1999 Chevrolet SILVERADO problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
1,500 owner complaints analyzed
5 distinct recall campaigns
64,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1999 model year. Data snapshot: . 619 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip is the most frequently named component, appearing in 503 of 1,500 complaints (33.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 969 | 64.6% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 90 | 6.0% |
| Steering behavior | 78 | 5.2% |
| Transmission and shifting | 51 | 3.4% |
| Fuel system concerns | 19 | 1.3% |
| Engine operation | 14 | 0.9% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 503 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/Module | 140 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 65 |
| Service Brakes, Air:Antilock:Control Unit/Module | 54 |
| Service Brakes | 52 |
| Tires | 49 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 43 |
| Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal | 43 |
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 503; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/Module: 140; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 65; Service Brakes, Air:Antilock:Control Unit/Module: 54; Service Brakes: 52; Tires: 49; Vehicle Speed Control: 43; Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal: 43
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 38 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 149 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 199 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 99 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 88 |
| 150,000 and above | 46 |
Under 25,000: 38; 25,000 to 49,999: 149; 50,000 to 74,999: 199; 75,000 to 99,999: 99; 100,000 to 149,999: 88; 150,000 and above: 46
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (199). 881 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 |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 206 |
| 2001 | 254 |
| 2002 | 269 |
| 2003 | 220 |
| 2004 | 163 |
| 2005 | 202 |
| 2006 | 56 |
| 2007 | 10 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 4 |
| 2010 | 5 |
| 2011 | 21 |
| 2012 | 26 |
| 2013 | 18 |
| 2014 | 28 |
| 2015 | 14 |
| 2024 | 2 |
2000: 206; 2001: 254; 2002: 269; 2003: 220; 2004: 163; 2005: 202; 2006: 56; 2007: 10; 2008: 2; 2009: 4; 2010: 5; 2011: 21; 2012: 26; 2013: 18; 2014: 28; 2015: 14; 2024: 2
Pattern summary
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 969 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 90 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 78 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 10000142 · 2002-12-16 (December 16, 2002)
1999 CHEVY SILVERADO-ABS SYSTEM FAILS AT SLOW SPEEDS,OR COMING TO A STOP.BRAKES RELEASE,PEDEL GOES TO FLOOR CAUSING THE TRUCK TO CONTINUE FORWARD.
Owner-reported narrative. 42,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000142 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10000299 · 2002-12-20 (December 20, 2002)
ABS ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL MODULE WENT BAD ON MY 1999 SILVERADO. THE HIGH PRESSURE PUMP JUST TURNED ON WHILE BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY. DID NOT SHUT OFF WHEN I TURNED THE KEY OFF. HAD TO PULL 60 AMP ABS FUSE TO STOP PUMP FROM RUNNING MY BATTERY DOWN. THIS TRUCK HAS ONLY 38,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE READ ABOUT SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME FAILURE AT LOW MILEAGE. THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE PART TO REPLACE, AND IT SHOULD LAST A LOT LONGER. I WOULD LIKE CHEVROLET TO COVER THE COST OF THE REPLACEMENT MODULE. TS
Owner-reported narrative. 37,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000299 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10003255 · 2003-01-23 (January 23, 2003)
ON MY 1999 SILVERADO EXTENDED CAB PICKUP, THERE IS A CONSTANT BUZZING NOISE UNDER THE DRIVERS DOOR. MY ABS WARNING LIGHT IS UP SOLID. I HAD TO DISCONNECT POWER TO THE ABS MODULE TO STOP THE BATTERY FROM DRAINING. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THE ABS MODULE IS DEFECTIVE AND THAT IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL AND YEAR. HE ALSO ADVISED ME THAT IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE ~$1000 TO REPLACE. I CHECKED THE INTERNED AND THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. I THINK CHEVROLET SHOULD BE FORCED TO REPLACE THESE MODULES FREE OF CHARGE.
Owner-reported narrative. 43,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10003255 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10017883 · 2003-04-30 (April 30, 2003)
THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED TO TURN WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN IDLE. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10017883 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10020596 · 2003-05-27 (May 27, 2003)
DRIVERS SEAT LOCKING MECHANISM BROKE. WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED, DRIVER WAS THRUST AGAINST STEERING WHEEL. SEATBELTS DO NOT HELP AS THEY ARE ATTACHED TO THE SEAT. SEAT SLIDES FORWARD AND BACKWARD FREELY. I FEEL THIS IS A SEVERE SAFETY CONCERN DUE TO THE FACT THAT YOU CANNOT CONTROL THE VEHICLE WHEN YOU ARE UNABLE TO STOP THE SEAT FROM FLYING YOU FORWARD. THE LOCKING MECHANISM SHOULD NEVER BREAK. THE CHEVROLET DEALER CALLS THIS A SEAT ADJUSTER, BUT IS A PIECE OF PLASTIC THAT HAS THE LOCKING PIN IN IT. A PIECE OF PLASTIC TO HOLD A SEAT IN I…
Owner-reported narrative. 22,637 miles reported. Look up ODI 10020596 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10005299 · 2003-02-04 (February 4, 2003)
AT 33,000 MILES, OCT 2002 -APPROXIMATELY 55MPH, ACTED LIKE IT WAS NOT IN GEAR THEN THE TRANSMISSION FLUID HOT LIGHT CAME ON. IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF TO SIDE OF ROAD - CHECKED TRANSMISSION FLUID, IT CHECKED OK AND THE LIGHT WENT OFF. PULLED BACK ONTO HIGHWAY - IT WAS FINE. IMMEDIATELY TOOK TO LOCAL DEALERSHIP; THEY HOOKED IT UP TO THE COMPUTER AND DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. IN JAN 2003, UPON ACCELERATION, AROUND 25-30MPH, IT ACTED AS THOUGH IT WOULDN'T GO INTO 3RD & 4TH GEAR. SAME AS OCT 2002, BUT NOTHING REGISTERED ON THE TRUCK'S MESSAGE C…
Owner-reported narrative. 36,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005299 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10010062 · 2003-03-06 (March 6, 2003)
THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED.*JB
Owner-reported narrative. 28,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10010062 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10070626 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)
THIS IS THE FIRST NEW VEHICLE WE HAVE EVER BOUGHT. BUT NOT A GOOD EXPREIENCE, WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD GM PRODUCTS WITH NO PROBLEMS. WE JUST HAD THE TRUCK IN THE GARAGE AND THEY PUT IT ON THE COMPUTER, IT SAID CODE PO137 02 SENSOR BANK 1 SENSOR 2 REPLACE ALSO CODE PO300 MISFIRE #7 CYLINDER REPLACE INJECTOR AND FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. THIS COST 448.78. ALSO PO300 MISFIRE #7 CYLINDER REPLACE INJECTOR AND FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR AND CODE PO463 FUEL LEVEL SENSOR NEEDS FUEL SENSOR REPLACED AT A COST OF 301.00. WE CAN'T AFFORD THIS AT THIS TIME. T…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10070626 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10075122 · 2004-06-10 (June 10, 2004)
THE FUEL GUAGE ON THE 1999 CHEVROLET SILVERADO WOULD BECOME ERRATIC AND WOULD READ INCORRECT FUEL READINGS. CAUSE OF THIS DEFECT IS A FAULTY FUEL SENDING UNIT, BUILT INTO THE SILVERADO'S FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 102,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10075122 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10007250 · 2003-02-13 (February 13, 2003)
THE ENGINE STALLED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 38,000 MILES.*JB
Owner-reported narrative. 38,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10007250 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10071992 · 2004-05-03 (May 3, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH VEHICLE STALLED, CAUSING CONSUMER TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE DISTRIBUTOR AND ROTOR CAP. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10071992 at NHTSA ↗