2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 827 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 5th highest complaint count among 19 Silverado 1500 model years with reports.
Of the 2021 reports, 20 involved a crash and 12 involved a fire. 17 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
Engine and engine cooling, engine, hard parts internal/mechanicalApr 24, 2025
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, and Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles equipped with a 6.2L V8 gas engine. The connecting rod and/or crankshaft engine components may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine damage and engine failure.
Engine failure increases the risk of a crash.
Dealers will inspect the engine, and as necessary, repair or replace the engine. For vehicles that pass inspection, dealers will add higher viscosity oil, install 6 oil fill cap, replace the oil filter, and update the owner's manual. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 18, 2025. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N252494000.
Campaign 25V274000 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
Air bags, frontalJul 1, 2021
General Motors, LLC. (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 vehicles. The front driver's side air bag module may be missing one or more metal tabs that secure the plastic air bag cover to the housing.
The missing tabs may prevent the air bag from deploying properly, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Dealers will inspect the driver frontal air bag, and replace it if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 16, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N212336560.
Campaign 21V495000 on NHTSA.gov
Seat beltsDec 23, 2020
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV and 2021 GMC Canyon and Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500, Yukon, Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV and Chevrolet Blazer, Camaro, Colorado, Equinox, Silverado 1500, 2500 and 3500, Suburban and Tahoe vehicles. Incorrect bolts may have been used at one or more fastening locations to secure the seat belts to the vehicle. If an incorrect bolt was used, the seat belt may not be properly attached to the vehicle.
If a seat belt assembly is not properly attached to the vehicle, the seat belt may not properly restrain an occupant in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the suspect bolts, free of charge. The recall began January 29, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8785, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N202322230.
Campaign 20V811000 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
Representative owner complaints: engine
429 reports, newest first. Show all
Power train, Engine, May 3, 2021
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2021 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING OFF FROM BEING STATIONARY, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SMART CHEVROLET CADILLAC BUICK GMC (3 SMART DR, WHITE HALL, AR 71602, (870) 543-2200) BUT WAS NOT YET DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS STILL AWAITING A RESPONSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 300. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. A COIL PACK WAS REPLACED.
Power train, Engine, Mar 15, 2021
----WARNING LIGHT FLASHING AT 103 MILES ON VEHICLE ,, DEALER RESET ----450 MILES ON VEHICLE STALLING ,,WARNING LIGHTS ECM - ENGINE SYSTEMP2635 THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION SYSTEM IS NOT PERFORMING AS EXPECTED. AN ISSUE HAS BEEN DETECTED IN THE FUEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM USED TO MAINTAIN, CONTROL AND MONITOR FUEL CONSUMPTION. IF THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS FLASHING, A MISFIRE CONDITION HAS BEEN DETECTED. A MISFIRE INCREASES VEHICLE EMISSIONS AND COULD DAMAGE THE EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM ON THE VEHICLE. PLEASE REDUCE VEHICLE SPEED, AVOID HARD ACCELERATIONS, AVOID STEEP UPHILL GRADES, AND REDUCE ANY CARGO LOADS SUCH AS A TRAILER. IF THE VEHICLE IS CONTINUALLY DRIVEN WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON, THE EMISSION CONTROLS MIGHT NOT WORK AS WELL, THE VEHICLE FUEL ECONOMY MIGHT NOT BE AS GOOD, AND THE ENGINE MIGHT NOT RUN AS SMOOTHLY. THIS COULD LEAD TO FUTURE REPAIRS. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MALTBIE CHEVY AND HAS BEEN THERE SINCE FEB 24TH
Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Feb 22, 2021
ON THURSDAY FEB 18TH IS WAS SNOWING WHEN I LEFT WORK, DROVE AROUND THE BELTWAY APPROXIMATELY 30 MILES GOING ON AVERAGE 30-40 MPH.NO ISSUES JUST BAD ROADS. RIGHT AFTER I LEFT THE HIGHWAY AND TURNED ON TO A MAIN ROAD, I WAS APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE ON THAT ROAD IN THE MIDDLE LANE DRIVING STRAIGHT AT ABOUT 25-30 MPH WHEN MY NEW 2021 SILVERADO (5000 MILES) LOSS POWER. THE BATTERY AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WITH NO ENGINE POWER. AS THE VEHICLE WAS COASTING ATTEMPTED TO GET OFF THE MAIN ROAD, BUT DIDN'T MAKE IT DUE TO THE SNOW COVERED ROADS AND SLUSH. ENDED UP IN A MERGE LANE STILL IN TRAFFIC AND WAS ALMOST HIT NUMEROUS TIMES. TRIED TO RESTART AND GET TO A SAFE LOCATION, BUT WHEN PUSHING THE START BUTTON THE SILVERADO WOULD CRANK EXTREMELY LONG PERIOD OF TIME AND THEN FINAL CUTOUT. WAS ON THE PHONE WITH ON STAR WHERE THEY PUT ME IN CONTACT WITH THE LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT WHO NEVER SHOWED AND THEN LEFT ME A MESSAGE THEY WERE COMING OUT DUE TO THE INCLEMENT WEATHER. THANKS. AFTER TALKING WITH POLICE DISPATCH ON STAR SETUP A TOW TRUCK, BUT GAVE THEM THE WRONG ADDRESS WHICH WAS MORE THAN AN HOUR AWAY FROM MY LOCATION. ONCE BACK ON THE PHONE ON STAR STATED THEY HAD TO CALL THE SAME TOW TRUCK DRIVER/COMPANY WHICH OF COURSE HE WAS OVER AN HOUR AWAY. ONCE THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER ARRIVED 3 HOURS AFTER MY TRUCK BROKE DOWN HE SAID HE WAS ORIGINALLY ONLY 10 MINUTES FROM MY LOCATION PRIOR TO ON STAR SENDING HIM TO THE WRONG LOCATION. WHAT A MESS. HAVE A LOANER CAR BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN TOLD A FUEL PUMP IS ON NATIONAL BACKORDER. ALSO THAT THEY WILL BE REPLACING THE VALVE SPRINGS WHICH IS ANOTHER ISSUE I THINK? HOPING TO KNOW MORE THIS WEEK.
Electrical system, Engine, Dec 23, 2020
FULL ENJINE FAILURE AT 371 MILES CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL.VEHICLE WAS DRIVEING ON CITY STREET ABOUT 30MPH WHEN FAILURE HAPPEN. JUST PRIOR TO THAT VEHICLE STALLED IN TRAFFIC AT A STOP WHEN WAITING FOR A RED LIGHT. SPRING BROKEN IN PISTON CAUSEING FAILURE. ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH INFO. SYSTEM BLANKING OUT AND NO RADIO THEN WHEN IT DID WORK NO VOLUME CONTROL ON THE RADIO. INFO. SYSTEM FIRST FAILED WHEN BACKING UP AND NO RADIO AT ALL. SECOND TIME WHEN MOVING FORWARD BUT I HAD RADIO BUT NO VOLUME CONTROL. 3RD TIME WHEN BACKING UP AND NO RADIO AT ALL. 4TH TIME WHEN DRIVING FORWARD AND NO RADIO VOLUME CONTROL, THEN A FEW MINUTES LATTER THE ENGINE FULLY FAILED. THIS VEHILCE WAS BOUGHT NEW AND ONLY HAD 371 MILES ON IT. THE ENGINE IS A 5.3 VOTEC GM ENGINE.