2020 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 3500 Safety Overview

Component: POWER TRAIN

"The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 3500. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the rear wheels locked-up. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The contact resumed driving, but the vehicle was driving roughly, and the failure recurred while driving 30 MPH. The check engine warning light, the electronic stability control warning light, and other unknown warning lights were illuminated intermittently. The contact pulled into a gas station, where a mechanic inspected the vehicle, but the cause of the failure could not be determined. The vehicle was towed 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 due to the cost. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V797000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was unknown."

Component: POWER TRAIN,ENGINE

"The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 3500. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the vehicle later failed to start and became undrivable. The dealer was notified of the failure and an appointment was scheduled for diagnostic testing and for the manufacturer internal recall repairs. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Additionally, the contact became aware that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V797000 (Power Train); however, the local dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the dealer was not aware of the recall. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue via email, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 28,000. Parts distribution disconnect."

Component: POWER TRAIN

"I recieved a recall notice from Chevrolet stating they needed to install a software update to the truck which will warn if a potential rear wheel lock up is about to occur due to faulty transmission valve body- which was stated that they do not have a fix for. After software update was installed- I was driving about 35 mile per hour on the trip home, and the truck abruptly downshifted very hard, momentarily locking up rear wheels, and the check engine light came on, and the vehicle message came up stating the vehicle was placed in a reduced propulsion mode(limp mode). The next day it did it again on my short drive to work of 2 miles. I took into dealership and they informed me that the valve body had failed- as mentioned in the recall notice. It is now 1 month later and I still do not have my truck back, the part is back ordered, and they have no idea when it will be fixed. I am without my primary form of transportation."

Component: POWER TRAIN

"The sudden rear wheel lock up recall that GM has released for the 2020+ Silverado's with the 10-speed transmission does not go far enough. The recall simply reprograms the PCM to alert the driver 10,000 miles prior to the valve in the valve body failing, puts the vehicle into limp mode, and extended the warranty on the valve body to 15 years or 150,000 miles. GM states there is no fix available and this is not correct. NextGen Drivetrain has developed a fix for this per their website [XXX] ). On their site they also provide videos of trucks experiencing the lock up where it seems that the vehicle downshifts to 2-nd gear at high speeds and creates a violent jolt. This is extremely troubling to me as these vehicles are meant to tow, and I am very fearful that this issue will happen while towing a long trailer while my family and I are traveling and putting them in danger of an accident. It is very concerning to me that NHTSA would allow for this type of a "FIX". I am not sure if you have seen the videos of this issue happening, or know that a fix does seem to have been developed. I ask that you please reopen this investigation and revisit the way GM is handling this recall, and look into the fix that NextGen drivetrain has developed. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)"

Component: FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

"Received a code P10D9. Infotainment center says 157 miles until 65 mph max speed. Dealer has no idea what’s wrong"

Component: SERVICE BRAKES

"During operation of the vehicle at approximately 45mph and sudden stopping/ breaking is required, truck fails to do so. It is a partial loss of brake pressure and a loud "whale cry" type sound that appears to be coming from under the hood. I have had it happen twice just recently; I have taken to dealer, and they cannot replicate the issue. I have caught the sound the second time on video. To summarize truck loses partial breaking power, pedal does not bottom out, but it feels like there is not as much pressure being applied to the breaks when needed. Once the sound stops all braking returns to normal."

Component: POWER TRAIN

"The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 3500. The contact received a notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V797000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at 62 MPH during snow weather and switching lanes; the accelerator pedal was depressed, and both the rear wheels had locked. The vehicle spun out of control and traveled into the center lane of a two-lane road and crashed into a snow embankment where it came to a stop. No Injuries were sustained. No warning light illuminated. Prior to the crash, the contact stated that the transmission was slipping and making abnormal noises where it was taken to a dealer for the transmission was inspected and replaced due to metal shaving intrusion. The vehicle was then taken to the same local dealer for the most recent failure where it was diagnosed with a transmission failure related to the open recall. The vehicle was towed back to the residence where it was informed that the recall remedy was not available and no interim repair. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000. The contact mentioned that the failure mileage for the most recent failure was 28,000 with the new transmission. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that there was no recall remedy available and no expected available date determined. VIN tool confirms parts not available."

Component: LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

"The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 3500. The contact stated that upon commencing to drive at various speeds, the tailgate would open without user intention, and remain open despite attempting to shut close via the interior controls. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed the VIN was not included in the NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V060000 (LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 65,000."

Component: POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

"2nd time I’ve had to replace def heater and tank. Truck goes into limp mode and limits the speed leaving a person stranded."

Component: POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

"The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 3500. The contact stated that while driving on [XXX] at 70-73 MPH, the vehicle unexpectedly downshifted to first gear. The contact slammed on the brake pedal and pulled over to the side of the road. The vehicle was turned off. The contact stated that the tachometer had increased to over 3,000 RPM. The vehicle then red-lined. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the valve body control needed to be replaced but was on backorder for a month. The vehicle was repaired, but the vehicle failed to recognize the part. The dealer informed the contact that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. While driving, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the vehicle. The contact was able to pull over safely. The vehicle was towed to another local dealer, Spitzer Chevrolet Amherst (200 N Leavitt Rd, Amherst, OH 44001), where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact was informed that the torque converter was wobbling, and the crankshaft bearings were shot. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who determined that the oil filter had metal shavings inside. They removed the oil pan and noticed the crankshaft had broken in half. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V797000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 178,000. Parts distribution disconnect. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)"

Component: POWER TRAIN

"Dealership told me the throttle body failed in my transmission. I wanted it completely torn down to find the actual point of failure since it did represent the current recall on the truck that hadn't been done because the part isn't yet available. The transmission has been replaced for almost $10,000.00"

Component: SERVICE BRAKES

"I haul vehicles for a living. My rear wheels locked up and my truck came to a complete stop while I was on the highway. Luckily I was able to pull over and no one was behind me. It has happened a total of 3 times. There is no fix for my recall yet. I’m terrified to drive, but this is how I make my living. What happens when it rains and my wheels lock up again. My life is on the line. I went to Chevrolet service they said they have no idea what could have caused this. Then a couple weeks later I get an open recall with no remedy. What am I suppose to do?"

Component: POWER TRAIN

"Transmission lock up traveling 45 miles an hour while acceleration up modest uphill grade pulling a 3000 pound trailer. The lockup was severe enough to cause passengers to lunge forward with seatbelt engagement. There was no loss of control of the vehicle; however, we did stop the vehicle to inspect it with no damage observed. We expected to see some. This event would have caused a likely loss of control of the vehicle if the lockup was for longer duration. Vehicle also had prior hard shifts that are still occurring. These hard shifts usually occur in the lower gears with acceleration and deceleration. Vehicle was taken to the dealership with an explanation of the event. There were no codes. The dealer recommended a transmission fluid change to smooth the shifting. This seemed to decrease the frequency of the hard shifts but did not eliminate them. The vehicle has not been inspected by police, manufacture or insurance company. The dealer did not do a thorough transmission inspection. I suspect they knew of this problem at the time of the transmission fluid change due to the current recall: Manufacturer Recall NumberN242454440 NHTSA Recall Number24V797"

Component: SERVICE BRAKES

"We tow a 2024 Grand Design Solitude 310GK with our 2020 Chevy Silverado 3500 diesel truck. We are getting frequent but intermittent loss of our trailer brakes during towing. As you can imagine this is a serious safety issue. We will be towing and receive a message on the display "Trailer Brakes Disconnected" then typically followed by "Service Trailer Brakes". This has been happening more frequently over the past 3 months. Imagine driving down a hill with a 15K pound rv pushing you and there are NO brakes on the 5th wheel. It is extremely scary and dangerous. I've researched on the internet and Facebook and there seems to be a "Technical Bulletin" from GM Bulletin No.: 23-NA-149 Date: September, 2023 recommending the replacement of the Trailer Brake Control Module. I've called to have the dealer replace our brake control module but it is not covered because it is a "Bulletin" and not a "recall". This is absurd and the manufacturer should take care of this known issue."

Component: UNKNOWN OR OTHER

"Back window or back cab cover seal is defective and caused water to leak in the cab and soak the carpet in the entire floorboard there are water stains on the headliner mold growing under back storage compartment. There are numerous other reports of this issue on different internet forums. I have the truck at the shop with gm saying they will cover 25% of the costs. I feel this to be a manufacturer defect. This isn't caused by normal wear and tear."

Component: SERVICE BRAKES

"This problem concerns faulty emergency brakes. The issue was discovered in the driveway, when I engaged the parking brake with the vehicle in park and my foot on the brake. The Service Emergency Brake light came on and stayed on. When the problem was investigated at the dealership, it was found that the brake pad abradable material had delaminated from the brake shoe and was floating loose inside the drum. This same condition was found on 3 of the 4 brake shoes. Based on the appearance of the parts it did no appear they fell off when the parking brake was engaged, but had been loose for some time. With loose parts floating inside the brake drum sooner or later they will move and could lock up the rear wheel. The Chevrolet service department did not seem to be concerned with condition. A big concern is that the parking brake needs to be engaged to discover the issue. Many people rarely if ever engage their parking brake and could be driving around with loose parts in their wheels. The fact that this happened in just three years indicates the parts were produced with a faulty bond material. The abradable should never just fall off. On a backup safety system that is required on all vehicles, this issue should be taken more seriously by the manufacturer"

Component: ENGINE

"Fan pulley broke in half, snapped fan belt, damaged fan and caused truck to overheat. Truck would not turn off when overheated, even when fan was not working, so truck kept getting hotter. Dealer said this is the 3rd one they've seen this week"

Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

"The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 3500. The contact stated that while hauling a 2020 Heartland Cyclone, the trailer brakes unexpectedly deactivated. The contact stated that the trailer brake was disconnected, and the warning light to check the trailer winch was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of failure. The vehicle was not repaired, and the failure persisted. The vehicle was returned to the dealer and the contact was informed that the trailer brake module had failed and needed to be replaced. The trailer brake module was replaced. The failure and repair were linked to an unstated Technical Service Bulletin; however, the VIN was not included. The TSB stated that the RV battery was interfering with the vehicle battery and causing the failure. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The vehicle was returned to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 52,000."

Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

"The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 3500. The contact stated that while depressing the brake pedal, the tailgate brake light failed to illuminate. In addition, the contact stated that while a trailer was hitched to the vehicle, the message "Check Trailer Connection" was displayed, and other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed; however, the failure was not identified. The vehicle was taken to another local dealer, Davis-Moore Chevrolet (8200 W Kellogg Dr, Wichita, KS 67209) for a second opinion. The vehicle was diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure was not identified. Upon further inspection, the contact related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: 20-NA-198; however, the second local dealer advised the contact that the fix might not repair the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure had progressed over time. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 26,000."

Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,SERVICE BRAKES

"The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 3500. The contact stated while driving 10-15 MPH and approaching a stop sign, the brake pedal was depressed down to the floorboard, but the vehicle failed to respond. The contact made a left turn to avoid a ditch. The contact stated that the vehicle then rolled to a stop. The contact shifted to low gear, turned the hazard lights on, and was able to drive to the residence. Upon inspecting the vehicle, the contact noticed that the brake fluid was leaking. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where the passenger's side rear brake pads, brake disk, and brake calipers were replaced. The contact stated that the failure recurred while driving. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where the driver's side rear brake pads, brake disk, and brake calipers were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed to a second dealer, Duke Chevrolet GMC (2016 N Main St, Suffolk, VA 23434), where it was diagnosed that the passenger's side rear brake pads, brake disk, and brake calipers were severely damaged. Additionally, the failure had damaged the rim of the rear passenger's side inner tire. The vehicle was being repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 4,500. The VIN was not available."