2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Engine and Engine Cooling Problems
Owners have filed 58 complaints with NHTSA about engine and engine cooling problems on the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 7% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 66,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “motive power” (19% of reports).
- 58engine and engine cooling complaints
- 66,000median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 77%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Motive power: mentioned in 11 of 58 complaints (19%)
- Engine cooling included: mentioned in 8 of 58 complaints (14%)
- Failed restart: mentioned in 6 of 58 complaints (10%)
- Knocking sound: mentioned in 6 of 58 complaints (10%)
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems happen?
Based on 48 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 58 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 1 a fire.
Chevrolet Silverado 1500 engine and engine cooling complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine and Engine Cooling complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Silverado 1500 | 1 | 1% | 9,000 |
| 2024 Silverado 1500 | 20 | 6% | 13,361 |
| 2023 Silverado 1500 | 26 | 7% | 40,000 |
| 2022 Silverado 1500 | 25 | 4% | 60,500 |
| 2021 Silverado 1500 | 58 | 7% | 66,000 |
| 2020 Silverado 1500 | 26 | 4% | 79,400 |
| 2019 Silverado 1500 | 50 | 5% | 84,130 |
| 2018 Silverado 1500 | 9 | 2% | 67,000 |
| 2017 Silverado 1500 | 4 | 1% | 43,000 |
| 2016 Silverado 1500 | 1 | 0% | 100,000 |
| 2015 Silverado 1500 | 12 | 1% | 90,030 |
| 2014 Silverado 1500 | 9 | 1% | 39,630 |
| 2013 Silverado 1500 | 2 | 1% | 120,000 |
| 2011 Silverado 1500 | 3 | 1% | 31,130 |
| 2010 Silverado 1500 | 5 | 1% | 30,650 |
| 2009 Silverado 1500 | 5 | 1% | 24,502 |
| 2008 Silverado 1500 | 7 | 1% | 13,000 |
| 2007 Silverado 1500 | 27 | 3% | 17,138 |
| 2006 Silverado 1500 | 13 | 4% | 50,500 |
| 2005 Silverado 1500 | 18 | 3% | 49,000 |
| 2004 Silverado 1500 | 25 | 3% | 86,500 |
| 2003 Silverado 1500 | 20 | 2% | 80,317 |
| 2002 Silverado 1500 | 13 | 3% | 68,865 |
| 2001 Silverado 1500 | 17 | 4% | 20,000 |
| 2000 Silverado 1500 | 11 | 2% | 87,000 |
| 1999 Silverado 1500 | 10 | 2% | 103,000 |
| 1998 Silverado 1500 | 17 | 5% | 10,000 |
| 1997 Silverado 1500 | 35 | 6% | 49,888 |
| 1996 Silverado 1500 | 1 | 14% | — |
| 1995 Silverado 1500 | 1 | 33% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Engine and engine cooling:engine:hard parts internal/mechanical
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, and Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles equipped with a 6.2L V8 gas engine. The connecting rod and/or crankshaft engine components may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine damage and engine failure.
Risk: Engine failure increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the engine, and as necessary, repair or replace the engine. For vehicles that pass inspection, dealers will add higher viscosity oil, install 6 oil fill cap, replace the oil filter, and update the owner's manual. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 18, 2025. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N252494000.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, there was an abnormal sound coming from the front driver's side of the vehicle. The contact inspected the vehicle and became aware that the exhaust manifold bolts had detached. The…
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the engine failed to crank. The contact originally suspected a battery failure, as the vehicle had recently been involved in an accident that left the passenger-side mirror damaged with…
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated and the messages "Engine Power Reduced" and "Speed Limited to 65 MPH" were displayed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500s have engine and engine cooling problems?
No. NHTSA has 58 owner complaints about engine and engine cooling for the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 (7% of the 844 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 engine and engine cooling?
Yes: 1 safety recall list engine and engine cooling. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems start?
The median reported mileage is 66,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about engine and engine cooling problems on the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500?
The most frequent phrase is “motive power”, in 11 of 58 complaints, followed by “engine cooling included” (8).
Other 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 problems
- Engine problems (388)
- Power Train problems (242)
- Electrical System problems (113)
See all 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 problems or engine and engine cooling problems across all Silverado 1500 years.