2021 Chevrolet SILVERADO 1500 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
810 owner complaints analyzed
8 distinct recall campaigns
53,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2021 model year. Data snapshot: . 171 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 367 of 810 complaints (45.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 158 | 19.5% |
| Braking behavior | 95 | 11.7% |
| Engine operation | 69 | 8.5% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 49 | 6.0% |
| Steering behavior | 47 | 5.8% |
| Fuel system concerns | 21 | 2.6% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine | 367 |
| Power Train | 226 |
| Electrical System | 105 |
| Unknown Or Other | 71 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 50 |
| Steering | 41 |
| Service Brakes | 40 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 25 |
Engine: 367; Power Train: 226; Electrical System: 105; Unknown Or Other: 71; Engine And Engine Cooling: 50; Steering: 41; Service Brakes: 40; Fuel/Propulsion System: 25
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 47 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 34 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 32 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 22 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 32 |
| 150,000 and above | 4 |
Under 25,000: 47; 25,000 to 49,999: 34; 50,000 to 74,999: 32; 75,000 to 99,999: 22; 100,000 to 149,999: 32; 150,000 and above: 4
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (47). 639 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 57 |
| 2022 | 52 |
| 2023 | 62 |
| 2024 | 91 |
| 2025 | 329 |
| 2026 | 216 |
2020: 3; 2021: 57; 2022: 52; 2023: 62; 2024: 91; 2025: 329; 2026: 216
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 158 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 95 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 69 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11403003 · 2021-03-15 (March 15, 2021)
----WARNING LIGHT FLASHING AT 103 MILES ON VEHICLE ,, DEALER RESET ----450 MILES ON VEHICLE STALLING ,,WARNING LIGHTS ECM - ENGINE SYSTEMP2635 THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION SYSTEM IS NOT PERFORMING AS EXPECTED. AN ISSUE HAS BEEN DETECTED IN THE FUEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM USED TO MAINTAIN, CONTROL AND MONITOR FUEL CONSUMPTION. IF THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS FLASHING, A MISFIRE CONDITION HAS BEEN DETECTED. A MISFIRE INCREASES VEHICLE EMISSIONS AND COULD DAMAGE THE EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM ON THE VEHICLE. PLEASE REDUCE VEHICLE SPEED, AVOID HARD ACCEL…
Owner-reported narrative. 450 miles reported. Look up ODI 11403003 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11413270 · 2021-04-21 (April 21, 2021)
I LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THE ROAD BECAME BUMPY. THE VEHICLE WAS BOUNCING UP AND DOWN PITCHING FROM SIDE TO SIDE. I WAS DRIVING THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT. THIS HAPPENED ON THE DAY I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE AND I WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM THE DEALERSHIP. AT FIRST I THOUGHT THE VEHICLE WAS ACTING LIKE THAT BECAUSE IT WAS NEW. NOPE. IT'S REAL. THE TRUCK BOUNCES AND PITCHES HARD EVERY TIME I HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD. I EVEN DROVE BACK TO THE LOCATION WHERE IT HAPPENED ON THE FIRST DAY THAT I BOUGHT IT AND SURE ENOUGH THE VEHICLE ACTED THE SAME WAY. TH…
Owner-reported narrative. 25 miles reported. Look up ODI 11413270 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11390737 · 2021-01-29 (January 29, 2021)
THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS), BRAKES, AND ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM (ESC) MIGHT NOT ILLUMINATE. THIS COULD CAUSE THE DRIVER TO NOT KNOW IF ANY OF THESE SYSTEMS ARE INOPERABLE.*DT*DT
Owner-reported narrative. 7,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11390737 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11415357 · 2021-05-06 (May 6, 2021)
BOUGHT THE TRUCK 2 WEEKS AGO AND PUT 500 MILES ON IT. UPON ENTERING I GOT AN ALERT ON THE DASH SAYING ESC POWER STEERING FAILURE, PARKING SENSOR FAILURE AND ABS FAILURE DRIVE WITH CAUTION. ALL THESE ALERTS HAPPENED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND BARELY TURNED ON. SURE ENOUGH I TRY TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE POWER STEERING WAS OUT AND THE PARKING SENSORS WERE OUT. I DIDN'T TRY THE BRAKES SINCE I WAS NOT MOVING AND PARKED.
Owner-reported narrative. 510 miles reported. Look up ODI 11415357 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11384725 · 2020-12-23 (December 23, 2020)
FULL ENJINE FAILURE AT 371 MILES CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL.VEHICLE WAS DRIVEING ON CITY STREET ABOUT 30MPH WHEN FAILURE HAPPEN. JUST PRIOR TO THAT VEHICLE STALLED IN TRAFFIC AT A STOP WHEN WAITING FOR A RED LIGHT. SPRING BROKEN IN PISTON CAUSEING FAILURE. ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH INFO. SYSTEM BLANKING OUT AND NO RADIO THEN WHEN IT DID WORK NO VOLUME CONTROL ON THE RADIO. INFO. SYSTEM FIRST FAILED WHEN BACKING UP AND NO RADIO AT ALL. SECOND TIME WHEN MOVING FORWARD BUT I HAD RADIO BUT NO VOLUME CONTROL. 3RD TIME WHEN BACKING UP AND NO RADIO AT ALL.…
Owner-reported narrative. 371 miles reported. Look up ODI 11384725 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11385179 · 2020-12-28 (December 28, 2020)
THIS 2021 SILVERADO HAND A COMPLETE ELECTICAL FAULURE LEAVING THE VEHICLE DEAD IN THE IN THE ROAD AT NIGHT. WE HAD NO POWER AT ALL, NO WARNING FLASHERS IN THE DARK AT 9:00 PM AT NIGHT. WE WERE ALMOST HIT BY A CAR COMING AROUND CONER AS WE BROKE DOWN AT THE INTERSECTION WERE NO STREET LIGHTS WERE. THIS TRUCK HAS LESS THAN 500 MILES ON IT AND HAS ALREADY HAD THE FULL ENGINE REPLACED, PROBLEMS WITH THE INFOTANMENT SYSTEM AND NOW A COMPLETE ELECTRICAL SHUTDOWN. WE WERE UNABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO DO ANYTHING AND WAITED FOR TWO HOURS IN THE RO…
Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11385179 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11397267 · 2021-02-22 (February 22, 2021)
ON THURSDAY FEB 18TH IS WAS SNOWING WHEN I LEFT WORK, DROVE AROUND THE BELTWAY APPROXIMATELY 30 MILES GOING ON AVERAGE 30-40 MPH.NO ISSUES JUST BAD ROADS. RIGHT AFTER I LEFT THE HIGHWAY AND TURNED ON TO A MAIN ROAD, I WAS APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE ON THAT ROAD IN THE MIDDLE LANE DRIVING STRAIGHT AT ABOUT 25-30 MPH WHEN MY NEW 2021 SILVERADO (5000 MILES) LOSS POWER. THE BATTERY AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WITH NO ENGINE POWER. AS THE VEHICLE WAS COASTING ATTEMPTED TO GET OFF THE MAIN ROAD, BUT DIDN'T MAKE IT DUE TO THE SNOW COVERED ROADS AND SLUS…
Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11397267 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11383190 · 2020-12-13 (December 13, 2020)
I AM LEFT HANDED, AND AM MOST COMFORTABLE DRIVING WITH MY LEFT HAND AT THE 9 TO 10 O'CLOCK POSITION. THE CHEVY TRUCK I JUST PURCHASED HAS THE CRUISE CONTROL SETTINGS TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE HORN ON THE STEERING WHEEL. THEIR IS A PROTRUDING "THUMB JOYSTICK" WHICH IS USED TO SET THE SPEED UP OR DOWN BY USING YOUR THUMB OR FINGER. MULTIPLE TIMES NOW MY HAND HAS ACCIDENTLY SWIPED THIS "JOYSTICK" WHILE DRIVING ALONG A 30 TO 35 MPH PUBLIC STREET AND THIS TURNS ON AND ENGAUGES THE SPEED CONTROL AT THE LAST SAVED SET SPEED. USUALLY 65 TO 70MPH HIGH…
Owner-reported narrative. 75 miles reported. Look up ODI 11383190 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11387453 · 2021-01-11 (January 11, 2021)
INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK ALL THE TIME. XM RADIO HAS NO SOUND AT ALL, OR AS I AM DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE XM RADIO VULUME ON ITS OWN GOES SO LOW YOU CAN NOT HEAR IT AND THEN YOU CAN NOT TURN IT UP OR DOWN WITH THE VOLUME CONTROL ON THE DASH OR THE ONE ON THE STEERING WHEEL. TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE ONE HAS TO TAKE THIER EYES OFF THE ROAD AND USE THIER PHONE IF IT IS PAIRED WITH THE SYSTEM OR TURN THE RADIO TO FM OR AM. AFTER DOING THIS THE VOLUME CONTROL WORKS ON XM. THIS HAS HAPPENED SINCE I GOT THIS VEHILCE NOV 30,2020 UNTIL NOW ON AND …
Owner-reported narrative. 600 miles reported. Look up ODI 11387453 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11423759 · 2021-07-07 (July 7, 2021)
Car Fire - Started at the rear of the cabin between the cabin rear window and the truck bed The fire engulfed directly around and inside the fuel tank. The car is available for inspection as far as im aware at the tow / salvage yard The safety of myself and any passengers were greatly put at risk. The fire engulfed the inside cabin within seconds, and caused a total loss on the car. The problem has not been identified elsewhere. However the almost exact scenario has occurred in the manufacturers other 2021 model vehicles on the Tahoe and Yukon…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11423759 at NHTSA ↗