Complaint volume
503 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
Complaint records
503 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2018 Chevrolet Silverado, grouped by component category.
Buyer interpretation
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
503 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
The most common categories are power train, engine, service brakes. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Enriched records include 10 crash reports, 4 fire reports, 8 injury reports, and 1 fatality report. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage is available on 195 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 44,903 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
503 total complaints on record
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | Doors automatically lock with the keys in the ignition and running locking in anyone who is still in vehicle who cannot open to door physically. It will also prevent you from entering the vehicle without a second set of keys or other methods of unlocking the door (onstar, locksmith). This could put occupants in danger and exposed to the elements unexpectedly and also place inside children in danger. Diagnosis - Keyfob - If battery in keyfob is low, the programming of the vehicle is set to automatically lock even if vehicle is in the ignition and running. when unlocking vehicle with the defective fob, vehicle will unlock, then immediately lock preventing entry. Remedy - Replace battery in key fob and truck works as normal. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2025 | ENGINE | On 4/18/25 I was driving to work and was about 2 miles from work when I started to get all kinds of faults displaying on my screen. The engine started to run rough; it sounded like it was not running on all cylinders. After work I drove it straight to the maintenance shop I have been using. They informed me that a lifter failed and went into the cam shaft and created all kinds of metal. I was informed that this was the second Chevrolet Silverado they have had this problem and replaced the engine. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2025 | AIR BAGS,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | The airbag module is not connecting to the rest of the modules. There is a recall on this module in other VINs but not mine. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2025 | POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES | Brakes sometimes require more pressure to stop or slow down. Transmission shutters and makes a clunking noise between shifting points. Kind of a sound bad u-joints make. Air Conditioning leaked all freon out in 2024 with 70k miles just 2mos. after service at a GM Dealership. Still not repaired. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2025 | SUSPENSION,ENGINE | Both upper control arms have broken off at the ball joints. Also the cam and Lifters are failing and this vehicle has been maintained in accordance with the manufacturer guidelines. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2025 | POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | My vehicle has had transmission and engine problems that should not have been an issue until after at least 100,000 miles. At 11,577 miles I reported hard down shifting as well as a hard shift / kick when going from reverse to drive when the transmission would feel like it would slip and then kick when shifting from 1st to 2nd gear on automatic transmission. There were no codes and dealership said they couldn't duplicate problem. At 58517 miles the service 4x4 warning light came on as well as a shifting problem was continuing. A transmission valve body was replaced and a transmission service / fluid replacement was done under warranty or extended warranty. The shifting problem has continued. It has come to my understanding that Chevrolet put out a bulletin about changing the transmission fluid should solve the problem and to tell customers that some hard shift could be normal and not a problem. And I have heard about some class action lawsuits that have been filed. A second and more major issue was the 5.3 liter engine failure that occured at 62,093 miles after having a tapping noise develop and some loss of power. But this issue began earlier at 40,125 miles when I had a fuel injection clean due to it running rough. Extended warranty replaced engine with a used motor and I was still charged $1158.93 for amounts extended warranty didn't cover. My Son's 2015 Silverado 1500 which I owned previously had to have the transmission rebuilt for just under $5,000 just out of extended or manufacturer's warranty. We don't pay $60,000-$70,000 to have engines and transmission fail before 100,000 miles and before the loans on vehicles are paid off. We shouldn't have to be paying a loan on a vehicle we can't even drive because it is in the shop for an extended period of time. At 62,298 miles after getting the truck back from the engine failure, the starter then failed and was replaced under extended warranty with $133.76 cost going to me. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2025 | POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | The truck started shuttering one day it was like I was driving on the drunk bumps but I wasn't. Also it will drop gears when it shouldn't and at times it will kinda jump like it's losing power and don't want to go. I have taken it to my step dad who has been a transmission mechanic all his life and he said the transmission needs to be rebuilt but even rebuilding it won't solve the problem because it is a flaw in the way it was made so rebuilding it they use the same parts and everything so it will eventually do the same thing again it's all just a matter of when. He also had me go to another really good transmission guy and he said that we could replace the torch converter but still may need a rebuild l. I don't know if any that has to do with my passenger tire wear or my wheel bearing coming loose while driving only one bolt was holding it on when my husband checked it. The wheel bearing coming loose is pretty big safety problem. As for the transmission my step dad works at a transmission shop and he said they get probably 3 to 5 trucks a week having the same problem mine is having and I know they have been recalls on other trucks that have the same problem as mine just my one wasn't in the batch they recalled . | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2025 | POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal shuddering sound coming from the engine compartment. The contact stated that the stabili-trak warning light was illuminated. Additionally, on one occasion when the vehicle was started and shifted into drive(D), the vehicle failed to accelerate. The vehicle was taken to a dealer but was not yet diagnosed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 106,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 106,000 |
| May 2025 | POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES | Sometimes when traveling higher speeds (55-70)and braking going downhill, a hard brake will come out of nowhere. Not enough lock up the brakes or anything but enough to scare the crap out of you!!! If it would happen to a elderly person or a less experienced driver, they could probably lose control or wrack. With the power train...sometimes when accelerating(from a stop or low speed)it seems as though it gets stuck in gear or skips a gear. You won't have any power then bam... almost cerps the back tires | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2025 | POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES | The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that the vehicle was vibrating abnormally while driving 45 MPH. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the brake pads and rotors needed to be replaced. The mechanic later determined that the torque converter needed to be replaced. The local dealer was contacted, and determined there were no recalls on the VIN related to the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that there was no recall coverage for the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 75,000 |
| May 2025 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | There was fuel in the engine oil. Had to replace all of the injectors and the high pressure fuel pump. The shop I had it done at said this is known issue on these trucks - why isnt something being done? | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle briefly lost electrical power before returning to normal functionality. The contact stated that during the brief failure, the electronic power steering was not functioning properly, requiring increased effort to maneuver the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who observed damages to the main wiring harness, due to a failure with the over molding protective shell. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 130,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 130,000 |
| May 2025 | SUSPENSION | Passenger side Upper control arm broke in two about to re-enter I75. Had been on I 75 and was going back on it when handling went wonky on Service road. You can see from the rust in the break this stamped part was cracked a while. Vehicle has not hit or run over anything since I have owned it. Had I been on I75 at highway speed it would have been deadly. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2025 | WHEELS | At 25,000 miles, noticed "howling" noise coming from front end. Noise became louder as speeds increased. Lifted truck on jacks and determined the front passenger wheel bearing was failing. Required replacement. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2025 | ENGINE | In May 2023, my 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 with the 6.2L V8 engine experienced a catastrophic engine failure at 82,986 miles. The failure involved the camshaft, lifters, oil pump, and other internal components. I paid $7,319.63 out of pocket to have the engine disassembled and repaired by a certified mechanic. I recently learned GM issued a recall (NHTSA Recall No. 24V266) for 2021–2024 vehicles with the same engine due to internal engine failures caused by crankshaft and rod bearing defects. Although my 2018 model isn’t included, the failure I experienced closely mirrors the conditions cited in that recall. I believe the same defect may exist in earlier models like mine. I’m submitting this complaint to urge NHTSA to consider whether the recall should be expanded to include additional affected years. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2025 | ENGINE | This 2108 vehicle had 56174 miles on it in October 2023 when the starter went bad, then with 56382 miles on it in November 2023 the lifter failed and the engine had to be replaced and then with on 56838 miles on it in Dec 2023 the engine light came on and the dealership replaced the canister and solenoid. All in a 3 month time. Chevy says it happens. Then we start reading it is a problem with their 2019 to 2024 vehicles. Maybe it goes back more. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2025 | ENGINE | The engine/ transmission has been rebuilt 3 times now and still having issues. The RPM goes up out of nowhere. Something is wrong with the truck. I have taken it to my mechanic over 10 times in the past year. It is still having transmission issues even after being repaired 3 times by a transmission shop. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2025 | ENGINE | The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and the lifters collapsed. The contact was able to pull over safely. The contact stated that the engine and ABS warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact called the local dealer, who informed them about the diagnosis and the cost for the repair. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000. | Crash: No Fire: No Towed | 120,000 |
| May 2025 | POWER TRAIN | Hard shift when transmission is shifting around 70 mph and also transmission temperature keeps rising above 230 degrees. Shuddering when shifting after city driving. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2025 | ENGINE | I well maintained my 2018 Chevrolet Silverado, and now the motoer is failing, loss of power and just started smoking from exhaust, my mechanic said that the motor is in the process of blowing up. I made every oil change, and maintained the vehicle because I wanted it to last and be the last vehicle I had to purchase. It failing almost caused a bad accident on the interstate, but luckily I was able to avoid an incident and get to safety. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2025 | ENGINE | An independent service center confirmed that the water pump failed and fell apart. This water pump is a 4-groove pulley (part number 12685259) specific to my vehicle. Most other Silverados have a 6-groove pulley system. This 4-groove pulley water pump is unavailable from the dealer or any of the part stores, as they are on back order with no resolution or availability date. GM has notified some parts stores that this part has been discontinued and is no longer available. This truck is less than 10 years old. There are no other parts, either aftermarket or otherwise, to replace my water pump. The water pump is a vital engine component needed to prevent significant engine damage, and without it, the truck can not run independently without overheating. It is essentially the heart of the automotive cooling system, because the truck water pump function is to continuously circulate the engine coolant from the radiator to the engine and back to the radiator. I have had my truck in an independent service center since January 2025, waiting for this part, which is unavailable. I do have the original part at the shop available for inspection. There were no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem before the failure; it just started making a clanking sound, and I immediately took it to a shop, and have been out of a vehicle for 5 months. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2025 | POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle intermittently shuddered. No warning lights was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the torque converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 47,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 47,000 |
| Apr 2025 | STEERING | While driving steering wheel will lock up and become really hard to move, making it difficult to maneuver out of the road | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2025 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode and was slow to respond as needed. The contact stated that there was smoke coming from the exhaust. While driving, the rear end locked up. The contact stated that the vehicle was slipping, and the vehicle shut off while driving. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact replaced the spark plugs, coil pack, and spark plug wires with a misfire in cylinder #6. The contact stated that the fluids were replaced at an unknown local dealer prior to the failure. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 170,000 |