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.
Structure, Oct 8, 2024, fire
rear back glass) Back glass explosion diving down interstate distraction to say the least.)chevy recalled some but not mine)just happened no inspection)no warnning
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Oct 7, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was firm while depressed, and the vehicle failed to respond immediately. The "Service Brake Assist" message was displayed. The contact firmly depressed the brake pedal, and the vehicle was able to stop. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 139,270.
Engine and engine cooling, Oct 7, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving 55-60 MPH, the vehicle started to overheat. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the water pump had failed, causing the fan belt to be damaged. The mechanic replaced the fan belt and the water pump; however, the mechanic installed an incorrect water pump on the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure recurred while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the fan belt and the water pump needed to be replaced; however, the water pump was on a national backorder. The vehicle was not repaired and remained parked at the residence for 3 months. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and confirmed that the part was on a national backorder. The manufacturer declined to repurchase the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 119,000.
Power train, Sep 30, 2024
The transmission has been slipping since the truck was brand new (<100 miles) and has always slipped but recently became worse and slips all of the time. This is a known issue with this transmission and should be included in the recall. The transmission slipped going around a curve and almost lost control of the vehicle.
Electrical system, Engine, Sep 25, 2024
Hi i toke in my truck twice because of it was jerking was told it was fine noting was wrong my truck is now doing it so hard it feels like I been hit by another car
Engine, Sep 10, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered abnormally. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated the failure was present when the vehicle was first purchased; however, the failure had since gotten worse. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer however, the cause of the failure could not be determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 24,000.
Power train, Sep 10, 2024
Transmission issue!! Jerks on downshift as well rpm ramp up after shift of gear in 2nd to 1st gears
Power train, Sep 7, 2024
Doing 65mph on interstate on cruise control, the transmission went into 'false neutral' and engine revs went sky high. Truck slowed quickly, almost got rear ended. After that, the transmission did engage and I barely made it home. Very dangerous! Transmisison had to be rebuilt. Only 126,000 miles on a 2018 truck.
Power train, Sep 2, 2024
Transmission jerking on downshift between 3/2 and 2/1 gears! I have seen GM has been aware of a recent transmissions issue with 2012-2018 plus 2019-2022 years
Power train, Aug 27, 2024
6l80 transmission out of no where started kicking in and out of gear while in busy traffic. The motor would rev up and then kick itself back into gear multiple times. This wasn’t stop and go traffic also moments later i was at a light turning left as i did the vehicle start this losing power to the transmission except this time i was in the oncoming traffic’s lane trying to turn. Thankfully the other vehicles stopped although it could have ended much worse.
Other or unspecified, Aug 27, 2024
Transmission down shift really rough and the went out, Replaced with a new one from dealership and it does the exactly the same thing $7000
Service brakes, Air, Electronic stability control (ESC), Electrical system, Aug 5, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds and in also while reversing, the “Trailer brake system Service” and "Stabili-trak Service" messages were displayed. Additionally, the ABS warning light flashed on the instrument panel. The vehicle stalled on several occasions; however, on other occasions, the power steering function became inoperable. The vehicle was able to be restarted after each failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was determined that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.
Power train, Aug 1, 2024
2 separate lifter failure incidents at 61,000 miles. One failure, happened on a busy interstate, while flowing with the speed of traffic. Truck started to misfire, jerk and blow smoke. I had trouble getting to shoulder of highway to get out of the speed of traffic. The issue was a collapsed AFM lifter # 6. All the lifters were replaced on the passenger side on my dime. 450 miles later, I had to limp again to the repair shop that performed the previous repair to find AFM lifter # 4 failed this time. GM has been knowing about these lifter issues for many of years and this is a safety concern while on busy highways.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Jul 29, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to slow the vehicle, the brake pedal briefly became stiff, after which the brake pedal depressed all the way to the floorboard. The contact stated that the vehicle was able to stop but required increased effort. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V603000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 161,000.
Power train, Jul 25, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was shaking erratically. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 81,000.
Engine, Jul 23, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving out of the driveway, the vehicle shuddered prior to stalling. The vehicle was able to be restarted; however, the contact was concerned for his personal safety while driving the vehicle after the failure. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that there was a misfire in cylinder #6, lifters, and guides needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 76,000.
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 12, 2024
While vehicle is in motion the brake system will automatically start to lock up the brakes and then the stabilitrak light will light up on the dash. As well as if cruise control was set to whatever speed the brakes at some point will begin to slowly lock up causing cruise control to disengage and stabilitrak light will turn on. Relating to: NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID: 20V603000 GM's number for this recall is N202300860.
Engine, May 10, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the contact heard an abnormal ticking sound coming from the engine compartment. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the exhaust manifold bolts. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 100,000. The VIN was not available.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, May 10, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while approaching a stop sign, the contact depressed the brake pedal, but the brake pedal failed to function properly. The contact stated that extra effort was needed while depressing the brake pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The contacted became aware of a failure with the vacuum pump which had caused the failure with the brake pedal. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and instructed the contact to call NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 57,000.
Power train, Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, May 9, 2024
Vehicle shuts off while driving in traffic at low and high speeds stabilitrak service light comes on and the vehicle dash goes dark Radio and temp control panel go dark/ black
Power train, Other or unspecified, Service brakes, May 2, 2024
I've been in and out of dealers over the transmission shifting points and hard down shifts when almost stopped. And the a/c condenser has cracked on the side for no known reason at 75k miles except for the fact of bad manufacturing
Other or unspecified, Apr 26, 2024
frame has rust all over
Power train, Apr 11, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and while attempting to accelerate, the vehicle hesitated. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to take the vehicle to an authorized dealer to have the vehicle diagnosed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the contact was informed that no assistance would be provided and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The approximate failure mileage was approximately 128,000.
Steering, Other or unspecified, Service brakes, Apr 11, 2024
So the recalls were done on my vehicle in September 2023 , I purchased the vehicle in August and after the recalls were performed the truck would seem different but I thought it was just me, we'll I had an alignment done because it was driving crazy , this wasn't done at the chevrolet dealership, so recently we've experience some braking issues and pulling off to the side well I took it to the ryan chevrolet on a thursday and the mechanic kept the truck until Monday so he can diagnose the issue. We'll then he says nothing wrong but recommended I pay for an alignment because ones never been done the original pins were still attached. I declined because I knew better and so he charged me 80. 00 times 2 because I iefused, he was diagnosing the 2 different things I told him we were experiencing. These are the things that can occur if If the recalls arent taken care of, but he didn't care about my concerns, nor did he want to listen , o me I went to big o and I asked about the alignment and they showed me mt truck is perfect in alignment. The brake issues and the going off to the side are getting worse.
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Mar 22, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at unknown speeds for an extended period, the transmission temperature, traction control, and the check engine warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to continue driving. The contact stated that when the failure occurred on several occasions, he came to a stop to allow the vehicle to cool off. The contact stated that on other occasions, the vehicle would begin to jerk upon releasing the accelerator pedal quickly. The contact also stated that it was difficult to shift into gear when the failure occurred. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with an unknown failure. The contact stated that the transmission was replaced. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.