Chevrolet Silverado 1500 window and wiper problems
481 of the
23,432 complaints filed about the Chevrolet Silverado 1500
are about the glass, mirrors and wipers —
2% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 1997.
481
Complaints
2%
Share of all complaints
5
Crashes
20
Fires
Windows, Mirrors & Wipers complaints by model year
I needed a replacement driver-side windshield wiper arm for my 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LTZ Z71 with factory rain-sensing wipers. GM's electronic parts catalog directed the Chevrolet dealer to part #23387855. The dealer physically compared the part to my original arm and confirmed it was the wrong shape and would not fit. The dealer opened a formal Catalog Omission/Error (COE) ticket with GM. I was then informed that GM redesigned the wiper arm on my truck. The correct redesigned arm has been ordered, but I was told there is no estimated availability date and that it is not currently available through GM dealerships or GM's parts distribution/warehouse system in North America. This is a safety concern because a damaged or failed wiper arm could leave an owner without proper windshield visibility during rain or severe weather. I am also concerned that the passenger-side arm may have the same catalog and availability problem, although this has not yet been confirmed. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate whether this issue affects both wiper arms and other 2023 and newer Silverado 1500 trucks with this wiper configuration nationwide.
NHTSA complaint #11756980 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Rear windshield was recalled and replaced in 2020, was driving and heard a pop and driver side rear windshield had shattered again, Chevys fix for rear windshield was just to put a new one in and not fix the actual issue, have a 6 month old baby and thank goodness she was not back there at the time.
NHTSA complaint #11755744 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Glare on windshield from dash Glare in my eyes from all shiny trim on or around center console and around infotainment screen Very bad blind spots with trailer mirrors
NHTSA complaint #11755633 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Truck will hard shift and bang into gear while driving. This usually happens when slowing then starting up again. happens at all speeds on highway, so hard it lunges me forward. condition getting worse. random times my windshield wipers will just come on ( I do not have rain sensors) the switch is in the off position and wipers will just come on and I have to turn them on then turn them off to get them to stop.
NHTSA complaint #11753419 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
2022 SILVERADO ZR2 on second set of headlights due to extreme moisture inside of headlights and at night becomes a saftey issue due to the water distorting the beam of headlights. The headlights in it now are a year old
NHTSA complaint #11747976 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
. I bought this truck for my husband as a birthday present & it has been a nightmare. My husband is a [XXX] & I wanted a vehicle that he would be comfortable in to take him to his numerous medical appointments. The first indication was the check engine light came on. I took to to O'Reillys & they scanned the vehicle & no issue was detected. I then had several instances where the vehicle would not start & one instance when it would not go into reverse & the truck was making a noise from the underbody. The windshield washer unit also was not working. I then took it back to the Ford dealership where it was purchased. They ran a scan at the dealership & said there was nothing wrong. They then indicated that I should take it to a Chevy dealer which I did. They stated that Chevy has a special scan that the previous scans cannot access. I documented all the issues and the Chevy dealership found 8 issues including the transmission, holes in the struts, software issues, washer pump, grille shutter & loose battery cables. The Ford dealership agreed to fix the struts & the washer pump as well as the diagnostic testing. I thought we were going to be able to resolve the transmission and the grille shutter issue but that has not happened. The defective grille shutter is what is activating the check engine light. The Ford dealership charged me for fixing the battery cables and yet they were needed to be done again. They also told me that the grille shutter was not necessary as I could drive with it but I would never know when I had an actual problem. They wanted to replace the torque converter. I submitted a request to Carvana & they offered me 5,000 and I paid double that plus. I don't feel safe driving the vehicle and GM is well aware of the issues with this make and Model. Let's not wait until someone is killed or hurt before action is taken. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11730856 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Glass sunroof blew outwards driving 60mph on the highway. No other vehicles were around and I did not see anything impact the vehicle. The glass was broken outwards and created an 8” by 8” hole in the sunroof glass. There was no extreme temperature differential, approx. 55 degrees outside. It has been repaired and not available for inspection. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? It sounded like a gunshot inside the truck, causing extreme distraction at highway speeds. Luckily the interior shade was closed and caught the glass, but if it was open all of the glass would have fallen on the passengers. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? No the dealership did not consider it a manufacturing defect. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Insurance inspected the vehicle and it was covered under a glass claim. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No indication prior to the incident at all. It happened out of nowhere.
NHTSA complaint #11722700 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Driving down the road, and suddenly driver side of rear windshield exploded. GM has publicly acknowledged faulty circuit/glass in prior (expired) campaign in US (N192265660) and apparently there is a full recall in Canada for this problem, 2014-2018 Silverado 1500 with power sliding rear windshield. Chevrolet/GM told me they would not offer any assistance in repair. Repair cost is $948 at local glass shop. Will upload receipt after repair. Of course, this could have caused a major incident on the highway, from losing control of vehicle, heart attack, ,glass could go flying...However, my dog and I maintained our cool and there were no injuries. No one has inspected this. The glass will be replaced in two days. Dealership wasn't interested in helping. There were no warning lamps at all. I bought vehicle in 2021, after N192265660 "expired", and thusly had no knowledge of nor opportunity to fix the issue, as GM never notified me of it.
NHTSA complaint #11719879 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Window switch failed and I was unable to roll down the window. Dealer confirmed and performed repairs. Problem occurred on a dry day with no previous issues and the dealer stated it was manufacturing defect with the switch.
NHTSA complaint #11720033 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The dealership has informed me that the Radio Control Module of the vehicle needs to be replaced. The infotainment center which contains the backup camera is no longer functioning.
NHTSA complaint #11717733 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
A recurring malfunction occurs with the infotainment/radio and rear backup camera display. The rear backup camera view remains stuck ON while driving forward in DRIVE at speeds over 20 mph, including highway speeds. The system also cycles between screens (including switching to the camera view), and the infotainment freezes and becomes unresponsive (loss of screen/control). Audio playback and hands-free calls become staticky/distorted. These events create a serious driver distraction and safety risk while driving. This has occurred multiple times, including during long-distance driving, and has been significant enough that I have had to pull over to the side of the road multiple times. In multiple incidents, the system did not recover until I pulled a fuse to reset/shut down the system so I could continue driving safely. The unit remains powered ON after the vehicle is turned OFF and exited. There is also a history of battery drain/no-start events requiring jump starts. No warning lights or warning messages are displayed before or during the failure; the system becomes unresponsive and behaves unpredictably. The problem is intermittent and has occurred multiple times over the life of the vehicle, including after a head unit replacement. Dealers have documented the concern on repair orders; during the most recent visit the dealer noted no diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) stored.
NHTSA complaint #11715407 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact heard a loud pop and looked in the rearview mirror and became aware that the rear glass had shattered. The contact stated that the temperature was below freezing and that the rear windshield defroster was activated during the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
NHTSA complaint #11714945 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked with the defroster activated, there was smoke coming from the rear window, followed by a loud noise. The contact stated that upon turning around, the contact noticed that the driver's side rear window had shattered. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000.
NHTSA complaint #11712622 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the cabin became foggy, and the contact noticed that there was smoke coming from between the sliding window and the rear passenger's side window. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The contact then heard an abnormal gunshot like sound coming from the rear passenger's side window. The contact noticed that the rear passenger's side window had sustained a spider web crack, and the shattered glass was falling gradually. The contact was able to drive to residence, and the contact had not driven the vehicle since the failure. The contact stated that the defroster was engaged during the failure. The dealer was notified of the failure, and the vehicle would soon be towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in an unknown recall. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 83,000.
NHTSA complaint #11712511 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Trucks driver side rear window which is a three-piece window with a sliding window in the middle has shattered apparently due to a defect or fault in the rear window fogger. I had my son in the back at one point and put the defogger on, and it started smoking and nearly caught on fire. No warning on either incidences and they did not occur at one time but about two days apart.
NHTSA complaint #11711295 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH with the defroster activated, the contact observed a burning odor, and the rear window shattered. The contact steered to the side of the road and inspected the vehicle. The contact stated that while standing outside of the vehicle, a burned mark was seen on the bottom left side of the outer glass. The contact stated that on the opposite side of the burn mark, there was another mark on the inside of the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 138,000.
NHTSA complaint #11709044 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the rear sliding glass defroster element overheated. The contact was unsure but thought that the defroster had activated independently. The contact stated that the heating element had caught fire, burned a hole through the weather stripping, and shattered the rear sliding glass. The contact extinguished the fire with a can of soda. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.
NHTSA complaint #11705028 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On [XXX], I [XXX] ) experienced the following issues with my new 2024, Chevrolet Silverado - 1500: • Front Windshield Wiper Washer Fluid not spraying/dispensing. • No messages or symbols displayed on the Driver Information Center dashboard indicating Windshield Wiper Washer Fluid Reservoir low/empty. • Inspected the reservoir that holds the fluid and did not observe low/empty. • Took it to the GM dealer 4 times and they were unable to repair. My vehicle has a recurring defect with the windshield washer system where the washer fluid does not dispense when activated. This issue occurred on a new vehicle and has persisted despite service attempts. When the washer fluid fails to spray, I am unable to clear dirt, dust, road debris, or moisture from the windshield while driving. This significantly reduces forward visibility, especially at freeway speeds or in conditions where debris from other vehicles hits the windshield. The inability to clear the windshield immediately creates a safety hazard because it can obstruct the driver’s line of sight and increase the risk of a collision. This issue is not cosmetic, it directly affects safe operation of the vehicle and the driver’s ability to maintain visibility during normal driving conditions. I am reporting this because the defect is ongoing and may affect other vehicles of the same model. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11703578 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that after using the Remote-Start to start the vehicle, there was an abnormal burning odor entering the cabin of the vehicle while the defroster was activated. No warning light was illuminated. In addition, after the contact had driven to the destination, the contact heard an abnormal bang and became aware that the rear passenger’s side glass had fractured. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 69,000.
NHTSA complaint #11703193 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.