2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Power train is the leading concern among 519 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 11th highest complaint count among 19 Silverado 1500 model years with reports.
Of the 2018 reports, 10 involved a crash and 4 involved a fire. 11 people were injured and 1 person died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Air bagsMay 21, 2026
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500, 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, GMC Sierra 2500, and Sierra 3500 vehicles. The left-side or right-side roof rail air bag (RRAB) inflator end cap may detach from the inflator or the inflator sidewall may rupture.
A detached end cap or inflator rupture can allow compressed gas to escape and project the end cap or fragments of the inflator into the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury.
Dealers will replace both RRAB modules, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 24, 2026. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N262557310. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 21, 2026. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 26V166.
Campaign 26V325000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bagsMar 19, 2026
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500, 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, GMC Sierra 2500, and Sierra 3500 Crew Cab vehicles. The left or right-side roof rail air bag (RRAB) inflator end cap may detach from the inflator or the inflator sidewall may rupture.
A detached end cap or inflator rupture can allow compressed gas to escape and project the end cap or fragments of the inflator into the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury.
Dealers will replace the left and right-side RRAB modules, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 16, 2026. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N262549710. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 19, 2026.
Campaign 26V166000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bagsJun 26, 2025
General Motors (GM) is recalling certain 2018 GMC Sierra 1500, 2019 Sierra 2500, 3500, Chevrolet Silverado 3500, and Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Crew Cab vehicles. The left or right-side roof-rail air bag (RRAB) inflator end cap may detach from the inflator or the inflator sidewall may rupture.
A detached end cap or inflator rupture can allow compressed gas to escape and project the end cap or fragments of the inflator into the vehicle, increases the risk of injury or crash.
Dealers will replace the left and right side RRAB modules, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 23, 2025. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N252513060.
Campaign 25V432000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, side/window, curtain, inflatorOct 10, 2024
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500, 2018-2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, 3500, and GMC Sierra 2500, 3500 Crew Cab trucks. The left or right-side roof-rail air bag (RRAB) inflator end cap may detach from the inflator or the inflator sidewall may rupture.
A separated inflator end cap or inflator rupture can allow compressed gas to escape, resulting in the end cap or other components being propelled into the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury or crash.
Dealers will replace the left and right side RRAB modules, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 8, 2024. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, and GMC Customer Service at 888-988-7267. GM's number for this recall is N242474500.
Campaign 24V756000 on NHTSA.gov
Service brakes, hydraulic, power assist, vacuumOct 1, 2020
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500 and Yukon vehicles equipped with either a 5.3L or 6.2L V8 engine. The output of the mechanical vacuum pump can decrease over time, decreasing the amount of vacuum/power brake assist.
A decrease in brake assist can increase the brake pedal effort and distance required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Electronic Brake Control Module, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2020. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-866-522-9559, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438. GM's number for this recall is N202300860.
Campaign 20V603000 on NHTSA.gov
Service brakes, hydraulic, antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, wheel speed sensor/tone ringOct 24, 2019
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, and GMC Yukon, and 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles equipped with a 5.3-liter engine, a 3.08-ratio rear axle and four-wheel drive. If a wheel-speed sensor fails, while the vehicle is traveling between 41 and 60 mph in four-wheel or automatic mode, the Electronic-Brake Control Module (EBCM) software may activate the driveline-protection system.
Unintended activation of the driveline-protection system will cause unintended braking on the wheel on the opposite side of the failed sensor, causing the vehicle to pull to one side unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the EBCM, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192261050.
Campaign 19V761000 on NHTSA.gov
Service brakes, hydraulic, power assist, vacuumSep 6, 2019
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Cadillac Escalade, 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, 2015-2018 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon vehicles. The amount of vacuum created by the vacuum pump may decrease over time.
As the vacuum level drops, the brake assist decreases, increasing braking effort, extending the distance required to stop the vehicle, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Electronic Brake Control Module, free of charge. The recall began October 8, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192268490.
Campaign 19V645000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
519 reports, newest first.
Electrical system, Service brakes, Jun 2, 2022
A faulty internal computer constantly beeps a warning about "trailer brake system" when there is no trailer attached to the vehicle. The beeping is extremely hyperactive and non stop and distracts you from safe driving and interrupts all other audible functions (such as turn signal blinking & navigation voice commands) to render the vehicle unfit to drive.
Engine and engine cooling, Power train, May 31, 2022
Truck was brought in for routine maintenance they noticed At the dealership a radiator leak. I was told this is not covered under warranty And I have no lights on
Power train, May 23, 2022
The transmission failed. The truck had heavy shifting and the transmission needs replacement. The truck was no longer safe to drive. The problem was diagnosed by a licensed mechanic shop. The check engine light came on as well as the service stabilitrak light that came on the same day as failure.
Suspension, May 18, 2022
A loud thumping noise comes from the rear axle area. The Chevy dealer claimed that the u-bolts that hold the axle to the leaf spring becomes loose and need retightening. I had the dealer re-torque the u-bolts but the noise still is there. The dealer claimed it was “normal” and offered no solution other than claiming a Tech Bulletin was issued instructing dealers to check u-bolts at service appointments. I brought my truck to a private repair shop and the mechanic noted that both rear leaf springs moved under the ubolts When the truck was rocked side to side. This is not safe as the axle can become out of alignment causing steering issues and excessive tire wear. The private shop quoted $1,100(est) to replace both leaf springs with aftermarket springs and u-bolts. The mechanic claimed that they have seen many Chevy pickups with this issue. I am asking you to please investigate this issue and instruct GM to repair this manufacturer defect.
Steering, Electrical system, May 7, 2022, crash
At a low speeds while taking a turn, the electrical system clicks off and then clicks back on after about a second. Im able to see the voltage drop while taking the turn. When this happens, the power steering goes out while taking the turn. This exact incident is consistent with the recall of the year 2014 Silverado as stated in this article https://www.zehllaw.com/another-gm-recall-800000-chevrolet-silverado-gmc-sierra-trucks-faulty-power-steering/
Engine, May 1, 2022
I have a 2018 Chevy Silverado 1500 that I bought in June of 2018, brand new from integrity Chevy in Chattanooga tn.. One ago ago I was driving home and the check engine light came in and starting running poorly and you could hear a knocking noise coming from the engine. I took it back to integrity Chevrolet in Chattanooga, the employee at the auto service counter got inside and started the truck and he new at once what the issue was, he didn’t even take it back to the shop so the mechanic could look at it. He told me it was the lifters knocking. I left the truck with them. The next day he called me and told that the lifters where bad and had bent push rods. They had to replace everything on both sides, told me how much it would cost. It was out of warranty as I had 74,000 miles on it. The total cost that I had to pay was $5,468 dollars. The truck is less then 4 years old. The employee at the desk when I paid for it said that I just paid for a new engine! Again the truck was less then 4 years old.
Other or unspecified, Apr 26, 2022
AC condenser has cracked at factory weld. Dealer said this is Dailey issue and only performed recall on the higher end Cadillac and GMC Denali when the lower models have same condenser per # and problems was a $1000 repair
Air bags, Apr 25, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the restraint service warning message was displayed and the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed with an air bag defect that showed the air bag was deployed. The dealer replaced the air grille shutter and informed the contact that the air bag module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 66,556.
Electrical system, Apr 13, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH off the highway towards his home, the electronic gauge started fluctuating, indicating a low voltage failure. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that he parked the vehicle in the driveway and turned off the vehicle. The contact then attempted to restart the vehicle however, the vehicle failed to restart. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and recommended that the vehicle be taken to an authorized dealer for service. The vehicle was towed to the dealer but was not repaired. The failure mileage was 43,364.
Structure, Apr 9, 2022
Door Actuator Failure Left Rear Door, Symptoms are the door doesnt lock and unlock from the switch or keyless, when this problem presents it self the door fails to open from the inside. like child safety is on/when it is not engaged, this could be a safety risk to someone trying to exit the vehicle quickly and not know that they have a problem. After inspection I found there was a broken pin in the OEM connector, Yes I have it available for inspection. No problem wasn't reproduced or confirmed at a dealer. No inspection from Manufacture, Police, Ins etc... There weren't any warnings, door lock just worked intermittently.
Wheels, Apr 9, 2022
My vehicle came equipped from the Factory with 18” wheels and tires and a 17” wheel and tire. The vehicle is equipped with 4 wheel ABS which fails to operate properly when using the factory equipped spare tire. GM recall a number of 2018 and 2019 vehicles with this very issue but did not recall my vehicle for this identical issue. I contacted GM who said if my VIN is not listed in the recall it is not an issue and they cannot correct the problem.
Power train, Apr 8, 2022
For months this truck as stuttered while driving. Eventually one day the RPMs would shoot to 3500 when trying to shift gears and would struggle to shift. After having the spark plugs replaced and a tune up ($660 later) it started randomly just losing power to the engine while driving. All electrical still on but no power to the engine. I would pull over and turn the engine off and restart and it would be fine again. This continues to happen with no explanation. Always acts fine after I stop the care and turn it back on again. Nothing comes up on a scan for issues. Mechanic can't figure it out and now it isn't "acting up" when the transmission guy drives it and he doesn't know what's going on either. It's not safe to drive on the HW if its going to just randomly lose power. We checked with another transmission shop and he said they have two chevy Silverados in line for something similar. That made me look to see if there was a recall and led me to make this report. Chevy should look into this and do a recall.
Power train, Mar 25, 2022
Transmission shifts out of gear spontaneously while driving and warning light comes on for “transmission hot idle engine” forcing the vehicle to become inoperable unexpectedly without allowing the vehicle to drive forward or reverse to get to a safe location. Transmission temperature gauge rises quickly to 280 degrees in less than an hour of normal driving before overheating. Multiple General Motors dealers and General Motors headquarters have been unable to diagnose the problem and provide a solution despite multiple attempts and several thousand dollars in repairs including a completely new replacement transmission. General Motors first recommended the dealer to hook battery cables up to the transmission which did not fix the problem and in fact caused the vehicle to not start several times. General Motors then recommended the dealer replace the transmission entirely. Despite replacing the transmission, the same problem exists and the vehicle shifts out of gear while driving reporting an overheating transmission. Problem still occurs today 3/25/22 and vehicle becomes inoperable unexpectedly and suddenly while driving due to overheating transmission. General Motors is unable to diagnose the problem or provide a solution.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Mar 22, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH and approaching a stop sign, the brake pedal was depressed but failed to stop the vehicle immediately. The contact stated the service brake assist warning light was illuminated. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V645000 (Services Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 36,000.
Power train, Service brakes, Mar 21, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would not properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal with the check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, while depressing the brake pedal, the braking system malfunctioned causing the braking distance to be extended. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer was contacted and notified of the failure. The local dealer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 96,000.
Service brakes, Mar 20, 2022
The trailer brake system warning suddenly came on, disengaging my cruise control. My cruise control has not worked since. Also, the stabilitrac warning came on and has not left. Ever since then I have been hearing a squeaking noise driving at low speeds.
Electrical system, Mar 12, 2022
Rear Back up camera not working. Blue Screen on dash. This is a very common issue with GM
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Mar 7, 2022
The rear driver side lamp started flickering and eventually was completely dead. On inspecting, it was found that the earthing brown wire pin in the connector was completely burnt and it also burnt the area right on the spot where it connects to the lamp panel.
Steering, Electrical system, Mar 7, 2022
The power steering will randomly go out when turning at slow speeds, or when parking. The entire truck has lost power steering and then lost all power to the vehicle for a split second then return to normal power.
Power train, Mar 2, 2022
While driving my transmission will shudder and the vehicle will lose power causing the vehicle to slow down abruptly. It also will shift very hard making a loud noise.
Other or unspecified, Mar 2, 2022
The plastic part of the grill is melting I’m afraid it’s going to melt on the front of the vehicle
Electrical system, Service brakes, Feb 23, 2022
For months now, my 2018 Chevy Silverado 1500 has a “service trailer brake system”notification on the the dash that repeatedly pops up every 5-15 seconds while the vehicle is on, including while driving. This, along with the pinging sound that comes with the notification, makes the vehicle difficult to drive due to the constant distraction the notification makes. I have tried taking issue with the dealership but they are not helping whatsoever. From my own research online, I have seen hundreds of other people experiencing the same issue. Please help us eliminate this distraction by forcing a recall and thus making the roads safer for everyone. Thank you.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Feb 15, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 2 – 15 MPH, the vehicle shut off while depressing the brake pedal. The contact stated that the “Check Brake Monitoring Alert System” was displayed. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V603000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The contact stated that the vehicle experienced the failure listed in the recall. The approximate failure mileage was 74,000. Vin is invalid.
Power train, Feb 11, 2022
The transmission started shifting improperly at 40k and the fluid gets to hot
Power train, Feb 10, 2022
Transmission noise -something loose only 60k miles