Chevrolet Silverado Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 8,790 consumer complaints across the 31 model years of the Chevrolet Silverado (1984–2017) that have at least 5 complaints. 1999 has the most, with 1,660. Across all years, the part named most often is brakes (3,418 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
Best and worst Silverado years →
All Silverado model years
Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | TSBs | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 125 | 32,000 | 0 | 896 | 50 · Typical | Falling |
| 2016 | 5 | 664 | 2 | 64 | — | Not enough data |
| 2015 | 76 | 5,860 | 7 | 189 | 83 · More | Stable |
| 2014 | 124 | 4,913 | 13 | 89 | 100 · More | Falling |
| 2013 | 64 | 10,050 | 3 | 257 | 55 · Typical | Falling |
| 2012 | 68 | 20,482 | 2 | 279 | 53 · Typical | Falling |
| 2011 | 75 | 53,000 | 2 | 274 | 32 · Fewer | Rising |
| 2010 | 62 | 43,232 | 0 | 275 | 0 · Fewer | Stable |
| 2009 | 76 | 58,500 | 0 | 276 | 0 · Fewer | Falling |
| 2008 | 162 | 65,650 | 1 | 247 | 24 · Fewer | Falling |
| 2007 | 183 | 56,500 | 1 | 280 | Not compared (before 2008) | Rising |
| 2006 | 182 | 59,756 | 4 | 194 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2005 | 316 | 53,737 | 8 | 290 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2004 | 622 | 46,746 | 8 | 264 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2003 | 695 | 44,000 | 6 | 210 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2002 | 710 | 46,567 | 4 | 157 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2001 | 877 | 49,008 | 4 | 139 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2000 | 1,305 | 57,604 | 8 | 86 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1999 | 1,660 | 64,000 | 5 | 60 | Not compared (before 2008) | Rising |
| 1998 | 279 | 73,500 | 0 | 3 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1997 | 272 | 81,000 | 0 | 4 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1996 | 186 | 79,000 | 0 | 4 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1995 | 263 | 124,000 | 0 | 3 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1994 | 210 | 121,500 | 0 | 2 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1993 | 69 | 187,000 | 0 | 0 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1992 | 40 | 160,000 | 0 | 0 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1991 | 17 | 107,500 | 0 | 0 | — | Stable |
| 1990 | 25 | 88,500 | 0 | 0 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1989 | 22 | 106,500 | 0 | 0 | — | Stable |
| 1988 | 15 | — | 0 | 0 | — | Stable |
| 1984 | 5 | — | 0 | 0 | — | Not enough data |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Brakes3,418 45%
- Transmission and drivetrain758 10%
- Electrical system733 9.7%
- Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)667 8.8%
- Steering541 7.1%
- Body and structure497 6.6%
- Engine cooling480 6.3%
- Air bags478 6.3%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
2017: “Hard downshifting when going down hills at slow speed. Jerking and clunking noise, and RPM goes up and sounds like gears are grinding. I have taken it to the dealership and they tell me nothing is wrong. It happens every time I am going down a hill with the breaks applied and going at a slow speed. The truck jerked so bad that the seat belt locked.”
NHTSA complaint #11266208, filed 2019-10, 19,000 miles2004: “Brake failure today on chevy siverado. Driving 55 MPH on highway. The car ahead of me slowed and I braked. Peddle went to the floor without stopping vehical. Was able to come to stop and could see rusted brake lines by driver door. Had wife press brake peddle to see fluid sraying from rusted area. Had zero braking power when first went out”
NHTSA complaint #10850497, filed 2016-03, 150,000 miles2000: “Dash boards .... My 2000 Chevrolet Silverado dashboard is cracking and crumbling everyday. It is to the point now that I am adding duck tape just to keep it up. Chevrolet should take responsibility for this and repair my dashboard and issue a recall. This problem began 1 year ago, and I have never been in any accident with this truck.”
NHTSA complaint #10820039, filed 2016-01, 390,000 milesOther Chevrolet models
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8,199 complaintsChevrolet Suburban
8,170 complaintsChevrolet Cobalt
7,672 complaints
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Methodology