2000 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year write most often about the brakes: anti-lock activation at low speed with a long pedal, fast pad and rotor wear, and, on older trucks, rusted-through brake lines. Tire tread separation and sidewall cracking are the next most common theme, and a smaller group describes losing power assist for both braking and steering together. Reports span a wide mileage range, from trucks under 10,000 miles to ones past 130,000, and many come from trucks used for towing or hauling.

1. 1
   Tires

   Tire tread separation and sidewall cracking

   • 17 complaints (21%)
   • median 40,002 mi at 4.9 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2000–2010

   Complaints describe tread peeling away from the carcass, belts slipping, sidewall bubbles and cracks, and tires that went lumpy or out of round. Several owners say the failure happened at highway speed or while towing, and a few report body or fender damage when a tire came apart. Some note the tires were the ones delivered on the truck when new, and tire shops replaced them with a different brand. Mileage at failure varies widely in the sample, from tires replaced under 25,000 miles to trucks past 90,000, with several failures occurring at highway speed or while towing.

   What to check: Read the DOT date codes on all six tires and look for sidewall cracks, bubbles or uneven bulges. Ask whether any tire has been replaced and keep the load range matching the truck's rating if you tow.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “We purchased this Chevrolet dually truck in nov 00. The two front tires had excessive wear and were replaced by the dealer after two weeks of trying to locate them. We have found that goodyear no longer makes these tires. The truck was mfg 03/00 and the tires have a DOT # that indicated the tires were mfg 07/00. We will not be able to obtain replacements should we have a blowout. Understand a class action suit was filed dec 01 re these tires. …”

   NHTSA complaint #752162, filed 2001-09

   “Vehicle started vibrating while driving on interstate 10 on may 3, 2001. At first we could not see any visible problem so we slowed our speed to well under 50 MPH. We took vehicle to firestone store and the tread separation is now very obvious. The firestone store said they will replace tire with another firestone tire but they claim the steeltex tire is safe and does not have tread separation problems. This vehicle is a GM cutway, made into a class b motor home by roadtrek (home and park of canada). …”

   NHTSA complaint #745037, filed 2001-05
2. 2
   Brakes

   ABS engages at low speed, longer stops

   • 8 complaints (10%)
   • median 75,500 mi at 8.4 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2001–2011

   Owners describe the anti-lock system cutting in during ordinary low-speed braking, over bumps, or on slippery pavement, with the pedal pulsing or dropping and the truck taking noticeably longer to stop. A few report the pedal going to the floor and a collision in traffic. Several say a dealer told them a related recall campaign did not cover their VIN, and others say the problem was not reproduced or was diagnosed as a sensor or wheel hub. Reported from under 10,000 miles to beyond 100,000, most often at low speed in parking lots, driveways and stop-and-go traffic.

   What to check: Drive the truck slowly on a dry lot and on a rough surface and note whether the pedal pulses or the truck fails to slow as expected. Ask whether any anti-lock brake campaign work was ever done and whether the wheel speed sensors or hubs have been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Time 15:30. Road conditions: dry. No clouds. Incident: slowing to a stop at pedestrian crossing, the ABS system activated at approximately 8 MPH. Vehicle failed to stop and lurched forward into pedestrians. Condition replicates the ABS failures in similar vehicles that are under recall; dealer indicated this vehicle was not part of recall but has same issue.”

   NHTSA complaint #10429258, filed 2011-10, 145,000 miles

   “Same symtoms as described in action # pe05020 ABS system engages when applying brakes at slow speed, suddenly their is minimum braking, and stopping distance is increased greatly! Vehicle is out of warranty and dealer says system needs to be fixed .”

   NHTSA complaint #10119535, filed 2005-05, 5,300 miles
3. 3
   Brakes

   Rapid brake pad and rotor wear

   • 11 complaints (14%)
   • median 10,000 mi at 1.2 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2000–2005

   Complaints describe front pads and rear shoes wearing out in a few thousand miles, rotors warping or cracking from heat, and repeated replacement without the problem going away. Several owners say braking performance felt poor for the weight of the truck, especially on long grades or when loaded, and some describe overheated, smoking brakes on descents. Dealers quoted further brake work, and in some cases a booster or proportioning valve was replaced. Several report the first replacement within a few thousand miles, and others describe repeat replacements over the life of the truck, often on trucks used for towing or hauling.

   What to check: Ask for brake service records and measure remaining pad and rotor thickness rather than relying on a recent receipt. If you plan to tow near the truck's rating, budget for heavier-duty pads and rotors.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I purchased a new 2000 chevy 3500 4 door dully. It now has 67,000 miles. The truck has worn out seven sets of brakes and at this moment it needs the 8th set plus the front rotors are cracked from excessive heat and need to be replaced. Even with new brake pads the truck will not stop as it should you must drive it like your driving in snow. I seldom drive it over 55 miles per hour unless I am on the open road with no cars in sight. I have had no accidents just several close calls. But that is a result only of my defensive driving habits. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10080898, filed 2004-07, 10,000 miles

   “When the was in reverse on an incline, the front tires locked up and the back tires failed to function, which made it difficult to steer. The brakes only lasted about 7-8 thousand miles. The brakes didn't perform very well and they locked up while driving down dirt roads.”

   NHTSA complaint #10019485, filed 2003-11, 40,000 miles
4. 4
   Steering

   Loss of power assist for brakes and steering together

   • 5 complaints (6%)
   • median 16,532 mi at 4.0 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2000–2016

   Complaints describe the power steering and power brakes fading or quitting together, so the wheel becomes hard to turn and the pedal needs unusual effort to slow the truck. Owners say it happens at low speed, sometimes repeatedly in a short trip, and a few report stopping only with the parking brake. One complaint ties the assist loss to a broken steering shaft, and another to a fuel injection pump that stopped working and took the brakes and steering down with it. Reported from about 2,000 miles to past 125,000, typically at low speed while turning in a lot or pulling into a driveway.

   Recall 00V054000

   What to check: With the engine running, turn the wheel lock to lock and press the brake pedal firmly to check that both stay consistent and do not fade. Ask whether the drag link or pitman arm linkage has ever been inspected or replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Dt: the contact states the fuel injection pump stops working without warning. This causes the brakes and steering not to work. The pump has been replaced twice and he feels this happens every 18,000 miles. The vehicle has been taken to the dealership for the repairs. The manufacturer offered him $800 toward a newer vehicle.”

   NHTSA complaint #10142769, filed 2005-11, 18,064 miles

   “While pulling into the driveway brakes and steering simultaneously failed. Emergency brake had to be used to stop the truck. This failure was caused by the steering shaft breaking. Dealership replaced steering shaft but the problem recurred within the next 15,000 miles while driving at 25-35 MPH.”

   NHTSA complaint #10044162, filed 2004-02, 15,000 miles
5. 5
   Brakes

   Rusted brake lines burst, pedal to floor

   • 9 complaints (11%)
   • median 74,061 mi at 11.5 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2001–2016

   Owners describe the brake pedal dropping to the floor with little or no warning, and repairs showing brake lines rusted through and split, in some cases one line after another over a few months. One complaint notes the line failed at a rear wheel after braking from about 35 mph and the truck struck the vehicle ahead. Others mention frame rust in the same cab-forward area where the lines run, and one reports the dealer was unfamiliar with the condition. Reported between roughly 30,000 and 135,000 miles, mostly on older trucks.

   What to check: Have the truck on a lift and trace the steel brake lines from the master cylinder to each wheel, looking for flaking, damp spots or heavy scale. Check the frame rails and cab mounts in the same area for rust-through.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “First time the brake failure occurred was in the driveway. My son, a newly licensed driver was taking the vehicle to school when he came back into the house and said the brakes on the truck don't feel right and the pedal goes to the floor. He stated that as he was backing out of the driveway, the brake pedal went to the floor. As a mechanic, I took the vehicle to the shop and found the brake line from the master cylinder to the rear brakes had failed. I replaced this line. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10561481, filed 2014-01, 90,123 miles

   “While traveling west bound on md route 4, upper marlboro, md, the traffic light turned to yellow as I was approaching dowerhouse road intersection. I applied my brakes to stop and the pedal suddenly dropped a few inches. I applied more pressure and the brake suddenly dropped to the floor and I lost all brake pedal use. I blew my horn as I went through the intersection as the light turned red. I pumped the brakes several times and there were no brakes. I applied the emergency brake and that slowed my vehicle and eventually stopped it. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10462177, filed 2012-06, 34,250 miles

Buying note. Brake system wear and ABS behavior are the most frequently reported concerns for this model year, so a pre-purchase brake inspection and a check of brake line condition for rust are worthwhile, along with a look at tire age and condition on any truck you are considering.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.