2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Engine Problems
Owners have filed 386 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 46% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 56,400 miles. The words owners use most often: “engine failed” (5% of reports).
- 386engine complaints
- 56,400median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $9,150typical repair cost reported by owners
- 53%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.
- Engine failed: mentioned in 21 of 386 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine repair on the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 at $9,150, and half of them between $4,500 and $11,250.
Based on 16 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2023–2026), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 57 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 386 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 3 a fire.
Chevrolet Silverado 1500 engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Silverado 1500 | 67 | 59% | 4,000 |
| 2025 Silverado 1500 | 55 | 52% | 8,476 |
| 2024 Silverado 1500 | 148 | 47% | 10,258 |
| 2023 Silverado 1500 | 151 | 39% | 40,000 |
| 2022 Silverado 1500 | 254 | 39% | 42,000 |
| 2021 Silverado 1500 | 386 | 46% | 56,400 |
| 2020 Silverado 1500 | 249 | 34% | 41,000 |
| 2019 Silverado 1500 | 373 | 34% | 64,000 |
| 2018 Silverado 1500 | 103 | 20% | 51,145 |
| 2017 Silverado 1500 | 114 | 16% | 56,306 |
| 2016 Silverado 1500 | 72 | 9% | 49,235 |
| 2015 Silverado 1500 | 132 | 12% | 60,000 |
| 2014 Silverado 1500 | 191 | 13% | 59,000 |
| 2013 Silverado 1500 | 33 | 11% | 79,000 |
| 2012 Silverado 1500 | 25 | 12% | 93,353 |
| 2011 Silverado 1500 | 40 | 7% | 116,000 |
| 2010 Silverado 1500 | 33 | 9% | 84,000 |
| 2009 Silverado 1500 | 36 | 8% | 90,000 |
| 2008 Silverado 1500 | 44 | 5% | 115,000 |
| 2007 Silverado 1500 | 48 | 6% | 97,500 |
| 2006 Silverado 1500 | 7 | 2% | 117,000 |
| 2005 Silverado 1500 | 18 | 3% | 120,000 |
| 2004 Silverado 1500 | 18 | 2% | 130,000 |
| 2003 Silverado 1500 | 15 | 2% | 129,000 |
| 2002 Silverado 1500 | 8 | 2% | 118,421 |
| 2001 Silverado 1500 | 11 | 2% | 120,707 |
| 2000 Silverado 1500 | 10 | 2% | 99,500 |
| 1999 Silverado 1500 | 6 | 1% | 142,000 |
| 1998 Silverado 1500 | 1 | 0% | 230,000 |
| 1997 Silverado 1500 | 1 | 0% | 164,000 |
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.
On my way home to [XXX] from [XXX] around XXX, my 2021 Chevy Silverado with 84,xxx miles with the 6.2 L engine started to make a popping sound. I checked my dash for any error codes and there were none. The oil pressure, temp, and transmission temp gauges all read normal. I stopped and topped the…
2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 with the 6.2L V8 (RPO L87), built November 2020. Mileage at failure: 11268. On XXX the check engine light came on with DTCs P0011 and P0016. The engine developed a rattle at startup and when lifting off the throttle around 40 mph. On XXX Fowler Chevrolet ([XXX])…
I was traveling on a 55mph road. My Chevy Silverado started to shake and lose propulsion. I pulled off on the side of the road. In idle it shook. The dealership was one mile to my south. I turned on the hazard lights and went to the dealership. I could only get the vehicle to 45mph as in shook very…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500s have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 386 owner complaints about engine for the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 (46% of the 842 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?
Yes: 1 safety recall list engine. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 56,400 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix engine problems on the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500?
Owners report a typical cost of $9,150 (half paid between $4,500 and $11,250), from 16 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500?
The most frequent phrase is “engine failed”, in 21 of 386 complaints.
Other 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 problems
See all 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 problems or engine problems across all Silverado 1500 years.