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U.S. public vehicle records

2012 Chevrolet SILVERADO problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

68 owner complaints analyzed

2 distinct recall campaigns

20,482 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2012 model year. Data snapshot: . 61 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 15 of 68 complaints (22.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Braking behavior1522.1%
Transmission and shifting811.8%
Electrical and battery issues45.9%
Steering behavior34.4%
Engine operation22.9%

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.

Air Bags
15
Power Train
11
Structure:Body
10
Service Brakes
9
Engine
6
Tires
5
Unknown Or Other
5
Electrical System
4
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Air Bags15
Power Train11
Structure:Body10
Service Brakes9
Engine6
Tires5
Unknown Or Other5
Electrical System4

Air Bags: 15; Power Train: 11; Structure:Body: 10; Service Brakes: 9; Engine: 6; Tires: 5; Unknown Or Other: 5; Electrical System: 4

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
31
25,000 to 49,999
16
50,000 to 74,999
7
75,000 to 99,999
4
100,000 to 149,999
2
150,000 and above
1
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,00031
25,000 to 49,99916
50,000 to 74,9997
75,000 to 99,9994
100,000 to 149,9992
150,000 and above1

Under 25,000: 31; 25,000 to 49,999: 16; 50,000 to 74,999: 7; 75,000 to 99,999: 4; 100,000 to 149,999: 2; 150,000 and above: 1

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (31). 7 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.

2012
6
2013
13
2014
15
2015
17
2016
14
2021
2
2023
1
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20126
201313
201415
201517
201614
20212
20231

2012: 6; 2013: 13; 2014: 15; 2015: 17; 2016: 14; 2021: 2; 2023: 1

Pattern summary

Air Bags leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 15 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 8 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 4 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 10452358 · 2012-03-20 (March 20, 2012)

SAFETY CONCERN- POTENTIAL TRAILERING ACCIDENT!!! IT APPEARS THAT CHEVROLET/GM HAS CHANGED THE WIRING IN THEIR VEHICLES SO THAT ELECTRIC TRAILER BRAKE CONTROLLERS NO LONGER ILLUMINATE THE TRAILER BRAKE LIGHTS WHEN THE ELECTRIC BRAKE CONTROLLER IS OPERATED INDEPENDENTLY FROM THE VEHICLE BRAKES. ALL BRAKE LIGHTS WORK FINE WHEN THE FOOT BRAKE IS APPLIED BUT NO BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATE WHEN THE CONTROLLER OVERIDE IS APPLIED TO OPERATE THE TRAILER BRAKES INDEPENDENTLY. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN TRAILERING THAT ONE ONLY WISHES TO USE THE TRAILER BRA…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10452358 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10479648 · 2012-10-10 (October 10, 2012)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,500.

Owner-reported narrative. 2,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10479648 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10462796 · 2012-06-22 (June 22, 2012)

HAPPENED DRIVING HOME AFTER BUYING VEHICLE. TRANSMISSION SHIFTS HARD FROM A COMPLETE STOP AS 1ST GEAR WAS BEING ENGAGED. DROVE IT UNTIL BREAK IN PERIOD WAS OVER AND TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER WERE THE TRANSMISSION BODY AND VALVES WERE REPLACED. NOW GETTING MORE PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTING BETWEEN GEARS AT A SPEED OF 35-45 MPH. TRANSMISSION DISENGAGES AND I HAVE NO POWER GOING TO THE WHEELS, LIKE IT SHIFTS TO NEUTRAL FOR A 5-10 SECONDS. THIS WILL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IF TRANSMISSION DOES NOT REENGAGE WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC. YOU WILL …

Owner-reported narrative. 144 miles reported. Look up ODI 10462796 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10499894 · 2013-02-25 (February 25, 2013)

WAS DRIVING UP TO THE STOP SIGN. IT FELT LIKE THE TRANSMISSION WAS SHIFTING HARD. SORTA LIKE JERKING. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10499894 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10460912 · 2012-06-07 (June 7, 2012)

I HAVE HAD A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH MY NEW 2012 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 LT (5.3 LITER ENGINE) GOING INTO "REDUCED ENGINE POWER MODE" WHICH ALSO RESULTS IN THE DISABLING OF STABILITY CONTROL AND TRACTION CONTROL. THIS IS A DANGEROUS CONDITION IN THAT IT RESULTS IN A LOSS OF POWER WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE UPON THE ROADWAY. AN AUTHORIZED REPAIR FACILITY HAS REPLACED THE NUMBER ONE AND TWO THROTTLE SENSORS, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ASSEMBLY, THE THROTTLE BODY, THE ALTERNATOR, THE COMPUTER, AND A LARGE GROUND WIRE BEHIND THE DASH. A GM ENGINEER WA…

Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10460912 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10765315 · 2015-09-20 (September 20, 2015)

HERE IS A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ISSUES INVOLVING THE 1012 CHEVROLET SILVERADO LT TEXAS EDITION AFTER THE PURCHASE DATE OF SEPTEMBER 3, 2012. FIRST, I NOTICED THAT IT HAS INCREASINGLY BECOME MORE DIFFICULT TO OPEN THE FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW FROM THE DRIVER SIDE MASTER CONTROL UNIT AROUND 2014. NOW, I HAVE TO PRESS HARD SEVERAL TIMES TO OPEN THE WINDOW. SECOND, THE OUTSIDE MOLDINGS OF THE DOOR PANELS ARE FALLING OFF STARTING IN MID-2014. THIRD, I HAVE STARTED TO HEAR POPPING NOISES COMING FROM THE BALL JOINTS WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED …

Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10765315 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10778449 · 2015-09-29 (September 29, 2015)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND BRAKE BOOST PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10778449 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10501382 · 2013-03-05 (March 5, 2013)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 2 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE PASSENGER'S SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND THE CONTACT SUSTAINED WHIPLASH. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE CAUSE OF THE ENGINE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000. UPDATED 05/21/2013 *JS

Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10501382 at NHTSA ↗