The best Silverado 1500 years to buy are 2013 and 2018. Avoid the 2014: the redesign year drew about twice the model's usual complaints, with power steering that cuts out and brakes that turn hard at low speed.
Best years: 20132018 Years to avoid: 2014
Every Silverado 1500 year compared
Owner complaints per 100,000 cars sold. Lower is better. The newest years have had less time to collect complaints, so they are marked too new to judge.
Known Silverado 1500 problems
Year by year
| Year | Complaints | Per 100k sold | Recalls | Top issue | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 323 | - | 2 | Engine | Too new to judge |
| 2023 | 393 | - | 3 | Engine | Too new to judge |
| 2022 | 659 | 181 | 6 | Engine | Average |
| 2021 | 858 | 231 | 8 | Engine | Average |
| 2020 | 751 | 181 | 12 | Engine | Watch out |
| 2019 | 1,103 | 274 | 10 | Engine | Average |
| 2018 | 522 | 127 | 7 | Transmission and drivetrain | Good buy |
| 2017 | 839 | 205 | 7 | Transmission and drivetrain | Average |
| 2016 | 801 | 199 | 12 | Brakes | Average |
| 2015 | 1,193 | 284 | 11 | Brakes | Average |
| 2014 | 1,561 | 421 | 6 | Steering | Skip this year |
| 2013 | 366 | 109 | 2 | Other | Good year |
| 2012 | 284 | 97 | 2 | Other | Good year |
About the Silverado 1500
The Silverado 1500 is a strong, simple truck in most years. Its known weak spots are the 2014 redesign's steering and brake vacuum problems, and from about 2015 on, torque converter shudder with the 8-speed automatic. Some 2019-2021 trucks with the 5.3L V8 also report lifter failures from the cylinder deactivation system.
- 2012-2013: Older generation. Simple and durable; watch for rust.
- 2014-2018: Redesign. 2014 has steering and brake complaints; the 8-speed (2015 on) can shudder.
- 2019 on: Current generation. 2019 and 2021 have more engine and transmission complaints.
Silverado 1500 warranty extensions and special coverage
Carmakers sometimes extend the warranty on a part that fails too often, or pay for a fix outside a recall. These notices come from the dealer bulletins Chevrolet files with NHTSA. 6,983 Silverado 1500 bulletins are on file in total.
Customer Satisfaction Program - certain vehicles may have a roof panel split on the passenger side.
Customer Satisfaction Program.
Customer Satisfaction Program - certain may have a condition where the battery is at risk for a drain following an over-the-air update.
Customer Satisfaction Program - may have a condition where the battery is at risk for a drain following an over-the-air update.
Certain vehicles listed above, may have a condition where the connecting rod and/or crankshaft engine components in these vehicles may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine damage and engine failure.
This Preliminary information communicates thatwhen they connect a trailer to the truck that there is a Service Trailer Brake message displayed in the DIC.
Ask a dealer to check a specific car by VIN. Extensions usually have a time or mileage limit.
Government investigations into the Silverado 1500
NHTSA opens an investigation when complaints point to a possible safety defect. Some end in a recall and some close without one.
Engineering analysis EA26005 · 2021–2024 · opened Aug 2026
On January 16, 2026, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Recall Query RQ26001.
Recall query RQ26001 · 2021–2024 · opened Jan 2026, closed Aug 2026
On January 16, 2026, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Recall Query RQ26001.
Engineering analysis EA25007 · 2019–2024 · opened Oct 2025
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 1,157 reports of engine bearing failure failures in the L87 6.2L engine produced by General Motors (GM).
Preliminary evaluation PE25001 · 2019–2024 · opened Jan 2025, closed Oct 2025 · led to recall 25V274
On January 16, 2025, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE25001 after receiving complaints and field reports concerning engine failures in MY2019-2024 GM’s full-size truck and SUV T1XX platform equipped with the L87 6.2L V8 engine.
Defect petition DP22005 · 2012, 2013 · opened Jan 2023, closed Aug 2023 · led to recall 22V063000
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States.
Engineering analysis EA21002 · 2012–2015 · opened Sep 2021
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L.
Preliminary evaluation PE21010 · 2020, 2021 · opened Apr 2021, closed Aug 2023
On April 9, 2021, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE21-010 to investigate instances of air bag malfunction indicator light (MIL) illumination and potential for frontal air bag non-deployment in several vehicles manufactured by General Motors (GM).
Preliminary evaluation PE18012 · 2014–2016 · opened Nov 2018, closed Apr 2022 · led to recall 19V645000
On November 20, 2018, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE18-012 to investigate instances of sudden onset of a hard brake pedal that could result in extended stopping distance due to an issue with the brake assist vacuum pump in model year (MY) 2014 through 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 and Chevrolet Silverad...
Silverado 1500 vs rivals
Questions
What is the best year for the Chevrolet Silverado 1500?
2013 and 2018. The best Silverado 1500 years to buy are 2013 and 2018. Avoid the 2014: the redesign year drew about twice the model's usual complaints, with power steering that cuts out and brakes that turn hard at low speed.
Which Chevrolet Silverado 1500 years should I avoid?
2014. These drew far more owner complaints per car sold than the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 average.
Based on 9,653 complaints filed by owners with U.S. safety regulators for model years 2012 to 2024, and U.S. sales by calendar year. How we score.