2008 Chevrolet Avalanche problems
Owners have filed 323 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Chevrolet Avalanche. Air bags is the most reported problem area, at 41% of complaints. Next are body & structure (14%) and electrical system (7%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 323 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Air bags 41% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 7 and 4
- Injuries and deaths
- 12 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 72,000 miles 192 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 17 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 14 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 34 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 42 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 32 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 10 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 14 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 15 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 2 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 5 |
| 200k+ miles | 7 |
What the data shows
Of the 192 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 72,000 miles. For air bags specifically, the median reported mileage is about 80,000 miles (47 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 7 complaints mention a crash; 4 complaints mention a fire; 12 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2008 ranks 6th most-complained-about out of 11 model years of the Chevrolet Avalanche with enough data (76 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 4 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Coming home from lacrosse practice with my two sons, we hit a 900 lb cow running across the main road at night. Crushed front end all the way to windshield, very violent blow. We traveling approx. 45 MPH at night on a dark road. I received neck, back injuries, vision problems along with soreness in my spine and back. My first son in the front his head hit the dashboard while he was holding his head with his hands. He then was snapped back violently at his head on the back of the seat.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet avalanche. The contact stated that while accelerating from a complete stop, the driver and passenger air bags failed to deploy after another vehicle crashed into the contact's passenger front and rear side. The contact sustained bruised ribs, spine, and head injuries. The passenger sustained left and right arm injuries. The vehicle was destroyed and a police report was filed. The manufacturer was notified. The approximate failure mileage was 42,000.
I was completely stopped behind another vehicle, when a toyota tacoma pickup hit the rear of the avalanche, knocking it into an f250 crew cab 4 wheel drive pickup, the front end was severely damaged and the rear was severely damaged causing it to be totaled.
The check engine light came on due to fault code p0499 which is a faulty emissions evap vent solenoid due to engineering design flaws.
The 5.3 vortec engine lifters collapse took to dealer fixed for 1000.00 dollars drove 30 miles home from dealership started ticking again dealer ship fixed it said it was another side lifter that went easter weekend no vehicle now again here 1 year later another ticking well maintained oil changes every 3 to 4ooo miles synthetic oil when is chevy going to exept responsiabilty for bad engines class act suit 50 years old chevy my whole life might have to look someplace else.