2008 Chevrolet Silverado Engine Problems

While driving uphill in my 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, I experienced a sudden and dangerous loss of power, accompanied by a flashing check engine light, ticking noise, and loss of oil pressure. The engine began to shake violently and I nearly rolled backward into another vehicle before I was able to shut it off. After restarting the truck, it began jerking and misfiring, making it completely undriveable. The issue occurred without warning and required a tow. Symptoms Observed: •Low oil pressure warning •Ticking/knocking noise from engine •Engine shaking and loss of power •Jerking and severe misfire when restarted •Flashing check engine light •Diagnosed failed/stuck AFM lifter in cylinder 6 •Engine misfire isolated to cylinder 6 (confirmed by unplugging ignition coil with no change) •Oil consumption and burning smell over prior months •Possible camshaft damage due to lifter failure Shops Involved: 1.Pep Boys (North Clairemont, San Diego) – Charged $400 and claimed to fix the issue, but symptoms returned immediately. 2.Rosecrans Automotive (San Diego) – Confirmed the issue is likely due to AFM system failure (collapsed lifter/cam damage). Estimated repair cost: $4,500+. Additional Impact: •Required towing after complete loss of drivability •Rental car for over a week (ongoing) •Potential lost income due to inability to commute to work •Total cost between diagnostics, failed repair, and upcoming repairs is significant Safety Concerns: •Sudden power loss occurred while climbing a steep hill—nearly caused a rear-end collision •Jerking, misfire, and engine instability made it unsafe to control •No prior warning; failure happened instantly Why I am reporting: This is clearly a systemic issue with GM’s Active Fuel Management system, especially in 5.3L V8 engines like mine. It poses not only a major safety risk to drivers and other vehicles, but also an enormous financial burden on consumers. Based on online forums an

The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated the vehicle was unable to start. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Neither the manufacturer nor dealer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 210,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS SHAKING WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SHAKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH NEEDING THE ENGINE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 173,585.

5.3 MOTOR LIFTERS ARE GOING OUT BECAUSE OF THE FUEL MANAGEMENT BAD LIFTERS

CYLINDER #4 HAS FAILED. SEVERAL MECHANICS HAVE STATED THAT THEY SEE SEVERAL OF THESE FAILURES WITH ENGINES EQUIPPED OR PROGRAMMED WITH THE ACTIVE FUEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS. MY ENGINE FAILURE OCCURRED UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES, 55MPH ON A FARM TO MARKET ROAD TRANSITIONING FROM FLAT ROADS ONTO A SLIGHT RISE WHEN THE VEHICLE STARTED RUNNING VERY NOTICEABLY ROUGH. I PULLED OVER AND THE ENGINE UNBALANCE WAS VERY APPARENT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH OR AT A STOP, ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS WOULD ILLUMINATE BEFORE THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART AFTER A FEW SECONDS. THE CONTACT CALLED TERRY CULLEN CHEVROLET (1250 BATTLE CREEK RD, JONESBORO, GA 30236) WHERE AN APPOINTMENT WAS SCHEDULED FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO CALL THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 147,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE FUEL SENDING UNIT MALFUNCTIONED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING BECAUSE THE FUEL SENDING UNIT SENT AN INCORRECT SIGNAL TO THE FUEL TANK, THUS SIGNALING TO THE ENGINE THAT THERE WAS NO FUEL IN THE VEHICLE. DON HALL CHEVROLET INC IN ASHLAND, KENTUCKY WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL SENDING UNIT WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHOOK AND STALLED, AND THE LOW OIL PRESSURE AND "SHUT THE VEHICLE DOWN" INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER (FAMILY CHEVROLET, 3701 E SAUNDERS ST, LAREDO, TX 78041) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE OIL, OIL FILTER, AND INJECTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND OPENED CASE NUMBER: 8-3726232141. THE CONTACT WAS OFFERED A DISCOUNT ON REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.

STARTED USING OIL ALL CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON AN NOW IS KNOCKING MOTOR NO GOOD.AFM SUCKS.

THE ENGINE IS THE 5.3 AND IS SUFFERING FROM EXCESSIVE OIL LOSS, NORMALLY 2-3 QTS BETWEEN OIL CHANGES.

I HAVE JUST OVER 150,000 MILES ON MY 5.3 LITER V8 I CONSTANTLY HAVE TO ADD OIL AND HAVE HAD TO SINCE I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK WITH 124,253 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. I GENERALLY ADD 2 QUARTS A MONTH. I HAVE BROUGHT THIS ISSUE TO MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND HAVE BEEN TOLD RHIS IS ALLOWANCE. THE OIL PAN GASKET, REAR MAIN SEAL, VALVE COVER GASKETS, VALVE COVERS, THE VALVE SEATS, AND PISTON RINGS ARE ALL SHOWING DEGRADED SIGNS. I WORKED AS A MECHANIC FOR A SHORT TIME. I AM ALSO A RETIRED LOGISTICAL TRANSPORTATION OPERATOR FROM THE ARMY . I HAVE NEVER KNOW THIS TO BE IN ALLOWANCE. I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME OF THESE ISSUES ARE AT OWNERS RESPONSIBILITY. I JUST WANT TO MAKE IT KNIWN THAT EVERYONE I KNIW WITH THIS YEAR MODEL TRUCK HAVE TGE SAME EXACT PROBLEMS. UNFORTUNATELY THIS VEHICLE DOES HAVE A SALVAGED TITLE.

AT 84000 MILES HAVE CYLINDER 7 COLLAPSED LIFTER. THIS IS A KNOWN AND PREVALENT ISSUE ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACTIVE FUEL MANAGMENT SYSTEM (AFM). TOTAL REPAIR ESTIMATE >$3000. THIS ISSUE HAS AFFECTED MANY GM VEHICLES, ESPECIALLY TRUCKS, WITH THIS COSTLY REPAIR. ONCE THIS OCCURS IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME THAT THE SAME PROBLEM REOCCURES.

VEHICLE BEGAN TO KNOCK AND IDLE ROUGH. NOTICED WHILE IN STATIONARY MODE ON A CITY STREET. VEHICLE IS MISFIRING IN CYLINDER 1. ENGINE HAS A HISTORY OF BEATING UP ITS CAM SHAFT AND LIFTERS.

ENGINE LOST COMPRESSION AND STARTED TICKING WHILE TRAVELING AT 65 MPH AND CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP IN TRAFFIC. THIS CAUSED A SAFETY CONCERN WITH MY 2 INFANT SONS AS PASSENGERS. THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS FLASHING WHICH RESULTED IN A CODE P0304.

ENGINE LOST COMPRESSION AND STARTED TICKING WHILE TRAVELING AT 65 MPH AND CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP IN TRAFFIC. THIS CAUSED A SAFETY CONCERN WITH MY 2 INFANT SONS AS PASSENGERS. THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS FLASHING WHICH RESULTED IN A CODE P0304.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT TO ZERO AND THE "ENGINE HOT AC TURNED OFF" WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THEN DROVE HOME. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED THREE OTHER TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE THERMOSTAT AND SENSOR WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,500.

THIS TRUCK DEVELOPED BIG OIL USE PROBLEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE MISFIRED AND A SMALL TICK NOISE WAS HEARD UNDER THE HOOD. OVER TIME, THE TICK NOISE INCREASED IN VOLUME AND BECAME MORE OF A KNOCKING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CAM SHAFT, RODS, AND LIFTERS NEEDED BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. WHEN THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO MAKE THE TICKING NOISE, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT AND SEVERAL OTHER WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND THE CONTACT WAS DIRECTED TO NHTSA. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION (1 US QUART/1,000 MILES).

EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION FOUND WHEN CHANGING OIL AT 3,000 MILES AND NO OIL WAS IN THE ENGINE AT ALL.