133 of the
1,453 complaints filed about the Chevrolet Silverado 3500
are about the transmission —
9% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2020.
133
Complaints
9%
Share of all complaints
5
Crashes
2
Fires
Transmission & Drivetrain complaints by model year
VIN: [XXX] Make/Model/Year: 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD, Duramax L5P, Allison 10L1000 Recall: N242454440 / N242454441 (NHTSA 24V797) Description: Vehicle had N242454440 completed May 2026 (TCM software update for harsh shift / wheel lockup). On XXX at 103k miles, vehicle exhibited same defect: harsh downshift 8th-9th gear, CEL on. Diagnosed as TCM failure per N242454441. Vehicle at O'Reilly Chevrolet Tucson since XXX (18 days out of service as of XXX). Dealer states TCM on national backorder, SPAC ticket opened, no ETA. Dealer denied courtesy transportation stating out of warranty at 103k, despite recall being federal safety recall with 15yr/150k special coverage. This is failure of remedy for safety recall that can cause momentary rear wheel lockup. No parts available, no transportation provided. What I want: GM to provide rental coverage and expedite TCM repair per recall obligations. Owner: [XXX], [XXX], [XXX], [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11757341 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
moved the truck on to the lawn and put it in park turned truck off. got out of the truck and went into the garage and 5 min later came out and saw the truck started to roll and went 50 ft and hit a tree.
NHTSA complaint #11748695 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Since buying the vehicle I’ve had issues with the truck going into limp mode with codes p0700 as well as p0747. I have taken it to the dealership twice now, when it has arrived the codes were no longer there. Every time the truck went into limp mode the transmission would get stuck into 5th gear stuck at 45 mph. The problem with the truck started at 48,000 miles, the truck currently has 60,000 miles and the problem has been more active. With the dealership not wanting to resolve the issue the truck was taken to another shop to try to fix the transmission.
NHTSA complaint #11748501 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Transmission has shifting issues (hard shifts) . Vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Safety could be an issue if the transmission fails while driving that could cause harm to the vehicle driver and put others at risk. Vehicle is scheduled for inspection however the dealer is very backlogged.
NHTSA complaint #11747903 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The valve body assembly is not letting it to shift right when driving from 50mph to 60 mph it has a clunking noise I have it replaced and is still not working correctly GM knows there is a problem with the 10 speed transmissions I have a 2023 3500 diesel with the same problem as the recalls on the 2020 to 2022 years It is doing the same thing as the 20,21 22 transmissions are having.
NHTSA complaint #11746880 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
We were pulling a 5th wheel camper on the highway at 62 mph. We experienced a series of sudden breaking sensations. Engine RPMs did not change during these events. We had been traveling for 45 minutes and decided to cancel our camping trip and return home because we were afraid of getting stranded away from home. The sensation felt like a sudden strong application of the rear brakes. It was very momentary. We turn around and shifted the transmission to "L" which limits the highest gear to 7. We did not have any more incidents. When we were close to home we shifted back to drive and the problem returned. We were concerned with a complete loss of control or motion if the problem got worse. We have an appointment to have the truck looked at next week. There were/are no diagnostics codes visible on the dash.
NHTSA complaint #11745255 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Engine started running extremely rough shaking vehicle. Various warning lights lit up. Took vehicle to dealer and was told that I need a new duramax engine because the cylinders are scored. Vehicle has about 58k miles It has been at the dealer for 3 weeks and they say they have no idea when they can get it fixed. It is my only work vehicle and now I have to rent another vehicle to keep working.
NHTSA complaint #11741798 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The transmission, without warning, intermittently locks the rear wheels when towing a 13,500 lb 5th wheel RV. It occurs when going uphill and the transmission downshifts to maintain torque. The "D" on the gear indicator on the dashboard also flashes 3-5 times. This is a known issue with the Allison approved (but GM made) transmission from model year 2020 to 2022 (NHTSA 24V-797) and is to be under extended warranty. We brought it to a Chevy dealer who kept from March 24 to April 9, without any resolution as they could not replicate the error which only happens under load travelling uphill. I also openedd a case with Chevrtolet Customer Service, who apparently does not have any ability to compel GM corporate techs or dealerships to fix the issue described without an error code. Historically, the truck throws error codes routinely and we have spent several thousand dollars trouble shooting the communication issues, also without resolution. We live in Wisconsin and were on vacation near Los Angeles, CA and had to transport it back home, leaving our RV in storage in California. At present, the only path to repairing the truck is to pay for the transmission repair ourselves. GM still does not have a long term solution for the tranmissions they now manufacture.
NHTSA complaint #11730919 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 3500. While at a stoplight the transmission malfunctioned and the vehicle failed to drive forward or reverse. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle was reversed into a nearby service station. The vehicle was later towed to the local auto repair shop, which replaced the brake actuator and the brake pads. Shortly after retrieving the vehicle, the failure had reoccurred, and the brakes seized. The vehicle was towed to a local transmission service center. The cause of the failure was not yet determined, and the vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were not contacted. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V797000 (POWER TRAIN). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 121,000.
NHTSA complaint #11728440 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
REAR WHEEL LOCKUP: While driving down the highway pulling a loaded trailer the rear wheels locked up, GM has an open recall on 2020-2022 models but denies its an issue with the 2024 model, my dealership pushed a “software update” but that does not fix the faulty transmission valve body issue, it just overrides the safety features that were designed to protect the transmission. I have a video of it occurring while slowing down for a stop sign when it did it the second time to me.
NHTSA complaint #11728036 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
This is a supplemental update to complaint #XXX filed February 7, 2026, regarding my 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD Diesel (VIN: [XXX] ). The vehicle experienced a sudden and complete loss of propulsion on January 21, 2026, consistent with the defect mechanism described in Recall 24V797. Recall software was installed May 27, 2025. Failure occurred eight months later with no warning. GM's response has been as follows: A Field Technical Service Engineer made a remote determination that the failure did not match the recall without physically inspecting the transmission. GM Executive Resolution required teardown at customer expense with no reimbursement guarantee. The authorized dealership (Dave Kirk Chevrolet, Crossville TN) declined to perform a documented inspection -- citing unwillingness, not inability. Written refusal was withheld for over one week. GM's Executive Resolution liaison admitted she had known of the refusal and withheld that information from me, directly delaying my ability to act. The final repair order (RO 50479) contains a self-documented notation: "Added tech notes 3/16/26" -- eight weeks after the January inspection. The transmission pan was fully removed, fluid was discarded, and pan bolts were not reinstalled. The only photograph provided does not reflect as-found conditions. Evidence integrity has been materially compromised. The vehicle has been without propulsion since January 21, 2026. Full chronology, documentation, and supporting evidence are attached. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11724870 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The engine oil cooler failed causing engine oil to leak into the coolant system on my 2024 Chevy Silverado 3500HD. This requires a full replacement of the coolant system. In addition, excessive sludge buildup inside the motor is caused. This is a known issue with GM for 2024 Diesel vehicles. GM has released a service bulletin but is fighting my local dealership on the required repairs.
NHTSA complaint #11722446 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Very hard downshift of transmission caused rear wheels to break traction on icy road. Vehicle slid sideways across the road nearly going over the edge of a steep downgrade.
NHTSA complaint #11722199 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The vehicle was driven to a job site in Gowanda NY. The computer indicated it neede to clean the exhaust filter. The truck was parked in an open area on a blacktop parking area. The truck finished a Regen approximately 30 minutes later. The vehicle was shut down and left unattended. Approx 30 minutes later, the driver, heard noises, came around a structure and saw the vehicle was on fire. The driver did attempt to use a fire extinguisher to no avail. They then called 911 and the fire department was dispatched. The department put out the fire but the vehicle is a total loss. As this was a work site, the vehicle was towed to our shop and stored inside. The inland marine insurance company hired a fire investigator, and they looked at the vehicle. They determined the fire originated on the lower firewall in the engine compartment. He paused his investigation, to await a representative of GM to be present for destructive analysis to determine exact cause. The GM case number is XXX. This vehicle had errored multiple times and did Regen every 2-300 miles. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11719216 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vehicle was making a very loud humming noise at 73 mph. After returning to the dealership they found that the bearings in the rear end house had destroyed themselves causing internal damage to the housing and the entire rear end now needs to be replaced.
NHTSA complaint #11717165 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The vehicle experienced a sudden loss of propulsion while driving at highway speed after normal operation. The transmission began slipping and then would no longer engage gears. The vehicle had to be pulled over and towed. This vehicle is subject to GM Recall N242454440 related to a known transmission control valve defect that can cause loss of propulsion. I was not notified of this recall by GM and discovered it independently. Once aware, I completed the recall software update. After the failure, the dealer documented pressure control fault codes (P0746 and P0798), burnt transmission fluid, and internal debris, and recommended full transmission replacement. I requested that GM evaluate whether this failure is related to the known defect addressed by the recall and Special Coverage N242454441. GM acknowledged my escalation request but did not schedule an inspection, did not contact the dealer, and closed the case without performing a causation review. The vehicle remains disabled, no technical inspection has occurred, and I am incurring rental costs. I am reporting this as a safety-related failure and recall handling concern.
NHTSA complaint #11716298 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving at highway speed in my 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 Duramax, the transmission suddenly failed and locked up without warning. This caused an immediate loss of vehicle function and created a dangerous situation while traveling in traffic. I had my two children in the vehicle at the time. I was able to safely maneuver the truck to the shoulder, but the vehicle was no longer operable and required towing. This failure occurred only a few months after a transmission replacement and follows prior transmission repairs, including a valve body replacement performed by a GM dealership. This is a repeat transmission failure and presented a serious safety risk due to the sudden nature of the failure at highway speed.
NHTSA complaint #11714523 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
This vehicle was purchased with 10,000 miles from a Chevrolet dealer. At 13,000 miles the transmission started making an awful noise. Up a service check it was found that the transmission pump was failing.
NHTSA complaint #11713828 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
NHTSA Vehicle Safety Complaint I am reporting a serious transmission defect in my 2024 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD LT that creates a high risk of sudden power loss, erratic shifting, or loss of control while driving. Vehicle Details: - Make/Model/Year: Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD LT, 2024 - VIN: 2GC4YTEYXR1263768 - Engine: 6.6L Duramax diesel - Transmission: 10-speed Allison (10L1000) - Mileage at diagnosis: ~46,000 miles - Title: Rebuilt (warranty denied due to branding) Defect Description: The transmission shifts normally when cold (fluid below ~138°F). Once warm (during normal driving), it fails to upshift properly in gears 5-8: holds lower gears, causes high RPMs (3,000+), delays shifts excessively, or refuses to shift. When shifts occur, they are hard and jerky. Automatic (Drive) mode is affected; manual/L mode works normally as a workaround. No warning lights appeared initially, but the issue has worsened and is now frequent at operating temperature. Diagnosis: On January 28, 2026, Seminole GM (1405 N Milt Phillips, Seminole, OK 74868; 405-382-6130) diagnosed a defective valve body requiring replacement. Quote: - Valve Body Control Module (Part #24065357): $687.48 - Transmission Fluid (12 qt @ $10.92): $131.04 - Labor (diagnosis + pan/filter/relearn): $805.50 - Supplies/taxes: ~$140 - Total: $1,763.94 Dealer confirmed this is a common issue; photos of quote available for upload. Safety Risks: At highway speeds, delayed/no upshifts can cause: - Sudden inability to accelerate (merging, passing, hills) - Harsh engagement leading to wheel slip or loss of control - Potential limp mode entry, stranding in low gears This intermittent warm-only failure is unpredictable and dangerous. Context: This matches widespread complaints on 2023-2025 GM HD trucks with the 10L1000 (forums: DuramaxForum, Reddit r/Duramax/r/Silverado, GM-Trucks.com), involving valve body wear/pressure loss. Earlier years had related recalls (e.g., NHTSA 24V-797 for valve issues),
NHTSA complaint #11714021 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
At approximately 35,126 miles the oil cooler cracked and flooded my engine cooling system with over 2.5 gallons of oil causing catastrophic engine failure.
NHTSA complaint #11695918 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.