Is your defective Chevrolet Silverado 1500 actually a LEMON?

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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
1,598 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 engine problems

engine problem

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2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Owner Comments (Page 3 of 4)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #40

Jul 142022

Silverado 1500

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

At 7,316 miles my 2021 Silverado 5.3 V8 had lifter failure while driving, the truck would not accelerate correctly and I was forced to pull off the road, luckily it was able to turn off at the next road before the vehicles behind me caught up. The check engine light was blinking and was making a lot of popping noises. I was able to take back roads and drop it off at the dealership for repairs.

- Bend, OR, USA

problem #39

Jul 172022

Silverado 1500

  • miles
This 2021Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LT Trail Boss I purchased new April 2021. Since I have owned it the check engine light would flash randomly with or without a load and now just this past weekend (7/17/2021) the check engine light stayed on. Took it to the Chevy dealer for repair and was told it was a lifter problem. I recently just purchased a camper, well under GM allowed towing capacity, and worried that if the engine should fail either up hill or down hill that there could be loss of control of vehicle from other systems shutting down.

- Wayne, NE, USA

problem #38

May 262022

Silverado 1500

  • miles
Vehicle began having issues at 3 months old... Random service messages, defective headlight, wierd engine noises at startup and stalling upon acceleration/deceleration. I took it to the dealer several times about the issues I were having but they always say they aren't able to replicate any issues. 3 months later I was driving on the highway and the engine started knocking. Had it towed to the dealer and it took them 6 months to replace engine, tcm, starter, and other parts. After finally getting the truck back, it was still stalling and there was a check engine light... Dealer did not reassemble the vehicle properly and several parts and bolts were still missing. It went right back in the shop and catalytic converters were replaced. I also mentioned missing parts and bolts. I get the truck back again and it still seems like it wants to stall. I was turning into a parking lot a few days later and it seemed like it wanted to cut off. While I was distracted trying to see if the truck cut off, I hit a small pole... Truck was damaged way more than it should have been because the dealer did not reassemble it properly. Body shop said my bumper was only held on by 2 bolts and several other bolts and pieces were missing. They said if my bumper was attached properly the damage would not have been as bad. The vehicle was already unsafe because of stalling and the dealer made it structurally unsafe as well... I have opened cases with gm and they aren't doing anything about it. Here this truck is 14 months old and it's been in their possession more than mine... I have asked them about replacing the vehicle and they insist on fixing the issues but never do and I end up driving an u safe vehicle around.

- Meridian, MS, USA

problem #37

Jul 012022

Silverado 1500

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Add 1 more victim to the ongoing and growing list of GM owners of vehicles with 5.3/6.2Lmotors with DFM lifter failure. 50 miles after returning from a 500 mile trip from N. Wisconsin fishing trip this motor threw in the towel. Dealer assessment cylinder #6 lifter failure with an extra bonus of damage bad enough to require replacement of entire cylinder head! This motor has 11K. miles on it, and I have had oil changed multiple times as I am old school and don't buy into the whole 7500K. thing. Guess I should have saved my cash for something more fun! Check engine light did not come on till almost 2mi. after vehicle started running badly, flashing check engine light did not come on till I was almost home 15 mi. Had it towed to the dealer on my own dime!

- Schererville, IN, USA

problem #36

Jun 112022

Silverado 1500

  • miles
Speed limit 70mph and driving on the highway, suddenly the vehicle began to shake and the engine light came on and the vehicle was making a forced deceleration to 40mph. Other vehicles had to swerve to avoid my vehicle, as I was attempting to pull off the highway safely. "service brake system" alarm also came on. The manual advised when getting this alarm to have the vehicle towed. Once at the dealership this note was on my service papers " Customer stated engine light was on and truck running rough and shaking, review of DTC's showed cylinder misfire on #3, tested showed possible issue with spark plug. Relocated coil to different cylinder to see if issue followed. Misfire still noted on cylinder 3, replaced spark plug and conducted test drive and note misfire still present on #3. Removed valve cover and noted failed lifter on intake valve for cylinder #3. All lifters replaced on left side of engine." The dealership stated that "this is a known problem for the 5.3L V8Ecotec engine, that the lifters FAIL." I am a female, I was traveling alone and had to find tow service and pay up front. Once transported 20miles to the nearest dealership, on a Saturday afternoon, I was stranded at a hotel for 2 days waiting for the dealership to open and check out the vehicle. If this is a "known" problem with this engine, THEY SHOULD BE RECALLED. Now I get to worry when the other side of the engine's lifters will 'fail' so they can be replaced under warranty. This is unacceptable in an almost new 2021 truck with 20,000 miles on it.

- Chino Hills, CA, USA

problem #35

Jul 012022

Silverado 1500

  • miles
Vehicle engine has experienced engine lifter failure at 28,000 miles. Engine began shaking violently, check engine lights flashing, traction control light, and stability control lights all came one while driving on the highway several hours away from home. Vehicle had to be towed by Chevy roadside assistance to the nearest dealership. Chevy dealership inspected and said they have to order new lifters for my engine and it would take several weeks for repair.

- Brandon, FL, USA

problem #34

Jul 092022

Silverado 1500

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The 2021 silverado v8 randomly started making a knocking noise. The steering wheel would shake randomly as I accelerated and stayed above certain speeds. I-??m barely able to drive slowly residential speeds at most. If I drive any faster I-??m worried for my safety that the car while break down in the middle of a busy road posing a danger to my family and those around me. I-??m not sure if this is a lifter issue, or engine issue but it seems to be a widespread issue that I haven-??t recurved any recall notice for.

- Phoenix, AZ, USA

problem #33

Jun 242022

Silverado 1500

  • miles
Truck started having a rough idle and was popping and banging while driving. It was hesitating while driving in traffic and would slowdown and jerk while trying to drive to the dealership. It stalled at red lights multiple times. Once it got to a dealership and they identified it as #4 cylinder lifter was malfunctioning. They have not yet disassembled the engine yet to find out the extent of the damage. This is a known issue with these trucks and GM won-??t issue a recall to proactively fix the issue before more damage is done to the motor. Some of which may not show up until after the warranty expires. There was no warning light or check engine light on at anytime. The dealership service department was very surprised by this. Now I-??m without my truck for at least 2 weeks with no loaner of voucher for a rental. The truck has less than 19,000 miles on it and has had all regular maintenance done at a dealership.

- Wylie, TX, USA

problem #32

Jun 182022

Silverado 1500

  • 40,000 miles
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving approximately 10 MPH, there was an engine misfire and then a knocking sound started coming from the engine. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact had the vehicle towed to the dealer who stated that there might be a failure with the valve lifters; however, a diagnostic test had not been performed. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 40,000.

- Georgetown, KY, USA

problem #31

Jul 302021

Silverado 1500

  • miles
"no start" issue. Intermittent no start increased in it's frequency until it wouldn't back in July 2021, it had approx. 9600 miles on it. Had it towed to dealership. They could not recreate problem. I raised hell, and started reading that others had similar problem. A TSB came out that advised tech to install.5 shim. That seemed to have worked until recently late May 2022, have appt. with dealership again. They didn't do a scan the next day to pull a code since one might have shown up at that point. Most likely nothing there now. truck has been driven an additional 10K miles since initial problem and now shows 21400 miles. I can't have this problem every 10K, since soon this will be coming out of my pocket. and it needs a fix as others are having the same problem. GM has had well over a year to sort this out so I'm hoping if it isn't the cam sensor it's something else fairly straight forward. Heading in for service again on 6/15/2022 for same complaint.

- Bedford, TX, USA

problem #30

May 012022

Silverado 1500

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I was driving and noticed several loud clunking noises coming from the Engine bay. The truck began to cut out, shake, and misfire. My dash began to flash and state I had a parking brake failure. I had no choice but to be towed. I have just shy of 17,000 miles. The dealership stated I had two lifter and 1 rod failure. They replaced the rod and all lifters on one side of the engine. I took the truck home for one night and it broke down again. The dealership stated it was fixed for a second time. When I picked it up again, I made it 1 mile down the road before the truck had the exact same symptoms with shuddering and misfiring. It is at the dealership for a third time. I was surprised to fin several class action lawsuits now filed against gm concerning the lifter issue. YouTube is full of lifter issue videos. This should be fully investigated and obviously warrants a recall for lifters, rods, and the camshaft.

- Ochlocknee , GA, USA

problem #29

Apr 292022

Silverado 1500

  • miles
On April 29, 2022 between 4:45 - 5:00 pm Eastern, I was dropping off my son at work when I suddenly experienced a variety of Truck Diagnostic Error messages on the front driver display window. In addition my OnStar advanced diagnostic alert system informed me with the following system issues: Engine and Transmission; StabiliTrak stability control; Antilock Brake; and Emissions. At that moment the truck experience a cut in power and slowed down with a knocking sound coming from what seemed under the truck. I slowly proceeded to drop off my son and drove back home and parked the truck. Truck was towed to local Chevy dealer on Friday of that day. A preliminary diagnosis was done Saturday, April 30 suggesting an Engine Lifter issue. On Monday, May 2, 2022, a final diagnosis determined engine lifter failure on one side of engine bank. Vehicle is still under Warranty with 17,400 miles on it.

- Homestead, FL, USA

problem #28

Feb 062022

Silverado 1500

  • miles
GM USES/USED SUBSTANDARD ENGINE COMPONENTS i.e. LIFTERS. GM KNOWS THSES ARE PRONE TO FAIL, YET ONLY REPAIRS THE VEHICLES THAT ARE AT AN AUTHORIZED DEALER PRIOR TO SALE. ALL THE VEHICLES THAT WERE ALREADY SOLD WILL NOT BE REAPIRED UNLESS ITS BROUGHT IN FOR SEVICE, GM WILL NOT NOTIFY CUSTOMERS OF THIS ISSUE. ALSO GM FAILS TO STOCK THESE PARTS EVEN THOUGH BY THERE OWN SERVICE BULLETINS SUBSTANDARD PARTS WERE USED TO BUILD THESE VEHICLES. GM WILL NOT SUPPLY LOANER VEHICLES TO PATRONS WHO DO HAVE THIS SERVICE DONE NOR WILL THEY TELL CUSTOMERS THAT THE PATRON COULD RENT A VEHICLE AND GET REIMBURSED FOR SAID RENTAL.

- Bronxville, NY, USA

problem #27

Nov 122021

Silverado 1500

  • miles
While driving East on I-24 with my granddaughter. I felt a thump much like hitting a big dog or something in the road. I looked at my 10 year old granddaughter, she was looking at me, she said what was that? I said I don't know, but it happened again in about 1/4 mile down the road. We traveled about another 1/4 mile when the truck started sounding like a machine gun being fired!! My granddaughter started crying as she was scared, I pulled over into the emergency pull off to check my truck. It was running good now and NO ENGINE LIGHT was on. So I continued driving toward Clarksville, TN. although I considered turning back and heading home. I thought maybe it was water in the gas or something. After arriving in Clarksville to pick up my two grandsons we started home. As soon as I got on I-24 west the truck started the same thing again. Felt like we hit a big dog and then started sounding like a machine gun being fired. This time the ENGINE LIGHT DID come on. I was afraid the truck was going to quit running and there I was with 3 grandkids on a very busy I-24!! I contacted Patroit Chevrolet where I purchased the truck at. They told me it would be 6 weeks before they could look at my truck!!!! I hung up but called back as I was afraid that I couldn't make it home, the truck was running bad!! They found that it had dropped a lifter, it had only about 6,300 miles on it!!! They had it for about 3 weeks. Now, I find out that GM has had a lot of problems with these motors, "A LOT of PROBLEMS"!! I, m sure the problem WILL happen again, I am hoping no one gets killed when it does. THIS IS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM!!! GM needs to replace these motors or buy them back or something!!!

- Slaughters, KY, USA

problem #26

Jan 052022

Silverado 1500

  • miles
I have a 2021 Silverado 6.2 being repaired for failed lifters. I see this is a common trend and can cause hazards when pulling over for a faulty motor. 10 speed Transmission downshifts from 2 to 1 harsh with rpms jumping up causing for me to apply more brake pressure to stop. I have had a few incidents when I get close to the vehicle in front coming to a stop. I have taken vehicle to dealer for issue and they couldn-??t replicate issues. Check engine light has popped up once or twice but never stayed on long enough to throw a code.

- San Antonio, TX, USA

problem #25

Jan 032022

Silverado 1500

  • miles
Engine valve lifter failure at 20,000 miles; engine hesitation and power loss. Error to parking brake and to electronic stability control. Chevrolet to replace damaged lifter but refused to replace both banks of defective lifters. As a result of dysfunction I was stranded 1200 miles from home and have been waiting 2 weeks for repair. Still 1200 miles from home with 2 kayaks, 2 bikes etc.

- Corvallis, OR, USA

problem #24

Dec 292021

Silverado 1500

  • miles
Engine lifter failure, excessive engine noise, loss of power and responsiveness, strange sounds from engine and runs very rough especially during acceleration. Multiple warning lights associated with the valve failure. Cruise control no longer works.

- Oviedo , FL, USA

problem #23

Dec 052021

Silverado 1500

  • 6,000 miles
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, she heard abnormal knocking sounds coming from the engine. The contact veered to the side of the road inspected the vehicle but found no issues. The contact continued driving for a while before the failure recurred and the sound was much louder. The check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that two rods had gone through the engine block and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 6,000.

- Kitty Hawk, NC, USA

problem #22

Dec 012021

Silverado 1500

  • miles
At 7000miles truck had sudden engine failure, pulled to side of road and had towed. Dealership said it has a conmonly occuring failure of valve lifters causing bent pushrods.

- Eugene, OR, USA

problem #21

Nov 152021

Silverado 1500

  • miles
Lifters in the engine failed causing the truck to sputter and shake going down the highway. Barely could hold it in the road. Truck wanted to stall out while driving. Truck was fixed and made it 30 miles before the same thing happened again. Chevrolet has dropped the ball and needs to be held accountable for this problem before someone gets hurt or killed.

- Verdunville, WV, USA

Read the next 20 complaints »

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