2021 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 Safety Overview

Component: POWER TRAIN

"2021 Silverado with 5.3 engine/8spd transmission/38,000 miles just outside of the 5-year powertrain warranty *No current recalls under this VIN as of 10/07/2026* Undiagnosed issues with symptoms similar to transmission or rear end slippage, torque converter or clutch pack problems. No warning lights or messages have appeared 1) Vehicle seems to hunt for proper gearing between 30-40 mph (3rd to 4th gear) with light shuddering before shifting gears. Occurred 20+ times 2) Sudden jerk when taking off from dead stop. Feels like being lightly bumped from behind then drives normally. Occurred 4 times 3) Only noticed when towing appx 6,000lb trailer descending down a hill - A one-time loud clunk when easing off throttle and coasting downhill. The sound is similar to hitting a metal desk with a fist. Occurred 7 times. Spoke with local Chevrolet dealer who informed me the powertrain warranty has recently expired, and no repair cost would be covered. Recommended dealer service would be to replace the transmission fluid and filter with Mobil 1, potentially reprogram the transmission, and replace the torque converter. All on a vehicle with only 38,000 miles"

Component: STEERING

"While driving vehicle service power steering light came on had no power steering had to wrestle steering wheel no power steering a smaller person would not have able to handle it"

Component: ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

"I was traveling on a 55mph road. My Chevy Silverado started to shake and lose propulsion. I pulled off on the side of the road. In idle it shook. The dealership was one mile to my south. I turned on the hazard lights and went to the dealership. I could only get the vehicle to 45mph as in shook very bad the whole way. It felt as if the engine was going to explode the whole way there. The vehicle was taken to the dealership where it has been initially diagnosed as a bad lifter."

Component: SUSPENSION

"Ball joint Failure of front passenger wheel assembly Wheel literally folded under truck . Both ball joints broke . 64k miles luckily I was only doing about 20 mph ."

Component: POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

"I am submitting this complaint regarding a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Trail Boss 4WD with the [6.2L V8 (L87)], VIN [XXX], 101,000 miles. The truck was assembled in Mexico in XXX, about six weeks before XXX, just outside the build range of GM recall 25V-274 (N252494000, Engine Failure). On 10/2/2026, [XXX], [XXX] a certified GM dealership, diagnosed crankshaft and lifter failure, matching the recall condition. Codes: P0300, P050D, P0016. The truck was shaking violently, the ESC and emergency braking system failed, reducing engine power. GM's Part 573 filing attributes the defect to out-of-specification crankshafts and identifies a Mexico-based crankshaft supplier. I ask GM to confirm my engine's build date and crankshaft source. A six-week gap in build date should not exclude a truck with the same failure. Engine failure can cause sudden loss of power while driving, a safety risk. The dealer quoted repairs of up to $10,292.00. I request: That GM cover the repair in full as a goodwill adjustment. That GM and NHTSA review expanding the recall population to trucks built near my date. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)"

Component: FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

"Truck stalled out while driving as if it had run out of fuel. Had to be towed to my house"

Component: ENGINE

"The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 to 40 MPH, the vehicle stalled and failed to restart. The contact retrieved DTC: P228C and P030 after scanning the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to a service center, where the contact was provided DTC: P228C, P0340, and P0C6. The contact was informed that the timing chain and guide had failed and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 172,000."

Component: STRUCTURE

"According to 2 mechanics- including a body shop - the frame has prematurely rusted due to: TSB 19-NA-255 - Wax Coating on Frame Peeling, Metal Shows Corrosion/Rusting There's so much damage to a 2021 truck, that it may not survive this winter. The frame welds are breaking due to the lack of frame protection. I asked my dealership, Lamoille Valley Chevrolet 868 VT RT 15E HYDE PARK, VT 05655, on two separate occasions to check for damage. One time they made no report, the second time they told me it was normal wear and tear. I've been told trucks 20 years older than mine, are in better condition. There was no protection for this frame."

Component: ENGINE

"The water pump went bad at 31,000 miles. If I continued driving and the pulley fell off the engine would overheat. I took it to the dealer and they confirmed the pump failure and want me to pay over $1,400 for repair that should be covered under warranty. There was no warning lamps lit, the pump just started making a grinding sound."

Component: POWER TRAIN

"The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that the vehicle previously had a bell housing installed to catch internal metal shavings; however, the housing assembly failed again and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for a diagnostic test. The contact associated the failure with the torque converter. The torque converter was previously replaced once. The contact stated that while driving, the vehicle felt like it was driving over rumble strips or speed bumps, which the contact felt and heard. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The failure mileage was 60,000."

Component: POWER TRAIN

"Vehicle has a bad valve body which was confirmed by the dealer. Driving down the street and the engine went from 3 to 4 gear and the rear wheels locked up. Also when coming to a stop the truck jerks so bad it snaps your neck. GM has major problems with these trucks and knows the problems and keeps issuing bulletins however they have a massive backlog of orders for parts to fix these trucks which leaves people's trucks sitting at service centers for months waiting for backordered parts"

Component: ENGINE

"The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was smoking. The contact stated that the engine was smoking heavily with a strong oil odor, before the vehicle shut off. The contact stated that the engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was restarted and driven to the dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the technicians confirmed the engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was being repaired. The failure mileage was 78,000."

Component: ENGINE

"My truck is the 2021 with the 6.2l L87 motor. My truck is not in the scope of the recall but i had the same failure and received a remanufactured engine without any warranty coverage."

Component: UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE

"My truck started skipping and over time the check engine light came on. I took it in and they are saying it is the lifters, which is costly. I know this truck was built during COVID and I know a lot of the manufacturers were dealing with skeleton crews. I heard this was an issue with the 2021 Silverado trucks, and a recall. Can you please advise?"

Component: POWER TRAIN

"Around 60k miles my truck started shifting rough and at odd times. Then it went into “limp” mode. I took it to the dealership and they replaced my battery and a solenoid. I asked about the transmission and they told me it was because it was in “limp mode”. I’ve continued to have issues with it then a couple of months ago while driving to work at around 60mph the truck harshly downshifted into a low gear causing the rear tires to break loose on the wet roads and sending me into an extended spin. I had the truck towed home and then to the local dealership. After researching, I have found that this is very common with the same vehicles in this year and that there are multiple recalls to address the issues. Unfortunately my VIN is not included. I believe the needed repairs and the associated costs should be GM’s responsibility under special coverages: N242454441 and N242454440-03"

Component: POWER TRAIN,ENGINE

"This vehicle's engine failed on a high-volume roadway in [XXX] which resulted in a significant safety issue. The vehicle was taken to a certified Chevrolet dealership in Scottsdale (Van Chevrolet) whereby the engine in this 5.3L V8 was replaced due to catastrophic engine failure with the lifters being the suspected cause of the failure. Aside from the $10,400 cost of the remanufactured engine replacement, I have had considerable discussions (live and written) with GM Arizona and Corporate representatives outlining the issue(s) and filing formal complaints. These have gone relatively unheeded... Unfortunately, this is the second 5.3L V8 engine failure in one of our GM vehicles as I will be filing yet another formal complaint under separate cover for a 2021 Tahoe 5.3L V8 which had an engine failure requiring new lifters. I am not done yet as I have an appointment tomorrow for what appears to be, a third Chevrolet vehicle with a 5.3L V8 engine lifter failure. Depending on the outcome of this service appointment, I may be filing a third safety complaint regarding the GM 5.3L V8 engine. In my opinion, the NHTSA should absolutely open an investigation into this engine in the same manner that you have a formal investigation/recall in effect for the 6.2L GM engine as based on two personal experiences, the safety of the driver and passengers in these vehicles is compromised due to what appears to be significant engineering and/or manufacturing issues on the part of General Motors. Thank you for your consideration and I am free to discuss in further detail at [XXX] or [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)"

Component: POWER TRAIN

"6.2 L engine failure oil related. Had to replace engine."

Component: POWER TRAIN

"The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that after activating the 4WD feature, the rear wheels locked up with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on several occasions to be diagnosed. Several unknown parts were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced Safety Recall : N242454440; as a possible cause for the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 102,490."

Component: ENGINE

"the engine seized. I tore into the motor to inspect what caused it and it spun a connecting rod bearing on cylinder 1. I have been paying 600 a month on it without being able to drive it since this happened in november of 2024."

Component: ENGINE

"The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced excessive oil consumption at 2,600 miles. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a blown engine. The engine was replaced; however, the contact stated that the replacement engine continued to consume a significant amount of engine oil. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where the replacement engine was diagnosed with premature engine failure at 37,100 miles. The contact stated that during the engine failure, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine and transmission. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact stated that the vehicle had been taken to the dealer every 1,000 miles for oil to be added due to the excessive oil consumption. The dealer confirmed the initial engine failure and the premature failure with the replacement engine. The failure mileage was 37,100."