NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Chevrolet Silverado. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
My vehicle has been properly maintained since new. At around 90,000 miles the transmission started making noise. I had trans filter changed and the noise abated. at 92,000 the car started shifting oddly. Several times on the highway the engine would rev and the car loses speed. Loud noises from the transmission and hard shifts. I most recently was unable to accelerate while getting on the highway. This is a truck, I have things I have to transport. I am unsure if I should continue to drive on the highway. I am going to my local dealer next week to explore repair options. I have learned that this problem is well-known to GM .
Upon light acceleration of the vehicle, a rough gearshift occurred followed by a check engine light and the vehicle continued to shift roughly and idled roughly. After months of diagnostic work and attempts at repairs, it was determined the lifters were the issue. From independent research I understand this is a somewhat common (and pricey) issue. I’m not sure why there is not a recall for the cheap lifters, but I would like to pursue possible reparations for this fault of GM that has left me without a vehicle and left me with a great financial burden for over six months.
The automatic transmission in my 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 with the 4.3L V6 has experienced repeated failures and overheating events starting shortly after a scheduled dealer transmission flush at approximately 50,000 miles. Since then, the transmission has slipped under load, failed to shift properly, and routinely overheated—reaching over 270°F—without triggering a dashboard warning or entering limp mode. Multiple dealer visits confirmed internal transmission damage, including discolored fluid, metal shavings, and torque converter clutch failure. The entire transmission and torque converter were replaced under warranty, along with a redesigned bypass valve. Despite these efforts, the transmission failed again, showing further signs of overheating and debris in the fluid. The vehicle has been inspected and serviced multiple times by the dealership (Karl Chevrolet in Iowa) and GM warranty contractors. The issue persists even after complete transmission replacement. This condition poses a safety risk as loss of power and unexpected gear disengagement occurred during normal road use, including highway driving and towing. Transmission temperatures spiking well beyond GM’s Dexron VI fluid thermal limits raise further concerns about systemic cooling design flaws. Warning signs included high transmission fluid temperatures (over 270°F), RPM surging, harsh downshifts, slipping, poor throttle response, and delayed engagement from park to drive. The manufacturer has been notified, and the issue has been documented with the Attorney General of Iowa. A GM case number was also opened, but no permanent fix has been offered.
The plastic fuel pump module (GM part # 13510918) has cracked. The top flange that rests against the top of the fuel tank has an approximately 3 inch crack. The indications were a failed EVAP Check Engine Light PO442 (Small leak). The vehicle had less than 35K miles at the time. Contacted dealer who stated that it was a common problem. Also contacted GM but they provided no assistance. This crack could lead to fuel leaking from the top of the tank. The issue required the fuel pump module assembly to be replaced.
My 10 speed transmission is failing, problem is a shutter in the transmission at various speeds. Have the shutter verified as not wheel balance problem, as all wheels were spin balanced. Upon looking up info online they said it could be dangerious and cause an accident.... My 2018 Silverado with the 6.0 engine and 10 speed transmision has only 42,000 thousand miles on it...
For about a month I heard a clunking sound in the steering wheel shaft when I initially started the vehicle and turned the steering wheel. After a few miles of driving it would go away. The vehicle then began to have a hesitation when I would try starting it. Diagnosed as two cells were dead in the battery. Replaced the battery and the steering improved. Two weeks after replacing the battery, I started the vehicle and started to turn out of a parking spot. At that time the steering wheel refused to turn and it sounding like a pump going out. The service steering warning came on. I got it to the dealer and they diagnosed the electric rack and pinion drive belt had broken and sheared the gears in the assembly. The vehicle is a 2018 Chevy 6.2L High Country with 71,000 miles. I was told by the dealer that if this would have happened while driving at highway speed it would have locked the steering wheel in the position at the time of component failure and would have more than likely resulted in a crash. Currently the vehicle is still at the dealer for the last month waiting on the rack and pinion to be shipped. Apparently there isn't any of these parts anywhere in the United States.
My vehicle has had transmission and engine problems that should not have been an issue until after at least 100,000 miles. At 11,577 miles I reported hard down shifting as well as a hard shift / kick when going from reverse to drive when the transmission would feel like it would slip and then kick when shifting from 1st to 2nd gear on automatic transmission. There were no codes and dealership said they couldn't duplicate problem. At 58517 miles the service 4x4 warning light came on as well as a shifting problem was continuing. A transmission valve body was replaced and a transmission service / fluid replacement was done under warranty or extended warranty. The shifting problem has continued. It has come to my understanding that Chevrolet put out a bulletin about changing the transmission fluid should solve the problem and to tell customers that some hard shift could be normal and not a problem. And I have heard about some class action lawsuits that have been filed. A second and more major issue was the 5.3 liter engine failure that occured at 62,093 miles after having a tapping noise develop and some loss of power. But this issue began earlier at 40,125 miles when I had a fuel injection clean due to it running rough. Extended warranty replaced engine with a used motor and I was still charged $1158.93 for amounts extended warranty didn't cover. My Son's 2015 Silverado 1500 which I owned previously had to have the transmission rebuilt for just under $5,000 just out of extended or manufacturer's warranty. We don't pay $60,000-$70,000 to have engines and transmission fail before 100,000 miles and before the loans on vehicles are paid off. We shouldn't have to be paying a loan on a vehicle we can't even drive because it is in the shop for an extended period of time. At 62,298 miles after getting the truck back from the engine failure, the starter then failed and was replaced under extended warranty with $133.76 cost going to me.
Torque converter was broken and destroyed my transmission just at 90,000 miles. I could easily have been stranded in major city traffic at any point if this had failed any earlier. This problem has been known in various GMC vehicles throughout the years. I have had a mechanic inspect and diagnose this problem. No warnings or symptoms were seen prior to the full failure of my transmission.
Service braking system attention
:Service Trailer Brake" warning comes on on every start up with no trailer hooked up. The warning can usually be dismissed, but for 40 minutes one time ,it constantly came on and off constantly. Could not get it to stop. Very distracting and dangerous. An independent repair shop has confirmed the condition, but unable to diagnose problem.
While driving steering wheel will lock up and become really hard to move, making it difficult to maneuver out of the road
While driving down the highway, I heard a ding and the service trailer brake message appeared. Several minutes later, while driving about 30 mph and coming to a stop, I heard the ding again, the service trailer brake message appeared again, then all electric components died. I had no lights or gauges working, the radio turned off, the a/c turned off, I loss all steering capabilities as my steering wheel locked in place, and the engine died. All of this occurred while the vehicle was still in motion. As I pressed the brake and came to a stop, the electronics regained power. A message appeared telling me to lower and raise the driver's side window. I came to a complete stop. Even though the electronics returned, I had to restart the engine. I put the vehicle in park, turn it off with my key, then start it again with the key, all while stopped on a very busy highway. I was able to drive the vehicle home with no further issues. I have not contacted the dealership yet, as they are currently closed as I write this. I will be contacting them and informing them of the issue. I had mentioned a similar issue to the dealership a few years ago. They made a report of the incident, but said there is nothing they can do if they cannot replicate it. This is very dangerous. Losing all electronic functions, including the ability to steer and having the engine die while driving is scary. I can lose the ability to guide my truck and crash the vehicle into something or someone. This puts my family at risk and anyone else on highway that may be in proximity. There is no telling when this will take place. I have had electrical issues randomly happen while starting the vehicle, but not while driving. I may go weeks or months between electrical startup problems. My vehicle is available for inspection upon request.
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH and approaching a stop light while slowing, the vehicle lost motive power without warning. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the dealer stated no failure was found. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the mechanic stated that no failure was found. The manufacturer was contacted, and the manufacturer stated that there was no recall for the failure. The failure mileage was 69,000.
Service parking brake system keeps coming on, switch has been replaced and it still comes on. I have had the traction control light and service abs light come on. Took to shop they told me there was a broken wire the first two times in the harness
The control module for the passenger side air bag failed. A warning light depicting the air bag was continuously displayed until the module was replaced According to the dealer service department, the air bag would fail to deploy with this failure.
The vehicle has just completely died on me at least twice while driving it, the power steering keeps cutting out, and the headlights will dim significantly upon pressing the brake pedal or using turn signals. This has been going on intermittently for months. Upon an internet search, this does not appear to be an uncommon issue.
Trailer Brake System On February 13 2023 the trailer brake system warning notification came on and made my truck appear to shut down at 65 mph. The radio stopped, lights shut off, engine seemed to stall or lost power. It was like the power went out. This seemed to be a safety concern. I will be towing a camper soon. I need my trailer brakes to work. The contact stated that the vehicle has stalled 3 times now.
The service stabiltrak and trailer brake system warming light comes on. The dealership said that it is a wire harness
The contact owned a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving at 80 MPH the steering wheel became stiff and the vehicle would not brake without any warning. The contact desperately pressed on the brake pedal but the vehicle would not brake, causing the contact to be struck by another vehicle on the driver's side. No one was injured and no major damage to none of the vehicles. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed and deemed a loss. All the air bags deploy but the front driver side. The manufacturer was not unable to reach them. The failure mileage was 69,000.
The hood latch sensor has gone out and says that my hood is open when it is not. The problem is that the security alarm reads it as someone’s tampering with my hood and sets off my alarm. At this time i am unable to lock my truck because the alarm constantly goes off. The dealer has said this is happening so often that the part is severely back ordered.
My rear glass broke yesterday with my two year old daughter in the back seat. I was informed that there was a previous recall on this and its now closed. If you look in the attached photos you can see it appears the rear defrost is what caused it to shatter. The dealership is telling me that there is no recalls.
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that on multiple occasions, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the vent valve solenoid needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, a month later, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the fuel filler neck needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the metal lock ring had rusted and the metal lock ring, fuel pump, and fuel pump sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was referred to the dealer, but no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 51,145.
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the contact stated that the vehicle felt like the transmission was slipping. The contact stated that the transmission was shifting abnormally. Additionally, while the vehicle was stopped and idling with the brake pedal depressed, the RPM was fluctuating, and the vehicle was moving unintendedly. The contact stated that while attempting to accelerate the vehicle was jerking. The contact stated that the check engine and traction control warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The dealer replaced the serpentine belt however, the failure persisted and became more persistent over time. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic who retrieved a DTC code for engine failure. The mechanic referred the contact to the manufacturer for assistance. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 92,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that the Stabili-trak warning light was illuminated. While driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle stalled. While making a turn at 40 MPH, the vehicle shut off. The contact used OnStar to perform a diagnostic test, and the result was a failure with the fuel pump. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to another dealer, Chevrolet of West (225 T M W Pkwy, West, TX 76691) where it was diagnosed that the battery fuse box and ground cables needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 41,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced unintended braking. Additionally, the steering wheel was shaking while driving. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V761000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic, Service Brakes, Electronic Stability Control) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 35,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was taken back to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the computer module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. While driving approximately 60 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed and there was smoke coming from the four wheels. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate or move forward. The contact pulled over, and her husband drove the vehicle to the residence. Additionally, while driving, the vehicle failed to move, and smoke was detected from the brakes. While her son was driving at approximately 35 MPH, he was unable to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the rear calipers had detached, and the braking system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the mechanic and the contact was informed that the front brake calipers needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. On another occasion while driving at an unknown speed, there was smoke coming from the brakes. The vehicle was towed back to the independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the failure was due to the hydraulic control module and referred her to the local dealer for assistance. The electronic stability control warning light was illuminated. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage approximately 69,000.
The brakes failed to work when I was in a parking lot. As I was pulling into a parking spot, the brakes did not work even when I pumped them. I was going approximately 3mph. It startled me, so I put the truck in neutral and then into park. Then I turned the vehicle off. Fortunately, this happened in a parking lot and I was able to avoid hitting anything, including a pedestrian. Also, this put my husband and me at great risk because if I had not chosen to go back into a parking lot, and had gone into an intersection and been unable to stop, I could have entered the intersection and been in a serious accident. The truck functioned well enough to get to my dealership. I avoided driving it for a couple of weeks until they could run diagnostics. Between the time it first happened and bringing it to the dealership, the problem did not occur. However, when the technician was driving it into the shop, it happened to him too. They did perform diagnostics and found a problem with a brake Pump 3.280 (Part No. 12696313). I had it repaired at my own expense ($587.65) on Nov. 22, 2022. NOTE: This truck has only 25,673 miles on it. There has been a recall for this problem on Silverados from this year, but my VIN number was not included in the recall. There were no warnings prior to this event. I would like to have this repair cost reimbursed.
I have done some research and found other trucks same year and make have had the same problem and have had recalls but the problem is when I hit the break the lights will all flash like the truck is going to stall and it will say service trailer break system and stablitrak system and will even shut my truck off while I’m driving causing me to have to either pull of the side of the road and start my truck back up
Service Trailer Brake System message appears and disappears constantly, check engine light.
Have had two different door actuator/locking mechanisms fail on both rear doors. This is an easy part to replace and is able to be replaced by the consumer. Both times it was replaced the actuator failed immediately in the locked position. Door could not be opened from the inside or the outside and had to have door panel cut off to reopen. After the second failure, the GM Dealer tech showed me a "trick" that was only known to GM techs and that if the consumer did not replace the latch with the undocumented "trick" and only used the standard repair manual the latch would fail as such. I approached GM for an answer on this and they stated that I am not a licensed GM technician and should not attempt to do anything on my vehicle other than put gas in it and drive it. While I do understand that at times it is necessary for a trained professional to be involved, but that should not be the case for a door latch. The lack of concern on GMs part as the door had to be cut off because of this is irresponsible. There are plenty of other stories of the same issue occurring with this same style of latch. Someone could easily be trapped in the vehicle with this issue and killed.
2018 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. CONSUMER IS SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIRS MADE TO VEHICLE.
During the mornings when first starting my truck, I get a stutter or hesitation to the engine when accelerating out of my driveway. This happens just about every morning. I have determined that the truck has to be off for about 10+ hours. The stutter/hesitation goes away after the car warms up in about 1 mile. Have had the truck into the shop but they can find NO problems.
Transmission issues with 78500 miles, one owner, no hauling other than a boat. headed to shop... multiple complaints on 2018 transmissions why no recall
Transmission doesn’t shift smoothly and often slams into second gear from first very hard. Downshifting on rare occasions shifts to a lower gear before necessary causing rpms to go from 2800-3000 up to 4500-5000. I have to touch the gas real quick to upshift. Also brakes seem to require extra strength to engage if hard braking is required. Like the booster is not reacting properly.
Airbags Warning lite are on. Mileage at time taken to dealship 91007 ,I’m original owner Service restraints message is on-airbag lite is on dealer states that airbags will not deploy Took to Chevy dealership on 9/21/2022 they stated that parts are not available No police or insurance is involved Messages and warning lite appeared on 9/12/2022 I have contacted BBB ,attorneys to no prevail localfile:///var/mobile/Containers/Data/Application/EF16A78A-305C-483C-8347-7E0E72C70EF0/Library/Caches/Attachments/2fb3cd85d5fa9fe6b12261cbc8d5f5ba/IMG_2558.jpg
Faulty injector connectors get a loose connection and make truck shutter and check engine light come on . This has happened 3 times already and had to replace one faulty plug . This is all over the internet from other l5p owners. Yet gmc want do anything
Radio changing channels by itself, menus changing by itself, instrument screen changing from info to audio by itself, calls being made to last number by itself, navigation image jumping to different areas by itself not showing the vehicles location, causing confusion when trying to get directions. All this is very distracting for driver and could possibly cause distraction enough to cause an accident.
2018 Chevy Silverado Lt. Lost power steering on two separate occasions for 10 seconds to approximately 15 seconds then the a third incident where power steering was lost 100% and did not come. It was a good thing that I was leaving my house. No power steering at all. Turning around to home had to really muscle the steering steering. Did not clear with repeated attempts at engine restarts. Had towed to dealer. Dealer had no idea what was going on or had never experienced this before. Google searches indicated that this power steering issue has been going on since at least 2014. Battery and cables replaced. Incident happened again back to dealer and I suggested reprogramming the ECM and they did. All seemed good until 4 Oct 22 when driving I lost power steering again for about 5 seconds and then returned to normal. This is a real safety issue. I cannot drive with my granddaughter until this is rectified. Dash reported each time Power Steering drive with caution. Like I illuted to that this power steering problem is concerning and going on for years.
I'm getting a persistent message about servicing the trailer brake system. There is no trailer hooked up to the vehicle. The message covers the speedometer and chimes over anything else.
While driving down the road, I received several non stop alert messages stating "Service Trailer Brake System". The messages were non stop and while I did attempt to acknowledge them and dismiss the alert, I was distracted from driving and had to pull over to attempt to acknowledge or dismiss the alert. After several minutes, I was able to dismiss the alert and continue on my way. This happened on Tuesday evening around 5:00 pm on August 30, 2022. I called Mike Anderson Chevrolet on Wednesday August 31, 2022 around 12:30 pm to advise them about the situation and was told it was water in the wiring.
On Saturday Aug 6th, 2022 my girlfriend and I were driving in my 2018 Chevy Silverado and the car just came to a complete stop really hard. Once the truck froze up, the car would go FOWARD but very slow, jerkish, and sluggish. We were almost hit by three cars behind us when the truck froze up. The truck was towed to the dealership where they diagnosed the truck with METAL SHAVINGS in the TRANSMISSION. And the engine light came on four weeks after I bought the vehicle last October. This time…. There was NO engine light on. Nothing displayed on dashboard.
The transmission failed at 81k miles. Upon doing some research, it sounds like this is caused by the wrong transmission fluid that was installed by GM, not myself, the owner. If known about early enough, flushing the transmission 3 times and replacing with the newest transmission fluid is to correct the problem. I was not notified of this 'fix' and the transmission is already damaged to the point where it must be replaced.
Radio will not let you use part of the screen that controls the phone system. Can not use hands free calling. Cannot us any buttons on the bottom of the radio or the left side. Complaint #11479518 was also filed
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while attempting to stop the vehicle, the brake pedal extended to the floorboard, extending the stopping distance. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the vacuum pump was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V603000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 30,000.
The contact's husband owns a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 equipped with Continental Tires, Tire Line: Cross Contact LX20, Tire Size: 275/55/R20, DOT Number: A32AWD401518. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the passenger's side front tire was vibrating. Upon inspection, the contact's husband noticed there was a bump on the passenger's side front tire. The vehicle was taken to a tire store where it was diagnosed that there was a tread bump on the passenger's side front tire due to a fractured tire tread belt. The passenger's side front tire was not replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact's husband to take the vehicle to an authorized tire dealer for inspection. The failure mileage was 37,619.
I purchased this vehicle from Galles Chevrolet in Albuquerque New Mexico as a certified pre owned vehicle. Couple of days after I noticed a vibration coming from the front steering and drivetrain I immediately took it back to Galles and they told me nothing was wrong with it and that the aggressive tires was what I was feeling. So I took it back and drove it for a couple of weeks and the vibration started getting worse so took it back again they rotated and balanced the tires and said it was fine. A few weeks passed and it started again took it back and told me tires were out of round and that was what I was feeling 21/2 months it sat in the back lot until they figured out who was gonna replace the tires. Finally got the truck back and it was ok until the new tires started cupping again and the vibration was back in total I took it in about 8 times in past 18 months for the same issue and to this day has not been resolved. According to GALLES CHEVROLET the technician stated that that was normal for a 2500 4 wheel drive truck with aggressive tires drives and assured me that there’s nothing wrong with the vehicle. Now look at the video and tell me if that’s normal for this truck For some reason it’s not letting me load a video of me moving the wheel up and down side to side where it moves about 3” with the steering wheel locked wheel is very very loose
Starter had to be replaced with 22,775 miles and truck was toed.
Service Trailer brake system audible message appearing due to faulty wire harness between body control modules.
Under light to medium load on the throttle, the transmission will shift very hard from 1st to 2nd gear and sometimes 2nd to 1st while decelerating. Another issue is that the transmission or torque converter will shutter, but that is not as often. It does not happen every time, but happens way more often than it should for it being a 2018 with 26k miles. The GM Authority website has this as a known problem, but my VIN is not associated to it for some reason. Apparently flushing the transmission with Mobil 1 Synchromesh fluid can solve the issue. The truck seems to hesitate while taking off something and I think it is related to this transmission issue which can be a huge safety risk.
Our 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 was purchased new and only serviced at Chevrolet dealerships. While on vacation we were driving on a 3-lane paved road and then engine started knocking for a few seconds and then a chime could be heard and the check engine light came on. The vehicle lost power and the vehicle was difficult to control. We were fortunate that other vehicles were able to avoid us since our truck slowed quickly (without the brakes being applied). The vehicle had to be towed to a local Chevrolet dealer for diagnostics. The dealer found that the hydraulic lifters on the right bank of the engine collapsed (resulting in a misfire) and there was extensive engine damage. The vehicle was equipped with a 5.3l engine with AFM/DFM (cylinder deactivation). Mileage was 64,562. Vehicle was repaired with "upgraded" valve train parts from General Motors as this failure mode seems to be somewhat common in AFM/DFM engines (can find class action information during web search).