What ownership is like, what breaks at what mileage, what the repairs cost, and what to check before you buy one.
← All Chevrolet Silverado generations
NHTSA complaints per catalog listing run from 0.60 for 2018 (522 complaints across 877 listings) to 2.76 for 2014 (1,561 across 566). The generation median is 1.13. 2014 is 2.4 times that median, so it passes the first test, but 41 of 405 enriched ads (10.12%) mention a problem against a 10.12% median, which is not above it. It passes only if the 'rust' flaw is left out of the count (16 of 405 = 4.0% against a 2.2% median), and our rule needs the test to hold with rust counted too, so 2014 is not flagged. The 2014 complaints include steering assist loss, which matches recall 17V414000 below. Several 'years to avoid' lists point at 2014-2017; none of those years is flagged by our rule.
| Miles | Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Not verified | 8L90 eight-speed automatic: shudder and torque converter (2015-2018 trucks with the 8-speed) | Fluid flush with the updated Mobil 1 LV ATF HP plus a reflash $400-$700 dealer / $300-$500 independent; torque converter $1,200-$2,200 independent / $1,800-$2,800 dealer (Transmission Repair Cost); a 2018 estimate of $960-$2,170 for the converter (Fixxr); rebuild $2,800-$4,200 (Transmission Repair Cost). | Transmission Repair Cost describes a shudder under light throttle at low speed, handled by GM bulletins and a class action settlement; ask for the VIN's bulletin and fluid-service history. Pensacola Truck Transmission puts an inspection at about $125 and a fluid flush around $350. If the shudder returns after the fluid update, the converter is the next step. |
| often cited before 100K (Marin Mazda; some owners report 180K-220K with no issue) | 5.3L/6.2L AFM/DFM lifter failure | $2,600-$4,800 (avturo, independent shop, priced for 2019-2021 trucks); $3,000-$4,500 both banks (Capital Motorcars); $3,200 lifter repair against $7,000+ for an engine overhaul if ignored (Autos of Chicago). | The same cold-start tick and misfire pattern as Gen 2. Ask whether the lifters were ever replaced and scan for misfire codes. |
| 100K-150K (Transmission Repair Cost only) | 6L80 six-speed automatic (2014-2018 trucks with the 6-speed): wave plate | Wave plate job $1,400-$2,200 independent / $2,000-$3,000 dealer; rebuild $2,500-$4,000 (Transmission Repair Cost) or $3,800-$4,900 (Creech Import, citing RepairPal, Raleigh). | Same unit and same pattern as Gen 2. Ask for fluid-service records and watch for a harsh shift or lost gear. |
| any | Electric power steering assist loss (recalls 17V414000, 18V586000) | Free at a Chevrolet dealer when open | 17V414000 covers certain 2014 Silverado 1500s that may have a temporary loss of power steering assist, especially in low-speed turns; 18V586000 covers certain 2015 trucks where assist may be lost momentarily and then return suddenly. |
| any | Brake vacuum pump (19V645000) and ABS software (19V761000) | Free at a Chevrolet dealer when open | 19V645000: on 2014-2018 trucks the vacuum pump's output may fall over time, which can reduce brake assist. 19V761000: on 2014-2018 1500s with the 5.3L, a 3.08 rear axle and four-wheel drive, a failed wheel-speed sensor can cause the ABS software to activate the brakes at 41-60 mph. |
| any | Front upper control arm welds (16V256000, 2016-2017 trucks) | Free at a Chevrolet dealer when open | NHTSA says the front upper control arms may have inadequate welds near the bushing. Confirm by VIN. |
No year in this generation was flagged. A year is flagged by our rule only when all three hold: (1) its NHTSA complaints per catalog listing is at least 2.0x the median for its generation, (2) the share of ads that mention a problem is above the generation median, and (3) we track at least 30 listings for that year. The cutoff was fixed before we looked. Ad mentions are not failures, and a flag is a reason to inspect harder, not a verdict on any one car.
| Year | Complaints | Top components | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 1,561 | Service Brakes, Steering, Unknown Or Other | |
| 2015 | 1,193 | Service Brakes, Power Train, Steering | |
| 2016 | 801 | Service Brakes, Power Train, Steering | |
| 2017 | 839 | Power Train, Service Brakes, Engine | |
| 2018 | 522 | Power Train, Engine, Service Brakes |
source: NHTSA complaints database (api.nhtsa.gov). Complaints are owner reports, not confirmed failures.
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We don't tell you to skip a year; we flag by a fixed rule (see 'Years flagged' in each generation), and exactly one Silverado year trips it: 1999. That year has 44.94 NHTSA complaints per catalog listing (2,247 complaints across 50 listings) against a Gen 1 median of 7.16, and ads mention a problem in 10 of 33 enriched ads (30.3%) against an 11.2% median, with the 'rust' flaw excluded. It is a small sample on the oldest year. 2014 comes close on the first test (2.76 per listing against a Gen 3 median of 1.13) but 41 of 405 ads (10.12%) is exactly the median, not above it, so it is not flagged. Ad mentions are not confirmed failures.
It depends on the engine and generation. Gen 1 (1999-2006): rusted brake lines and 4L60E wear. Gen 2 (2007-2013): AFM lifter failure and oil consumption on the 5.3L, and the 6L80 automatic. Gen 3 (2014-2018): the 8-speed shudder, lifters, and recalls for power steering assist and brake vacuum. Gen 4 (2019 on): lifter reports, 10-speed shift complaints, and recalls. Each is priced, with sources, in the generation sections.
Avturo puts a 5.3L/6.2L lifter job at $2,600-$4,800 at an independent shop. Capital Motorcars gives $3,000-$4,500 for lifters on both banks, and Autos of Chicago gives $3,200 for a lifter repair against $7,000+ for an engine overhaul if a ticking lifter is ignored. These are shop figures, not a quote for your truck.
Owners and shops report a shudder under light throttle on 8L90 trucks (2015-2019). Transmission Repair Cost says GM handled it with bulletins and a class action settlement; the usual fix is the updated fluid and a reflash ($400-$700 dealer, $300-$500 independent), then a torque converter ($1,200-$2,200 independent, $1,800-$2,800 dealer) if it persists. We don't have a failure rate, only these reports. Ask for the VIN's service history.
We don't have a mileage figure we could verify from two sources, so we won't give one. What we can show: lifter failure is reported before 100K miles on some trucks and not on others (Marin Mazda reports owners at 180K-220K with no major issues), and the 6L80 wave plate is reported at 100K-150K miles (one source). Service records tell you more than the odometer.
Our complaint-per-listing figures are measured against each generation's own median, so compare within a generation, not across. Within Gen 3 the range is 0.60 (2018) to 2.76 (2014); within Gen 4, 0.45 (2025) to 1.35 (2021), though newer years have had little time to collect complaints. No year in Gen 2, 3 or 4 trips our rule.