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
827 reports, newest first.
Engine and engine cooling, Jan 27, 2026
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The local dealer was contacted but was unable to schedule an appointment because the service center was fully booked. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Engine, Jan 26, 2026
I own a 2021 Silverado 1500 6.2 v8. Since October of 2025 this truck has been in and out of the dealership. First engine (Oct. 24, 2025) issue as my teen driver was on the expressway and luckily was able to get off and get safely to an unknown persons driveway. Then the motor seized and died as we tried to drive it home. A friend was able to tow it to our driveway and GM sent a tow truck to pick it up and haul to the dealership. The truck was in the dealership for 2 weeks prior to the first engine failure and "EVERYTHING WAS FINE". Nov 26, 2025 new engine comes in. December 12th SECOND motor was put in and FAILED as cylinder 7 had no compression. Dec 31, 2025 picked up my truck with the THIRD motor. Jan 14, 2026 took the truck back AGAIN for engine ticking, noise, loss of propulsion/speed, running sluggish. Dealer kept it until Jan 21, 2026. Dealer said they drove it and the noise is normal injector noise. They did nothing other than drive it. They will not investigate any further as it wasn't pulling codes or warning lights. It is still not running right and I'm waiting for it to have a major failure. It is not safe to drive. The first motor did not show any warnings either. GM really needs to get this figured out soon. No vehicle with 52,000 miles should have 3 motors put in it. This is not quality work and concerns for safety are real.
Engine, Jan 25, 2026
Lights appeared on dash, brought to the dealership. Dealership states engine damage due to valve train and a remanufactured engine was installed. This was approved by us for a $2000 charge. This charge included new manifolds, water pump, fuel pump and all associated gaskets
Steering, Jan 25, 2026
Ignition key fails to release from column lock. It will return to accessory position but not full return for release. Frequent but intermediate problem. Dealer just replaced ignition switch however problem returned same day. (Have not contacted dealer back yet). Restarting the truck and turning the wheel back and forth, shifting to other gears then back to park sometimes works, and sometimes does not. I am often forced to leave the key in the column and lock/unlock truck with remote. No CEL, no other indicators or messages present. 49,515 miles on truck.
Engine, Jan 23, 2026
I am the owner of a January 2021 6.2 liter Chevy Silverado 1500. I have had multiple issues with this vehicle. Oil pressure control solenoid, many no starts, failure to starts, engine lights, oil lights. Truck started to use an excessive amount of oil before scheduled oil changes. The engine sometimes hesitate and fails to accelerate. The engine became noisy. My mechanic started that the engine is noisy and the oil pressure is at 15 lbs. They said it will need a replacement engine that is not covered under my expired power train warranty. The mechanic stated it's not a matter of if it will go, is a matter of when We are a family of 5 and this is our family vehicle. We feel very uncomfortable driving this vehicle with our family knowing the engine is going to fail at any time while driving. This is a heartbreaking expense that I don't believe that we should have to pay for. We have always maintained our vehicle and have never abused it.
Other or unspecified, Jan 22, 2026
Vehicle: 2021 Chevrolet Silverado Issue: Infotainment system failure after GM‑pushed OTA update Description of Problem: On 10/31/2025, my vehicle’s infotainment system attempted an over‑the‑air software update. The update failed and the screen has been locked ever since, displaying only the message: “Update Failed – Return to Dealer.” As a result: - I cannot access any settings (clock, preferences, system menus). - All warning chimes and signal sounds (turn signal click, seatbelt reminder, back seat reminder, etc.) are disabled. - The backup camera still functions, but no other infotainment features are usable. - The system is completely unresponsive to reset attempts. I brought the vehicle to a Chevrolet dealer, who verified that it was the OTA update that caused the failure, they attempted a reflash but was unsuccessful. They now claim the entire infotainment unit must be replaced at my expense, even though the failure was caused by GM’s own update which I neither approved, initiated, or requested. My vehicle is out of warranty, but this was not a wear‑and‑tear issue — it was introduced by GM’s software. Safety Concern: The loss of audible warnings and chimes poses a safety risk. Drivers rely on these alerts for seatbelt reminders, turn signal confirmation, and other critical notifications. A manufacturer‑pushed update disabled these among other functions including radio, navigation, and all vehicle settings. Resolution Attempts: - Dealer attempted reprogramming on 11/6 (charged $295) but failed and state I need a new infotainment system. - GM Customer Assistance refused to provide goodwill coverage. - Vehicle remains stuck in failed update state as pictured. Request: I am submitting this complaint because GM’s OTA update disabled core safety features of my vehicle along with other basic features such as radio. I believe this is a manufacturer defect that should be investigated and addressed, regardless of warranty status.
Power train, Jan 22, 2026
Went to put the truck in gear and it will not move the Chevy dealership saids it needs a new transmission and I see that the 21 Silverado has multiple tranny issues I bought extended warranty and they are telling me it might not be covered
Engine, Jan 21, 2026
Jan 2024 lifters on one side went out. Towed to dealer and had repaired. 9 months later lifters went out again. Had private shop repair it. Less than 3 months later, motor went out. Paid out of pocket to have new motor shipped and repair shop fixed it. A few months later, GM put out the safety recall for 6.2L engine failure.
Engine, Jan 21, 2026
The vehicle had originally stopped in a moving lane of traffic. It was towed to a dealership and the engine was rebuilt with a remanufactured engine. The engine idled rough and seemed to be misfiring. The check engine light kept coming on. The dealership stated the vehicle was repaired and I picked it up. The engine is worse. It idles rough like before. It is rough while driving and the check engine light continues to come on. I am about to return the vehicle for the third time before it stops in the roadway again.
Power train, Jan 20, 2026
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle jerked unexpectedly. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the valve body needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to parts not being available and the VIN not being included in a recall. In addition, the part was ordered at the owner's expense. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 145,565.
Power train, Jan 20, 2026
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact was aware that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V797000 (POWER TRAIN). The contact stated that while driving 75 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal, and the vehicle pulsated before stalling. The contact was able to coast to the side of the roadway. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an unknown dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then towed to another dealer, where the transmission failure was confirmed. The contact stated that the dealer had not inspected the transmission and used a "peephole" to inspect the transmission. The vehicle remained at the dealer unrepaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Engine, Jan 19, 2026
Dealer did the L87 6.2 Recall (basically changed the oil to 0w-40). Based on the “clean bill of health” we towed our Imagine trailer to Tucson. Stayed for 3weeks over Thanksgiving and then started back home. We then towed it back home to Fort Collins and when we reached Denver the check engine light came on and within seconds the engine stopped. We had to coast off the freeway and ended up on an interstate interchange ramp (blind and dangerous). The motor was seized completely. Oil pressure and temps were all normal before the engine stopped. Oil was super HOT when I checked it. After a big adventure dealing with getting the truck and trailer to a safe place via a tow from OnStar, they towed the truck to the nearest dealer. I had to rent a UHaul truck to tow the trailer home (another 80 miles or so) with wife, two dogs and myself crammed in the cab. The dealer got Chevy to cover the engine replacement but I was out $200 for the trailer tow to safety and another $200 for the U-Haul rental. Chevy would not cover that.
Power train, Engine, Jan 19, 2026
Component that failed: The valve train system failed due to collapsed lifters in the GM 5.3L L84 engine. The lifter failure caused internal camshaft damage requiring major repair. The failed components were removed by the Chevrolet dealership and should be available through the repair facility if inspection is requested. Safety risk: The engine failure caused a sudden and severe loss of power while driving. The vehicle would not accelerate beyond approximately 45 mph on a 65 mph roadway while en route to the dealership, creating an unsafe speed differential. When attempting to accelerate to pass another vehicle on a two lane road, the engine backfired and immediately throttled back, making it unsafe to complete the pass. The check engine light illuminated at the exact moment the vehicle lost power during the passing attempt. This sudden propulsion loss during an active maneuver created a hazardous driving condition. Dealer confirmation: An authorized Chevrolet dealership diagnosed collapsed lifters which damaged the camshaft and confirmed this as a known failure pattern in GM L84 engines. Inspection by others: Vehicle was inspected and repaired by the dealership. No accident occurred, so no police or insurance inspection was involved. Warnings or symptoms: No prior warning lights appeared before the passing event. The check engine light came on during the failure while accelerating. Additional context: This failure aligns with widely documented lifter collapse defects in GM 5.3L L84 truck engines. The breakdown was not caused by maintenance or wear and tear but by premature internal component failure known across this engine platform.
Seat belts, Jan 19, 2026
I am submitting a safety complaint regarding a vehicle restraint system failure. I was involved in a collision with a deer. During the incident, the seat belt pretensioner activated; however, the seat belt did not properly restrain me. I experienced forward movement despite the pretensioner activation. The airbags did not deploy. Because pretensioner activation is intended to lock and tighten the seat belt during a collision, I am concerned that the restraint system failed to function as designed. This raises concerns about occupant safety and the ability of the seat belt system to provide protection in future crashes. I am submitting this complaint to document a potential safety defect and request review of this restraint system failure.“After reporting the seat belt restraint failure to General Motors, I was informed that because I was not injured, no action would be taken and no further review would occur.” Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Engine, Jan 18, 2026
Warning lights came on at approximately 46000 miles. Brought to dealer for faulty lifters. One week later they decided that the lifters had damaged the cam and now the dealer wants to replace the motor.. Unfortunately for us the dealer has no car that we can use, so we had to rent a vehicle. Hopefully it will be ready in 2 weeks. That will make it four weeks with out a vehicle
Engine, Jan 18, 2026
Most mornings after starting truck and driving off, it appears to be a hesitation or brief loss of power. Issue has been present for several years. It's hard to determine if it's engine or transmission issue. Truck is available for inspection. It usually occurs when leaving house in the morning so there is no safety issue because it happens within the first minute of driving. No warnings, cannot recreate issue.
Engine, Jan 18, 2026
I have a 2021 Chevy Silverado 6.2 engine. The recall that has been sent out for most of those engines I have experience the same damage to my truck engine. Connecting rod/ crankshaft engine failure. But my vin is not in the system for the recall. Can someone have a engineer look into more of these engines especially my engine vin. I was driving and all of sudden my dash lite up saying I have reduce steering. Took it to the shop and I was told that my engine needs major repairs. I have a really nice truck and it can be a show truck and for the engine to just go out because of bad manufacturer parts is not right I also had my kids with me. Please help
Power train, Jan 18, 2026
The powertrain transmission system, specifically the torque converter, failed on my 2021 Chevrolet Silverado at approximately 66,000 miles. The vehicle was taken to and inspected by a GM-authorized dealership, Pellegrino Chevrolet, on January 7, at which time the dealership diagnosed a failed torque converter and formally recommended a full transmission replacement due to the risk that metal debris from the failed converter may have contaminated the transmission; the vehicle and affected components are available for inspection upon request. This failure presents a safety risk due to the potential for loss of power, unpredictable drivability, delayed or failed acceleration, or sudden transmission malfunction, and this vehicle is my family’s primary transportation and is used to transport three child car seats. The problem has been confirmed by the GM-authorized dealership and additionally reviewed by four independent mechanics, all of whom advised that replacing only the torque converter would be insufficient. The vehicle has been inspected by the dealership and documented under General Motors Case #87048318; it has not been inspected by police or insurance representatives at this time. Prior to diagnosis, the vehicle exhibited abnormal transmission behavior and drivability symptoms consistent with torque converter failure, which prompted inspection and worsened leading up to the dealer diagnosis.
Engine, Jan 17, 2026
On 4/19/24 I was driving at highway speed. The engine started to knock and the check engine light came on. I was fortunate enough to be extremely close to my local Chevrolet dealership and made it there before the engine failed. The truck had 38633 miles on it. They found damaged engine components and repaired only the broken parts. Was under warranty. Truck is still ticking to this day. Took it in for this noise and they said nothing was wrong.
Power train, Electrical system, Jan 14, 2026
1- Tailgate keeps opening by itself. It has opened while driving down the highway and things fell out of back of my truck almost causing an accident. It has opened while sitting in my driveway after I have turned the truck off and gone inside. I have reported this to a dealer they said my vin is not on the recall list. I would like my VIN added since it is obviously an issue with the Silverado's. 2- I recently has to bring my truck to the dealer for the transfer case sounding like there were bolts in a blended and a pinging sound by the bell housing while in park. They stated it was the front axle and fixed it saying it was a power train thing. The noise is back and now out of warranty.
Engine, Jan 13, 2026
Complete engine failure and it just outside the recall. This is unacceptable and needs fixed.
Engine, Jan 12, 2026
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. While the contact's wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine seized. The low engine power warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine failure was the result of no oil in the vehicle. The contact was informed that there was no oil on the dipstick when checked. The contact stated that the failure had occurred shortly after an oil change was performed on September 9, 2025, at Walmart. In addition, the contact stated that there was no evidence of an oil leak. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact referenced an unknown recall with a similar failure description; however, the VIN was not associated. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 62,248.
Power train, Jan 9, 2026
Not sure of exact date I believe it was right before Thanksgiving. The truck started shuttering and vibrating. It feels like we are driving on a gravel road. the manual said to change transmission fluid between 45,000 and 60,000 so we took it to the dealer. that is what we did hoping that would fix the problem. but it did not so we took it back and they kept it for 3 weeks they said no codes came up and they said the tires needed balancing so we let them do that but the problem is still there. they say there is no recall on it . we did some research and found information stating Chevy is having problems with the transmission. as of now we only have 45,608 miles on it. It is riding worse now.
Engine, Jan 9, 2026
I have a Chevrolet Silverado 1500 with the 6.2L engine. I received the recall notice about the loss of propulsion due to a crankshaft issue. The safety of myself, family, friends and coworkers who ride with me on an everyday basis were put at risk because of the faulty engine. I brought my truck in for an oil change in August 2025. I had the Team Chevrolet dealership in Las Vegas Nevada do a telescopic inspection to see if my particular engine had the recall issue. It was discovered the engine did have the recall issue and was kept by the dealership for roughly two and a half months. Chevrolet has confirmed this is a major issue and is affecting roughly 600,000 people. There was no sign of the issue before the telescopic inspection but since the engine has been replaced I have now had three separate issues with misfiring cylinders on the new engine. The plugs and wires have been replaced twice and has not resolved the issue. When the misfires have occurred there were error codes, check engine light notification, and engine sputtering. This again has endangered the safety of myself, family members, friends, and coworkers who ride in my truck on a daily basis. This is now going on four months of issues that keep persisting and I am very concerned that both the manufacturer Chevrolet and the Team Chevrolet dealership are not taking the proper steps in order to solve this very serious issue.
Latches/locks/linkages, Jan 9, 2026
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the tailgate became inoperable and unexpectedly unlatched and lowered. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 65,000.