1999 Chevrolet Silverado Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Silverado years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 23 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 5 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 1,660 complaints with NHTSA about the 1999 Chevrolet Silverado. That is the most of any Silverado model year in the database (23 years). The most reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic (815 complaints, 49%), typically at around 60,000 miles. Complaints mention 100 crashes, 6 fires, 65 injuries. There are 5 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 14 defect investigations involving it.
- 1,660owner complaints
- 5safety recalls
- 14NHTSA investigations
- 100complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1999 Chevrolet Silverado problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 815 | 49% | 60,000 | “anti lock” (13%) | $1,750 |
| Service Brakes, Air problems | 109 | 7% | 57,000 | “abs module” (20%) | $1,800 |
| Suspension problems | 107 | 6% | 78,850 | “front end” (16%) | — |
| Power Train problems | 97 | 6% | 66,934 | “rear end” (8%) | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control problems | 95 | 6% | 48,000 | “pedal sticks” (19%) | — |
| Tires problems | 90 | 5% | 51,000 | “tire size” (37%) | — |
| Structure problems | 84 | 5% | 95,500 | “tailgate cable” (18%) | — |
| Steering problems | 69 | 4% | 59,500 | “steering column” (19%) | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 61 | 4% | 49,965 | “please provide further” (8%) | — |
| Service Brakes problems | 52 | 3% | 131,000 | “brake lines” (63%) | $1,500 |
| Electrical System problems | 51 | 3% | 60,471 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 48 | 3% | 97,500 | — | — |
| Seats | 48 | 3% | 55,655 | — | — |
| Visibility | 44 | 3% | 80,750 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 43 | 3% | 67,967 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 33 | 2% | 160,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 23 | 1% | 107,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 22 | 1% | 78,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 21 | 1% | 106,300 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 19 | 1% | 78,350 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 13 | 1% | 85,500 | — | — |
| Equipment | 12 | 1% | 62,506 | — | — |
| Wheels | 9 | 1% | 161,650 | — | — |
| Engine | 2 | 0% | 161,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 2 | 0% | 33,100 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 0% | 140,000 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 0% | 83,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1999 Chevrolet Silverado recalls (5)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Structure:body:tailgate:hinge and attachments
Problem: Certain pickup trucks have galvanized-braided-steel tailgate support cables used to support the tailgate in the full open (horizontal) position. Over time these cables can corrode and fracture when loads are applied to them.
Risk: If one cable fractures, the remaining cable may retain the tailgate in a horizontal position. If both cables fracture, the tailgate would drop and strike the top surface of the rear bumper. If anyone is sitting or standing on the horizontal surface of the tailgate when both cables fractured, they could fall and be injured. On vehicles without a bumper, the tailgate may drop to a lower position.
Fix: Dealers will replace the galvanized support cables with stainless steel support cables. In addition, dealers are to inspect the tailgate hinge and replace it, if necessary. The recall is expected to begin during april 2006. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or gmc at 1-866-996-9463.
Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
Problem: Certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles may experience unwanted antilock brake system (abs) activation. This condition is more likely to occur in environmentally corrosive areas. This recall will be launched in the "salt belt" states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maryland, massachusetts, maine, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin and the district of columbia only.
Risk: This can cause increased stopping distances during low-speed brake applications, which could result in a crash.
Fix: Dealers are to remove the wheel speed sensor and thoroughly clean the wheel speed sensor mounting surface on the bearing, apply rust inhibitor to the cleaned surface, grease the mounting surface, reinstall the wheel speed sensor, and check the peak-to-peak output voltage to ensure the wheel speed signal is within specifications. The recall began september 22, 2005. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or gmc at 1-866-996-9463.
Parking brake
Problem: On certain pickup trucks equipped with manual transmissions and built with either pbr parking brake systems or trw parking brake systems, the parking brake friction linings may wear to an extent where the parking brake can become ineffective in immobilizing a parked vehicle.
Risk: If the parking brake does not hold, unintended vehicle movement could occur, which could result in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will install a low-force spring clip retainer for vehicles equipped with a pbr parking brake system. On vehicles equipped with the trw parking brake system, dealers will install a redesigned parking brake cable assembly. The recall began on july 29, 2005. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or gmc at 1-866-996-9463.
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Problem: Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles. Some of these vehicles have a clearance condition between the front right-hand brake pipe and the body cross sill that could decrease to the point of allowing contact during the life of the vehicle. If contact occurs and the brake pipe becomes damaged, in half of the brake system there can be a loss of brake fluid and pressure. The brake warning lamp will be activated when the brake fluid level reaches the indicator limit.
Risk: During braking, the pedal will be lower than normal and stopping distances will be longer. If this occurs when stopping distance is limited, a crash could occur.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the front right-hand brake pipe for wear. If there are signs of wear, this section of the brake pipe will be replaced with a new designed brake pipe section. If there are not signs of wear on the brake pipe, the dealer will install a spacer clip to ensure sufficient clearance between the brake pipe and the body cross sill.
Steering:gear box (other than rack and pinion)
Problem: Vehicle description: extended cab 4-wheel drive pickup trucks. Some of these vehicles have a lower than specified torque on all three of the steering gear to frame attachment bolts. The bolts can loosen over time allowing the steering gear to move. This loosening can result in some unresponsive steering feel and some noise to the driver.
Risk: If this condition is ignored, the steering gear to frame can wear and/or fatigue the attaching bolts to the point of breakage or the bolts backing out. If all the bolts break or back out, the steering gear would separate from the frame resulting in a loss of steering control.
Fix: Dealers will retorque the steering gear to frame bolts to proper specifications.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Brake line corrosion failure (EA11001) — opened Jan 5, 2011, closed Apr 8, 2015.
- Brake line corrosion failure (PE10010) — opened Mar 30, 2010, closed Jan 5, 2011.
- Parking brake failure (DP05009) — opened Dec 20, 2005, closed May 31, 2006.
- Unwanted low-speed abs activation (PE05020) — opened Apr 28, 2005, closed Sep 13, 2005, led to recall 05V379000.
- Tailgate support cables (EA05007) — opened Apr 14, 2005, closed Apr 11, 2006, led to recall 06V066000.
- Tailgate support cable breakage (RQ04010) — opened Sep 28, 2004, closed Apr 14, 2005.
- Parking brake failure (EA04011) — opened Apr 9, 2004, closed May 10, 2005, led to recall 05V161000.
- Tailgate cable breakage (EA04005) — opened Feb 19, 2004, closed Sep 28, 2004, led to recall 04E067000.
- Parking brake failure (PE03057) — opened Dec 8, 2003, closed Apr 9, 2004.
- Tailgate cable breakage (PE03049) — opened Oct 23, 2003, closed Feb 19, 2004.
- Steel wheel rim fracture (PE03026) — opened Jun 12, 2003, closed Nov 3, 2003.
- Throttle sticking closed (EA02015) — opened Aug 1, 2002, closed Jan 12, 2004.
- Throttle sticking (PE02021) — opened Feb 11, 2002, closed Aug 1, 2002.
- Steering gear/grame attaching bolts (RQ99005) — opened May 11, 1999, closed Nov 27, 2001, led to recall 98V242000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 00V097000 (Seat Belts); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated…
The contact owned a 1999 Chevrolet Silverado. The contact stated that while driving at 55 MPH, he dozed off as the vehicle drifted off to the right shoulder of the highway. The contact regained alertness once the vehicle drove over the highway's rumble strip. As the contact attempted to regain…
Driving along road, brake pedal went to the floor when i attempted to stop. Upon inspection, discovered that the hydraulic line going from the abs module to the rear brakes had ruptured due to corrosion. Upon further inspection it has been determined that all of the hydraulic brake lines are…
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 chevrolet silverado. While the vehicle was undergoing routine maintenance, the technician informed the contact that the frame was severely fractured and needed to be replaced. The failure happened without warning. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The…
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 chevrolet silverado. The contact stated that while driving at 10 mph, the vehicle started making a loud cracking noise causing the vehicle to drive abnormal. The contact noticed that the frame was fractured in two areas. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The…
Other Chevrolet Silverado years
← 1998 Silverado · 2000 Silverado →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 Silverado | 125 | 0 |
| 2016 Silverado | 5 | 2 |
| 2015 Silverado | 76 | 7 |
| 2014 Silverado | 124 | 13 |
| 2013 Silverado | 64 | 3 |
| 2012 Silverado | 68 | 2 |
| 2011 Silverado | 75 | 2 |
| 2010 Silverado | 62 | 0 |
| 2009 Silverado | 76 | 0 |
| 2008 Silverado | 162 | 1 |
| 2007 Silverado | 183 | 1 |
| 2006 Silverado | 182 | 4 |
| 2005 Silverado | 316 | 8 |
| 2004 Silverado | 622 | 8 |
| 2003 Silverado | 695 | 6 |
| 2002 Silverado | 710 | 4 |
| 2001 Silverado | 877 | 4 |
| 2000 Silverado | 1,305 | 8 |
| 1999 | 1,660 | 5 |
| 1998 Silverado | 279 | 0 |
| 1997 Silverado | 272 | 0 |
| 1996 Silverado | 186 | 0 |
| 1995 Silverado | 263 | 0 |
See all Chevrolet Silverado problems by year, every Chevrolet model, or the Chevrolet VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1999 Chevrolet Silverado?
Owners most often report service brakes, hydraulic, service brakes, air, suspension problems. The top one, service brakes, hydraulic, accounts for 815 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1999 Chevrolet Silverado?
Yes, 5 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1999 Chevrolet Silverado a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Silverado model years, the 1999 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.