The Lemon Index2008 Chevrolet Suburban.
The 2008 Chevrolet Suburban is better than average by owner complaints: 43 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 72, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about doors, locks & latches, it has 4 recalls, and it gets 14 to 16 mpg combined. The best Chevrolet Suburban year is 2014.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 321 owner complaints, owners reported:
Older model year: fewer owners filed complaints back then, so treat the score as rough.
Every Chevrolet Suburban year. 2008 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 47K to 119K miles on the car (184 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- airbags complaints mostly came at 62K–128K miles
- body structure complaints mostly came at 47K–100K miles
- electrical complaints mostly came at 42K–115K miles
Recalls 4
- airbags 2021
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
- airbags 2021
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
- electrical 2010
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 AVALAN…
Show all 4 recalls
- electrical 2008
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 X…
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems Chevy told dealers about
Chevy sent dealers 1315 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- Loss of high speed gmlan communications, intermittent no crank, ipc gauge fluctuation,…
- 4l60-e/4l65-e/4l70-e automatic transmission fluid leak from oil pump or bell housing area…
- No start, no crank, intermittent electrical operations (check for poor connections within…
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Government investigations
- OpenDesiccated air bag inflator rupture2021
- ClosedNon-crash engine compartment fires2008
- ClosedNon-crash engine compartment fires2008
NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.
Safety
Crash stars (older test): front ★★★★★ · side ★★★★★ · rollover ★★★☆☆
Fuel cost and engines
About $4000–4600 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 5.3L 8-cyl, 6.0L 8-cyl.
In owners' words
Inside door handle chrome is peeling and has cut our hands on several occasions.
2008 Chevrolet Suburban owner · NHTSA complaint 10438454
More owner reports
Passenger side door lock stopped working on 08 Suburban. Dealer replaced lock.
NHTSA complaint 10336295
Driverside driver and passenger automatic door locks inoperable.
NHTSA complaint 10369173
Quick answers
Is the 2008 Chevrolet Suburban reliable?
Yes, better than average by government complaints. It drew 1.4× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 72; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Chevrolet Suburban year by this measure is 2014.
What are the most common 2008 Chevrolet Suburban problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are doors, locks & latches (53%), body structure (21%) and electrical (21%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2008 Chevrolet Suburban have?
4 safety recalls (latest: airbags). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2008 Chevrolet Suburban get?
14 to 16 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
At what mileage do 2008 Chevrolet Suburban problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 47,600 and 119,800 miles. The middle report was at 79,000 miles, from 184 complaints.
Does the 2008 Chevrolet Suburban have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues aren't among its top 5 complaint areas.
How much does the 2008 Chevrolet Suburban cost in fuel a year?
About $4000 to $4600 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2008 Chevrolet Suburban have?
5.3L 8-cyl, 6.0L 8-cyl.
What Chevrolet Suburban year is better than the 2008?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2014, 2010 and 2020.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works