non-crash engine compartment fires

  In a letter dated august 27, 2008, general motors corp. (gm) notified nhtsa that it will conduct a safety recall (nhtsa recall number 08v-441) to address a safety relateddefect that can result in engine compartment fire in approximately 850,000 vehicles equipped with a heated windshield washer fluid option.the subject vehicles of this investigation comprise over three-quarters of the recall population. According to gm, a short circuit on the printed circuit board for the windshield washer fluid heater module may overheat the control-circuit ground wire. This may cause other electrical features…

• PE08010Opened Feb 4, 2008Closed Jun 12, 2008

  Non-crash engine compartment fires

  In response to an information request letter sent by the office of defects investigation(odi) during preliminary evaluation pe08-010, gm provided odi with 41 allegations of non-crash engine compartment fires including 16 allegations of fires originating with the ignition in the off position.one of the fires was determined to be caused by an arson event.odi has also received 5 reports, 4 of which are of duplicative of reports provided by gm, alleging non-crash engine compartment fires in the subject vehicles.in total, odi is aware of 41 non-crashengine compartment fires in the subject vehicles …

Recent 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe complaints

Excerpts of the newest owner complaints, lightly cleaned of personal details. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

1. Filed Apr 19, 2026KYFireElectrical System

   The battery energy control module GM Part # 84442220 located inside the HV battery assembly caught fire. The harness that was most affected was the battery cell voltage sense wires. The way the battery voltage sense circuit is manufactured seems dangerous as there is no fusible link between the battery cell and the module. If a short circuit occurs the full current of the cell will be induced on a very thin gauge wire going to the module which will result in a fire.

   NHTSA complaint #11732170 · source
2. Filed Feb 9, 2026134,000 miGAFireTowedOther / Unknown

   The contact owned a 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that while stopped by the school to pick up one of his children, the vehicle was parked. The contact then noticed smoke emanating from the driver's front seat. The contact safely removed his occupant, who was his autistic child, seated in the front passenger seat. The vehicle was engulfed in flames. The fire department was called, and the fire was extinguished. The contact and his children did not sustain any…

   NHTSA complaint #11716859 · source
3. Filed Nov 30, 2025CAAirbagsElectrical SystemAcceleration & Cruise Control

   We were sitting in a parking lot with the engine running and heard an explosion in the vehicle. Later we discovered that the left rear, side curtain air bag had deployed. Horn has been inoperable for months cruise control hasn't worked in years steering wheel radio controls don't work. No appointment reason for any of it. Pass air bag off warning light red Air bag light is usually on but not always.

   NHTSA complaint #11702074 · source
4. Filed Nov 19, 2025MIBrakesElectrical SystemEngine

   Was Delivered. Took for a test drive. Stalled at stop sign. Restarted went down the road stalled and slammed into park. Contacted company was told to take to local GMC/Chevy, (said they did a bunch of research and this part should work) basically guessing had my vehicle for 9 months replaced some sensor. Had my boyfriend Drove to red light, not even half a block, stall (stable track sensor) but lost all electric but v8 still ran took to another ( had towed) to another local…

   NHTSA complaint #11700456 · source
5. Filed Sep 27, 2025MIElectrical SystemEngine

   I had bought the 08 Tahoe hybrid. The day it was delivered, it stalled I called the dealership out of Minnesota and was told oh it could be this it could be that went to two local shops and a private shop all had different specifications as to what was wrong with the car due to so many codes being thrown out. You would try to take off from a stop sign or a red light car would completely lose all power, almost had multiple people slam into me because it always happened,…

   NHTSA complaint #11690098 · source
6. Filed Nov 9, 2024AZWheels & Tires

   Cooper Discoverer All-Terrain LT265/70R17 123S All-Terrain Tire. Just purchased from Walmart Oct 31, 2024. This is the email I sent to Walmart Claims Service, Inc. First of all, the tires were installed in the wrong manner. The Tire Pressure Sensor Monitor (TPMS) was installed on all four tires. I was fraudulently told that the car battery was bad and that the TPMS were unable to be reset. My auto battery was only purchased 3 months ago and the best battery that can be…

   NHTSA complaint #11624372 · source
7. Filed Jun 2, 2024KYBody & StructureElectrical SystemSteering

   a few thing is on my car I have got new battery, right hub Barrier and to get left repaired! Light on in care say contraction something has to do by power steering

   NHTSA complaint #11591989 · source
8. Filed May 10, 2024IDBrakes

   Vehicle was fine until the front calipers, pads, rotors were replaced. Then randomly started loosing braking power. brakes are fine , new. Randomly when using brakes brakes will work , then loose pressure. No stopping power, petal goes to the floor and all the warning li come 9n. Have to reset code to get brakes again. Then at random they quit working again Code c12fe abs pressure pump loss

   NHTSA complaint #11588152 · source

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Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation public data, as of Oct 11, 2026. Complaints are submitted by owners and are not verified by NHTSA or by us; a complaint does not prove a defect exists. View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov Methodology