Chevrolet Silverado Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 711 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the Chevrolet Silverado across 23 model years. The 2004 model year has the most (159).
- 711electrical system complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 11mention a crash
- 8mention an injury
- 6related recalls
- $800typical repair cost reported by owners
- 48%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 electrical system repair on the Chevrolet Silverado at $800, and half of them between $740 and $960.
Based on 40 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2004–2014), 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 electrical system problems happen?
Based on 528 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 711 complaints, 11 mention a crash, 65 a fire, 8 an injury.
Chevrolet Silverado electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 Silverado | 10 | 8% | 34,000 |
| 2016 Silverado | 1 | 20% | 1,015 |
| 2015 Silverado | 9 | 12% | 11,214 |
| 2014 Silverado | 20 | 16% | 6,500 |
| 2013 Silverado | 6 | 9% | 12,000 |
| 2012 Silverado | 4 | 6% | 20,000 |
| 2011 Silverado | 5 | 7% | 70,000 |
| 2010 Silverado | 8 | 13% | 27,950 |
| 2009 Silverado | 17 | 22% | 72,000 |
| 2008 Silverado | 48 | 30% | 62,324 |
| 2007 Silverado | 38 | 21% | 65,000 |
| 2006 Silverado | 14 | 8% | 50,000 |
| 2005 Silverado | 64 | 20% | 66,000 |
| 2004 Silverado | 159 | 26% | 48,700 |
| 2003 Silverado | 116 | 17% | 54,197 |
| 2002 Silverado | 25 | 4% | 54,500 |
| 2001 Silverado | 30 | 3% | 62,000 |
| 2000 Silverado | 38 | 3% | 65,500 |
| 1999 Silverado | 51 | 3% | 60,471 |
| 1998 Silverado | 20 | 7% | 127,000 |
| 1997 Silverado | 16 | 6% | 27,500 |
| 1996 Silverado | 4 | 2% | 75,000 |
| 1995 Silverado | 8 | 3% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (6)
Electrical system:software
Model years: 2016
Problem: Genera Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Camaro, Malibu, Silverado and GMC Sierra vehicles. The radio may intermittently fail to provide an audio warning when the key has been left in the ignition and the door is opened or when the driver does not fasten their seat belt. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection", and/or 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: An unbelted driver is at a greater risk of injury in a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the radio software, free of charge. The recall began on March 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 15808.
Electrical system:ignition
Model years: 2014, 2015
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra trucks manufactured January 24, 2014, to February 26, 2014, 2015 Chevrolet Suburban vehicles manufactured February 12, 2014 and Chevrolet Tahoe vehicles manufactured February 6, 2014, to February 13, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the ignition lock actuator may bind, making turning the key difficult or causing the ignition to get stuck in the "Start" position.
Risk: If stuck in the "Start" position, the ignition may suddenly snap back into the "Accessory" position, causing a loss of engine, steering, and braking power, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash. If the vehicle is in a crash, the air bags may not deploy, increasing the risk of occupant injury.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on November 20, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 15573.
Electrical system:ignition
Model years: 2011, 2012
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado HD, Silverado LD, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra LD, Sierra HD, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the ignition lock actuator may bind, making turning the key difficult or causing the ignition to get stuck in the "Start" position.
Risk: If stuck in the "Start" position, the ignition may suddenly snap back into the "Accessory" position, causing a loss of engine, steering, and braking power, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash. If the vehicle is in a crash, the air bags may not deploy, increasing the risk of occupant injury.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the ignition lock housing, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on February 12, 2015. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), or 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14696 for the original equipment, and 14912 for the service replacement parts.
Electrical system
Model years: 2014
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Cadillac CTS, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL, and 2014 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Express, Impala, Silverado HD, Traverse, GMC Acadia, Savana, and Sierra HD vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the chassis electronic module may be internally contaminated, resulting in an electrical short.
Risk: If the module experiences an electrical short, the vehicle could stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the chassis electronic module, free of charge. The recall began on December 26, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), and 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GMÂs number for this recall is 14515.
Electrical system:software; seat belts:front:warning light/devices
Model years: 2014
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra, and 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban vehicles equipped with a base radio and an internal amplifier. The radios in the affected vehicles may become inoperative, and as a result, there would be no audible chime to notify the driver if the door is opened with the key in the ignition or no audible seat belt warning indicating the seat belts were not buckled. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention," and 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: Without an audible indicator, the driver may not be aware that the driver's door is open while the key is in the ignition, increasing the risk of a vehicle rollaway. Additionally, there would be no reminder that the driver's or front seat passenger's seat belt is not buckled, which could increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the radio software, free of charge. The recall began on July 2, 2014. Chevrolet owners may contact GM's customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GMC owners may contact GM's customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 14315.
Electrical system
Model years: 2007, 2008
Problem: Gm is recalling 857,735 my 2006-2008 buick lucerne; cadillac dts; hummer h2; my 2007-2008 cadillac escalade, escalade esv, escalade ext; chevrolet avalanche, silverado, suburban, tahoe; gmc acadia, sierra, yukon, yukon xl, saturn outlook; and my 2008 buick enclave vehicles equipped with a heated wiper washer fluid system. A short circuit on the printed circuit board for the washer fluid heater may overheat the control-circuit ground wire.
Risk: This may cause other electrical features to malfunction, create an odor, or cause smoke increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will install a wire harness with an in-line fuse free of charge. The recall began on september 12, 2008. Owners may contact buick at 1-866-608-8080; cadillac at 1-800-982-2339 or http://www.cadillac.com; chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438; saturn at 1-800-972-8876 or http://www.saturn.com, gmc at 1-866-996-9436; or hummer at 1-800-732-5493; or through their website at <a href=http://www.gmownercenter.com>http://www.gmownercenter.com</a> .
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle shut off and the entire instrument panel started flickering. In addition, the wheel would independently turn itself. The ABS warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a…
The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 3500. The contact stated that while the husband was driving, a warning message indicating the hood was unlatched had been displayed and the front headlights were not operable. Smoke was seen coming from under the hood and after lifting the hood to inspect…
The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. The contact stated upon starting the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that he was able to restart the vehicle after 12-15 minutes. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring intermittently. Additionally, the…
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. The contact stated while driving 30 mph, when an unknown warning light was illuminated. The contact called an independent mechanic who informed the wiring harness was melted and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A…
Tl* the contact owns a 2017 chevrolet silverado 1500. The contact stated that the air conditioner blew hot air when turned on. The vehicle was taken to the chevrolet of boise located at (12300 w fairview ave, boise, id 83713), where it was diagnosed that the condenser was cracked. The dealer stated…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Chevrolet Silverados have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 711 owner complaints about electrical system for the Chevrolet Silverado. 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 electrical system?
Yes: 6 safety recalls list electrical system. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix electrical system problems on the Chevrolet Silverado?
Owners report a typical cost of $800 (half paid between $740 and $960), from 40 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
Other Chevrolet Silverado problems
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems (2,302)
- Power Train problems (743)
- Service Brakes problems (706)
- Steering problems (533)
- Structure problems (490)
- Visibility problems (486)
- Air Bags problems (478)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (459)
See all Chevrolet Silverado problems.