2020 Chevrolet SILVERADO 1500

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2020 Chevrolet SILVERADO 1500 has 1007 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 12.6x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (25% of all complaints), specifically: i was driving down the road, gave it gas to go around a vehicle and it felt like the vehicle shut down. esc caution, check engine light, and brake warning/caution all illuminated. vehicle began to slow down drastically and if i hadn't gotten off the road quickly i would have been hit. if i had be. ⚠️ 14 fire reports filed.

14 fire reports 6 crash reports 4 injuries

1007

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

12.6x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

249 complaints

25%

• I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, GAVE IT GAS TO GO AROUND A VEHICLE AND IT FELT LIKE THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. ESC CAUTION, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, AND BRAKE WARNING/CAUTION ALL ILLUMINATED. VEHICLE BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN DRASTICALLY AND IF I HADN'T GOTTEN OFF THE ROAD QUICKLY I WOULD HAVE BEEN HIT. IF I HAD BE
• ON A VERY RAINY DAY I WAS DRIVING AROUND THE BLOCK I WENT THROUGH SEVERAL SMALL PUDDLES FROM RUN OFF SO NO MORE THAN TWO-THREE INCHES OF WATER. WITH A LOT OF RAIN AND SPLASHING FROM OTHER VEHICLES. MY TRUCK SPUTTERS AND DIES, NO DEEP WATER, NO OFF-ROADING. I WAS TOLD TODAY THAT THE TRUCK IS WATERLOC
• WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE (OURS DOES NOT HAVE THE STOP START TECHNOLOGY); HOWEVER WHEN IDLING LOW OR COMING TO A STOP THE VEHICLE WILL JERK THEN DIE. THE MOTOR WILL COMPLETELY SHUT OFF; STALLING, THE ONLY WAY TO RESTART IS TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL OR PARK AND TURN IGNITION AGAIN. THE MOTOR SHUTS OF

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports

“I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, GAVE IT GAS TO GO AROUND A VEHICLE AND IT FELT LIKE THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. ESC CAUTION, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, AND BRAKE WARNING/CAUTION ALL ILLUMINATED. VEHICLE BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN DRASTICALLY AND IF I HADN'T GOTTEN OFF THE ROAD QUICKLY I WOULD HAVE BEEN HIT. IF I HAD BE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

211 complaints

21%

• PUT TRUCK INTO PARK AND SHUT OFF, STARTED TO GET OUT BUT TRUCK WAS STARTING TO ROLL, TRIED TO STOP IT, PUSHED ON BRAKES, NO EFFECT, KEPT ROLLING AND GAINED MOMENTUM TILL IT HIT OUR CABIN AND STOPPED. LENGTH WAS 200FT APPX OF ROLL. MESSAGE CENTER SAID " PRESS BRAKE TO START " WHICH I WAS DOING AS IT
• I WAS STOPPED N THE DRIVE THRU AT IN-N-OUT WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND THE ECO SYSTEM HAD TURNED OFF THE MOTOR. IT SPONTANEOUSLY TURNED BACK ON WITHOUT ME LIFTING MY FOOT OFF OF THE BRAKE AND THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGED AND THE TRUCK LAUNCHED FORWARD APPROXIMATELY 12-18 INCHES. THIS IS THE SECOND T
• 2020 SILVERADO 1500 CUSTOM CREW CAB 4.6L, V6. PURCHASED TRUCK ONAUGUST 10, 2020. TOOK IT TO DEALER ON AUGUST 17, 2020 BECAUSE OF JERKING FORWARD AT LOW SPEED (20-25 MPH) AND REAR BRAKES MAKING A DEEP RUBBING SOUND. OF COURSE, TECHNICIAN SAID THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS (BECAUSE HE COULD NOT DUPLICATE)

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports

“PUT TRUCK INTO PARK AND SHUT OFF, STARTED TO GET OUT BUT TRUCK WAS STARTING TO ROLL, TRIED TO STOP IT, PUSHED ON BRAKES, NO EFFECT, KEPT ROLLING AND GAINED MOMENTUM TILL IT HIT OUR CABIN AND STOPPED. LENGTH WAS 200FT APPX OF ROLL. MESSAGE CENTER SAID " PRESS BRAKE TO START " WHICH I WAS DOING AS IT ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

107 complaints

11%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. WHILE THE CONTACT'S WIFE WAS TRAVELING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION AT AN UNKNOWN RATE OF SPEED, THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. ALSO, THE BRAKE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPEND
• AFTER HAVING FOG LIGHTS PROGRAMED AT THE DEALER, LOST BRAKE ASSIST ON THE WAY HOME AT LAST LEFT TURN AND TRUCK TOOK LONGER TO STOP BEFORE THE TURN THEN NORMAL ON A CITY STREET SPEED ABOUT 45MPH, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON CHECKED CODES AT HOME FOUND 4, P25A2 BRAKE SYSTEM CONTROL MODULE REQUESTED MIL
• 2020 SILVERADO 1500 DURAMAX 3.0 1200 MILES AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WITH CODES. I WAS 300 MILES FROM HOME SO GLAD IT MADE IT. TAKE TO DEALER AND THEY TELL ME I CANT DRIVE IT BECAUSE OF A FAILED MASTER CYLINDER ISSUE. PART IS ON UNKNOWN BACKORDER.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 3 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. WHILE THE CONTACT'S WIFE WAS TRAVELING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION AT AN UNKNOWN RATE OF SPEED, THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. ALSO, THE BRAKE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPEND”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

99 complaints

10%

• LIGHTS ON INSTRUMENTS PANEL ON AND OFF,, GAS GAUGE NOT WORKING. MILES LEFT GOES UP AND DOWN WHEN TRUCK IS SITTING.
• THE BACKUP CAMERA BRIGHTNESS IS SO EXCESSIVE IT CREATES A HAZARD BACKING AT NIGHT NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE OUT PASSENGER SIDE MIRROR, NO BRIGHTNESS CONTROL FOR NIGHTTIME
• BRAND NEW TRUCK WITH ONLY 450 MILES. FIRST INCIDENT WAS CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON , BRAKE PEDAL WAS REALLY HARD TO PRESS ALMOST HIT CAR INFRONT OF ME. SECOND INCIDENT ALL LIGHTS CAME BACK UP ABS,SRS, TRAILER BRAKE MODULE, PARKING BRAKE, TRUCK WILL NOT GO FASTER THAN 42MPH. AND BRAKE PEDAL WAS

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 8 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“LIGHTS ON INSTRUMENTS PANEL ON AND OFF,, GAS GAUGE NOT WORKING. MILES LEFT GOES UP AND DOWN WHEN TRUCK IS SITTING.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

78 complaints

• BACKUP CAMERA FUZZY MORE AT NIGHT GM SAYS ITS THE THE LOW COST CAMERA BUT ITS A SAFETY ISSUE ITS TERRIBLE.
• TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM DISENGAGES WITH WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION AND MULTIPLE WARNING LIGHTS ARE ACTIVATED. (TCS, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, AND "ENGINE OPERATING AT REDUCED POWER" WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. THIS IS A NEW VEHICLE AND INCIDENT OCCURRED AT LESS THAN 300 MILES. THIS SEEMS TO OCCUR WHILE B
• WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE (OURS DOES NOT HAVE THE STOP START TECHNOLOGY); HOWEVER WHEN IDLING LOW OR COMING TO A STOP THE VEHICLE WILL JERK THEN DIE. THE MOTOR WILL COMPLETELY SHUT OFF; STALLING, THE ONLY WAY TO RESTART IS TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL OR PARK AND TURN IGNITION AGAIN. THE MOTOR SHUTS OF

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports

“BACKUP CAMERA FUZZY MORE AT NIGHT GM SAYS ITS THE THE LOW COST CAMERA BUT ITS A SAFETY ISSUE ITS TERRIBLE.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 1007 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, GAVE IT GAS TO GO AROUND A VEHICLE AND IT FELT LIKE THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. ESC CAUTION, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, AND BRAKE WARNING/CAUTION ALL ILLUMINATED. VEHICLE BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN DRASTICALLY AND IF I HADN'T GOTTEN OFF THE ROAD QUICKLY I WOULD HAVE BEEN HIT. IF I HAD BE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: PUT TRUCK INTO PARK AND SHUT OFF, STARTED TO GET OUT BUT TRUCK WAS STARTING TO ROLL, TRIED TO STOP IT, PUSHED ON BRAKES, NO EFFECT, KEPT ROLLING AND GAINED MOMENTUM TILL IT HIT OUR CABIN AND STOPPED. LENGTH WAS 200FT APPX OF ROLL. MESSAGE CENTER SAID " PRESS BRAKE TO START " WHICH I WAS DOING AS IT
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. WHILE THE CONTACT'S WIFE WAS TRAVELING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION AT AN UNKNOWN RATE OF SPEED, THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. ALSO, THE BRAKE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPEND
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: LIGHTS ON INSTRUMENTS PANEL ON AND OFF,, GAS GAUGE NOT WORKING. MILES LEFT GOES UP AND DOWN WHEN TRUCK IS SITTING.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)