YearToAvoid

2008 GMC Denali Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

No verdict The 2008 GMC Denali has 4 owner complaints and 0 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 25 out of 100 — #7 highest of 9 Denali model years. The most reported problem area is airbags (4 complaints, 100% of the total).

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
25/100
#7 of 9 Denali years
Verdict
No verdict
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
4
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
0
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
0
reported in complaints
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Top issue
Airbags
Best nearby year
2013
rated Good

Top 2008 GMC Denali problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Airbags4 (100%)
  2. Other2 (50%)
  3. Electrical System1 (25%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

2008 GMC Denali complaints: complaints filed per month1Jul 2017Nov 2017Mar 2018May 2018
4 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jul 2017 to May 2018; peak Jul 2017 (1).

2008 GMC Denali recalls

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

2008 compared with other Denali years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100200720082009201020112012201320142015
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2007No verdict030—
2008No verdict2540—
2009No verdict1320—
2010Caution6350—

All GMC Denali years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2008 GMC Denali a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2008 GMC Denali ranks #7 of 9 among Denali model years (Complaint Index 25/100). It has 4 complaints and 0 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 GMC Denali?
The most reported problem areas are airbags (4 complaints) and electrical system (1 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 87,885 miles.
Does the 2008 GMC Denali have any recalls?
No safety recall campaigns list the 2008 GMC Denali in NHTSA’s recall database at the time of the last data update.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.