2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Air bags is the leading concern among 365 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 13th highest complaint count among 19 Silverado 1500 model years with reports.
Of the 2013 reports, 16 involved a crash and 2 involved a fire. 13 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Air bags, frontal, passenger side, inflator moduleFeb 5, 2021
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, SC, TX, PR, AS, GU, the MP, and VI or "Zone A." Additionally GM is recalling certain 2011-2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, Yukon XL and 2011-2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AZ, AR, DE, DC, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MO, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NC, OH, OK, PA, TN, VA, and WV or "Zone B." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2010-2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL and 2010-2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AK, CO, CT, ID, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MT, NH, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI, and WY or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 25, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed to 40 VIN owners on May 11, 2021. A second owner notification letter was mailed to all other owners on January 24, 2022. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328800.
Campaign 21V054000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, frontal, passenger side, inflator moduleFeb 5, 2021
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2010 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2009 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C."
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 24, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 11, 2021. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328790.
Campaign 21V053000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
365 reports, newest first.
Suspension, Dec 28, 2023
The frame has completely rotted through and the truck is not driveable as the mechanic has said the frame is likely to crack and that there is severe frame deterioration near the fuel tank putting it at risk of catching fire.
Structure, Dec 27, 2023
The frame has completely rusted out and the vehicle is no longer roadworthy. Mechanic was shocked it didn’t snap while on the road. Only has 113k miles. Apparently this is a known major issue with these vehicles and costing owners thousands of dollars due to incorrect manufacturing of the frames. Please hold the manufacturer accountable for this defect before someone does get hurt.
Other or unspecified, Dec 23, 2023
My dashboard is cracking and I am concerned that it may be dangerous during a collision if the the airbag deploys and creates a shrapnel situation.
Other or unspecified, Dec 13, 2023
Purchased the Silverado 1500 new in 2013 and was going be my last truck before I retired. Had the truck under coated/rust proofed after the purchase and had it touched up yearly. Went to have it touched up again in 2020 and the shop said they would not do it because the frame was rotting from the inside out. They said it was a GM flaw in there rust proofing system for their truck frames. I also talked to Ziebart about this and they said the same thing. Zeibart will not under coat any GM truck from 2006 to 2018 because they have seen too many frames rotting out. I only have 70,000 miles on the truck and this is totally UNACCEPTABLE. From what I have seen on the internet it also includes GM's mid sized trucks, Canyon and Colorado. I have read stories of owners having vehicle cracks rendering the vehicle dangerous. Right now there are alot of unhappy GM truck owners that are looking for a class action suit. When trucks where built right it was the bodies that rusted out and not the frames. Pictures included. Thank you, [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Other or unspecified, Dec 2, 2023
My 2013 Chevy Silverado's frame is rotten and cracked on both sides to the point where it may be unrepairable. I originally pulled the bed and dropped the fuel tank due to a broken cross member. That is when I found that all three cross members under the bed were completely rotten out and both the main frame rails were cracked. The driver side has a crack over 6 feet long and has began rotting at the crack. The passenger has a crack about 3 foot long. It is clear that the crack on the driver side has been there for years while the dealership continued to inspect the truck. I have driven this truck over 20,000 miles from coast to coast this year and the body is rot free. This broken frame could have caused a catastrophic accident had it let loose on the interstate. I have done my research and found hundreds, possibly thousands of individuals on different forums and other websites that have similar experiences. And in fact was told by a salesperson at the local dealership that they continue to see these same issues in the 2019 and even 2020 models. This is horrible, Chevrolet knows they have a problem and has not taken any recourse to fix the problem. My truck is currently sitting in my driveway with the bed and gas tank removed and the frame is able to be easily inspected.
Other or unspecified, Dec 1, 2023
The frame on my vehicle is cracked and rotted through. It failed an inspection on 12/01/2023 at Memorial Highway Chevrolet 1 Chevy Dr, Winder,Pa 15963 tel. No. 814-467-2220. The service tech told me the frames on this model traps water. I was referred to another garage for a possible repair. This truck is ten years old with 120k miles on it. It has always been service at a Chevy dealership. I am filing this complaint because GM refuses to do anything about a problem they caused. If this vehicle or others like are involved in collisions this defect can cause serious injury or death. How many vehicles are on the highways operating in this condition? How many are running around in states where they do not conduct safety inspections? Please help!
Suspension, Nov 20, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that upon inspection of the vehicle, he discovered severe corrosion on the suspension. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where pictures were taken of the corrosion and were sent to the manufacturer. The manufacturer informed the contact that the corrosion warranty on the vehicle had expired. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
Engine, Nov 16, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the rocker arm lifter was stuck in the open position. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 60,000.
Vehicle speed control, Service brakes, Nov 15, 2023
When driving sometimes, the ABS light is illuminated along with the traction control and Stabilitrak lights. The DIC says Service Traction Control and Stabilitrak. This issue needs to be fixed immediately as this is a safety issue.
Other or unspecified, Nov 12, 2023
Frame severely rusted through at back of cab by gas tank. Dangerous life threatening if frame would break. On 98,000 miles on vehicle. Was taken to same dealer for all oil changes and repairs and was just told of this issue. Very upset as we have been chev owners for almost 50 years!
Other or unspecified, Nov 3, 2023
Frame is extremely rusted. Integrity of the frame is compromised making vehicle unsafe to drive. Vehicle is available for inspection. If the frame breaks, I and others involved in the possible resulting crash would be injured and/or killed. The independent service center inspected the frame and confirmed the damage due to the manufacturing defect. The vehicle was inspected by the dealer that sold me the vehicle: Mark Wahlberg Chevrolet, 833-699-0792, 3900 West Broad Street, Columbus, OH 43228, before they sold it to me and they claimed it passed their thorough inspection. I purchased the truck on 6/28/21, 28 months ago, and have driven it 7,044 miles. The truck has been driven 92,971 total miles. The frame should not be rusted to the extent it is now and should not have passed the dealer inspection until it was repaired. The rusted frame IS the warning prior to the failure and the rust first appeared years ago on this truck and on many other Chevrolet and GM trucks. General Motors and Mark Wahlberg Chevrolet likely know about this frame defect and should be made responsible to fix it or refund the $20,000 I paid for the truck or other agreed upon compensation.
Air bags, Oct 26, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V054000 (Air Bags), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 57,000.
Structure, Oct 19, 2023
I went to get a Virginia Inspection and found that the frame on both sides near the fuel tank was rusted completely through. The truck has no other rust spots anywhere.
Air bags, Oct 18, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the message "Service Air Bags" was displayed. The dealer was notified of the failure, and an appointment was scheduled for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that an unknown recall related to the failure was previously completed on the vehicle. The manufacturer referred the contact to the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 165,000.
Suspension, Structure, Oct 4, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that upon changing the oil, he discovered severe corrosion on the undercarriage sub frame. The contact stated that the rust was located primarily around both rear wheels. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 99,200.
Suspension, Power train, Sep 27, 2023
The frame under neath is rusted in two in several places and the springs are broke off I just bought a month ago and owe 19000 on this truck and it's not safe to use
Other or unspecified, Sep 17, 2023
rear drivers side frame near gas tank and rear cross member both rusted through.-- now it fails inspection without major repair--has under 95,000 miles on it
Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Sep 15, 2023
Throughout this truck's lifespan, it's had multiple problems with the engine and fuel system. Around 70k miles, the engine had to be completely rebuilt because of the issues with oil consumption; well known GM 5.3 liter V8 issue. The oil consumption issue then started back up around 140k miles. Once the vehicle hit 100k miles, it started throwing codes for running to lean and too rich, plus it showed the alcohol (ethanol) content at 40%. I've never used E85/20/15/10, but did use 3.5% blended fuel for the first 100K miles. Since then I've switched to 91 premium which does not contain ethanol. However, me readings continue to be over 40% ethanol. All physical parts of the system, that could lead to this issue have been replaced. Recently, my mechanic happened upon Bulletin PIP4792D, which speaks directly to the issue I among countless others are having. In contacting my local dealership and GM, both declined to help unless I paid to have them correct the software issue that is causing this problem. It seems strange to me that a company would expect a consumer to pay for an update to software, when the company is the one who is the cause for the software being bad.
Other or unspecified, Sep 12, 2023
I purchased this vehicle and a few days later found out the frame has practically rusted / rotted and will have to be repaired.
Structure, Aug 25, 2023
The frame has rusted with holes and is flaking away. The local dealer would not take the truck on trade because of the extensive rust and liability of reselling it.
Other or unspecified, Aug 22, 2023
Frame is rusted with holes will require expensive repairs to ensure it’s safe to drive .
Structure, Aug 22, 2023
2013 silverado was in for a fuel leak, which turned out to be a rusted out fuel pump and gas line. However the mechanic found that the frame on either side of the gas tank was severely rusted and recomended to NOT do the repair because the truck was now worthless and would not pass a safety inspection. The truck has only 53500 miles and has been frequently washed underneath and stored mostly inside. A frame repair shop can weld a steel cap over the frame in the affected areas at a cost of over $2000. Seems like GM should bear some responsibility for such poor quality.
Engine, Aug 21, 2023
2013 Chevy Silverado has the active fuel management system, which failed and caused the cylinder 1 to have a collapsed lifter. This is a known defeat of these GM V8 5.3 lilter motors. I feel GM should be required to repair these motors free of cost to the consumer.
Fuel system, Diesel, Aug 11, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that he noticed that the vehicle was leaking fuel. The contact stated he noticed an abnormal odor of fuel around the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed him the fuel tank was leaking. Additionally, the metal connection for the fuel pump had melted. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000. The VIN was not available.
Other or unspecified, Jul 18, 2023
The frame is rotted and will not pass inspection truck has roughly 47800 miles undercoating for 8 years. This is a known problem due to a manufacturer issue of the frame. Vehicle should have been recalled by GM due to them knowing of this existing issue or owners should be compensates.