Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Engine Problems
Owners have filed 2,656 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 across 30 model years. The 2021 model year has the most (388).
- 2,656engine complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 19mention a crash
- 16mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $6,800typical repair cost reported by owners
- 54%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine repair on the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 at $6,800, and half of them between $2,700 and $10,500.
Based on 113 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2013–2026), 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 844 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 2,656 complaints, 19 mention a crash, 38 a fire, 16 an injury.
Chevrolet Silverado 1500 engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Silverado 1500 | 69 | 59% | 4,000 |
| 2025 Silverado 1500 | 55 | 52% | 8,476 |
| 2024 Silverado 1500 | 148 | 47% | 10,258 |
| 2023 Silverado 1500 | 152 | 39% | 40,000 |
| 2022 Silverado 1500 | 255 | 39% | 42,000 |
| 2021 Silverado 1500 | 388 | 46% | 56,400 |
| 2020 Silverado 1500 | 249 | 34% | 41,000 |
| 2019 Silverado 1500 | 374 | 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
Model years: 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
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.
Chevrolet Silverado 1500 6.2L Truck was driving and fully lost capability to accelerate. Truck alarmed driver to shift to neutral and restart engine. Attempt to restart engine was not successful. Error code was sent via email in a diagnostic report to owner with code P0016. No check engine lights…
Chevy Silverado 1500 6.2L Truck lost acceleration while driving. Truck advised driver to shift to neutral and restart vehicle. When driver did, no resolve. Error code with diagnostic report was immediately emailed to owner with error code of P0016. Mechanic advises truck needs new engine as this is…
On [XXX], at approximately [XXX], I was driving my 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 RST (5.3L V8, 4WD), leased new on [XXX], with about 122 miles on the odometer. I came to a complete stop at a stop sign on an uphill grade at [XXX]. The Auto Stop/Start feature shut the engine off while I held the…
Vehicle comes to a stop sign on a low pitch hill. Driver releases the break and presses the gas portal to drive forward and vehicle begins rolling backwards. Driver looks down at the dash and sees a âpress start buttonâ message. Driver pressed start button and hears the engine come to life…
2019 5.3L V8 engine. DFM lifter failed while towing travel trailer on interstate. Lifter ended up seizing in pushrod and shearing camshaft lobe. This put my family at risk while being parked on shoulder of the interstate. Research and talking to others has shown that this is a common occurrence…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Chevrolet Silverado 1500s have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 2,656 owner complaints about engine for the Chevrolet Silverado 1500. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 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.
How much does it cost to fix engine problems on the Chevrolet Silverado 1500?
Owners report a typical cost of $6,800 (half paid between $2,700 and $10,500), from 113 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
Other Chevrolet Silverado 1500 problems
- Service Brakes problems (2,959)
- Electrical System problems (2,694)
- Power Train problems (2,508)
- Air Bags problems (2,409)
- Steering problems (1,526)
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems (1,525)
- Structure problems (933)
- Suspension problems (520)
See all Chevrolet Silverado 1500 problems.