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2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 problems

What owners reported to NHTSA, at what mileage, and every safety recall for this model year.

301owner complaints
2safety recalls
8involved a crash

Also reported: 0 fires, 8 people injured, 0 deaths. Each complaint is counted once even if it lists several components.

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Most reported problems

Complaints by component. One complaint can name more than one component, so these add up to more than 301.

Unknown or other105
Usually 39,000–78,000 miles (middle half of 61 reports with mileage)
Air bags83
Usually 38,250–89,000 miles (middle half of 46 reports with mileage)
Structure75
Usually 34,750–89,675 miles (middle half of 46 reports with mileage)
Parts named: Body (57); Frame and members (8); Frame and members › underbody shields (3); Body › door (1)
Engine33
Usually 60,158–120,000 miles (middle half of 15 reports with mileage)
Suspension21
Usually 79,000–115,000 miles (middle half of 7 reports with mileage)
Parts named: Rear (1)
Power train13
Usually 700–99,476 miles (middle half of 5 reports with mileage)
Electrical system10
Usually 54,500–67,500 miles (middle half of 7 reports with mileage)
Parts named: Instrument panel › speedometer/odometer (2); Integrated trailer brake control (1)
Steering10
Usually 11,250–62,270 miles (middle half of 6 reports with mileage)
Visibility/wiper7
Usually 35,375–71,000 miles (middle half of 7 reports with mileage)
Service brakes5
Usually 70,750–82,250 miles (middle half of 2 reports with mileage)

When problems show up

Reports by odometer reading at the time of the problem, top components. Each bar is a 25,000-mile band, labeled by where it starts (0 = 0–25k miles). Reports without mileage are left out.

Unknown or other

61 reports with mileage · median 60,000 miles
025k50k75k100k125k150k175k200k+

Air bags

46 reports with mileage · median 60,000 miles
025k50k75k100k125k150k175k200k+

Structure

46 reports with mileage · median 60,000 miles
025k50k75k100k125k150k175k200k+

Safety recalls (2)

Recalls that cover the 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. Some apply only to certain trims or build dates. This page cannot tell whether a specific car's recall work was done.

Check a specific VIN's open recalls on nhtsa.gov

Air bags › frontal › passenger side › inflator module

Campaign 21V054000 · 2021-02-05 · 1,778,128 vehicles

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra…

Full recall text and remedy

Summary: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, SC, TX, PR, AS, GU, the MP, and VI or "Zone A." Additionally GM is recalling certain 2011-2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, Yukon XL and 2011-2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AZ, AR, DE, DC, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MO, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NC, OH, OK, PA, TN, VA, and WV or "Zone B." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2010-2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL and 2010-2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AK, CO, CT, ID, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MT, NH, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI, and WY or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 25, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed to 40 VIN owners on May 11, 2021. A second owner notification letter was mailed to all other owners on January 24, 2022. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328800.

Air bags › frontal › passenger side › inflator module

Campaign 21V053000 · 2021-02-05 · 692,526 vehicles

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban…

Full recall text and remedy

Summary: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2010 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2009 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C."

Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 24, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 11, 2021. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328790.

Questions to ask the seller

Has the airbag warning light ever stayed on? Was any airbag replaced after a crash?

83 owner complaints mention the air bags, half of the reports with mileage are between 38,250 and 89,000 miles.

Any rust, frame damage, or body repairs? Look underneath and ask whether the car has been in an accident.

75 owner complaints mention the body or structure, half of the reports with mileage are between 34,750 and 89,675 miles.

Has the engine had any repairs, oil leaks, or check-engine lights? Ask for the invoices and listen for knocking or ticking on a cold start.

33 owner complaints mention the engine, half of the reports with mileage are between 60,158 and 120,000 miles.

Any clunks over bumps, uneven tire wear, or suspension repairs? Listen over rough pavement on the test drive.

21 owner complaints mention the suspension, half of the reports with mileage are between 79,000 and 115,000 miles.

Has the transmission been serviced or repaired? On the test drive, watch for slipping, delayed engagement, or harsh shifts.

13 owner complaints mention the transmission or drivetrain, half of the reports with mileage are between 700 and 99,476 miles.

Has the open recall work been done? Ask for dealer service records, and check the VIN on nhtsa.gov/recalls.

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year.

Other Chevrolet Silverado 1500 years

Owner complaints per model year (2010–2022). Older cars have had more time to collect reports.

Compare all years on one chart

Source: NHTSA complaints file (FLAT_CMPL, updated 2026-10-21) and NHTSA recalls file. Page generated 2026-10-22.

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