USED VEHICLE RESEARCH

2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500

Research the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 using available NHTSA owner complaints, safety recalls, manufacturer communications, defect investigations, and CarIQ data-coverage analysis.

DATA CONFIDENCE: Moderate

Owner complaints

859NHTSA records

Recall campaigns

8Year, make and model lookup

Manufacturer communications

0Matched NHTSA records

Investigations

0Matched NHTSA records

SUBJECTIVE OWNER FEEDBACK

OWNER EXPERIENCE

What it is like to live with the vehicle—kept clearly separate from official NHTSA evidence.

BUILDING THE COMMUNITY

THE FIRST USEFUL PERSPECTIVE COULD BE YOURS

No approved owner experiences yet.

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SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
INDEPENDENT EVIDENCE TYPES

NHTSA owner complaint records remain part of Official Vehicle Data. Subjective review contributions remain in Owner Experience. One does not validate or prove the other. Read the methodology.

EVIDENCE, NOT A SCORE

WHAT THIS DATA CAN TELL YOU ABOUT RELIABILITY

Official records can provide useful research context, but each source has a different meaning. Complaint counts are not failure rates; recalls are formal safety campaigns; manufacturer communications are technical or service documentation; and investigations reflect formal NHTSA activity. Data Confidence measures evidence availability, not vehicle quality. CarIQ does not publish a composite Reliability Score.

Available evidence summary: 859 NHTSA owner complaint records; 8 safety recall campaigns; 0 manufacturer communications; 0 applicable NHTSA defect investigations.

EVIDENCE AVAILABILITY — NOT VEHICLE RELIABILITY

DATA CONFIDENCE

Moderate

Data Confidence measures how much usable evidence CarIQ has for this vehicle. It does not measure how reliable the vehicle is.

Why this rating?
Owner complaint data
Available
Manufacturer communications
Available
Recall data
Available
Investigation data
Available
Production denominator
Unavailable
Complaint component completeness
100%
Mileage completeness
0%
Incident-date completeness
100%

DESCRIPTIVE ANALYTICS

DATA INSIGHTS

Derived from official NHTSA source records. These statistics are descriptive and are not a reliability score.

Complaint records analyzed
859
NHTSA complaints
Most reported component
Engine
46% of categorized complaint records
Top-three component concentration
75%
Records mentioning at least one top-three component
Median reported incident mileage
Not available from current source
0 valid mileage observations
Recall campaigns
8
NHTSA recalls
Most recent recall report
February 13, 2026
NHTSA recalls
Manufacturer communications
0
NHTSA manufacturer communications
Most documented component
Not available
NHTSA manufacturer communications
Top-three communication concentration
Not available
Share of categorized manufacturer communications

SOURCE COMPLETENESS

DATA QUALITY

Complaint records analyzed
859
Component classification available
100%
Incident date available
100%
Mileage available
0%
Structured outcome fields available
100%

Completeness describes fields present in the retrieved complaint records. It is not a data-quality grade or a vehicle assessment.

Learn about CarIQ methodology

PRODUCTION-ADJUSTED DESCRIPTIVE METRIC

NORMALIZED COMPLAINT CONTEXT

Production-normalized complaint data is not currently available for this vehicle.

This metric compares the number of NHTSA owner complaint records retrieved by CarIQ with NHTSA-reported production volume for the corresponding vehicle population.

It is not a vehicle failure rate. Complaint reporting behavior, vehicle age, time on the road, production definitions, and other factors can affect the result.

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Early Warning Reporting, Light Vehicle Production Data. Read the methodology.

OFFICIAL NHTSA OWNER COMPLAINT DATA

PROBLEMS REPORTED IN NHTSA RECORDS

CarIQ groups available NHTSA owner complaint records for the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 by vehicle system to make recurring documentation easier to research. Most represented complaint categories describe the retrieved records—not failure frequency.

TOTAL COMPLAINTS859

MOST REPRESENTED COMPLAINT CATEGORIES

Engine399 complaints
46%of categorized complaint records
Power Train245 complaints
29%of categorized complaint records
Electrical System113 complaints
13%of categorized complaint records
Unknown or Other74 complaints
9%of categorized complaint records
Engine and Engine Cooling60 complaints
7%of categorized complaint records
Service Brakes44 complaints
5%of categorized complaint records
Steering43 complaints
5%of categorized complaint records
Fuel/propulsion System30 complaints
3%of categorized complaint records
Structure29 complaints
3%of categorized complaint records
Air Bags20 complaints
2%of categorized complaint records
Suspension18 complaints
2%of categorized complaint records
Latches/locks/linkages15 complaints
2%of categorized complaint records
Forward Collision Avoidance10 complaints
1%of categorized complaint records
Vehicle Speed Control10 complaints
1%of categorized complaint records
Wheels8 complaints
1%of categorized complaint records
Seat Belts7 complaints
1%of categorized complaint records
Exterior Lighting6 complaints
1%of categorized complaint records
Visibility/wiper6 complaints
1%of categorized complaint records
Hydraulic4 complaints
0%of categorized complaint records
Back Over Prevention3 complaints
0%of categorized complaint records
Tires3 complaints
0%of categorized complaint records
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)2 complaints
0%of categorized complaint records
Fuel System2 complaints
0%of categorized complaint records
Seats2 complaints
0%of categorized complaint records
Diesel1 complaint
0%of categorized complaint records
Equipment1 complaint
0%of categorized complaint records
Gasoline1 complaint
0%of categorized complaint records
Lane Departure1 complaint
0%of categorized complaint records
Parking Brake1 complaint
0%of categorized complaint records
Traction Control System1 complaint
0%of categorized complaint records
Visibility1 complaint
0%of categorized complaint records

A complaint may list more than one component and therefore contribute to multiple categories. Percentages show the share of categorized complaint records that mention each component—not the percentage of vehicles affected. Category percentages may overlap.

INCIDENT REPORTS BY YEAR

1969
1
2020
6
2021
72
2022
66
2023
67
2024
145
2025
304
2026
198

Grouped from complaint records with a valid incident date.

RECENT OWNER COMPLAINTS

Power Train

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11776041
Crash reported4 reported injuries
Read complaint narrative

See attached document for complaint.

Engine

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11775419
Read complaint narrative

The truck shut down while on the highway, complete loss of power and would not restart. Chevrolet dealership concluded that the engine has locked up/failed. Chevrolet states that 2021 6.2-L L87 engine is not included in Recall 25V-274 despite similar mechanical failure.

Power Train · Engine

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11775026
Read complaint narrative

internal engine failure: Lifter went out. Hence caused a catalytic converter to fail without my knowledge. Obviously with this issue there is an issue and can potentially be more. This would be under a recall.

Engine

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11774681
Read complaint narrative

Took my truck 2021 Chevy Silverado 1500 6.2 to GMC for engine noise and was told my engine needs to be tore down to replace the camshaft and lifters for $11,000 or I could replace the engine for around the same cost. Truck doesn’t fall under the 6.2 recall even though this is one of the issues that the motor has been recalled for?

Power Train · Engine

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11774360
Read complaint narrative

The lifter on my cylinder one is failing. This is a known issue with the Chevrolet 5.3L 8cylinder engine and 2021 models are known for being notoriously bad with lifter issues. My safety and the safety of other drivers that own 2021 Chevrolet models is impacted due to this issue can cause the engine to completely fail and shut off while driving which could cause severe injuries up to death. The problem is a widespread issue and mine was confirmed by an independent service mechanic. The vehicle is now being inspected by the dealership. The issue did not arise until I reached 104,000 miles.

Engine

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11774268
Read complaint narrative

I bought this vehicle 9/2023. On 02/23/2024, I started my truck, and heard a very loud knocking noise upon starting it. I turned it off. Called the dealership to come pick it up. They were able to repair it, by repairing some of the lifters on one side. Fast forward to 10/25/2026, I started my truck and heard the same knocking noise. Called the dealership to come pick it up. They say my truck is no longer covered under the power train warranty, and it will cost $10,000 to replace the other side of lifters and cam shaft.

Engine

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11773920
Read complaint narrative

On October 18, 2026, I was driving my 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 with the 5.3L V8 engine at highway speeds with my wife and two young daughters in the vehicle when the engine suddenly lost power and the truck began shaking violently. The check engine light flashed, and "Service ESC" and "Service Parking Brake" warnings appeared on the dashboard. The sudden loss of power at highway speeds created a serious safety risk to my family and surrounding motorists. I was able to get the vehicle off the highway safely. Restarting the truck did not resolve the issue, and it was no longer drivable. The truck was towed by a AAA contractor to a Chevrolet dealership. Following inspection, the dealership verbally diagnosed a broken camshaft and advised that the entire engine required replacement. The truck had approximately 98,000 miles at the time. A written diagnosis has been requested, and the vehicle is currently at the dealership. The truck has a documented history of engine problems. In July 2023, at approximately 33,500 miles, a Chevrolet dealership diagnosed code P0300 and documented misfires on cylinders 1, 3, and 7. Warranty diagnostic and repair work was performed. Another check engine light concern was documented in November 2024 at approximately 62,300 miles. In April 2025, at approximately 69,600 miles, Chevrolet again investigated a P0300 multiple-cylinder misfire condition. Beginning around 75,000 miles, the truck also began displaying recurring low-oil warnings. I added oil whenever these warnings appeared and maintained regular oil changes, supported by service records. Despite these prior engine concerns and dealership visits, the engine suffered a catastrophic failure without an immediate warning before reaching 100,000 miles. I am concerned about the potential for sudden engine failure and loss of propulsion at highway speeds and believe this warrants a safety investigation.

Engine

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11774032
Read complaint narrative

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving the vehicle at highway speeds, the vehicle shut off and lost power. The vehicle failed to accelerate and coasted off the interstate to a safe stop. The contact stated that several warning lights were illuminated on the instrument panel while the vehicle was losing power. The contact stated that two days prior to the failure, the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for an oil change, and there was no failure found. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The failure mileage was 79,000.

NHTSA complaints are reports submitted by vehicle owners and other consumers. Complaint counts do not represent the percentage of vehicles affected and do not by themselves establish that a safety defect exists.

A higher complaint count can partly reflect how many vehicles were sold, vehicle age, and other factors. CarIQ does not yet normalize complaint counts by vehicles sold.

Data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). This site is not endorsed by NHTSA.

OFFICIAL NHTSA SAFETY RECALL DATA

SAFETY RECALLS

8 recall campaigns found

01POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWARECampaign 26V083000February 13, 2026

Summary

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.

Safety Consequence

Rear wheel lock up increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy

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.

02ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:HARD PARTS INTERNAL/MECHANICALCampaign 25V274000April 24, 2025

Summary

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.

Safety Consequence

Engine failure increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy

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.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-888-275-9171) or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

03POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWARECampaign 24V797000October 24, 2024

Summary

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.

Safety Consequence

Rear wheel lock-up can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy

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.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153) or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

04TIRES:TEMPORARY/EMERGENCY SPARE TIRECampaign 21V985000December 16, 2021

Summary

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.

Safety Consequence

An ABS system that does not function properly can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy

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.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

05AIR BAGS:FRONTALCampaign 21V495000July 1, 2021

Summary

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.

Safety Consequence

The missing tabs may prevent the air bag from deploying properly, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

Remedy

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.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

06SEAT BELTSCampaign 20V811000December 23, 2020

Summary

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.

Safety Consequence

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.

Remedy

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.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

07SEAT BELTSCampaign 20V792000December 17, 2020

Summary

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.

Safety Consequence

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.

Remedy

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.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

08TIRESCampaign 20V684000November 5, 2020

Summary

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.

Safety Consequence

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.

Remedy

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.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Recall results shown here are based on year, make, and model. A specific vehicle may or may not be affected. Check the vehicle's VIN with NHTSA to confirm open recalls before purchasing. Data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

OFFICIAL NHTSA MANUFACTURER COMMUNICATION DATA

MANUFACTURER COMMUNICATIONS

TOTAL COMMUNICATIONS0

No NHTSA manufacturer communication records were returned for this year, make, and model.

Manufacturer communications include service bulletins and other technical information submitted by manufacturers to NHTSA. The existence or number of communications does not establish how often a condition occurs or whether an individual vehicle will experience it.

Some manufacturers may issue more detailed service documentation than others, so communication counts should not be used alone to compare vehicle reliability.

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration manufacturer communications

NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION

NHTSA DEFECT INVESTIGATIONS

TOTAL INVESTIGATION RECORDS0

No applicable NHTSA defect investigation records were returned for this year, make, and model.

NHTSA investigations evaluate potential motor-vehicle safety defects. The existence of an investigation does not by itself establish that a safety defect exists, and the absence of an investigation does not establish that a vehicle is problem-free.

Open and closed describe NHTSA's process status, not a CarIQ reliability judgment.

View official NHTSA investigation data ↗

DESCRIPTIVE SOURCE OVERLAP

CROSS-SOURCE VEHICLE DATA

CarIQ compares categories appearing across independent NHTSA datasets. Overlap can help identify areas with more available documentation, but it does not establish defect frequency or prove that an individual vehicle will experience a problem.

ComponentOwner complaintsManufacturer communicationsRecall campaignsNHTSA investigationsOfficial sources containing records
Seat Belts70202 of 4
Tires30102 of 4
Engine3990001 of 4
Power Train2450001 of 4
Electrical System1130001 of 4
Unknown or Other740001 of 4
Engine and Engine Cooling600001 of 4
Service Brakes440001 of 4
Steering430001 of 4
Fuel/propulsion System300001 of 4

Displayed first by the number of source categories containing the component, then by owner complaint count, then alphabetically. This is a presentation rule, not a vehicle ranking. Complaint reports, manufacturer communications, recalls, and investigations describe different events and are never added into a combined total.

complaint
Available
communication
Available
recall
Available
investigation
Available
production
Unavailable

COMMON RESEARCH QUESTIONS

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE 2021 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500

Is the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 reliable?

CarIQ does not currently assign a reliability score to the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. Available evidence is shown as separate official-source records with a Data Confidence classification of Moderate.

What problems are reported for the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500?

859 NHTSA owner complaint records. When complaint data is available, the page groups records by the NHTSA component categories they identify without treating those categories as verified failure rates.

Are there recalls for the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500?

8 safety recall campaigns. Year, make, and model results do not confirm whether a specific VIN is affected or whether a remedy has been completed.

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