CHEVROLET · vehicle model

CHEVROLET SILVERADO

10,928 NHTSA complaints and 61 safety recalls across model years 1980–2017.

Complaints
10,928
Recalls
61
Model years
35

The CHEVROLETSILVERADO appears in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database with 10,928 consumer safety complaints and 61 safety recalls across 35 model years (1980–2017). That averages roughly 312 complaints per model year, but the distribution is almost never even, most nameplates concentrate their defect reports in a handful of cohort years tied to specific platform refreshes, supplier changes, or component redesigns.

Complaint volume on a nameplate alone is not a reliability verdict: a long-running bestseller will accumulate more filings than a low-volume niche model simply because more of them are on the road. What matters is the year-over-year shape and the component concentration, which the table below isolates for the SILVERADO by showing complaint count, crash count, fire count, and NHTSA safety rating side by side for each model year. The filing-year histogram below the table shows whether complaints are still being submitted against this nameplate or whether the pattern has plateaued, an important distinction for used-car shoppers weighing older cohort years.

NHTSA has 57 investigation files tied to this model, with 2 currently open. Investigations precede recalls and signal that the Office of Defects Investigation is actively testing a theory about a specific component cluster. Together with the complaint-by-year breakdown and recall remedy status, they are the primary signals used by insurance actuaries, fleet managers, and used-vehicle appraisers when pricing CHEVROLETSILVERADO risk. Compare this nameplate against siblings in the same platform family to see whether a given defect pattern is model-specific or shared across the parent architecture.

Complaints by Year

YearComplaints
2017156
20168
2015111
2014195
201387
201291
201199
201091
2009103
2008221
2007253
2006223
2005361
2004723
2003852
2002853
20011048
20001614
19992104
1998335
1997365
1996230
1995331
1994235
199377
199251
199118
199037
198924
198818
19872
19853
19845
19822
19802

Complaint Filing Trend

NHTSA complaint volume by year filed (not model year).

39
97
112
98
697
99
857
00
869
01
899
02
903
03
1139
04
1550
05
526
06
269
07
143
08
133
09
203
10
227
11
300
12
402
13
740
14
505
15
198
16
15
17
38
18
58
19
34
20
24
21
14
22
18
23
13
24
3
25
View all trending models →

Compare CHEVROLETSILVERADO to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 2 Open

View all 57 investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How reliable is the CHEVROLET SILVERADO?
The CHEVROLET SILVERADO has received 10,928 NHTSA complaints spanning model years 1980 to 2017, with 61 recalls. That averages about 312 complaints per model year.
What years of CHEVROLET SILVERADO are available?
PlainCars has complaint and recall data for the CHEVROLET SILVERADO from 1980 to 2017 (35 model years). Select any year to see component-level complaint breakdowns and safety ratings.
Does the CHEVROLET SILVERADO have safety ratings?
NHTSA safety ratings (NCAP 5-star program) are available for many CHEVROLET SILVERADO model years from 2011 onward. Select a specific year to see front crash, side crash, and rollover ratings where available.
What are the most common CHEVROLET SILVERADO complaints?
NHTSA complaints for the CHEVROLET SILVERADO are categorized by component, common areas include engine, transmission, electrical system, airbags, and brakes. Select a model year for a detailed component-by-component breakdown.
How do I check if my CHEVROLET SILVERADO has been recalled?
Visit the year-specific page on PlainCars to see all recalls for your model year, or enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov for official recall status and available remedies.
Data sources

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.