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2008 Chevrolet Aveo

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2008 Chevrolet Aveo do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 169.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

133 reports with mileage · 30 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Air Bags. Review the 70 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 44 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 30 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

17 crash reports16 fire reports14 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

44 reports
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50,000 miles · Oct 14, 2014
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

IT STARTED OUT AS A DIM HEADLIGHT ON MY 08 CHEVY AVEO, SO I WENT AND BOUGHT A NEW HEADLIGHT FOR IT THINKING THAT IS WAS BURNT OUT OR GETTING CLOSE TO IT. AT TIMES THE DIMMED LIGHT WAS STUCK ON HIGHBEAM AND THEN THE HIGHBEAM WOULD STAY ON, OTHER TIMES IT JUST LOOKED DIMMER/BURNT OUT FROM THE OTHER ONE. I TOOK THE THREE BOLTS OFF…

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IT STARTED OUT AS A DIM HEADLIGHT ON MY 08 CHEVY AVEO, SO I WENT AND BOUGHT A NEW HEADLIGHT FOR IT THINKING THAT IS WAS BURNT OUT OR GETTING CLOSE TO IT. AT TIMES THE DIMMED LIGHT WAS STUCK ON HIGHBEAM AND THEN THE HIGHBEAM WOULD STAY ON, OTHER TIMES IT JUST LOOKED DIMMER/BURNT OUT FROM THE OTHER ONE. I TOOK THE THREE BOLTS OFF OF THE LEFT HEADLAMP AND DISCONNECTED THE POWER PLUG, I FOUND OUT THAT THE CONNECTOR THAT PLUGS INTO THE LIGHT BULB WAS MELTED/BURNT LOOKING. IT ALSO HAD A STRONG ODOR OR WHAT TO ME SMELLED LIKE BURNT RUBBER. I HAD DECIDED TO TAKE THE MELTED BULB OUT AND DISCARD IT. THE NEW ONE I DID NOT PUT IN, BECAUSE I DID NOT WANT IT TO HAVE THE SAME THING HAPPEN TO IT. SO FOR THE TIME BEING IT IS DISCONNECTED AND LAYING BY THE BATTERY AREA. I DID LOOK ONLINE AND MY VEHICLE IS ON A RECALL FOR SOMETHING DEALING WITH THE LIGHTING AREA. AS OF NOW OCTOBER 14TH IT IS STILL DISCONNECTED FROM THE MAIN HEADLIGHT IN FEAR OF IT MELTING AND PERHAPS CAUSING A FIRE TO THE CAR. I HAVE CONTACTED MY LOCAL CHEVY DEALER WHERE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED FROM AND NO ONE SEEMS TO HAVE ANY IDEA ABOUT IT, BUT YET ITS RECALLED AS OF MAY 2014 FROM WHAT I HAVE FOUND OUT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10644707

38,000 miles · Oct 9, 2014
Electrical System

THE IGNITION GETS EXTREMELY HOT AFTER DRIVING TO THE POINT OF MY KEY ACTUALLY BURNING ME WHEN I TAKE IT OUT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10643508

165,000 miles · Oct 6, 2014
Electrical System

THE IGNITION SWITCH GETS HOT WHEN DRIVING MORE THAN 30 MILES AND THE FAN MOTOR FOR AC AND HEAT DOES NOT TURN ON. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10641664

65,000 miles · Aug 30, 2014
Air BagsElectrical System

THE AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON AND HAS STAYED ON CONSTANTLY. ACCORDING TO THE OWNER'S MANUAL, THIS COULD INDICATE A PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAG NOT DEPLOYING WHEN IT SHOULD, OR POSSIBLY DEPLOYING WHEN NOT NEEDED. THIS SEEMS TO BE AN OCCURRING PROBLEMS ON SEVERAL MAKES AND MODELS I HAVE SEEN ON THE NEWS, ALL WITH RECALLS ISSUED,…

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THE AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON AND HAS STAYED ON CONSTANTLY. ACCORDING TO THE OWNER'S MANUAL, THIS COULD INDICATE A PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAG NOT DEPLOYING WHEN IT SHOULD, OR POSSIBLY DEPLOYING WHEN NOT NEEDED. THIS SEEMS TO BE AN OCCURRING PROBLEMS ON SEVERAL MAKES AND MODELS I HAVE SEEN ON THE NEWS, ALL WITH RECALLS ISSUED, AND YET, CHEVY AND GM HAVE NOT ISSUED A RECALL FOR THIS. SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED ABOUT THIS ISSUE. THIS IS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED ON MY VEHICLE, AS WELL AS OTHERS. WHAT WILL IT TAKE BEFORE CHEVY AND GM DECIDE TO RECALL AND FIX THIS PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAGS, AS THIS APPEARS TO BE A VERY SERIOUS, AND POTENTIALLY HARMFUL, IF NOT FATAL, POTENTIAL PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10629580

76,300 miles · Aug 24, 2014
Air BagsElectrical SystemEngine

I HAVE A 2008 AVEO THAT I PURCHASED FROM A CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP IN RUSSELLVILLE, KY. SINCE THE 2ND DAY I OWNED IT, IT HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS. AIR BAG SENSORS NOT WORKING, HAVE HAD THIS REPAIRED THREE TIMES. YESTERDAY THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. MY BIGGEST TROUBLE HAS BEEN WITH THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR. GET A P213…

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I HAVE A 2008 AVEO THAT I PURCHASED FROM A CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP IN RUSSELLVILLE, KY. SINCE THE 2ND DAY I OWNED IT, IT HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS. AIR BAG SENSORS NOT WORKING, HAVE HAD THIS REPAIRED THREE TIMES. YESTERDAY THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. MY BIGGEST TROUBLE HAS BEEN WITH THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR. GET A P2135 CODE THAT TELLS YOU TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE THROTTLE BODY. I DID THIS ($300 PART) DID NO GOOD. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR OVER 7 MONTHS IN THE 15 MONTHS I'VE OWNED THE CAR. COMPUTER HAS BEEN "FLASHED" NUMEROUS TIMES. DIDN'T WORK. GM CUSTOMER CARE ASKED ME TO TAKE THE CAR TO AND AUTHORIZED CHEVROLET REPAIR SHOP. I DID. AFTER 2 TRIPS THERE AND A TOTAL OF 6 WEEKS IN THE SHOP, THEY TELL ME THEY THINK THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE ECM ENGINE CONTROL MODULE. THIS PART HAS AN 8 YEAR, 80,000 MILE WARRANTY. I BOUGHT THE CAR WITH 76,000 MILE ON IT. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED BY THE CHEVY DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM FOR MANY THOUSANDS OF MILES PRIOR TO ME PURCHASING THE CAR. GM REFUSED TO HONOR THE WARRANTY BECAUSE THE CAR NOW HAS 82,000 MILES. THIS IS THE THING THAT GETS ME. WHEN I BOUGHT THIS CAR, THEY KNEW I WAS BUYING IT FOR A DAUGHTER IN COLLEGE. THEY KNEW THE CAR HAD THESE PROBLEMS AND SOLD IT TO ME ANYWAYS. I HAD TO PURCHASE ANOTHER CAR FOR MY DAUGHTER. I AM CURRENTLY DRIVING THE AVEO TO AND FROM WORK. THE LIGHTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY "ON" ARE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, THE AIR BAG LIGHT, AND I CAN NOT ALLOW A PASSENGER IN THE CAR BECAUSE, WHEN THEY SIT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT THAT INDICATES THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG IS NOW ENGAGED DOES NOT GO OFF. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10627849

15,000 miles · Aug 22, 2014
Electrical SystemExterior LightingFire

ON JULY 21, 2014 AT ABOUT 7:45 IN THE MORNING, MY WIFE WHO WAS GOING TO CHURCH WENT TO THE GARAGE TO USE THE AVEO. WHEN SHE OPENED THE DOOR, SHE WAS MET WITH DARK SMOKE AND SMELL OF BURNED PLASTIC. THEN SHE SAW THE MIDDLE OF THE DASHBOARD BURNED CREATING A BIG HOLE. THEN I HAD THE AVEO TOWED TO THE CHARLES CLARK CHEVROLET WHERE…

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ON JULY 21, 2014 AT ABOUT 7:45 IN THE MORNING, MY WIFE WHO WAS GOING TO CHURCH WENT TO THE GARAGE TO USE THE AVEO. WHEN SHE OPENED THE DOOR, SHE WAS MET WITH DARK SMOKE AND SMELL OF BURNED PLASTIC. THEN SHE SAW THE MIDDLE OF THE DASHBOARD BURNED CREATING A BIG HOLE. THEN I HAD THE AVEO TOWED TO THE CHARLES CLARK CHEVROLET WHERE I BOUGHT THE AVEO FOR THEM TO SEE. THEN I WENT HOME AND PASSING BY THE MAILBOX I GOT THE MAIL AND SAW AN ENVELOPE FROM GENERAL MOTORS. WHEN I OPENED THE ENVELOPE, I SAW THE LETTER OF THE RECALL OF THE AVEO DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE HEADLAMP SWITCH OR DAYTIME RUNNING LAMP WHICH GENERATE HEAT WHICH COULD MELT HEADLAMP SWITCH AND DRL MODULE CAUSING FIRE. THAT WAS WHAT HAPPENED TO THE AVEO. SO I CALLED GM AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAPPENED. THEN AFTER SEVERAL DAYS OF CALLS AND AN INSPECTION BY THEIR ENGINEERS, I WAS TOLD THAT THE DAMAGE WAS BEYOND REPAIR AND THEY WILL PAY A LITTLE OVER $4,000 BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT REPAIR THE AVEO. I TOLD THEM I DO NOT AGREE BECAUSE THE AVEO WAS IN GOOD CONDITION AT SEVEN YEARS OLD, LESS THAN 16,000 MILEAGE, THE TIRES WERE STILL THE ORIGINAL TIRES WHEN BOUGHT AND HAD NEVER BEEN BROUGHT TO A REPAIR SHOP. SO I TOLD THEM TO REPAIR THE AVEO TO ITS CONDITION BEFORE THE FIRE. I COULD NOT BELIEVE THEY CANNOT REPAIR WHEN THEY CAN CREATE A NEW CAR. THE RECALL WAS A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT AND MY WIFE WAS LUCKY SHE WAS NOT IN THE CAR WHEN THE FIRE HAPPENED. IF THE CAR WAS NOT BURNED, IT WOULD STILL BE GOOD FOR ANOTHER SEVEN YEARS. WITH GM'S PROPOSAL, MY WIFE AND I WILL INCUR A DEBT TO GET ANOTHER CAR AND WHEN SHE RETIRES AS A NURSE SUPERVISOR AT TEXAS STATE VETERANS HOME IN TWO OR THREE YEARS, WE WILL BE BURDENED WITH A LOAN PAST OUR RETIREMENT. MY WIFE IS 72 YEARS OLD NOW. WE DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED, THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 09/24/14. UPDATED 03/04/15. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10627629

85,000 miles · Aug 3, 2014
Air BagsElectrical System

MY CAR HAS BEEN HAVING NUMEROUS AIRBAG ISSUES AND ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. THE FIRST ISSUE WITH MY AIRBAGS HAPPENED LAST YEAR AROUND THIS TIME. I TOOK CAR TO CHEVY SERVICE CENTER AND THEY TOLD ME THEY HAD TO REPLACE WHOLE FRONTAL AIRBAG SENOR AND OTHER SYSTEMS. IN MAY OF THIS YEAR AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. TOOK CAR TO CHEVY SERVI…

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MY CAR HAS BEEN HAVING NUMEROUS AIRBAG ISSUES AND ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. THE FIRST ISSUE WITH MY AIRBAGS HAPPENED LAST YEAR AROUND THIS TIME. I TOOK CAR TO CHEVY SERVICE CENTER AND THEY TOLD ME THEY HAD TO REPLACE WHOLE FRONTAL AIRBAG SENOR AND OTHER SYSTEMS. IN MAY OF THIS YEAR AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. TOOK CAR TO CHEVY SERVICE CENTER AND THERE WERE NUMEROUS FAULT CODES PARTICULARLY THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG SENSOR. THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY BELIEVE THERE IS A MALFUNCTION IN THE SYSTEM BUT THEY WERE SUGGESTING I REPLACE THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR. I ASKED GM TO DO A FULL SYSTEM CHECK ON MY AIRBAG SYSTEM BUT THEY REFUSED. I COULD NOT AFFORD THE REPAIRS SO I DID NOT HAVE THE ISSUE FIX. ALSO, I WAS NOT CONVINCED THAT IT WOULD HAVE SOLVED THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT 100% SURE SINCE THERE WERE NUMEROUS FAULT CODES. THE NEXT ISSUE IS HARD TO DESCRIBE BUT WHEN I AM DRIVING MY CAR JERKS AND SHAKES AND ALMOST SHUTS DOWN AND STARTS BACK UP AT THE SAME TIME. THIS HAPPENS WHETHER I AM STANDING BY A LIGHT OR FULLY IN DRIVE MODE. I TOOK CAR TO SHOP BUT THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE ISSUE BECAUSE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS NOT ON AND IT DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. ONLY WHEN I DRIVE MY CAR FOR MORE THAN AN 30 MINUTES TO AN HOUR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10618433

107,000 miles · Jul 25, 2014
Electrical SystemPower Train

ON THE CHEVY AVEO, ALL MODEL YEARS, THE PARK LOCK SITCH , THAT ALSO MAKES THE BRAKE LIGHTS WORK , SOMETIMES DOESN'T FUNCTION . THIS MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED, ALSO THE BRAKE LIGHTS DON'T COME ON. THEREFORE, WHEN DRIVING THE BRAKE LIGHTS SOMETIMES DON'T WORK, WHICH IS A VERY DANGER…

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ON THE CHEVY AVEO, ALL MODEL YEARS, THE PARK LOCK SITCH , THAT ALSO MAKES THE BRAKE LIGHTS WORK , SOMETIMES DOESN'T FUNCTION . THIS MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED, ALSO THE BRAKE LIGHTS DON'T COME ON. THEREFORE, WHEN DRIVING THE BRAKE LIGHTS SOMETIMES DON'T WORK, WHICH IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10616347

79,000 miles · Jul 22, 2014
Air BagsElectrical System

AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON., DASHBOARD CLOCK AND CD RADIO ALSO WENT OUT. THE CHEVROLET SERVICING DEALER SUGGESTED THAT THE SERVICE CODES REFLECTED A SHORT IN WIRING AND THE DASHBOARD HAS TO BE REMOVED TO CHECK THE WIRE HARNESS FOR THE SHORT. THEY WANTED TO CHARGE ME $315 , MANAGER CONTINUED TO STATE ALSO THE SENSOR MODU…

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AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON., DASHBOARD CLOCK AND CD RADIO ALSO WENT OUT. THE CHEVROLET SERVICING DEALER SUGGESTED THAT THE SERVICE CODES REFLECTED A SHORT IN WIRING AND THE DASHBOARD HAS TO BE REMOVED TO CHECK THE WIRE HARNESS FOR THE SHORT. THEY WANTED TO CHARGE ME $315 , MANAGER CONTINUED TO STATE ALSO THE SENSOR MODULE FOR THE AIRBAG MAY BE DEFECTIVE. WHY DO THEY CHARGE FOR DIAGNOSIS WHEN THEIR DIAGNOSIS MEASURES CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM AND WANT TO CHARGE ANOTHER $315 FOR FURTHER DIAGNOSIS?I WITH THE I'VE CHECKED WITH OTHER AVEO OWNERS AND SOME HAVE THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. I DO BELIEVE THERE IS A FAULT WITH THIS CAR. I DO NOT KNOW IF THE AIRBAGS WILL DEPLOY IF THEIR IS AN ACCIDENT WITH THIS CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10615254

Mileage unknown · Jul 13, 2014
Electrical SystemPower Train

MY GRANDMOTHER HAS SOUGHT HELP BECAUSE HERE KEY GETS EXTREMELY HOT. HER GEAR SHIFTER LOCKS UP AND SHE CANT MOVE IT. THE AIR BAG LIGHT POPS ON AND WONT GO OFF. ALSO SHE HAS ASKED MULTIPLE TIMES AT VARIOUS DEALERS ETC, ABOUT IT AND THEY TELL HER THERE ARE NO RECALLS OR ANYTHING KNOWN. WE KNOW THEIR ARE PROBLEMS WITH THE DAYTIME RU…

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MY GRANDMOTHER HAS SOUGHT HELP BECAUSE HERE KEY GETS EXTREMELY HOT. HER GEAR SHIFTER LOCKS UP AND SHE CANT MOVE IT. THE AIR BAG LIGHT POPS ON AND WONT GO OFF. ALSO SHE HAS ASKED MULTIPLE TIMES AT VARIOUS DEALERS ETC, ABOUT IT AND THEY TELL HER THERE ARE NO RECALLS OR ANYTHING KNOWN. WE KNOW THEIR ARE PROBLEMS WITH THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT MODULE BUT NOBODY SEEMS TO HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON THIS... AS I SAID THIS IS FOR MY GRANDMOTHER. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10610136

Official recalls

1

14V261000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights

May 19, 2014

General Motors is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 Chevrolet Aveo vehicles equipped with daytime running lights (DRL). In the affected vehicles, there may be heat generated within the DRL module located in the center console in the instrument panel, which could melt the DRL module.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the DRL module melts due to the heat generation, it could cause a vehicle fire.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install a revised DRL module, inspect the wiring connector for heat damage, and clean the DRL circuit grounds. Owners were sent interim notices on August 14, 2014. The recall began on February 6, 2015. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet). General Motors recall number for this campaign is 14236.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.