Complaint volume
765 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
765 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado, grouped by component category.
765 Total complaints
18 Crash reports
11 Fire reports
12 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, electrical system. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 18 crash reports, 11 fire reports, 12 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 162 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 55,888 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to engine, power train, electrical system?
- 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?
18 Crash
11 Fire
12 Injury
0 Fatality
64 Towed
8 Medical attention
What are the most common 2021 Chevrolet Silverado complaint categories?
ENGINE 255
POWER TRAIN 145
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 49
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 43
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 34
STEERING 22
SERVICE BRAKES 21
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE 20
STRUCTURE 19
AIR BAGS 14
765 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2026 | POWER TRAIN | Rough shifting in low gears, can be dangerous in intersections due to low acceleration ability. The check engine light is on for replacement of Transmission Valve Body Assembly. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2026 | STEERING | All of a sudden my check engine light came on with the sudden loss of power steering. Almost impossible to steer at low speeds. After turning it off I waited about 15 minutes then restarted the engine and there was no problem steering. Concern about it happening again in the middle of traffic. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2026 | STEERING | See attached document for complaint. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2026 | STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | I am filing this safety complaint regarding a documented engine wire harness chafing defect in my 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 with the 2.7L L3B Turbo engine. While driving, my truck experienced erratic acceleration, engine throttling to 3,000 RPM without returning to idle after releasing the accelerator, engine misfires, sudden loss of engine power, stalling, and multiple simultaneous warning lights. These conditions created immediate safety and collision risks on public roads. GM issued TSB 21-NA-149 in June 2021 and a second bulletin September 17, 2021, both before my November 2021 purchase, identifying wire harness chafing in the L3B engine caused by a manufacturing error. A wire harness clip was removed during production creating an uncontrolled harness branch that contacts sharp edges on the ECM/TCM bracket, upper control arm, and shock tower during normal engine vibration. This defect was built into the vehicle at the factory and was never disclosed to me at point of sale. The defect manifested after warranty expiration causing cascading failures; wire harness, catalytic converter, and transmission, all within five weeks. Vehicle has been inoperable since January 8, 2026. Defect confirmed by independent mechanic and by Ancira-Winton Chevrolet (authorized GM dealer) in their own repair documentation referencing GM Bulletin 21-NA-149. Dealer documented catalytic converter failure as consequential damage from wire harness repair. GM created Customer Satisfaction Program N192219370 for this exact defect. My VIN was excluded despite experiencing identical symptoms. No safety recall has been issued. Loss of throttle control and stalling at highway speeds represents an imminent collision risk. I request NHTSA investigate a formal safety recall for 2019-2023 Silverado 1500 and Sierra 1500 vehicles equipped with the L3B engine. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2026 | ENGINE | The contact's father owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle started losing automotive power. The contact pulled over and turned off and restarted the vehicle, but the check engine warning light remained illuminated, and while the vehicle was shifted to drive(D), the vehicle failed to accelerate above 40 MPH. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to a dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the lifters and cam shaft had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 63,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 63,000 |
| Apr 2026 | POWER TRAIN | The transmission has been having issues for the past couple days. It is the 10 speed model and I have noticed everyday for the last couple days that there is an unusual shifting pattern between 25-60mph. This is sometimes accompanied with a shudder that feels like going over rumble strips without the sound. The feeling is not constant, but I will come to a complete stop and under light acceleration it will return. Under hard acceleration it is not noticeable. However, I am concerned with the unusual shifting. It can happen at a constant speed where it will do a random shift up or down or under light acceleration it will feel like it’s slipping for just a second. The vehicle has 99,900 miles on it and there are no warning signs or lights active. The vehicle is about to be serviced to do an inspection to find the underlying issue. This is a safety concern because the vehicle could potentially cause more damage to the transmission and with the random shifting, could potentially cause an accident. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2026 | POWER TRAIN | Hard shifting in most lower gears, slipping gears, shuddering in higher gears | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2026 | ENGINE | COMPLETE ENGINE POWER LOSS. I WAS DRIVING MY TRUCK TO WORK. I PULLED OUT TO THE DOUBLE LANE HWY TO MAKE MY WAY TO WORK. AS I WAS EXCELERATING UP THE HILL THE ENGINE JUST STOPPED, FULL POWER LOSS. PRIOR TO THE POWER LOSS THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS OR ALARMS. ENGINE LIGHT WAS NOT ON. LUCKILY IT WAS EARLY IN THE MORNING AND THE ROAD WAS NOT BUSY. I WAS ABLE TO COAST MY TRUCK TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND LATER HAD IT PULLED TO THE SHOP. I WAS TOLD THE ENGINE FAILED. THERE WAS AN ENGINE ERROR CODE P0016. I WAS TOLD THE ENGINE WAS SHOT AND WOULD BE BETTER OFF REPLACING. i WS ALSO TOLD THIS WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE CURRENT RECALL. THE ESTIMATE TO REPLACE IS $9500. MY TRUCK HAS 93,XXX MILES ON IT. iT IS CURRENTLY AT VOGELS CHEVROLET IN KIEL, WI 53042 | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | On August 10th 2025 I was driving down the 5 freeway to the airports All of a sudden I notice my check engine light is on. It was Sunday Chevrolet is closed so I got off the exit to go to auto zone in XXX. I stop at a red light my engine shuts off. I tried to turn it back on twice and it starts to smoke where the battery is. I have it towed to Chevrolet Fairfield. Where they figure out my ground wire came loose and shorted out. I paid for that to get fixed upon returning to get my vehicle on August 31, 2025 I drive not even 10 miles down the road and I hear a boom and then really loud clanking. I blew my engine. It was diagnosed with the same problems as other 6.2 gm motors. I have it towed back to Fairfield Chevrolet. It sat in Fairfield for a couple months due to me working out of town for work and the manager from Fairfield Chevrolet started giving me problems harassing me saying that if I didn’t get it off of his lot he was going to start charging me. So I had it towed from Chevrolet Fairfield to my house in [XXX] where it has sat since. I have been going back and forth with Chevy because I know of the recall however my vin is not in that recall yet it is the same problems as all the ones with the recall. I am really wanting to fix my vehicle as it has been almost 9 months. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | POWER TRAIN | The rear wheels suddenly locked up while driving. It did it twice then the check engine light came on and then the transmission would not shift into gear until I turned off the truck and turned it back on. This happened 3 days in a row all while driving. Exactly the same. No prior symptoms or warnings before the incidents happened. The vehicle is currently at the dealership being inspected. There is a recall (N242454440) that addresses this issue but I'm being told that my truck is not covered under that recall because my VIN is not part of it. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | ENGINE | Random catastrophic engine failure Randomly made a clunk noise and oil pressure dropped to 0. Engine needs replaced | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, the message "Service DEF System" was displayed and the check engine warning was illuminated. The message speed would reduce by increments of 10 to 15 MPH until the vehicle could not accelerate 5 MPH after driving 75 miles. The contact stated that a handheld scanner was used to retrieve DTC: P20B9. The contact stated that the failure was a recurring failure. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the DEF tank heater module needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the dealer was aware of TSB: 21-NA-002 and 22-NA-150; however, the vehicle had a Salvage Title and was not eligible for the repairs. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 53,400. | Crash: No Fire: No | 53,400 |
| Mar 2026 | 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), and the vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the vehicle had passed the recall inspection, and no repair was needed. The contact stated that while driving at 50 MPH, five months later, the engine seized in the middle of the roadway. The contact was unable to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was shifted to neutral(N) and pushed over to the side of the road with assistance. The vehicle was impounded by the local Police Department. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the engine had seized. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the recall remedy had failed to correct the issue. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Action Number: RQ26001 (Engine). The dealer and the manufacturer were not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 125,700. | Crash: No Fire: No Towed | 125,700 |
| Mar 2026 | POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving 20 MPH, the vehicle lunged forward while the accelerator pedal was depressed after the brake pedal was depressed. While the contact’s husband was driving approximately 78 MPH and attempting to accelerate, the transmission light drive(D) started flashing, and the transmission unexpectedly shifted to neutral(N). The driver was able to coast to the side of the road, depress the brake pedal, and wait for a while before continuing to drive. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed; however, there was no cause for the transmission failure found. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure, and a case was opened. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 63,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 63,000 |
| Mar 2026 | LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the tailgate inadvertently opened. The tailgate was closed, but the tailgate reopened unexpectedly within several seconds. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the tailgate opened unexpectedly. After closing the tailgate, the tailgate reopened within several seconds. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was not available. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | POWER TRAIN | The electronics freeze up and sometimes the stereo turns off and won't come back on. The transmission perks and then revs up then hits gear and kicks real hard. The transmission feels like it's going to vibrate out from under the truck going down the road at certain speeds! | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | My vehicle has been at the dealership since February 4 due to a transmission failure involving the valve body, which is currently on national back order along with the converter. These parts are required to complete the repair, and the vehicle is not drivable. This issue occurred after previous major repairs, including engine lifter replacement and a CV axle repair. It has now been 71 days without a repair. The dealer has confirmed the failures, but the manufacturer has not provided a repair timeline or a definitive solution. I have not received consistent updates since March 19, and the vehicle remains out of service with no estimated completion date.. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | ENGINE | On February 12th, the check engine light came on in my 2021 Chevy Silverado 1500 with the L87 6.2 L engine. The following morning, I took it to the shop and had it checked. It was diagnosed with crank shaft bearing coming apart. I contacted the dealership and they told me that my VIN was not associated with the L87 recall, but that they would see if GM would be willing to help with the costst associated with replacing the engine. They agreed to pay for about 30% of the repair. I pointed out to them that my engine was manufactured in the Tonowanda, NY plant which is the site where many of the recalled engines were manufactured. They still refuse to cover the cost of the new engine. I feel that they should cover my costs since the engine was manufactured in the plant and broke down for the exact reason for the recall. My costs are over $10,000 due to their defective engine. Please add my VIN to the recall. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | - What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? High pressure fuel pump, lifter, and cam shaft failure. - How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Potential crash w/ kids in truck, loss of power, surging, engine damage, etc.. (fuel pump) Potential crash w/ kids in truck, engine seizure, severe engine damaged, metal fragments, loss of power, abrupt lock up, fire hazard, excessive noise, etc.. (lifter/cam shaft) - Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes confirmed by dealer Hiley Chevorlet, case # xxx w/ General Motors. - Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Yes by service dealer Hiley Chevorlet, case # xxx w/ General Motors. - Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No, no check engine light or messages. Bought the 21' silverado about 18 months ago, recently the truck began to sound and drive terrible, it was found to be a bad high pressure fuel pump, bad lifter, and damaged camshaft. Dealership acknowledged that these are common issues w/ this model & year of vehicle and the parts are defective parts that they use in the manufacturing process of this model. They deemed it was out of warranty range as it's still under year 5 however I exceeded the powertrain warranty by 10,000 miles so they will not cover the issues and damage. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | POWER TRAIN | I'm reaching out to hopefully prevent a horrific situation not only to myself or any other GM owners. My vehicle has been diagnosed with having a faulty transmission valve body. There are so many that have failed that the dealer cannot give me a time when the part will be available. Because my vehicle is out of warranty, they are not willing to help. When I looked online it said as of late 2024 there were at least 1,888 field reports were identified. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | POWER TRAIN | On 03/13/26, I was taking a family trip when all of a sudden my 2021 chevy silverado (with 6.2L v8) began to lose power and shake uncontrollably causing me to make an emergency roadside stop. Fortunately, traffic was light and I was able to avoid a collision. I immediately heard a loud knocking sound coming from my engine and several check engine safety lights were displayed. On 3/16, I brought my truck to a local GM dealership and was advised that I needed a complete new engine replacement due to catastrophic engine failure because my rods and crankshaft had blown in my engine. The dealership checked for recalls on my truck but were surprised that my vin did not pull up a recall even though there was a recent major engine recall (# N252494000) issued for my exact model truck with the same issues my truck displayed. It should be noted that my vehicle had less than 24,000 miles on it and I have kept up with regular oil change and maintenance service and that before this issue I have had zero issues with this vehicle. To make matters worse my powertrain warranty expired 2 months prior to this incident so I am having to pay out of pocket over $12k for a new engine. On 03/19/26, I contacted Chevy but was told there was nothing they could do for me and stated that NHTSA would have to get my vehicle added to the recall. I am requesting that my vehicle and others like it get added to this massive engine recall so I can get reimbursed for my new engine and also to protect other families from possibly being involved in a major unavoidable crash. Thanks in advance for your help! | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | ENGINE | GM 6.2L motor failure causing motor to have to be replaced. Not covered by GM's recall due to being VIN specific | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle started shaking abnormally. The Service Electronic Stability Control (ESC) warning light, Parking Brake warning light, a wrench warning symbol, and the check engine warning light were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 125,000 |
| Mar 2026 | ENGINE | 2021 Silverado LTZ L87 6.2L V8 engine. 49753 mi. February 27th 2026 total loss of power when parking. A few weeks later hearing knocking noises coming from driver side engine area. this is my daily driver and need this issued fixed. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that upon shifting to park(P) and attempting to turn off the vehicle, the message "Shift to Park" was displayed, and the vehicle failed to turn off unintendedly. The contact stated that upon jiggling the gear shifter, the vehicle responded as intended. The contact stated that the failure recurred intermittently. The contact stated that the failure recurred upon arriving at the residence at 1:00 AM. The vehicle was able to turn off after being reset by temporarily disconnecting the battery. The dealer was contacted, and an appointment was scheduled for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under a related lawsuit settlement. The failure mileage was approximately 53,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 53,000 |