2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 731 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 7th highest complaint count among 19 Silverado 1500 model years with reports.
Of the 2020 reports, 13 involved a crash and 9 involved a fire. 12 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Power train, automatic transmission, control module, softwareFeb 12, 2026
General Motors, LLC is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, 3500, GMC Sierra 2500, 3500, and 2020-2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles that may have been repaired incorrectly under recall 24V797. The transmission control valve may fail and cause the rear wheels to lock up.
Rear wheel lock up increases the risk of a crash.
Dealers will inspect the vehicles and update the transmission control software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 6, 2026. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N252516560. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on February 12, 2026.
Campaign 26V083000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, automatic transmission, control module, softwareOct 24, 2024
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2500, 3500, GMC Sierra 1500, 2500, 3500, 2021 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles equipped with diesel engines. The transmission control valve may fail and cause the rear wheels to lock-up.
Rear wheel lock-up can increase the risk of a crash.
Dealers will install new transmission control module software, free of charge. GM will provide a special coverage program to cover the repair of transmissions that are identified by the remedy software as containing a defective control valve. Owner notification letters were mailed December 12, 2024. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, GMC customer service at GMC 1-800-462-8782 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N242454440.
Campaign 24V797000 on NHTSA.gov
Tires, temporary/emergency spare tireDec 16, 2021
General Motors (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2021 GMC Sierra 1500 and Silverado 1500 vehicles equipped with certain accessory road tires and a 17" spare tire. The 17" spare tire provided with the vehicle is not compatible for use with the accessory wheels, which can cause the anti-lock brake system (ABS) to not function properly under certain conditions.
An ABS system that does not function properly can increase the risk of a crash.
Dealers will provide a new 17" spare tire and wheel assembly that is compatible with the accessory wheels, free of charge. Dealers will also apply a new spare tire information label, and provide owners with an owner's manual insert clarifying which spare tire to use with the accessory road tires and with the 17" original tires. Owner notification letters were mailed February 7, 2022. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-462-8782 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212346510.
Campaign 21V985000 on NHTSA.gov
TiresFeb 25, 2021
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, XT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, Traverse, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, 2018-2021 Chevrolet Express, GMC Savana, 2019-2020 Chevrolet Blazer, Silverado 1500, GMC Acadia, Sierra 1500, and certain Continental tires sold to the aftermarket for various model year 2018-2021 vehicles. The affected tires were cured for too long during production.
Over cured tires may develop a break in the sidewall resulting in sudden air loss or a belt edge separation which could lead to a tread/belt loss. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tires, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 22, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N212329050.
Campaign 21V115000 on NHTSA.gov
Seat beltsDec 17, 2020
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500, 2021 Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe and GMC Yukon XL and 2020-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 vehicles. The seat belt brackets may not be secured to the seat frame in the front-row center seating position.
If a seat-belt bracket is not secured, the seat belt may not properly restrain an occupant in the front-row center seat position, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect left-side and right-side front-row center seat-belt bracket attachments and reassemble it correctly as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 26, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N202314670.
Campaign 20V792000 on NHTSA.gov
TiresNov 5, 2020
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT5, GMC Acadia and Chevrolet Traverse vehicles and 2020-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles. The vehicles may have been manufactured with Continental tires that were overcured.
Overcured tires may experience a carcass break in the sidewall resulting in a sudden air loss or could develop a belt edge separation which could lead to partial or full tread/belt loss. Either condition increases the risk of a crash.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect vehicles and replace tires that have DOT number and production mold number combinations identified by Continental, free of charge. The recall began December 17, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202319030.
Campaign 20V684000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, driveline, driveshaftOct 22, 2020
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 and 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 trucks. One of the driveshaft joints may not have been properly welded, causing the driveshaft to separate while the vehicle is moving.
If the driveshaft separates, there may be a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of crash.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driveshaft, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin December 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267. GM's number for this recall is N202314870.
Campaign 20V650000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, side/window, curtain, inflatorJul 30, 2020
General Motors, LLC. (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT5 and XT6, Chevrolet Blazer, Silverado 1500, 2500 and 3500 and Traverse and GMC Acadia and Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500 vehicles. The diffuser component of the Roof-Rail Air Bag (RRAB) inflator may not have been properly crimped to the inflator and could separate from the inflator during air bag deployment.
If the diffuser separates from the inflator during deployment, RRAB performance may be degraded, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the suspect RRAB modules, free of charge. The recall began September 3, 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, or Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is N202305380.
Campaign 20V446000 on NHTSA.gov
Service brakes, hydraulic, foundation components, disc, caliperFeb 27, 2020
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles. The bolts used to attach the front and/or rear brake calipers may have not been heat treated and may break under load.
Broken caliper bolts can reduce brake performance or interfere with wheel rotation and increase the risk of a crash.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake caliper bolts, free of charge. The recall began March 23, 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-866-522-9559. GM's number for this recall is N202294420.
Campaign 20V116000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical system, 12v/24v/48v battery, cablesDec 12, 2019
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 trucks. The battery positive (B+) cable rings may have been manufactured with excessive glue, potentially causing an intermittent electrical connection between the B+ cable and alternator.
An intermittent electrical connection between the B+ battery cable and the alternator could cause the vehicle to stall, increasing the risk of a crash. The intermittent connection could also lead to electrical arcing, which could generate sufficient heat to damage surrounding material, increasing the risk of a fire.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect for the presence of glue or other contamination at the B+ cable attachment to the alternator and clean the connection and reattach the B+ cable connection, as necessary. If arcing has damaged the cable, nut, or alternator, the dealer will replace the damaged components. All services will be performed free of charge. GM issued owners an interim notification on February 4, 2020. GM issued second notice and the recall began March 9, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267. GM's number for this recall is N192273510.
Campaign 19V888000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, delivery, fuel pumpNov 21, 2019
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Camaro, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. The fuel pump may be missing a pressure regulator, allowing for over-pressurization of the fuel system.
Over-pressurization can crack the fuel pump and cause leaks, increasing the risk of a fire in the presence of an ignition source.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began December 18, 2019. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267. GM's number for this recall is N192283991.
Campaign 19V837000 on NHTSA.gov
Seat belts, pretensionerNov 14, 2019
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500, and 2020 Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Sierra 2500, and Sierra 3500 vehicles equipped with carpet floor covering. When the front seat belt pretensioners deploy, hot gas may vent through an opening in the pretensioner bracket, possibly igniting the carpet.
A vehicle fire could result if materials ignite inside the vehicle.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will close off the opening in the pretensioner bracket, free of charge. The recall began December 13, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267. GM's number for this recall is N192270600.
Campaign 19V814000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
731 reports, newest first.
Other or unspecified, Oct 26, 2023
water leaking across head liner/ rear sliding window junction. leaking on to granddaughter in child seat. bought truck new, may of 2020. garage kept, day and night. less than 22,000 miles.
Power train, Oct 23, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, the vehicle briefly vibrated and shuddered before losing motive power. After tapping the brake pedal and rapidly accelerating, the vehicle continued to vibrate and shudder but eventually returned to normal functionality. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 78,000.
Service brakes, Oct 16, 2023
Brake calipers on 3 of 4 wheels are trying to lock up. Only 54000 miles on the truck this should not be an issue. Could KILL someone
Power train, Oct 5, 2023
the transmission on my truck shudders and shakes very badly, contacted GM ,also the dealer told it would take 3-4 weeks to repair , i am left without away to work.
Suspension, Wheels, Sep 26, 2023
UPPER CONTROL ARM FAILURE TWICE , 1ST TIME IT HAPPEN WAS FEB. 2023 THEN LAST THURSDAY 09/21/23 HAPPEN AGAIN IF GOING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPPED WOULD OF LOST CONTROL , 1ST TIME WAS DOING 35MPH THEN 2ND WAS DOING ABOUT 10MPH NO WARNING JUST SNAPPED THE BALL JOINT
Other or unspecified, Back over prevention, Sep 21, 2023
Started to notice water marks on the driver and passenger side rear window. According to online forms it is a common problem with 2019 and 2020 silverados with a sliding rear window. The dealer claimed it wasn't a safety issue, which I argued it was due to the mold. Chevy knew about the manufacturing problem before they even sold me the vehicle and did nothing to fix it
Other or unspecified, Sep 19, 2023
I am writing this complaint to bring up the melting dashboard on my 2020 Silverado. I took my vehicle to Beaver Chevrolet in Jacksonville ,FL and they identified that there is an issue with my dashboard. However, they refused to fix or replace it. The service manager check his personnel vehicle and confirmed that his is sticky as well. My co-worker who owns a 2020 GMC Sierra also has a sticky dash. This issue is dangerous as my dash is very shiny and reflects everything onto the glass making it very difficult to see.
Steering, Electrical system, Sep 18, 2023
Loss of power steering, on 2 occasions. Started the vehicle and got a caution notice saying drive with care power steering disabled. Sure enough no power steering. Stopped vehicle waited, re-started vehicle, problem persisted. Made other transportation arrangement plans, restarted vehicle after a bit a problem seem to be gone. Stored codes we're 121, 131, and 140. BCM Communication loss, Power brake communication Loss and Steering Control communication failure.
Steering, Sep 15, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH, the steering wheel seized. The "Loss of Power Steering - Drive with Care” message was displayed. The driver pulled over, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the steering module and steering column needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 74,000.
Power train, Sep 2, 2023
My car turned left with the risk of jumping to the opposite lane. It happened twice. First at 40 mph and the second time at 70 mph. I didn’t feel any issue with the steering drive but more with the traction. I’m not sure.
Service brakes, Sep 1, 2023
About a month ago I noticed some intense shaking in my 2020 Silverado 1500 RST when braking. The shaking is not only felt in the seat and steering wheel, but is also observable in the dash and in the gear shifter. Due to the obvious concern, I made an appointment with the dealer who, after inspection, stated that all 4 rotors were warped due to overheating. I mostly use the truck on the highway, tow a river raft (easily carried by 2 people) on a small trailer 2 times a year (about 70 miles roundtrip), have never used the bed with excess weight, do not ride my brakes when driving, and I live in Alaska where the temperature is cool (high temps rarely exceeding mid 60's). The brake status report on my dash presently shows my original brake pad life to be 83% on the front and 89% on the rear which was inline with the dealer report that the brake pads were still quite thick. These prove that the brakes have not been overused or abused. According to Kaufman and Associates website, "General Motors is recalling over 350,000 2020 Chevrolet Silverado and GM Sierra pick-up trucks due to a fault in the brake system....The issue involved a lack of heat-treatment for the bolts used to attach both the front and rear calipers.....The issue comes down to long-term performance and safety....Untreated bolts run the risk of breaking under loads, and this can result in braking issues, wheel rotation problems, and internal damage to other parts of the truck. These trucks also suffered from brake system control module and premature brake wear issues, and countless owners have reported brake system issues as varied as check engine lights to outright brake failure." According to the local dealer, my VIN isn't included in the recall and they cannot fix it until it is included (or I dish out $2k). It seems obvious that the issue in my truck is the same that led to the recall of the other 350,000 trucks and I simply need my VIN added so that it can be fixed before catastrophic brake failure.
Power train, Aug 22, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was shuddering while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact also stated that after cold starting the vehicle, the vehicle shifted hard from first to second gear. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the transmission fluid was flushed; however, the failure persisted and became more frequent. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and agreed to cover half the cost of a new transmission. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 59,000. The VIN was not available.
Steering, Aug 15, 2023
The key will get stuck in the ignition cilinder when I try to turn off the truck. This happens several times, I got to turn it on and off several times to get the key out of the ignition barrel. The truck was taken to the dealer to be repaired, they replaced the cylinder (part #13528553) and the housing (part# 84990323) AMD it didn't fix the problem
Air bags, Aug 11, 2023
The driver airbag has rusted causing a service safety restraint system light.
Engine, Aug 9, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the emission system warning light and the throttle control warning light were illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle shuddered while being started. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who replaced the spark plugs and made several other unknown repairs. The dealer also informed the contact that the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
Steering, Aug 4, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated when she started the vehicle and attempted to shift into reverse(R) there was an unknown warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel was locked. The contact was unable to turn the steering wheel. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle, and the vehicle regained power steering functionality. The contact stated that the loss of power steering had occurred once. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Visibility, Structure, Jul 27, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that moisture was leaking into the vehicle from the rear passenger’s side window. The vehicle was initially taken to a dealer where the window was resealed; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was discovered that there was crack in the rear passenger side window frame. The window frame was replaced but the failure persisted. The contact stated that mold might form inside the vehicle due to the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 15,000.
Fuel/propulsion system, Jul 20, 2023
while driving i smelled what i thought was strong exhaust from a vehicle in front of us. It was actually gasoline fumes entering the cab from my truck's engine compartment. I pulled over and investigated the smell, we had to let down ALL the windows and turn off the AC. There were no warning lamps. There was, however, gasoline dripping from around the transmission area of the underside. It was dripping on the exhaust which was causing most of the stench. It wasn't a heavy drip but enough for me to skip any other planned errands. When we got to the house gasoline was dropping from six or seven places under the car. The next day we set an appointment for the dealership to look at it. When I drove into the dealer the car was still gushing gasoline and I told them about the recall for the High Pressure Fuel Pump. It turns out that's exactly what it was. However, although my RPO (L82) matched the designated recall, I was told my VIN was not included and I would have to pay...bummer. I don't think the recall cast a big enough web to catch all affected vehicles. I have a video but no photos.
Wheels, Jul 16, 2023
Bought this vehicle 4 months ago first month the tire loosing air went on a trip park in a garage left it there for the week end came out passenger front tire was flat put spare on notice crack on inside of the rim...2 month later took another trio on the way home tire was loosing air change out again Crack on inside of rim driver rear different one then first time
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, Jul 10, 2023
Already paid for transmission repair and now paying for engine wiring harness. Service update was sent out to dealer in May of 2020 to fix issues before selling vehicle. That was not done.
Structure, Jun 29, 2023
I am concerned of the blind spot created by the size of the right and left support structures on either end of windshield. They also have a grab handle attached to them increasing the size. When at a stop and looking for cross traffic they create a blind spot of approaching vehicles. I believe this was why I thought no traffic was approaching when i entered roadway and then saw a vehicle approaching from the left. I immediately came to a stop and avoided an accident luckily.
Engine, Jun 29, 2023
Lifters are failing. This is an ongoing problem with GM engines. They used faulty parts and engines are failing and nothing is being done about it.
Power train, Jun 26, 2023
at around 30mph the transmission struggles and jerks.
Engine, Jun 23, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving 65-70 MPH, the engine started shuddering. The message "Reduced Power" was displayed, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle lost motive power and failed to restart. The contact pushed the vehicle to the side of the road with assistance. The contact was able to restart the vehicle after a while. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the camshaft intake actuator screws had detached, and the engine and turbocharger needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 77,200.
Other or unspecified, Jun 21, 2023
Rear window seal is leaking causing mold in vehicle.