Chevrolet Silverado Complaints (2021)

989 consumer complaints on file.

#11720647February 26, 2026
SUSPENSION
On 2-23-2026, while traveling at highway speeds on the freeway, the front upper and lower A-arms (control arms) suffered a complete structural failure. This caused an immediate loss of steering control, forcing the vehicle off the road. By sheer luck and reactive maneuvering, I was able to avoid a multi-vehicle collision; however, the failure resulted in over $4,000 in mechanical and body damage.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11720772February 26, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Warranty issue the p1098 code
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11720033February 23, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VISIBILITY/WIPER
Window switch failed and I was unable to roll down the window. Dealer confirmed and performed repairs. Problem occurred on a dry day with no previous issues and the dealer stated it was manufacturing defect with the switch.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11720035February 23, 2026
POWER TRAIN
Transmission began shifting hard over between 60500 and 62000 miles. Dealership test drove and confirmed it was not normal. The transmission pan was dropped and contained metal shavings and bits. Dealer replaced transmission. During late February 2026, I began noticing some hard shifts again, but am hesitant to pay another $699 diagnostic fee and replacement transmission cost because I feel I am wasting money on a poorly designed and unreliable transmission. I don’t feel confident relying on this vehicle for transportation to medical appointments anymore.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11720039February 23, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
At 62000 miles, I was having a transmission problem but had no check engine lights associated with the issue. The day I took it to the dealership for the transmission, the check engine light came on for the first time ever when I started the vehicle. The dealership first said it was a faulty solenoid on the purge valve, replaced that part, but it didn’t fix the problem. The dealership then said it needed a new fuel pump control module, which was heavily back ordered due to demand. I needed the vehicle because it had already been at the dealership for a transmission replacement for many weeks and is my only transportation. The dealership told me other vehicles were there for the same problem, parts were on a national back order and being rationed to dealerships around the country. They could not provide an estimate for when my vehicle would be ready and pushed me to trade in my vehicle as a solution. The sales manager offered a very low trade in value, told me I couldn’t get the part faster by purchasing it myself, and was very pushy. She said my vehicle was devalued because it didn’t have the fuel pump control module needed for the check engine light to turn off, and had a history of transmission problems (even though it just got a new transmission). I got frustrated and ordered the new GM part from summit racing and had it on my doorstep in two days. I took it to the dealership and all of a sudden they had received a shipment of this part, and replaced the faulty one in my vehicle. Their repair resolved the problem, but I still had reliability concerns. Despite all repairs being completed, the sales manager said the vehicle trade in value remained unchanged. It was a complete nightmare and I felt my vehicle was being held back from repair resolution to convince me to trade it in for a new truck. I kept my vehicle and extra part I ordered in case this happens again.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11720042February 23, 2026
ENGINE, STEERING, POWER TRAIN
Belt tensioner/idler pulley began chirping during warm up after starting engine. Noticed serpentine belt was beginning to fray on edges. Dealership confirmed the pulley failed prematurely and caused the serpentine belt to be damaged. Dealership replaced pulley and belt. It was just after warranty expired. The belt is supposed to be replaced at 100,000 miles as routine maintenance, but the failure of the pulley, which the dealer informed me was also premature, but common, was not covered under warranty. Power steering was lost one time in park and a message showed on the dash, but went away after restarting the vehicle.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11719805February 23, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. While driving 43 MPH, the message "Brake Failure" was displayed. The contact then lost control of the vehicle, and the vehicle drove from the right side to the left side of the road, the vehicle drove off the road and crashed into a ditch before coming to a stop. The driver had not sustained any injuries. There was no property damage. The air bags did not deploy. The check engine, the ABS and several unknown warning lights were illuminated after the failure. A tow truck driver who was also a mechanic inspected the vehicle and informed the contact that the driver's side front suspension had fractured from the upper ball joint and the wheel was folded in underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was being diagnosed. A Police Report was filed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 98,000.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11719345February 20, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Service engine light kept coming on the dash, and the code came back to a faulty DEF heater. My truck had a reduced power countdown on the dash indicating the truck was going go to into limp mode after x amount of miles. On warmer days the code would go away and there would be no reduced power. The vehicle was diagnosed at a GM dealership and confirmed the DEF heater was bad, but was notified that there is a bulletin with GM for this issue occurring in many other diesel trucks. My safety was put at risk due to the rapidly changing reduced speed milage, at any point it could drop from 100miles, to 10 miles until reduced speed. This could cause an instant car accident while driving if the truck were to randomly slow down to a speed much slower than the speed limit. IE- driving on the north way (65 speed limit) and having the speed drop to 5mph unexpectedly when you just had over 100 miles to reduced speed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11719476February 20, 2026
AIR BAGS
The vehicle involved is a Chevrolet Silverado 1500. During a collision, the vehicle sustained a front-left (driver-side) impact which caused it to spin and subsequently strike the rear. Despite the severity of the initial impact and secondary rear collision, the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS), including the front and side airbags, did not deploy. The failure of the airbag system increased the risk of injury to all occupants, including a minor child. Without deployment of the front or side airbags during a front-left impact and secondary rear collision, occupants were exposed to direct impact forces that airbags are designed to help mitigate. There were no airbag or SRS warning lights, dashboard messages, or other indications of a malfunction prior to the collision. The concern regarding the airbag system arose only after the incident occurred. Following the collision, the vehicle was inspected by law enforcement and insurance representatives, and documentation is available. The issue has not been reproduced, as it occurred during the collision event.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#11718662February 17, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
P1098 engine coolant control valve Engine light comes on and truck says reduced power. Then went off. Back on again
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11718309February 16, 2026
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
I bought this Truck in December 2023 from Honda of Ocala as a used vehicle it had 59,000 miles when I bought it. In October 24 it started smoking from the exhaust one morning as I was leaving work. I have always changed the oil on time and taken good care of the truck. I found out the lifters had failed and Honda of Ocala replaced all of my lifters on both sides around $4,000 in repairs the truck was at 73,000 miles at this time. A few months after getting it fixed the truck started smoking again and going into limp mode at 81,000 miles. I still owe $30,000 on this truck but can’t afford to keep fixing it and can’t afford to trade it in and go negative on it.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11718166February 15, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I just bought this truck off a used car lot certified dealer and I noticed the engine light on then the truck would hesitate to start and I know the battery is dying so I looked it up and I got a recall on 2021 Chevy Silverado just like mine just wondering why mine is not under recall or why won’t mine get fixed but everybody else is the same year in the same problems can get fixed. I think mine should be fixed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11717291February 11, 2026
POWER TRAIN
The vehicle experienced a sudden and complete transmission failure at approximately 77,800 miles. There was no prior abuse or modification. The failure resulted in loss of normal drivability and required full transmission replacement. The transmission was replaced with a remanufactured unit due to catastrophic internal failure. Repair costs were approximately $7,000. I am aware of similar GM transmission issues and recalls affecting comparable model years and components. Although my VIN is not currently listed under a recall, the failure appears consistent with known GM transmission defect patterns. The failure occurred while the vehicle was in the middle of an intersection in heavy traffic, resulting in sudden loss of vehicle functionality. A child passenger was onboard at the time. The incident created a significant safety hazard due to loss of drivability in an active traffic environment.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11717324February 11, 2026
POWER TRAIN
A recall repair was performed on my vehicle at approximately 157,000 miles. Approximately 4,000–5,000 miles later, the transmission failed. The vehicle entered reduced power mode and became stuck in gear while driving. The dealership is recommending full transmission replacement but will not provide written explanation for why the failure is not related to the recall repair. I am concerned the recall remedy may have failed and that this condition poses a safety risk.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11716963February 10, 2026
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Good morning, While driving and starting my Chevy Silverado 1500 with 3.0 durmax it will suddenly go into a “limp mode” reducing speed and power. Recently while driving on a highway it reduced engine power causing the vehicle to slow down suddenly with many cars speeding by. This caused me to try and pull over the vehicle and avoid hitting other vehicles. When pulling codes off the vehicle there is a p1098 which refers to the engine coolant control valve. This will cause the vehicle to do the described power reduction. Upon researching the issue Gm has recognized and released a special coverage to fix the issue. N252508341. However my vehicles VIN does not pull up the coverage. All the characteristics of the coverage seem to fit the model and issues I have. It’s the same year, model, engine, etc. I’ve attached a DOT report of the special coverage. I’m hoping this will help fix my vehicle and others with this same issue. Although it’s not specifically listed as a safety recall, I feel the cause of the sudden power reduction is known by Gm and warranty issued and the problem should be resolved for all vehicles with this issue. Thank you!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11717088February 10, 2026
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. While driving approximately 30 MPH, the contact heard an object being dragged underneath the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact pulled over and heard an abnormal clicking sound coming from the vehicle before the vehicle stalled. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle, and the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the engine had seized and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11716547February 8, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
My 2021 chevy 3500hd diesel had the engine light come on and the service emissions system popped up in the info screen. It said in so many miles speed would be limited. I took it to the dealer and they said the def tank would need replaced because the tank wiring connector overheated and would cost me over $2k.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11716406February 7, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES
On 01/16/2026, Quirk Chevrolet completed product safety recall N242482680 for the Brake Pressure Switch Connector Fire on my vehicle. Shortly after, my vehicle would come to an abrupt stop on its own while driving. This happened twice on my way home and then the third time at home at which point, it would no longer move forward or backward. The vehicle needed to be towed to the dealership that did the recall. After researching online, I discovered this is a known issue after the recall because the recall component is faulty. One source reports the cause is an improperly manufactured jumper harness which is missing protective tape or a faulty internal C-clip in the cylinder. Another source states the post-service emergency brake issues often stem from a software update meant to enhance safety or an incomplete repair of the brake pressure switch wiring harness. The update automatically engages the parking brake. I absolutely know that the catastrophic failure of my vehicle's braking system was a direct result of the recall work; however, the dealership made me pay for the repairs out of pocket until such time as GM or Chevy makes an "official" recall on the faulty recall. My safety and the safety of others was put at risk by way of my vehicle stopping abruptly on its own. The problem has been reproduced by many sources online - just do an online search "2021 Chevy 5500 emergency brake issue after brake recall completed" and see all the results that come up corroborating my personal experience. Quirks Chevrolet in Manchester, NH inspected the vehicle. No warning lamps or messages appeared on the dash. Please contact me if you want any additional information or copies of receipts, etc. My vehicle is available for inspection upon request.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11716184February 6, 2026
POWER TRAIN
2021 Chevrolet Silverado Z71 Sherrod truck with the 6.2 engine came apart (blew up) driving down the interstate at 65 mph. Had truck towed to dealership and was told needed a new motor. Truck has 89,000 miles on it. I was told truck does not meet recall because of the date it was manufactured but was acknowledged that what happened to it is what the recall is for.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11716340February 6, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
Check engine turned on and at the same time the vehicle turned into safety mode abruptly, it slowed down to 10 miles an hour while on the high way and receiving a message stating that the "engine power reduced", the issue was presented to the dealership and they believe to be fixed with a sensor issue, the light came back on a few days after the initial repair and once again the engine lost power while driving the vehicle, the vehicle was then taken back to the dealership for repair once again, both times I mentioned the service bulletin, which they did not consider in their repair, stating that the issue was specific for a code (which all codes present are in the service bulletin) the 2nd repair was done on a actuator, which they stated should fix the issue, and did not, a 3rd time the vehicle lost power while hauling a trailer, this time I brought up the concern of them not reviewing the service bulletin, this time they confirmed that the service bulletin was the issue causing the check engine light (GM service bulletin no: 21-NA-149) now they are looking to slowly start repairing the issue and wait for the check engine light to turn on again to then go back and forth and review step by step the instructions in the bulletin.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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