2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 242 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 29% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 63,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “valve body” (9% of reports).
- 242power train complaints
- 63,500median miles at failure
- 5mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- $7,200typical repair cost reported by owners
- 50%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.
- Valve body: mentioned in 21 of 242 complaints (9%)
- Torque converter: mentioned in 16 of 242 complaints (7%)
- Rear wheels: mentioned in 14 of 242 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical power train repair on the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 at $7,200, and half of them between $1,050 and $8,150.
Based on 5 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2025), 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 power train problems happen?
Based on 44 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 242 complaints, 5 mention a crash, 2 an injury.
Chevrolet Silverado 1500 power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Silverado 1500 | 24 | 21% | 900 |
| 2025 Silverado 1500 | 21 | 20% | 15,000 |
| 2024 Silverado 1500 | 95 | 30% | 10,900 |
| 2023 Silverado 1500 | 107 | 28% | 38,000 |
| 2022 Silverado 1500 | 187 | 29% | 59,555 |
| 2021 Silverado 1500 | 242 | 29% | 63,500 |
| 2020 Silverado 1500 | 232 | 31% | 61,200 |
| 2019 Silverado 1500 | 329 | 30% | 12,100 |
| 2018 Silverado 1500 | 171 | 33% | 30,000 |
| 2017 Silverado 1500 | 191 | 27% | 53,380 |
| 2016 Silverado 1500 | 194 | 24% | 60,000 |
| 2015 Silverado 1500 | 138 | 12% | 45,725 |
| 2014 Silverado 1500 | 154 | 11% | 65,000 |
| 2013 Silverado 1500 | 13 | 4% | 79,000 |
| 2012 Silverado 1500 | 10 | 5% | 119,000 |
| 2011 Silverado 1500 | 17 | 3% | 33,000 |
| 2010 Silverado 1500 | 24 | 7% | 44,589 |
| 2009 Silverado 1500 | 12 | 3% | 72,000 |
| 2008 Silverado 1500 | 25 | 3% | 42,000 |
| 2007 Silverado 1500 | 35 | 4% | 63,190 |
| 2006 Silverado 1500 | 28 | 8% | 47,500 |
| 2005 Silverado 1500 | 36 | 7% | 64,000 |
| 2004 Silverado 1500 | 27 | 3% | 67,500 |
| 2003 Silverado 1500 | 26 | 3% | 80,317 |
| 2002 Silverado 1500 | 26 | 5% | 70,600 |
| 2001 Silverado 1500 | 19 | 4% | 87,000 |
| 2000 Silverado 1500 | 16 | 3% | 142,500 |
| 1999 Silverado 1500 | 26 | 4% | 100,000 |
| 1998 Silverado 1500 | 26 | 7% | 67,312 |
| 1997 Silverado 1500 | 57 | 10% | 87,671 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Power train:automatic transmission:control module:software; power train:automatic transmission:fluid/lubricant:valves/valve body
Problem: General Motors, LLC is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, 3500, GMC Sierra 2500, 3500, and 2020-2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles that may have been repaired incorrectly under recall 24V797. The transmission control valve may fail and cause the rear wheels to lock up.
Risk: Rear wheel lock up increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the vehicles and update the transmission control software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 6, 2026. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N252516560. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on February 12, 2026.
Power train:automatic transmission:fluid/lubricant:valves/valve body; power train:automatic transmission:control module:software
Problem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2500, 3500, GMC Sierra 1500, 2500, 3500, 2021 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles equipped with diesel engines. The transmission control valve may fail and cause the rear wheels to lock-up.
Risk: Rear wheel lock-up can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will install new transmission control module software, free of charge. GM will provide a special coverage program to cover the repair of transmissions that are identified by the remedy software as containing a defective control valve. Owner notification letters were mailed December 12, 2024. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, GMC customer service at GMC 1-800-462-8782 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N242454440.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
2021 Silverado with 5.3 engine/8spd transmission/38,000 miles just outside of the 5-year powertrain warranty *No current recalls under this VIN as of 10/07/2026* Undiagnosed issues with symptoms similar to transmission or rear end slippage, torque converter or clutch pack problems. No warning…
I am submitting this complaint regarding a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Trail Boss 4WD with the [6.2L V8 (L87)], VIN [XXX], 101,000 miles. The truck was assembled in Mexico in XXX, about six weeks before XXX, just outside the build range of GM recall 25V-274 (N252494000, Engine Failure). On…
6.2 L engine failure oil related. Had to replace engine.
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500s have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 242 owner complaints about power train for the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 (29% 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 power train?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list power train. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 63,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500?
Owners report a typical cost of $7,200 (half paid between $1,050 and $8,150), from 5 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500?
The most frequent phrase is “valve body”, in 21 of 242 complaints, followed by “torque converter” (16).
Other 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 problems
See all 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 problems or power train problems across all Silverado 1500 years.