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Chevrolet ExpressModel year report

2008 Chevrolet Express Problems

Complaints
14filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
42,475miles, 12 complaints with mileage
Recalls
10campaigns on record
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
14 mpgcombined, 5.3L 8-cyl RWD · 12 city / 16 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2008 Chevrolet Express (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 14 consumer complaints for the 2008 Chevrolet Express. The part named most often is brakes, with 3 complaints (21% of the total), followed by transmission and drivetrain (3) and air bags (2). 12 of the complaints include a mileage, and 58% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 42,475 miles. NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns and 1,068 technical service bulletins for this model year. Brakes complaints overlap with 29 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Transmission and drivetrain complaints overlap with 2 recall campaigns and 72 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Vehicle speed control (1).

Example complaints

Brakes: “When I was driving in my local area,my brakes started to give out.in order to stop I needed to press very hard on the brakes to stop. Not easy to do.the warning brake indicator light came on.I took it to a local auto repair shop.they said they could not fix it.the brake line was the issue.they filled it with brake fluid then I was able too drive it to the dealer who then repaired the line ,for 600 dollars. My question is were there other complaints about this issue.?if my kids were driving this it might have been a different story.thank goodness no one was hurt. …”

NHTSA complaint #10712348, filed 2015-04, 103,880 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “While merging on the expressway the transmission failed to shift out of first or second gear causing high engine RPM's . I had to shift into neutral and back into drive several times but it still failed to shift into any gear. I had to put on flashers ( heavy traffic ) and make my way to the emergency lane. When I came to a complete stop and shifted back into drive it shifted correctly. I have had this problem for several months to present date. I took the van to the dealership who said they could not replicate the problem and their were no code reports so they could not fix the issue. …”

NHTSA complaint #10459776, filed 2012-05, 35,000 miles

Air bags: “While driving down the road at approximately 50 MPH all warning lights on the dash lit up, the speedometer ceased to function, the radio cut out, the airbags were reporting as nonfunctional, the ABS system was reporting nonfunctional. Took vehicle to local mechanic who said the problem appeared to be caused by corrosion on the ABS sensor as well as corrosion on the power distribution cables into the fuse box. According to the mechanic GM was aware of the problem, as technical bulletins dating back to around 2005 were issued. …”

NHTSA complaint #10577161, filed 2014-04, 73,000 miles

Electrical system: “The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Express. The contact was driving 45 MPH when the exterior and interior lights failed to illuminate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer seven times. The dealer stated that the wiring harness needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 12,000 and the current mileage was 47,115.”

NHTSA complaint #10467651, filed 2012-07, 12,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

58% of the 12 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 36,000 and 60,000 miles.

8%0–108%10–2542%25–5025%50–750%75–10017%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (12 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 42,475 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Fewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

20103201120122014320152016201720192023
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2008 Chevrolet Express version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Express 1500/2500 2WD5.3L 8-cyl4-speed automatic121614$4,800
Express 1500/2500 2WD5.3L 8-cyl · flex-fuel4-speed automatic121614$4,800

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

See all 10 recalls for the 2008 Chevrolet Express → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 1,068 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 1,068 bulletins →

Other model years of the Chevrolet Express

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20211311,5002———Not enough data
20201762,3761———Rising
201985,3924———Not enough data
2018119,9426———Not enough data
20172118,0006—13—Rising
20161521,2536—13—Stable
2015824,0003—13—Not enough data
20141430,9507—13—Not enough data
20132219,6628—14—Falling
20121338,5006—13—Not enough data
20111294,0365—12—Not enough data
20101547,8505———Falling
20091051,0007———Not enough data
20081442,47510—14—Not enough data
20071865,0004—15—Falling
20061262,52916—15—Not enough data
20052385,9348—15—Falling
20042187,0006—15—Falling
20035946,82410—15Not compared (before 2008)Stable
20025633,0000—14Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20014545,0002—14Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20008455,8751—14Not compared (before 2008)Falling
19996868,6121—14Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19982361,1251—14—Stable
19972982,0001—14Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19961558,5002—14—Stable

All Chevrolet Express model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2008 Chevrolet Express have?

NHTSA recorded 14 consumer complaints for the 2008 Chevrolet Express as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2008 Chevrolet Express is reported most often?

Brakes is named most often, in 3 complaints (21% of the total), followed by transmission and drivetrain with 3.

Has the 2008 Chevrolet Express been recalled?

NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2008 Chevrolet Express get?

The EPA rates the 2008 Chevrolet Express (Express 1500/2500 2WD, 5.3L 8-cyl) at 14 mpg combined, 12 city and 16 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,800 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2008 Chevrolet Express reported?

Among the 12 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 42,475 miles and the middle half falls between 36,000 and 60,000 miles; 58% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.