Chevrolet Silverado Reliability by Year
10,926 NHTSA complaints (1982–2017). Complaint rate: 100.7 per 1,000 vehicles.
Chevrolet Silverado reliability varies significantly by model year. Based on 10,926 NHTSA complaints (1982–2017), the most problematic years are 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, with high complaint volumes linked to service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip. Better choices include 2016, 2013, 2010, which show significantly fewer reported problems.
Why these years are worse
The most common issues driving the complaint spikes:
- service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip — 1,370 complaints (11.8% involved a crash)
- brake failures — 708 complaints (7.6% involved a crash)
- electrical faults — 370 complaints (2.4% involved a crash)
- service brakes, hydraulic — 364 complaints (8.0% involved a crash)
- power train:automatic transmission — 327 complaints (3.1% involved a crash)
Chevrolet Silverado Generations
Manufacturer redesigns the car every few years (a “generation”). Each generation has different engineering and common issues. Click a generation to see year-by-year breakdown.
| Generation | Years | Code | Complaints | Crashes | Volume | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 1 | 1999–2006 | GMT800 | 7,778 | 633 | Hide years | |||
| 1999 | 2,104 | 126 | View 1999View→ | |||||
| 2000 | 1,614 | 163 | View 2000View→ | |||||
| 2001 | 1,048 | 115 | View 2001View→ | |||||
| 2002 | 853 | 85 | View 2002View→ | |||||
| 2003 | 852 | 49 | View 2003View→ | |||||
| 2004 | 723 | 68 | View 2004View→ | |||||
| 2005 | 361 | 16 | View 2005View→ | |||||
| 2006 | 223 | 11 | View 2006View→ | |||||
| Gen 2 | 2007–2013 | GMT900 | 945 | 82 | Show years | |||
| Gen 3 | 2014–2018 | K2XX | 470 | 54 | Show years | |||
| Gen 4 | 2019–present | T1XX | 0 | 0 | Show years | |||
Which Years to Buy & Avoid
Years auto-clustered by complaint volume relative to this model's median.
Bottom line: Avoid the 1997–2005 Chevrolet Silverado (666 crash-related complaints). The 2016 models had significantly fewer reported issues. Most common issue across all years: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP.
Avoid These Years
Average
Better Years
A model's reputation is just the start.
Even within the “good” years, individual cars can have hidden accidents, title issues, or odometer rollbacks. Check the actual VIN before you buy — full history report for $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA complaint count per model year
Common Chevrolet Silverado Problems
Most reported component complaints to NHTSA
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1,370 | 11.8% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 708 | 7.6% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 370 | 2.4% |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 364 | 8.0% |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 327 | 3.1% |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR | 286 | 0.3% |
| AIR BAGS | 280 | 33.6% |
| TIRES | 247 | 5.3% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 223 | 12.1% |
| STEERING | 222 | 4.5% |
Year-by-Year Breakdown
NHTSA complaint count per model year — click any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
| Year | Generation | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982GOOD | — | 2 | 0 | — | View → |
| 1984GOOD | — | 5 | 0 | — | View → |
| 1985GOOD | — | 3 | 0 | — | View → |
| 1987GOOD | — | 2 | 0 | — | View → |
| 1988GOOD | — | 18 | 0 | 2 | View → |
| 1989GOOD | — | 24 | 1 | 3 | View → |
| 1990GOOD | — | 37 | 4 | — | View → |
| 1991GOOD | — | 18 | 0 | — | View → |
| 1992GOOD | — | 51 | 1 | 4 | View → |
| 1993GOOD | — | 77 | 1 | — | View → |
| 1994AVOID | — | 235 | 11 | 5 | View → |
| 1995AVOID | — | 331 | 20 | — | View → |
| 1996 | — | 230 | 17 | 3 | View → |
| 1997AVOID | — | 365 | 25 | 15 | View → |
| 1998AVOID | — | 335 | 19 | 6 | View → |
| 1999AVOID | Gen 1(GMT800) | 2,104 | 126 | 11 | View → |
| 2000AVOID | Gen 1(GMT800) | 1,614 | 163 | 11 | View → |
| 2001AVOID | Gen 1(GMT800) | 1,048 | 115 | 6 | View → |
| 2002AVOID | Gen 1(GMT800) | 853 | 85 | 5 | View → |
| 2003AVOID | Gen 1(GMT800) | 852 | 49 | 19 | View → |
| 2004AVOID | Gen 1(GMT800) | 723 | 68 | 10 | View → |
| 2005AVOID | Gen 1(GMT800) | 361 | 16 | 8 | View → |
| 2006 | Gen 1(GMT800) | 223 | 11 | 10 | View → |
| 2007AVOID | Gen 2(GMT900) | 253 | 11 | 14 | View → |
| 2008 | Gen 2(GMT900) | 221 | 18 | 6 | View → |
| 2009 | Gen 2(GMT900) | 103 | 9 | 5 | View → |
| 2010GOOD | Gen 2(GMT900) | 91 | 2 | 2 | View → |
| 2011 | Gen 2(GMT900) | 99 | 15 | 4 | View → |
| 2012GOOD | Gen 2(GMT900) | 91 | 13 | 7 | View → |
| 2013GOOD | Gen 2(GMT900) | 87 | 14 | 3 | View → |
| 2014 | Gen 3(K2XX) | 195 | 29 | — | View → |
| 2015 | Gen 3(K2XX) | 111 | 9 | 2 | View → |
| 2016GOOD | Gen 3(K2XX) | 8 | 1 | — | View → |
| 2017 | Gen 3(K2XX) | 156 | 15 | 4 | View → |
Year-by-Year Breakdown
Tap any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
See also: Chevrolet Silveradoaccident & safety statistics from our vehicle history database.
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