Complaint volume
732 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
2021 Chevrolet Silverado Complaints
732 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado, grouped by component category.
732 Total complaints
16 Crash reports
11 Fire reports
11 Injury reports
Complaint data reflects consumer-submitted reports. A complaint is not proof
of a defect, recall, or manufacturer fault. Enriched severity fields come
from official bulk records when the complaint can be matched by ODI number.
Buyer interpretation
How to use these complaints before buying
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
Pattern to inspect
The most common categories are engine, power train, engine and engine cooling. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 16 crash reports, 11 fire reports, 11 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 160 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 55,255 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to engine, power train, engine and engine cooling?
- Can I see recent maintenance and repair records?
- Has the vehicle ever been towed, involved in a crash, or repaired for the same issue twice?
- Can we also check the recall record for this 2021 Chevrolet Silverado?
Used-car checklist
Use these complaints before the test drive.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
2021 Chevrolet Silverado
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado complaints?
16 Crash
11 Fire
11 Injury
0 Fatality
62 Towed
6 Medical attention
What are the most common 2021 Chevrolet Silverado complaint categories?
ENGINE 212
POWER TRAIN 126
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 41
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 38
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE 36
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 21
STRUCTURE 19
STEERING 18
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES 14
SERVICE BRAKES 14
732 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2025 | POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving off an off-ramp at approximately 40-60 MPH and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle suddenly lost power and turned off. The contact restarted the vehicle to continue driving. The failure had occurred twice. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and depressing the brake pedal, the brakes grabbed, causing the vehicle to lunge forward, decelerate, and then lunge forward again, before coming to a complete stop. The contact shifted to park(P) and then to drive(D) and continued driving. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer four times before receiving notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V797000 (Power Train). The dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the recall repair was performed. The contact stated that one hour after the recall repair, the failure recurred with the check engine warning light illuminated. The dealer was informed of the failure; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired again. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The manufacturer referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 56,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 56,000 |
| Aug 2025 | ENGINE | The 3 and 4 cylinder need to be replaced at 130000 miles with regulate maintenance always maintained | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2025 | POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 MPH, after making a left turn at a traffic signal, the rear wheels locked up. The contact stated that there was an abnormal screeching sound while depressing the brake pedal in a panic stop, and the vehicle jolted violently. The contact stopped the vehicle with the engine still running and observed the "Service Engine Soon" message displayed. The contact attempted to drive forward, and the rear wheels locked up. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to an Auto Parts store. The contact stated that a store representative used a handheld scanner and was able to retrieve DTC: P0747 (Transmission Valve Body #1 Open). The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V797000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 140,000 |
| Aug 2025 | LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that after power washing the vehicle, the tailgate opened unexpectedly. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact used a bungee cord to secure the tailgate. The contact stated that the vehicle should be included in Customer Satisfaction Program: N232426401. The contact called the local dealer, who confirmed there was no recall coverage on the VIN for the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 42,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 42,000 |
| Aug 2025 | ENGINE | 2021 Silverado 1500 Trail Boss LT with 6.2ltr V8 L87 had sudden catastrophic engine failure at 90,000 miles with excellent and routine maintenance up to. Findings were a broken timing chain, cracked piston and debris in number 8 intake port. Vehicle lost propulsion on the highway posing a safety risk to the driver, passengers and other vehicles on the roadway. Dealership confirmed the findings. There were no warning signs, signals, lamps, beeps, noises or any other indicators that there was an issue with the motor. It unexpectedly and suddenly failed without warning. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2025 | POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | General Motors is selling vehicles that are unsafe, unreliable, and unfit for consumers. My experience shows a clear pattern of negligence, misrepresentation, and disregard for public safety. On or about April of 2021, I purchased a 2021 Chevy Silverado RST z71 from Vetter chvrolet for about $56,000. GM promoted this vehicle as safe and dependable. Within the short 4 years of owning this truck, I faced major failures: engine issues, transmission problems and electrical malfunctions causing the parking break to engage on its own, at highway speeds of 70-80 mph on which nearly caused a serious accident, and failed Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system. This system helps maintain vehicle control, and a problem with it can affect braking, steering, and handling, Despite following GM’s maintenance guidelines, GM delayed repairs, denied coverage on certain failures, and left me with thousands in out-of-pocket costs. The vehicle remains unreliable and unsafe. For myself and my family, 2 children under 3 years old and one on the way. This is not an isolated issue—GM has a long history of recalls and defect cover-ups. These vehicles put lives at risk, cause financial hardship, and violate consumer trust. No one should fear for their safety in a vehicle marketed as “dependable.” This has impacted me by having : • Expensive repairs • Loss of transportation for extended periods • Ongoing fear of driving a defective vehicle with my family in it. Loss of use of my vehicle • Fear and emotional distress driving an unsafe product I have contacted GM and the dealership multiple times. Responses were dismissive, repairs were inadequate, and GM refuses accountability. Requested Resolution: Full reimbursement for all related costs Buyback (preferred) of the vehicle OR permanent repair at no cost Public acknowledgment and stronger quality control. Warning to Consumers: Think twice before trusting GM. Their failure to correct dangerous defects shows profits matter more than safety. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2025 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The dealer was contacted, and the contact was informed that the parts were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded the limited time frame to have the parts available. The manufacturer was contacted; however, the contact was informed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2025 | POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving from a complete stop, and while driving at various speeds, the vehicle jerked abnormally, and the transmission shifted hard. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 160,000 |
| Aug 2025 | ENGINE | So many vehicles like mine have si.ilar issue. Lifter issues causing engine damage and other part damage. Causes issues at high-speed with power and stranded motorists on dangerous highways. It is a safety issue because you could be stranded in middle of highway. Lifter issues causing bent pushrods and other engine part damage costing . I had one pushrod covered, but others failed and now thousands in repairs. In expensive vehicles. Also towing charges, hotels, rental cars, etc... I dont want to be stranded again as only one bank was all replaced. The entire top half of the engine should be fixed and should be replaced and a service bulletin and recall should be issued to help.protect consumers. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2025 | ENGINE | On, or about, 10 June 2025 I attempted to start my 2021 Chevrolet Silverado (with the L87 engine) and noticed an extremely rough idle. I shut the engine off and attempted to restart the engine, the idle was rougher than previous and then white smoke started billowing out of my exhaust. At that point I called a wrecker to take my truck to the service center at my dealership. After the dealership diagnosed my engine they stated that it had failed due the defect in the L87 engine that is currently the subject of an active recall. The service center informed me I would need a replacement engine under the warranty but could not give me a timeline, I have been in constant contact with my service advisor and they indicate that GM has no updates as to where I am in the queue, or how long it may be before my replacement engine will be sent. As of writing this complaint it has been two months with no updates from the manufacturer. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2025 | POWER TRAIN,TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM,ENGINE | The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, the rear wheels locked up, causing the vehicle to slide across the road. The contact was able to regain control of the vehicle and came to a stop in the middle of the road. The check engine and traction control warning lights were illuminated. The contact turned off and then restarted the vehicle and became aware that the transmission failed to shift into the intended gear. The vehicle was towed to the contact's place of employment. The contact who is a certified mechanic performed a diagnostic test and retrieved DTC: P0747, indicating a failure with the pressure control cylinder in the transmission. The contact also found information on NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V797000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not included int the recall. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 83,830. | Crash: No Fire: No Towed | 83,830 |
| Aug 2025 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH and attempting to decelerate, the brake pedal extended to the floorboard while depressed, and the vehicle failed to immediately decelerate. During the failure, the message "Brake Failure" was displayed. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 94,000. | Crash: No Fire: No Towed | 94,000 |
| Aug 2025 | POWER TRAIN | Transmission is making rattling or ticking noise when accelerating , I'm getting hard shifting in 1st and 2nd and some random gears , I have been launched forward when coming to a stop , some hard shifting when kicking down to pass | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2025 | POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving on a neighborhood road, after coming to a complete stop and attempting to accelerate, the transmission started slipping. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was restarted; however, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. The contact stated that while driving and accelerating, there was an abnormal sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer to be diagnosed, and the contact was informed that there was no cause for the failure found. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 24,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 24,000 |
| Aug 2025 | POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at slow speeds, while completing a right turn, there was a loud bang and the vehicle immediately lost motive power. The vehicle was coast to the shoulder of the roadway, where the failure persisted. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the transmission, and determined that there was a rupture in the transmission cooling system. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be rebuilt or replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure had occurred twice in the past and the transmission was rebuilt by the dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 59,000. | Crash: No Fire: No Towed | 59,000 |
| Aug 2025 | POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The vehicle was initially taken to the local dealer to be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V797000 (Power Train). The contact stated the vehicle was not repaired. While driving 30-35 MPH, the rear-end locked up and caused the vehicle to enter the wrong lane. The contact stated that other vehicles were able to drive around the vehicle during the failure. The engine revved, and the RPMs revved too high. The driver was able to pull over safely. The check engine, traction control, parking brake, and maintenance warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the rear-end had locked up, and the #5 cylinder and wiring harness needed to be replaced. The mechanic was unable to unlock the rear-end. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer on six other occasions for unknown issues. The manufacturer was contacted regarding a buyback. The failure mileage was approximately 34,958. | Crash: No Fire: No Towed | 34,958 |
| Aug 2025 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact had received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000(Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle to the dealer for a routine oil change, the contact requested an engine inspection and oil change. The dealer performed the oil change; however, the dealer informed the contact that the recall remedy was not yet available for the vehicle. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was informed of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. | Crash: No Fire: No | 30,000 |
| Aug 2025 | POWER TRAIN | Transmission shifts rough, shudders, has hesitation at times, makes the vehicle feel like it is missing from jerking. Have not contacted dealer. No warning lamps, messages. Occurred a week after purchasing vehicle. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | Tailgate experienced issues with not unlatching when button is pushed and also unlatching when button is not pushed. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2025 | ENGINE | The truck started rattling and lost power while driving. Every warning light came on on the instrument panel. I was driving on the freeway in rush hour traffic when this happened. Yes, it has been confirmed by a dealership and independent service center. No lights were on prior to when it failed to give any warning that something may be going wrong. The failure occurred immediately after GM issued a recall in April involving defective V8 engines (Recall Link [XXX] )). While our truck is not currently included in the recall, the diagnosis of the vehicle is all the same as that of the recalled engines. We should not have an engine failing at 130K miles on a vehicle that has been well maintained. We are asking that this truck be added to the recall. We are still without the vehicle as engines cannot be sourced. Please advise on next steps. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2025 | POWER TRAIN | I was driving in a straight line at 45mph when my truck jerked to one side. It felt like the back of the truck was sliding out from behind me and also felt like my truck was being pulled to a stop. A check engine light came on. I drove it back to my house (approximately 3 miles). The light went away but came back, and the transmission started overheating even though I was only going 10-20 mph. The truck randomly did the same jerking action while going home. I had to drive slow to get home. There was no warning when this happened. No lights, sounds, or other warnings. The jerking motion almost made me hit other cars, and almost made me lose control of the vehicle. It is available for inspection if needed. It has not been looked at yet because I found this website when researching the problem online. If you want to inspect it, then you need to inspect within 2-3 weeks because I’m military and I am getting stationed overseas. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2025 | ENGINE | In June 2025, I received a letter from General Motors noting that a defect exist relating to motor vehicles safety in certain 2021 model of Chevrolet Silverado equipped with the 6.2L V8 gas engine (RPOL87). The dealer has been unable to fix the issue in a timely manner as they claim that the parts are on backorder. Additionally, they have been unable to provide me with another vehicle while my car is in the dealer. It is completely unacceptable that the dealer has been unable to fix the issue in a timely manner or provide with alternative form of transportation while the parts arrive. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2025 | POWER TRAIN | Transmission problems, when the truck would get to operating temperature the transmission would lurch when I would stop the truck. If I pulled up to a stop sign/light the transmission would lurch forward hard enough to make it feel like I got hit. If I didn't have my foot hard on the brake pedal it would move the truck far enough to hit another vehicle or pedestrian. After awhile the transmission started to slip out of gear as I was driving at highway speeds or not engage correctly during acceleration. I have now been without this truck for months while they try to replace the transmission. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2025 | ENGINE | Lifters 1-3-5-7 all failed. They were pitted as was the camshaft. Diagnosis from Hendrick Chevrolet in Hoover AL. 70k miles on one owner truck. Regular servicing and never towed anything. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2025 | ENGINE | check engine light came on at 55000 mile went to servige ststion they check oil 4 quart lowe motor leaking o il . been to dealer 5 time in last 2 0r 3 month . now engine making peaking noise at 6400 mile . dealer say warrenty out have to pay for repair . something wrong clinder head they guess dont now for shore will have to tare into motor this truck was under warrenty when i first took it for repairs now they want me to pay for the repairs . | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |