repaired · 2023 Q2
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500Problems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 216 owner complaints about the 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 2 safety recalls, and for recall 21V-051 the manufacturer reports only 39% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through August 28, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: SsmIntrigue, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 has problems
216 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
59Air bags5 crash/fire/injury
35Structure1 crash/fire/injury
25Engine1 crash/fire/injury
21Electrical system3 crash/fire/injury
10Electronic stability control (ESC)
10Power train
9Suspension
7Service brakes
6Fuel/propulsion system
2311 other systems1 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 59 | 5 |
| Structure | 35 | 1 |
| Engine | 25 | 1 |
| Electrical system | 21 | 3 |
| Electronic stability control (ESC) | 10 | 1 |
| Power train | 10 | 0 |
| Suspension | 9 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 7 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 6 | 0 |
| 11 other systems | 23 | 1 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
2 recalls
2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2023 Q4
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Chevrolet.
Mileage at failure
When do air bags problems start?
68kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 25 air bags complaints. 84% were reported before 100,000 miles.
0under 30k miles21under 100k miles4100k miles or more
Best & worst years
2012 vs. every other Silverado 1500 year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Silverado 1500 median. How we score
'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 safety ratings
2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 PU/CC 4WD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
★★★★★Overall rating
Frontal crash★★★★★
Side barrier★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
- Rollover: 4 stars (18.5% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
2 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, and the recalls they led to.
- Pedestrian alert soundsLed to recall 22V-063
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureOpen
In owners' words
What Silverado 1500 owners report
Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
My husband picked me up from work in [XXX] we went over a very icy bridge the truck spun around and hit the guard rail on the bridge the airbags popped and broke two of my ribs I went to the hospital it was very painful I had to lose out on several days of work. I have pictures of the airbag the…
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while her son was driving at low speeds during snow weather, the driver-side air bag deployed on its own without a crash or impact with an object. As a result, the driver lost visibility and control of the vehicle resulting in a…
Airbag light came on indicating an issue. Went to dealer and the codes that came up are B0030 (Passenger Instrument Panel Air Bag Deployment Loop Stage 2 Short to Ground) and B0413 (Temperature Control 1 Feed back Circuit Actuator Stuck). It cost $597.67 to have a new airbag installed. I worry…
Own a 2012 Silverado 1500?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.