2008 GMC Sierra 1500: common problems

Owners of the 2008 GMC Sierra 1500 filed 381 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 381
involving a crash: 12

What fails most often

1 Air bags 64% of all complaints
2 Electrical system 8% of all complaints
3 Structure 7% of all complaints
4 Latches, locks, linkages 6% of all complaints
5 Engine 5% of all complaints
6 Seat belts 3% of all complaints
7 Service brakes 3% of all complaints
8 Tires 2% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Air bags: 243 complaints (64% of all), 9 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Electrical system: 31 complaints (8% of all).
Structure: 25 complaints (7% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Latches, locks, linkages: 23 complaints (6% of all).
Engine: 19 complaints (5% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 381 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

warning lights, check engine28 · 7%
door locks, latches, handles26 · 7%
airbag warning light20 · 5%
seat belts15 · 4%
smoke, burning smell, fire12 · 3%
rust, corrosion9 · 2%
airbags did not deploy7 · 2%
vibration6 · 2%
A/C or heater5 · 1%
knocking, grinding or other noise5 · 1%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Air bags	243	9
Electrical system	31	0
Structure	25	1
Latches, locks, linkages	23	0
Engine	19	0
Seat belts	13	0
Service brakes	10	1
Tires	7	0
Powertrain	6	1
Fuel system	3	0
Suspension	3	0
Vehicle speed control	3	0
Visibility	3	0
Equipment	2	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

Vehicle's airbags did not deploy upon collision with two concrete walls, causing a life threatening tbi and also severe damage to the left arm which resulted in it's inability to control/use below the elbow, and especially the hand.
Air bags · crash · 2020-12-23 · NHTSA complaint #11384655
I was in an accident and hit a fence and then a power pole. The impact pushed the power pole about a foot and my engine was pushed into the interior. The airbag did not deploy. At this impact should the airbag have deployed?
Air bags · crash · 2017-12-16 · NHTSA complaint #11055044
The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The driver sustained an concussion and injuries to the neck, left shoulder, and back. Medical attention was required. The local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was notified and stated that the area for the air bags to deploy was not contacted.
Air bags · crash · 2017-12-14 · NHTSA complaint #11054785
Tl contact owns a 2008 gmc sierra 1500. After the contact parked and exited the vehicle, it began to roll forward in his garage. The vehicle crashed into the garage door and the contact sustained injuries. He took the vehicle to the dealer and they could not find any failures.
Powertrain · crash · 2008-03-13 · NHTSA complaint #10221007
While driving a brand new 2008 gmc sierra, 4 door, 4 wheel drive with only 872 miles on the odometer, going approximately 30 to 40 mph, the steering knuckle holding the tie rod broke on drivers front side. The driver impacted a pull camper trailer exploding the tire upon impact with the camper.
Steering · crash · 2008-03-13 · NHTSA complaint #10221026
The traction control warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the engine variable displacement lifter pins had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 157,000.
Engine · 2026-08-27 · NHTSA complaint #11759983
The contact stated that while driving 5 MPH with her husband and grandson inside the vehicle and entering the driveway at the residence, there was an abnormally loud explosion coming from inside the vehicle and the driverâs side seat belt tightened unexpectedly. The contact was able to park the vehicle.
Seat belts · 2026-08-17 · NHTSA complaint #11757393
My seatbelts went tight...hazard lights automatically came on...radio went dead...and the Airbag light came on. The pretensioners in both driver and passenger seats had deployed. I pulled over and shut the truck off, to get out and inspect it.
Seat belts · 2026-03-23 · NHTSA complaint #11726399

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

200812
20096
20107
201111
20126
201310
201414
20159
201653
201790
201860
201931
202031
202117
20223
20236
20244
20257
20264

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 1,034 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 3% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Sierra 1500 has 266 complaints (34 years in the data). This year has 381, above average.

What to check before buying

Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Latches, locks, linkages. Door, hood and tailgate latches, especially near the impact.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2008 GMC Sierra 1500?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, electrical system, structure. Total complaints: 381. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (7%), door locks, latches, handles (7%), airbag warning light (5%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2008 GMC Sierra 1500?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 2008 GMC Sierra 1500 from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 2008 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.