IllustrationTHE BRAKES ON OUR GMC ENVOY "SKIP" WHEN THERE IS WET WEATHER, BUMPY ROADS AND ESPECIALLY SNOW. WHEN TRYING TO BRAKE, THE BRAKES DON'T SEEM TO GRAB AND IT TAKES EXTRA LONG TO STOP. WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY CRASHES, BUT SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS DUE TO THE BRAKES NOT ENGAGING. IN DRY AND NORMAL WEATHER, THEY WORK FINE. *TR
2008 GMC Envoy
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2008 GMC Envoy do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 22.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Envoy years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
60–25K
1125–50K
1050–75K
875–100K
15100–150K
9150K+
59 reports with mileage · 18 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.
- Electrical System. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Exterior Lighting. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electronic Stability Control (esc). Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
5 crash reports4 fire reports4 injury reports
What owners actually said
77 reportsHELLO: 2008 ENVOY. DOORS LOCK AUTOMATICALLY. WHETHER OR NOT I WANT THEM TO LOCK AUTOMATICALLY THEY DO AND THUS, DO NOT OPEN WITH THE INSIDE HANDLE. (NOT SPEAKING OF THE 'CHILD LOCK FEATURE' ON THE REAR DOORS.) THE SYSTEM IS NOT SET UP PROPERLY IN MY OPINION. REGARDLESS ON HOW IT WORKS TO MAKE ALL THE DOORS LOCK, THE DOO…
Read full complaint
HELLO: 2008 ENVOY. DOORS LOCK AUTOMATICALLY. WHETHER OR NOT I WANT THEM TO LOCK AUTOMATICALLY THEY DO AND THUS, DO NOT OPEN WITH THE INSIDE HANDLE. (NOT SPEAKING OF THE 'CHILD LOCK FEATURE' ON THE REAR DOORS.) THE SYSTEM IS NOT SET UP PROPERLY IN MY OPINION. REGARDLESS ON HOW IT WORKS TO MAKE ALL THE DOORS LOCK, THE DOORS SHOULD OPEN FROM THE INSIDE WITH THE INSIDE DOOR OPEN LEVER EITHER FOR AN EMERGENCY OR FOR CONVENIENCE. PLEASE KNOW THIS CONCERN IS SEPARATE AND ASIDE FROM THE "CHILD LOCK FEATURE" FOR THE REAR DOORS. PLEASE CONSIDER TO RETHINK THIS AND SUGGEST THAT THE MANUFACTURER GIVE THE OPERATOR THE CHOICE WHETHER OR NOT TO BE FORCED LOCKED IN ESPECIALLY BECAUSE SOME OF US MAY NOT REMEMBER TO HIT SWITCH A OR LEVER B FIRST TO GET OUT IN A HURRY. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH ONSTAR AS WELL AS WITH SERVICE PEOPLE AT THE DEALERS TO NO AVAIL. ALSO, MAY I ASK, DO THE UNLOCK SWITCHES WORK DURING A BATTERY FAILURE? THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PREVENT A POTENTIAL PROBLEM. *TR
I HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY STABILITRAK SYSTEM THE ENGINE LIGHTS COMES ON AND I JUST HAD THE THERMOSTAT SENSORS CHANGE WHICH TOOK THEM THREE TIME TO FIND THE PROBLEM AND MY DRIVERS WINDOW SENSORS WAS REPLACED AND THERE A SUDDEN THUMB WHEN YOU BRAKE AS THOUGHT YOU HAVE BEEN HIT FROM BEHIND. *TR
I PURCHASED A 2008 ENVOY DENALI 7/08 DURING THE MIDDLE OF NOVEMBER WHILE DRIVE THE TEMP GAGE DROP TO THE LOWEST POINT AND STARTED CUTTING OFF HESITATING TO START. I THEN CONTACT ON-STAR THEY STATED IT WAS THE COOLING SYSTEM AND SHOULD BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON 10/19/09 I WENT AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE TEMP SENOR WHICH WAS REPLACE …
Read full complaint
I PURCHASED A 2008 ENVOY DENALI 7/08 DURING THE MIDDLE OF NOVEMBER WHILE DRIVE THE TEMP GAGE DROP TO THE LOWEST POINT AND STARTED CUTTING OFF HESITATING TO START. I THEN CONTACT ON-STAR THEY STATED IT WAS THE COOLING SYSTEM AND SHOULD BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON 10/19/09 I WENT AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE TEMP SENOR WHICH WAS REPLACE THAT TUESDAY. THURSDAY THE SAME ISSUE ACCORD AGAIN I NOTIFIED ON-STAR THEY STATED THIS TIME IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION FRIDAY I WENT TO THE DEAL TO BE TOLD THEY COULD NOT WORK ON THE CAR UNTIL MONDAY. AS I WS SPEAKING TO A TECH THEY STATED IT SOUNDS LIKE THE TRANS AND THE MGR APPROACHED AND STATED I AM HANDLING THIS AND DIRECTED ME TOWARD THE DESK AND STATED HE HAD A RENTAL FOR ME AND ARRANGED A RIDE FOR ME. I TRULY BELIEVE THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS CAR AND TO MAKE THIS WORSE MY NAVIGATION SYSTEM HAS FAILED ME TWICE AS WELL. *TR
GM USA IS PERMITTING DEALERS TO EXPLORE CARS TO CANADA THAT HAVE BEEN DAMAGED, AND ARE NOT REPORTING THE ACCIDENTS. MY VEHICLE HAS DAMAGE TO THE BACK QUARTER PANEL AND HAS DEVELOPED A FRONT END PROBLEM THAT IS BEST DESCRIBED AS A SHUTTER. THE GMC ENVOY HAS LESS THAN 15,000 MILES. CARFAX DOES NOT RECORD THE PROBLEMS. CAR IS UNSA…
Read full complaint
GM USA IS PERMITTING DEALERS TO EXPLORE CARS TO CANADA THAT HAVE BEEN DAMAGED, AND ARE NOT REPORTING THE ACCIDENTS. MY VEHICLE HAS DAMAGE TO THE BACK QUARTER PANEL AND HAS DEVELOPED A FRONT END PROBLEM THAT IS BEST DESCRIBED AS A SHUTTER. THE GMC ENVOY HAS LESS THAN 15,000 MILES. CARFAX DOES NOT RECORD THE PROBLEMS. CAR IS UNSAFE ON THE HIGHWAY AND GM HAS AUTHORIZED US WARRANTY WORK. GM IS APPARENTLY UNAWARE OF THEIR DEALER PRACTICES, AND IS HONORING THE WARRANTY. *TR
PORTION OF STABILIZER BAR UNDER REAR AXLE DISLODGED FROM FRAME. THE WELD FAILED. CREATES A DANGEROUS SITUATION WHILE IN MOTION BECAUSE OF SHARP EDGE OF BRACKET DANGLING WITHIN STRIKING DISTANCE OF REAR TIRE -- IMPACT COULD EASILY BLOW OUT THE TIRE WHILE IN MOTION. *TR
ABS FAILURE. VEHICLE SKIDDED, LEAVING TIRE MARKS, ABOUT 2 VEHICLE LENGTHS. CLEAN DRY ASPHALT HIGHWAY. PASSENGER IN FRONT RIGHT SEAT BROKE LEFT FOOT. *TR
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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
1RQ17002 · Loss Of Headlights
Opened Apr 24, 2017 · Closed Mar 29, 2021
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting:headlights
The subject vehicles are model year (MY) 2002-2009 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, 2004-2007 Buick Rainier, 2003-2008 Isuzu Ascender, 2005-2009 Saab 9-7X, 2002-2004 Oldsmobile Bravada, 2003-2006 Chevrolet SSR, 2005-2009 Buick Lacrosse, and 2006-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix. This scope includes the Trailblazer/Envoy variants: 2002-2006 Envoy XL/Trailblazer EXT and 2004-2005 Envoy XUV. The original scope of this investigation was expanded to include all vehicles equipped with the subject Headlight Driver Module (HDM). The focus of the investigation was to determine whether actions performed by General Motors adequately addressed any unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety in the subject vehicles concerning the headlights and the HDM that controls them.Under normal electrical load and environmental conditions, the HDM can overheat inside the Underhood Electrical Center (UEC). This can cause the module to fail and result in a simultaneous loss of both low beam headlights and both daytime running lights (DRLs), often with no warning or prior detectability to the driver. This failure can be intermittent or permanent. No other exterior lights are affected. High beams, turn signals, brake lights, and reverse lights are still operational.General Motors addressed this issue with 2 recalls (14V755 & 15V519) and a special coverage program (N172091910). In view of the recalls and special coverage program implemented by GM and the vehicle high beams continuing to operate, ODI has tentatively concluded that the actions taken by GM mitigate any unreasonable risk to safety posed by HDM failure in the subject vehicles.Accordingly, the investigation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by new circumstances.The ODI reports cited above are available for review online at NHTSA.gov under the identification numbers in the attached document.