U.S. public vehicle records

2008 Chevrolet UPLANDER problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

118 owner complaints analyzed

1 distinct recall campaigns

64,500 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2008 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 103 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 25 of 118 complaints (21.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	39	33.1%
Electrical and battery issues	17	14.4%
Steering behavior	10	8.5%
Transmission and shifting	9	7.6%
Fuel system concerns	5	4.2%
Engine operation	4	3.4%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Electrical System

Electronic Stability Control (Esc)

Service Brakes

Power Train

Structure:Body

Structure:Body:Door

Suspension

Air Bags

Electrical System: 25; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 20; Service Brakes: 13; Power Train: 11; Structure:Body: 10; Structure:Body:Door: 9; Suspension: 9; Air Bags: 8

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 13; 25,000 to 49,999: 23; 50,000 to 74,999: 23; 75,000 to 99,999: 15; 100,000 to 149,999: 21; 150,000 and above: 8

25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (23). 15 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2023

2008: 3; 2009: 5; 2010: 16; 2011: 11; 2012: 10; 2013: 12; 2014: 27; 2015: 14; 2016: 5; 2017: 4; 2018: 3; 2019: 1; 2020: 3; 2021: 3; 2023: 1

Pattern summary

Electrical System leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 39 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 17 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 10 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10228515 · 2008-05-22 (May 22, 2008)

2008 CHEVROLET UPLANDER WITH TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. CONSUMER STATES WHEN HE WENT DOWN A SLIGHT DOWN HILL GRADE, HE WENT DOWN THE GRADE ON AN ANGLE. THE RIGHT WHEEL CONTACTED THE ROAD BEFORE THE LEFT WHEEL. *KB AS THE CONSUMER STARTED TO ACCELERATE, HE HEARD THE STABILITY CONTROL ACTIVATE. THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY PITCHED FORWARD 3 OR 4 TIMES. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED EITHER THE TRANSMISSION WAS LOCKING UP OR THE FRONT BRAKES WERE LOCKING ON. THE CONSUMER REGAINED CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND STARTED TO GO FORWARD. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10228515 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10236347 · 2008-07-30 (July 30, 2008)

RENTAL VEHICLE. "SERVICE STABILITY SYSTEM" WARNING CAME ON. DIDN'T THINK TOO MUCH OF IT. WE WERE ABOUT 2 HOURS AWAY FROM CLOSEST RENTAL FACILITY SO WE CONTINUED TO DRIVE - NOT GOING TOO FAST. VAN HAS LESS THAN 4,000 MILES ON IT. ALL OF A SUDDEN... JUST DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD NOT TOUCHING THE BRAKES AT ALL.... GOING ABOUT 30MPH.... THE BRAKES CAME ON. WE WEREN'T SURE IF IT WAS BRAKES ON ALL 4 WHEELS OR JUST CERTAIN ONES. WE SCREECHED - NOT US, THE TIRES, THEN IT RELEASED AND THE WARNING CAME BACK ON. THE WARNING DID GO AWAY EVERYTIME…

Owner-reported narrative. 3,765 miles reported. Look up ODI 10236347 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10297839 · 2010-01-02 (January 2, 2010)

I OWN A 2008 CHEVROLET UPLANDER WHICH DISPLAYS A "SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT" WHEN DRIVING IN RAIN OR SNOW, ON TRIPS MORE THAN AN HOUR IN LENGTH. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED ON MORE THAN TWELVE OCCASIONS, AND HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THREE DEALERS UNDER WARRANTY FOR REPAIR. DIAGNOSES INCLUDE WRONG GAS CAP, WIRING HARNESS SHORT CIRCUIT, MAF FAILURE, FUEL INJECTOR FOULING, AIR FILTER BLOCKAGE, ETC. NONE OF THESE DIAGNOSES HAVE PROVEN CORRECT, AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. THE LAST DEALER I TOOK IT TO TOLD ME THE PROBLEM ISN'T SERIOUS, "THE ENGINE LIGHT JUST MEA…

Owner-reported narrative. 27,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10297839 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10304440 · 2010-02-03 (February 3, 2010)

THIRD BRAKE LIGHT LENS BROKEN AT ATTACHING POINTS. WATER LEAKING IN ON WIRING. NOTICED CRACKS ON MOST ALL UPLANDERS I HAVE LOOKED AT IN PARKING LOTS AND SHOPPING CENTERS. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 32,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10304440 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10306171 · 2010-02-04 (February 4, 2010)

I HAVE A 2008 CHEVROLET UPLANDER LS MINIVAN. WHEN DRIVING IN WET WEATHER WHEN I HAVE TO DRIVE THROUGH STANDING WATER, SUCH AS IN AN INTERSECTION, I LOOSE ALL POWER. ESPECIALLY THE POWER STEERING. I ALSO GET A "CHARGING SYSTEM FAILURE" ALERT ON MY DASHBOARD. IN A FEW MOMENTS THE POWER WILL RETURN. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME I DRIVE THROUGH ANY STANDING WATER. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE INTO THE CHEVROLET DEALER AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THEY CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG, DEFECTIVE OR OUT OF PLACE. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 48,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10306171 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10393948 · 2011-04-01 (April 1, 2011)

THERE IS A NOISE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AS YOU TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. I HAVE 2008 UPLANDER AND MY DAUGHTER HAS A 2007 UPLANDER AND BOTH VEHICLES ARE MAKING THE SAME NOISE. CHEVROLET REPAIR SHOP SAYS COST OF REPLACE THE STEERING RACK WILL BE $750. MY VEHICLE ONLY HAS 49,000 MILES ON IT. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 49,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10393948 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10536238 · 2013-08-20 (August 20, 2013)

MY TRANSMISSION IS STARTING TO STUTTER AT HIGH SPEEDS I WAS TOLD BY TWO DIFFERENT MECHANICS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR IT! THAT CHEVY KNOWS ABOUT IT AND SHOULD FIX THE PROBLEM AS A RECALL! I OWE WAY TOO MUCH ON THE VAN TO PUT 3000 DOLLARS INTO A TRANSMISSION OVERHAUL BECAUSE OF A PROBLEM THAT THEY KNEW ABOUT A WHILE AGO BUT DID NOT RECALL IT! *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 100,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10536238 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10341029 · 2010-07-01 (July 1, 2010)

RIGHT BACK PASSENGER DOOR WOULDN'T CLOSE PROPERLY 3 DAYS AFTER PURCHASE; TOOK IT IN FOR ADJUSTMENT. 2 YEARS LATER, DURING WHICH MY BABY WAS SITTING NEXT TO THAT DOOR, THE LATCH FAILED AND THE DOOR WAS INOPERABLE. LATCH WAS SUPPOSEDLY FIXED. FUEL/OXYGEN INJECTOR FAILURE 3 TIMES; WAITING ON A PART. TAKEN IN FOR SQUEALING BRAKES 3 TIMES; WAS TOLD THE BRAKE PADS WERE ON RECALL. 2 YEARS LATER, I'M STILL WAITING ON THE BRAKE PADS. ANTI-LOCK BRAKE TROUBLE TWICE, STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM FAILURE TWICE, SENSOR MALFUNCTIONS ON A REGULAR BASIS, CHECK…

Owner-reported narrative. 26,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10341029 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10349006 · 2010-08-12 (August 12, 2010)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET UPLANDER. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH DOWN A HILL THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WAS ABLE TO COAST ONTO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHILE APPLYING EXTREME PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES. THE CONTACT WAS THEN ABLE TO TURN THE VEHICLE BACK ON AND IT BEGAN TO FUNCTION NORMALLY. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17800. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 17898.

Owner-reported narrative. 17,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10349006 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10383278 · 2011-02-18 (February 18, 2011)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET UPLANDER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AND THE RECHARGE SYSTEM FAILURE INDICATOR LIGHT AND THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON AND WITHIN A FEW SECONDS THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE BATTERY WAS RECHARGED AND THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE ALTERNATOR HAD FAILED. THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED; HOWEVER, AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE RECHARGE SYSTEM FAILURE LIGHT CAME BACK ON AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 27,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 27,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10383278 at NHTSA ↗