"How reliable is the 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500?"

"Based on 1090 NHTSA complaints, the 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 has a median complaint mileage of 70000 miles. The most common issue is Air Bags."

"What are common problems with the 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500?"

"The most frequently reported component in NHTSA complaints for the 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is Air Bags, accounting for a significant portion of the 1090 total complaints filed."

2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 1090 complaints

1090

Total Complaints

70,000mi

Median Mileage

Air Bags

Top Issue

Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

37,000 25th Percentile

70,000 Median Mileage

110,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

Air Bags

587

Electrical System

Unknown Or Other

Body

Engine

Latches/Locks/Linkages

Power Train

Fuel/Propulsion System

Suspension

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

Severity Assessment

Crashes

Fires

Injuries

Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"UPON BRAKING HARD TO AVOID HITTING VEHICLES BRAKING ABRUPTLY IN FRONT OF ME, ALL FOUR WHEELS OF MY VEHICLE LOCKED UP AND JUST SLID ON DRY PAVEMENT. ANTI-LOCK BRAKES DIDN'T WORK AS DESIGNED. THERE WAS NO PEDAL PULSATION OR RATCHETING NOISE AS USUAL WITH ANTI-LOCK BRAKES WORKING PROPERLY. SHOULD HAV..."

"I PURCHASED A NEW CHEVY SILVERADO EXT. CAB 4X4 LTZ AND DROVE APPROXIMATELY 30 MILES FROM THE DEALERSHIP. AFTER TRAVELING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I PROCEEDED APPROXIMATELY ANOTHER 50 YARDS IN AN EFFORT TO FIND A SAFE PLACE TO PULL OVER TO INVESTIG..."

"TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE CONTACT FELL ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL AND CRASHED INTO A TELEPHONE POLE. THE FRONT AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH ON STAR; HOWEVER, IF THE AIR BAGS DO NOT DEPLOY DURING A CRASH, ON STAR IS UNABLE TO..."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

When Were Complaints Filed?

Number of complaints by the year the issue occurred.

When Does Each Component Fail?

Median mileage at complaint for top components.

Air Bags 587 complaints

25th: 50,500 mi Median: 83,000 mi 75th: 120,000 mi

Electrical System 87 complaints

25th: 34,625 mi Median: 68,405 mi 75th: 109,250 mi

Unknown Or Other 86 complaints

25th: 43,500 mi Median: 67,500 mi 75th: 98,250 mi

Body 45 complaints

25th: 55,000 mi Median: 90,000 mi 75th: 101,000 mi

Engine 44 complaints

25th: 74,000 mi Median: 115,000 mi 75th: 146,663 mi

Where Are Complaints Coming From?

Top states by complaint count.

TX: 155 CA: 87 FL: 71 NY: 42 PA: 41 IL: 40 AL: 38 MI: 36 GA: 35 IN: 34

Who Files Complaints?

3.1%

Original Owners

96.9%

Second+ Owners

Chevrolet Silverado 1500 — Other Years

See how this model compares across different model years.

Year	Complaints	Median Mileage	Top Issue	Crashes
1997	693	90,000	Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip	31
1998	452	73,575	Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip	17
1999	711	109,200	Service Brakes	51
2000	731	102,000	Service Brakes	87
2001	627	87,000	Service Brakes	84
2002	620	90,000	Service Brakes	60
2003	958	82,000	Service Brakes	33
2004	951	70,000	Service Brakes	47
2005	642	64,000	Electrical System	27
2006	462	60,000	Service Brakes	23
2007	1049	70,000	Air Bags	31
2009	553	70,000	Air Bags	10
2010	449	67,000	Air Bags	10
2011	695	72,000	Air Bags	32
2012	273	74,433	Unknown Or Other	8
2013	385	62,186	Unknown Or Other	12
2014	2184	62,826	Steering	105
2015	1390	52,000	Service Brakes	82
2016	1025	45,000	Service Brakes	62
2017	928	41,555	Power Train	50
2018	715	35,090	Power Train	16
2019	1436	11,232	Engine	46
2020	934	12,500	Engine	20
2021	924	47,000	Engine	27
2022	696	32,000	Engine	14
2023	430	25,500	Engine	16
2024	317	7,500	Engine	10
2025	98	2,650	Engine	2
2026	28	-	Engine	0

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28