FaultScore

Worst years for a Chevrolet Silverado

Owners have filed 10,928 complaints about the Chevrolet Silverado with NHTSA across model years 1980 to 2017. More of them are about the brakes than anything else.

Avoid

2001 Chevrolet Silverado

1,048 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly brakes.

Cleanest on record

1993 Chevrolet Silverado

77 complaints — the lowest FaultScore of the graded years.

Every Chevrolet Silverado year, graded

The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded
Year Grade Complaints Crashes Fires Median miles Most reported
2017 C 156 15 4 26,250 Transmission & Drivetrain
2016 8 1 0 1,015 Transmission & Drivetrain
2015 C 111 9 2 5,200 Engine & Cooling
2014 D 195 29 0 3,900 Transmission & Drivetrain
2013 C 87 14 3 10,100 Transmission & Drivetrain
2012 C 91 13 7 19,423 Airbags
2011 C 99 15 4 55,000 Body & Structure
2010 B 91 2 2 42,344 Engine & Cooling
2009 C 103 9 5 59,000 Electrical System
2008 C 221 18 6 62,722 Airbags
2007 C 253 11 14 55,612 Airbags
2006 C 223 11 10 54,000 Brakes
2005 C 361 16 8 53,474 Brakes
2004 D 723 68 10 45,000 Brakes
2003 F 852 49 19 39,100 Brakes
2002 F 853 85 5 46,000 Brakes
2001 F 1,048 115 6 49,008 Brakes
2000 F 1,614 163 11 55,000 Brakes
1999 D 2,104 126 11 63,512 Brakes
1998 B 335 19 6 75,000 Brakes
1997 C 365 25 15 72,000 Brakes
1996 C 230 17 3 75,000 Windows, Mirrors & Wipers
1995 B 331 20 0 143,000 Windows, Mirrors & Wipers
1994 B 235 11 5 121,500 Windows, Mirrors & Wipers
1993 A 77 1 0 187,000 Seats
1992 51 1 4 160,000 Windows, Mirrors & Wipers
1991 18 0 0 Brakes
1990 37 4 0 Brakes
1989 24 1 3 Brakes
1988 18 0 2 Electrical System
1987 2 0 0 Tires
1985 3 0 0 Fuel & Propulsion
1984 5 0 0 Tires
1982 2 0 0 Engine & Cooling
1980 2 1 0 Electrical System

What breaks on a Chevrolet Silverado

Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.

Brakes 3,696 33.8%

Worst in 1999

Worst in 1999

Worst in 2004

Worst in 1995

Engine & Cooling 661 6.0%

Worst in 2000

Steering 561 5.1%

Worst in 2003

Body & Structure 508 4.6%

Worst in 2000

Airbags 485 4.4%

Worst in 2008

Suspension 426 3.9%

Worst in 1999

Tires 410 3.8%

Worst in 1999

Worst in 2000

Worst in 1999

Seats 245 2.2%

Worst in 1999

Worst in 1999

Exactly what failed on a Chevrolet Silverado

The named sub-assemblies behind those complaints, across every model year.

Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip 1,370 42.7%
Automatic Transmission 327 10.2%
Motor 286 8.9%
Rotor 194 6.1%
Control Unit/Module 186 5.8%
Instrument Cluster/Panel 182 5.7%
Frontal 179 5.6%
Windshield Wiper/Washer 167 5.2%
Hinge AND Attachments 166 5.2%
Gasoline 149 4.6%

Complaints filed over time

Every complaint about every Chevrolet Silverado, by the month it reached NHTSA.

Jun 1997 peak 307 Mar 2025

Chevrolet Silverado problems by state

Where owners filed from. Heavier states are usually just bigger markets, but a part that fails in heat or salt shows up here first.

Compare the Chevrolet Silverado

Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.