Owners have filed 11 complaints
about the 2008 Chevrolet Suburban 2500 with NHTSA between 2009 and 2019.
The largest single group is the airbags.
Across this model's run it ranks 4 of 8 worst.
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew
an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous
ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 26
Against the median year of the Chevrolet Suburban 2500. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 0
0% of these complaints
involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of
9.7%.
Early failure — 100
67% of failures with a mileage on record happened under
36,000 miles, against a national rate of
29%.
How 2008 compares with every other Chevrolet Suburban 2500
Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 2008 Chevrolet Suburban 2500
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Airbags
436.4%
Median failure at 14,000 miles
Other & Unspecified
218.2%
Median failure at 10,400 miles
Body & Structure
218.2%
Median failure at 37,000 miles
Tires
19.1%
Median failure at 95,000 miles
Fuel & Propulsion
19.1%
Median failure at 9,700 miles
Electrical System
19.1%
When it fails
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all
complaints include one.
1,000 – 9,999 miles
333.3%
10,000 – 24,999 miles
333.3%
50,000 – 74,999 miles
222.2%
75,000 – 99,999 miles
111.1%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Jan 2009peak 3Jan 2019
NHTSA investigations into the 2008 Chevrolet Suburban 2500
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough
complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks
something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
EA08010Opened 12 Jun 2008Closed 8 Sep 2008ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
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 4 Feb 2008Closed 12 Jun 2008ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES
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...
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Darien, GA
AIR BAGS
"TAKATA RECALL" WE RECEIVED A NOTICE OF THIS RECALL JULY 2016 AND STILL NO OFFER FROM ANY DEALER TO FIX THIS RECALLED PART. HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE? WE HAVE NOT HAD AN INJURY YET THANK GOD, BUT WHY SHOULD IT TAKE SO LONG?
NHTSA complaint #11164852 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 6,800 milesWest Chester, PA
AIR BAGS
THE DASH CRACKED AT THE CORNER OF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG AND AT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. THE AIR BAG CRACK JUST APPEARED ONE DAY AND THEN A FEW MONTHS LATER THE OTHER CRACK APPEARED. WITH TALKING TO ANOTHER 2008 SUBURBAN OWNER, HE INFORMED ME THAT HIS ALSO DID THE SAME THING IN THE SAME SPOTS.
NHTSA complaint #11035127 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 6,800 milesWest Chester, PA
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
THE DASH CRACKED AT THE CORNER OF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG AND AT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. THE AIR BAG CRACK JUST APPEARED ONE DAY AND THEN A FEW MONTHS LATER THE OTHER CRACK APPEARED. WITH TALKING TO ANOTHER 2008 SUBURBAN OWNER, HE INFORMED ME THAT HIS ALSO DID THE SAME THING IN THE SAME SPOTS.
NHTSA complaint #11035127 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 95,000 milesMarana, AZ
TIRES
DRIVING RURAL ROAD @55 MPH. LEFT REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. NO CONTACT WITH ROAD DEBRIS OR POTHOLES PREVIOUS. TPMS INDICATED 73 PSI IN UNLOADED VEHICLE. LOSS OF CONTROL WAS PROBABLE HAD THIS OCCURRED ON A CURVE OR WITH TRAFFIC OR RAIN. 3 OF 4 TIRES HAVE FAILED DUE BUBBLES. THIS IS A DEFECT IN MANUFACTURE NOBODIES LUCK IS THAT BAD.
NHTSA complaint #10995687 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 14,000 milesStaten Island, NY
AIR BAGS
DASHBOARD MADE A POPPING SOUND WHILE I WAS SITTING PARKED IN THE RUNNING VEHICLE. SMALL CRACK APPEARED JUST ABOVE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT TWO YEARS, THIS CRACK GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. AN ADDITIONAL CRACK HAS APPEARED IN THE FORWARD CORNER AROUND THE AIRBAG TOWARDS THE DRIVERS SIDE. BOTH OF THESE CRACKS ARE LARGE AND GETTING LARGER. THEY ARE IN THE SAME PLACE THAT THOUSANDS OF OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED CRACKS IN THESE VEHICLES. IT IS WOULD BE COME A HAZARD IN AN ACCIDENT AS THE DASH WOULD MOST CERTAINLY CRACK FURTHER SENDING SHARDS OF PLASTIC THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #10744598 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 14,000 milesStaten Island, NY
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
DASHBOARD MADE A POPPING SOUND WHILE I WAS SITTING PARKED IN THE RUNNING VEHICLE. SMALL CRACK APPEARED JUST ABOVE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT TWO YEARS, THIS CRACK GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. AN ADDITIONAL CRACK HAS APPEARED IN THE FORWARD CORNER AROUND THE AIRBAG TOWARDS THE DRIVERS SIDE. BOTH OF THESE CRACKS ARE LARGE AND GETTING LARGER. THEY ARE IN THE SAME PLACE THAT THOUSANDS OF OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED CRACKS IN THESE VEHICLES. IT IS WOULD BE COME A HAZARD IN AN ACCIDENT AS THE DASH WOULD MOST CERTAINLY CRACK FURTHER SENDING SHARDS OF PLASTIC THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #10744598 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 14,000 milesStaten Island, NY
STRUCTURE:BODY
DASHBOARD MADE A POPPING SOUND WHILE I WAS SITTING PARKED IN THE RUNNING VEHICLE. SMALL CRACK APPEARED JUST ABOVE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT TWO YEARS, THIS CRACK GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. AN ADDITIONAL CRACK HAS APPEARED IN THE FORWARD CORNER AROUND THE AIRBAG TOWARDS THE DRIVERS SIDE. BOTH OF THESE CRACKS ARE LARGE AND GETTING LARGER. THEY ARE IN THE SAME PLACE THAT THOUSANDS OF OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED CRACKS IN THESE VEHICLES. IT IS WOULD BE COME A HAZARD IN AN ACCIDENT AS THE DASH WOULD MOST CERTAINLY CRACK FURTHER SENDING SHARDS OF PLASTIC THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #10744598 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 60,000 milesStaten Island, NY
AIR BAGS
DASH BOARD CRACKED WHILE VEHICLE WAS NOT BEING DRIVEN.
NHTSA complaint #10676716 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 60,000 milesStaten Island, NY
STRUCTURE:BODY
DASH BOARD CRACKED WHILE VEHICLE WAS NOT BEING DRIVEN.
NHTSA complaint #10676716 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vail, CO
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. THE CONTACT STATED SHE RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: INSERT RECALL NUMBER (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, COMPONENT ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) PERTAINING TO THE HEATED WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID FEATURE. THE CONTACT STATED SHE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE WITH THE INTENT IN BEING ABLE TO UTILIZE THE FEATURE BUT THE RECALL ADVISED HAVING THE MECHANISM DISENGAGED TO PREVENT A POSSIBLE FIRE FROM OCCURRING IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT DID NOT BELIEVE THE $100 REIMBURSEMENT OFFERED IN THE RECALL WAS A SUFFICIENT REIMBURSEMENT. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE REIMBURSEMENT AMOUNT WAS AN AVERAGE FROM ALL CLAIMS OF THE FAILURE. THERE WERE NO FAILURES. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 28,000.
NHTSA complaint #10343016 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 9,700 milesBlock Island, RI 02807, RI
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
IN MARCH OF 2008 THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN WHILE TRAVELING 70 MPH WHILE TOWING A BOAT FROM THE FLORIDA KEYS EN ROUTE TO RHODE ISLAND. THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED. IN DECEMBER OF 2008 WHILE DRIVING BACK DOWN TO THE KEYS TOWING A BOAT, THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN AGAIN AT A SPEED OF 70 MPH. THE VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 10,000 MILES ON IT. THE SECOND FUEL PUMP LASTED LESS THAN 4,000 MILES. THIS VEHICLE HAS PUT OUR FAMILY AND OTHER MOTORISTS AT SEVERE RISK. THE LAST EVENT OCCURRED IN A CONSTRUCTION ZONE IN A HEAVILY CONGESTED AREA WITH NO BREAK DOWN LANE. THE VEHICLE AND BOAT WERE BLOCKING A MAJOR HIGHWAY EXIT. OUR FAMILY (INCLUDING A NEWBORN) HAD TO IMMEDIATELY VACATE THE VEHICLE AND CLIMB OVER A JERSEY BARRIER TO GET TO A SAFER LOCATION. THIS VEHICLE HAS PROVEN TO BE UNPREDICTABLE AND DANGEROUS. AT THIS TIME THE VEHICLE IS IN A FLORIDA DEALERSHIP AWAITING REPAIR AND WE LIVE IN RHODE ISLAND.
NHTSA complaint #10253430 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.