2021 Chevrolet Silverado Complaint Log

Good morning, While driving and starting my Chevy Silverado 1500 with 3.0 durmax it will suddenly go into a “limp mode” reducing speed and power. Recently while driving on a highway it reduced engine power causing the vehicle to slow down suddenly with many cars speeding by. This caused me to try and pull over the vehicle and avoid hitting other vehicles. When pulling codes off the vehicle there is a p1098 which refers to the engine coolant control valve. This will cause the vehicle to do the described power reduction. Upon researching the issue Gm has recognized and released a special coverage to fix the issue. N252508341. However my vehicles VIN does not pull up the coverage. All the characteristics of the coverage seem to fit the model and issues I have. It’s the same year, model, engine, etc. I’ve attached a DOT report of the special coverage. I’m hoping this will help fix my vehicle and others with this same issue. Although it’s not specifically listed as a safety recall, I feel the cause of the sudden power reduction is known by Gm and warranty issued and the problem should be resolved for all vehicles with this issue. Thank you!

Ignition key fails to release from column lock. It will return to accessory position but not full return for release. Frequent but intermediate problem. Dealer just replaced ignition switch however problem returned same day. (Have not contacted dealer back yet). Restarting the truck and turning the wheel back and forth, shifting to other gears then back to park sometimes works, and sometimes does not. I am often forced to leave the key in the column and lock/unlock truck with remote. No CEL, no other indicators or messages present. 49,515 miles on truck.

On a very cold day in January I left work to head home in 4-high. Just before I got on the highway, the truck did a hard shift from 1st to 2nd and I felt kind of a clunk. Truck immediately threw a check engine light and went into limp mode (didn't seem to shift at all). Pulled into a parking lot and tried to go in reverse, but truck would not go into reverse. Truck was towed to local dealership where they diagnosed it with a failed valve body on the transmission. Dealership told me the valve body was on back order so I then towed the truck to a local transmission shop who changed out the valve body. Transmission had no issues before this. The morning this happened it was very cold (below zero) and I got a message in the truck that said, "heater performance mode active". Thought that was weird, but dealer did not seem to think it had anything to do with the failure.

Went to put the truck in gear and it will not move the Chevy dealership saids it needs a new transmission and I see that the 21 Silverado has multiple tranny issues I bought extended warranty and they are telling me it might not be covered

Most mornings after starting truck and driving off, it appears to be a hesitation or brief loss of power. Issue has been present for several years. It's hard to determine if it's engine or transmission issue. Truck is available for inspection. It usually occurs when leaving house in the morning so there is no safety issue because it happens within the first minute of driving. No warnings, cannot recreate issue.

Lights appeared on dash, brought to the dealership. Dealership states engine damage due to valve train and a remanufactured engine was installed. This was approved by us for a $2000 charge. This charge included new manifolds, water pump, fuel pump and all associated gaskets

6.2L L87 V8 engine experienced catastrophic engine failure do to lifter failure and a cylinder 8 misfire. Causing additional damage to camshaft. The dealership has inspected the vehicle and refuses to acknowledge the problem as there own. I have invoices for the work if I choose to proceed. Incident occurred while driving on the freeway, complete lose of power and control. This engine is known for this exact problem yet I never received a recall.

Check engine turned on and at the same time the vehicle turned into safety mode abruptly, it slowed down to 10 miles an hour while on the high way and receiving a message stating that the "engine power reduced", the issue was presented to the dealership and they believe to be fixed with a sensor issue, the light came back on a few days after the initial repair and once again the engine lost power while driving the vehicle, the vehicle was then taken back to the dealership for repair once again, both times I mentioned the service bulletin, which they did not consider in their repair, stating that the issue was specific for a code (which all codes present are in the service bulletin) the 2nd repair was done on a actuator, which they stated should fix the issue, and did not, a 3rd time the vehicle lost power while hauling a trailer, this time I brought up the concern of them not reviewing the service bulletin, this time they confirmed that the service bulletin was the issue causing the check engine light (GM service bulletin no: 21-NA-149) now they are looking to slowly start repairing the issue and wait for the check engine light to turn on again to then go back and forth and review step by step the instructions in the bulletin.

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the tailgate became inoperable and unexpectedly unlatched and lowered. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 65,000.

On January 2, 2026, I brought my vehicle in for service to replace the upper and lower ball joints, as well as the control arms. I retrieved the vehicle from the repair shop on [XXX] and departed the same day for travel to Mississippi. Later that evening, while traveling southbound on [XXX] near Columbia, Tennessee, I stopped at [XXX]. Upon re-entering the highway and accelerating to merge into traffic, the vehicle began shifting through gears abnormally. While in approximately 6th gear at around 2,900 RPM, a loud banging noise occurred, followed immediately by a significant loss of engine power. At the same time, the check engine light illuminated. Due to the sudden and unexpected loss of power while actively merging into highway traffic, I was nearly rear-ended by another vehicle. I was forced to take immediate evasive action and pull onto the shoulder to avoid a collision. This incident created a highly dangerous situation not only for myself but for surrounding motorists. This lifter failure occurred without warning and directly impacted my ability to safely operate the vehicle in a high-speed traffic environment. I believe this presents a significant safety concern that warrants investigation. There have been over 600,000 recalls for this and Chevrolet's solution was an entire engine replacement. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The powertrain transmission system, specifically the torque converter, failed on my 2021 Chevrolet Silverado at approximately 66,000 miles. The vehicle was taken to and inspected by a GM-authorized dealership, Pellegrino Chevrolet, on January 7, at which time the dealership diagnosed a failed torque converter and formally recommended a full transmission replacement due to the risk that metal debris from the failed converter may have contaminated the transmission; the vehicle and affected components are available for inspection upon request. This failure presents a safety risk due to the potential for loss of power, unpredictable drivability, delayed or failed acceleration, or sudden transmission malfunction, and this vehicle is my family’s primary transportation and is used to transport three child car seats. The problem has been confirmed by the GM-authorized dealership and additionally reviewed by four independent mechanics, all of whom advised that replacing only the torque converter would be insufficient. The vehicle has been inspected by the dealership and documented under General Motors Case #87048318; it has not been inspected by police or insurance representatives at this time. Prior to diagnosis, the vehicle exhibited abnormal transmission behavior and drivability symptoms consistent with torque converter failure, which prompted inspection and worsened leading up to the dealer diagnosis.

Complete engine failure and it just outside the recall. This is unacceptable and needs fixed.

The engine failed while driving down the road at night in single digit temperatures. After further investigation, there is a connecting rod sticking out of the engine. I looked to see if there was a recall or anything. Sure enough there was. 2021-2024 Silverado 6.2 liter engines for crank shafts and connecting rod malfunction. I'm curious how my 2021 6.2 liter Silverado that has a connecting rod sticking out the side of the block is not part of this recall?

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. While the contact's husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started chugging and the engine seized. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that a rod had detached and was sticking out of the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced an unknown recall with a similar failure description; however, the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

Transmission Shuddering, trembling and rough shifting

I was in an accident that resulted in being hit on the passenger side and then colliding with a traffic light pole. My concern is I hit the pole head on and my airbags never deployed

I have a 2021 Chevy Silverado 6.2 engine. The recall that has been sent out for most of those engines I have experience the same damage to my truck engine. Connecting rod/ crankshaft engine failure. But my vin is not in the system for the recall. Can someone have a engineer look into more of these engines especially my engine vin. I was driving and all of sudden my dash lite up saying I have reduce steering. Took it to the shop and I was told that my engine needs major repairs. I have a really nice truck and it can be a show truck and for the engine to just go out because of bad manufacturer parts is not right I also had my kids with me. Please help

APPARATUS USED TO HOLD HOOD UPRIGHT, (2 STRUTS), FAIL WITHOUT WARNING. STRUTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED FOUR (4) TIMES IN PAST TWO (2) MONTHS WITH TWO ( 2) OEM PARTS AND ONE (1) AFTER MARKET PART. LAST OCCURANCE, 12/26/2025, CAUSED A MINOR HAND INJURY. IF NOT PREPARED FOR SUDDEN CLOSING OF HOOD, POSSIBLE SERIOUS INJURY COULD RESULT. THE VEHICLE AT PRESENT HAS 19,775 MILES AND HAS BEEN EXAMINED BY THREE (3) SERVICE TECHNICIANS FROM DEALERSHIPS AND CAN NOT EXPLAIN WHY IT IS OCCURING OR HOW TO REPAIR IT.

CEL on. Lifter failure on cylinder 1.

GM 6.2L L87 that was outside of GM original recall engine failure. Engine was running, made loud grinding and squealing sounds then shut off and now engine is locked up.

I was in an accident my seatbelts did not lock and OnStar was called , it says my airbags were deployed I could smell a smell but nothing deployed

A week or two before I took my truck into decorah Chevy isr because tailgate was going up and down all by itself while I was driving or parked without me by it. They said it was just the latch button . So they fixed it they said and still my blinker lights would just come on and then I hit a deer and my seatbelt did not latch and my airbags didn't deploy even though my app says they did. I'm wondering if all three are connected with electrical . Either way my air bags did not deploy and my truck has extensive damage and my seatbelt didn't lock ,

I am submitting a safety complaint regarding a vehicle restraint system failure. I was involved in a collision with a deer. During the incident, the seat belt pretensioner activated; however, the seat belt did not properly restrain me. I experienced forward movement despite the pretensioner activation. The airbags did not deploy. Because pretensioner activation is intended to lock and tighten the seat belt during a collision, I am concerned that the restraint system failed to function as designed. This raises concerns about occupant safety and the ability of the seat belt system to provide protection in future crashes. I am submitting this complaint to document a potential safety defect and request review of this restraint system failure.“After reporting the seat belt restraint failure to General Motors, I was informed that because I was not injured, no action would be taken and no further review would occur.” Thank you for your attention to this matter.

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that after the vehicle was stopped at a traffic light or stop sign, while attempting to accelerate, the vehicle briefly lost motive power before slamming into gear. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had gotten worse. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, no cause for the failure was found. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to several dealers; however, no cause for the failure was found. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

Component that failed: The valve train system failed due to collapsed lifters in the GM 5.3L L84 engine. The lifter failure caused internal camshaft damage requiring major repair. The failed components were removed by the Chevrolet dealership and should be available through the repair facility if inspection is requested. Safety risk: The engine failure caused a sudden and severe loss of power while driving. The vehicle would not accelerate beyond approximately 45 mph on a 65 mph roadway while en route to the dealership, creating an unsafe speed differential. When attempting to accelerate to pass another vehicle on a two lane road, the engine backfired and immediately throttled back, making it unsafe to complete the pass. The check engine light illuminated at the exact moment the vehicle lost power during the passing attempt. This sudden propulsion loss during an active maneuver created a hazardous driving condition. Dealer confirmation: An authorized Chevrolet dealership diagnosed collapsed lifters which damaged the camshaft and confirmed this as a known failure pattern in GM L84 engines. Inspection by others: Vehicle was inspected and repaired by the dealership. No accident occurred, so no police or insurance inspection was involved. Warnings or symptoms: No prior warning lights appeared before the passing event. The check engine light came on during the failure while accelerating. Additional context: This failure aligns with widely documented lifter collapse defects in GM 5.3L L84 truck engines. The breakdown was not caused by maintenance or wear and tear but by premature internal component failure known across this engine platform.

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle jerked unexpectedly. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the valve body needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to parts not being available and the VIN not being included in a recall. In addition, the part was ordered at the owner's expense. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 145,565.

The vehicle involved is a Chevrolet Silverado 1500. During a collision, the vehicle sustained a front-left (driver-side) impact which caused it to spin and subsequently strike the rear. Despite the severity of the initial impact and secondary rear collision, the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS), including the front and side airbags, did not deploy. The failure of the airbag system increased the risk of injury to all occupants, including a minor child. Without deployment of the front or side airbags during a front-left impact and secondary rear collision, occupants were exposed to direct impact forces that airbags are designed to help mitigate. There were no airbag or SRS warning lights, dashboard messages, or other indications of a malfunction prior to the collision. The concern regarding the airbag system arose only after the incident occurred. Following the collision, the vehicle was inspected by law enforcement and insurance representatives, and documentation is available. The issue has not been reproduced, as it occurred during the collision event.

I am the owner of a January 2021 6.2 liter Chevy Silverado 1500. I have had multiple issues with this vehicle. Oil pressure control solenoid, many no starts, failure to starts, engine lights, oil lights. Truck started to use an excessive amount of oil before scheduled oil changes. The engine sometimes hesitate and fails to accelerate. The engine became noisy. My mechanic started that the engine is noisy and the oil pressure is at 15 lbs. They said it will need a replacement engine that is not covered under my expired power train warranty. The mechanic stated it's not a matter of if it will go, is a matter of when We are a family of 5 and this is our family vehicle. We feel very uncomfortable driving this vehicle with our family knowing the engine is going to fail at any time while driving. This is a heartbreaking expense that I don't believe that we should have to pay for. We have always maintained our vehicle and have never abused it.

Warning lights came on at approximately 46000 miles. Brought to dealer for faulty lifters. One week later they decided that the lifters had damaged the cam and now the dealer wants to replace the motor.. Unfortunately for us the dealer has no car that we can use, so we had to rent a vehicle. Hopefully it will be ready in 2 weeks. That will make it four weeks with out a vehicle

See attached document for complaint.

GM 6.2L motor failure causing motor to have to be replaced. Not covered by GM's recall due to being VIN specific

The coolant control valve has failed, my vin isn’t a part of the special coverage for this bad part ( though the same part and model is covered)

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact was aware that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V797000 (POWER TRAIN). The contact stated that while driving 75 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal, and the vehicle pulsated before stalling. The contact was able to coast to the side of the roadway. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an unknown dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then towed to another dealer, where the transmission failure was confirmed. The contact stated that the dealer had not inspected the transmission and used a "peephole" to inspect the transmission. The vehicle remained at the dealer unrepaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that after activating the 4WD in the driveway and going onto the road, while in 4WD and driving 35 MPH, the transfer case began making a blender-type sound with a pinging sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the tailgate unexpectedly opened while driving on a side road without warning. The contact had to manually operate the tailgate; however, the button was nonfunctional. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact linked the failure to the Customer Satisfaction Program N212328090 and GM Bulletin N232426400. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 84,000.

1- Tailgate keeps opening by itself. It has opened while driving down the highway and things fell out of back of my truck almost causing an accident. It has opened while sitting in my driveway after I have turned the truck off and gone inside. I have reported this to a dealer they said my vin is not on the recall list. I would like my VIN added since it is obviously an issue with the Silverado's. 2- I recently has to bring my truck to the dealer for the transfer case sounding like there were bolts in a blended and a pinging sound by the bell housing while in park. They stated it was the front axle and fixed it saying it was a power train thing. The noise is back and now out of warranty.

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact heard a popping sound, and the engine seized. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact coasted off to the shoulder of the road. The contact stated that while attempting to restart the vehicle, there was an abnormal banging sound coming from inside the engine. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where the vehicle was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine had an internal failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced or rebuilt. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced an ongoing NHTSA investigation. The contact declined the repair while awaiting the results of the current NHTSA investigation. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000.

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that since the purchase of the vehicle, the transmission had failed three times. The transmission had been replaced three times in the past. The second time the transmission failed at approximately 40,000 miles. The contact related the most recent failure of the check engine warning light to the fuel pump driver control module. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 169,800.

The brake stopped working. I just bought the car two months ago.

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the tailgate inadvertently opened. The tailgate was closed, but the tailgate reopened unexpectedly within several seconds. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the tailgate opened unexpectedly. After closing the tailgate, the tailgate reopened within several seconds. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was not available.

The contact owned a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado. The contact stated that after plugging in the block heater around 5:15 P.M. while the vehicle was parked unattended in the tool shed, he was notified around 9:45 P.M. that the tool shed and vehicle had caught fire. There were no issues with the vehicle before the failure. There were no reported injuries, airbag deployment, or police report filed. The fire department was able to extinguish the fire. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and they opened a claim. The insurance company's fire specialist determined that the block heater was faulty and would reach out to the legal team. The vehicle and tool shed were deemed a total loss by the insurance company. The vehicle was still at the contact's residence. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

Dealer did the L87 6.2 Recall (basically changed the oil to 0w-40). Based on the “clean bill of health” we towed our Imagine trailer to Tucson. Stayed for 3weeks over Thanksgiving and then started back home. We then towed it back home to Fort Collins and when we reached Denver the check engine light came on and within seconds the engine stopped. We had to coast off the freeway and ended up on an interstate interchange ramp (blind and dangerous). The motor was seized completely. Oil pressure and temps were all normal before the engine stopped. Oil was super HOT when I checked it. After a big adventure dealing with getting the truck and trailer to a safe place via a tow from OnStar, they towed the truck to the nearest dealer. I had to rent a UHaul truck to tow the trailer home (another 80 miles or so) with wife, two dogs and myself crammed in the cab. The dealer got Chevy to cover the engine replacement but I was out $200 for the trailer tow to safety and another $200 for the U-Haul rental. Chevy would not cover that.

The vehicle has been showing a “shift to park” message error upon shutdown even though the vehicle is fully in park and door automatically unlock when parked. This has left the accessories on and drained the battery

I have three check engine codes P0340 Camshaft Position Sensor A Circuit (Bank 1 or single sensor) P0341 Camshaft Position Sensor A Circuit Range/Performance (Bank 1 or single sensor) P0016 Crankshaft Position - Camshaft Position Correlation - Bank 1 Sensor A The last one is the same code that’s involved in the L 87 recall that my vehicle is three months shy of I have a 2021 Silverado trail bus 6.2 L that was manufactured in December 2020 I have very rough idol delayed throttle response in multiple camshaft codes that correlate with the crankshaft symptoms of the L 87 recall

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the recall parts were not yet available, and that the dealer had been made aware of the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated, and the vehicle was idling roughly. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic who replaced an undisclosed sensor. The contact stated that the warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed that the camshaft had failed and there were metal shavings found in the oil filter; however, the dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 119,000.

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving 20 MPH, the vehicle lunged forward while the accelerator pedal was depressed after the brake pedal was depressed. While the contact’s husband was driving approximately 78 MPH and attempting to accelerate, the transmission light drive(D) started flashing, and the transmission unexpectedly shifted to neutral(N). The driver was able to coast to the side of the road, depress the brake pedal, and wait for a while before continuing to drive. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed; however, there was no cause for the transmission failure found. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure, and a case was opened. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 63,000.

Not sure of exact date I believe it was right before Thanksgiving. The truck started shuttering and vibrating. It feels like we are driving on a gravel road. the manual said to change transmission fluid between 45,000 and 60,000 so we took it to the dealer. that is what we did hoping that would fix the problem. but it did not so we took it back and they kept it for 3 weeks they said no codes came up and they said the tires needed balancing so we let them do that but the problem is still there. they say there is no recall on it . we did some research and found information stating Chevy is having problems with the transmission. as of now we only have 45,608 miles on it. It is riding worse now.

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact was unable to remove the key from the ignition. The contact stated that several attempts were needed, and up to 45 minutes were needed to remove the key from the ignition. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was referred to a locksmith regarding the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for further assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 101,000.

My truck was brought in for the recall inspection for the 6.2 lt recall. After showing the dealer pictures from the oil that drained out of my previous oil change that was filled with metal, they expedited the inspection. But with substantial amount of metal in the oil filter the truck still passed the test. GM corporate has told me that once the inspection is done, it is out of their hands and that my truck will be covered under the new extended warranty. GM also should have the pictures of the metal flakes from the previous filter. I fill like this is a failure to ensure the safety of their product. I do not fill safe having my children or my wife in the truck due to the inevitable of the engine loosing power due to the faulty cam shafts that need to be replaced.

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while stopped at a stop light, the vehicle began to shake violently. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact then stated that there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact pulled over and restarted the vehicle; however, the knocking sound persisted. The contact slowly drove the vehicle to the residence and later had the vehicle towed to the dealer. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired and remained with the dealer. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 34,000.