Chevrolet Silverado 3500Years to avoid, problems & recalls

Based on 1,077 NHTSA owner complaints across 30 model years, the Chevrolet Silverado 3500 years to avoid are 2024, and the strongest years are 2003, 2008, 2011 and 2013. The Silverado 3500 has 45 safety recalls on record.

Chevrolet Silverado 3500

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports. Updated daily. How we score years. Photo: TaurusEmerald, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Best & worst years

Chevrolet Silverado 3500 years to avoid

Complaints by model year, colored by the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Silverado 3500 median. Tap a year for its full report.

'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
Complaints by system

Most common Chevrolet Silverado 3500 problems

All model years combined: 1,077 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Service brakes, hydraulic18316
Electrical system13719
Service brakes12810
Power train1277
Steering873
Engine877
Engine and engine cooling726
Tires710
Fuel/propulsion system671
23 other systems38638
8 investigations

NHTSA investigations of the Silverado 3500

  1. Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureEA21002 · 2007–2015 · still open
    Open
  2. Air Bag MalfunctionPE21010 · 2020–2021 · closed Aug 24, 2023
    No recall
  3. NON-CRASH ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRESEA08010 · 2007–2008 · closed Sep 8, 2008
    Led to recall 08V-441
  4. NON-CRASH ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRESPE08010 · 2007–2008 · closed Jun 12, 2008
    No recall
  5. CRANK POSITION SENSOR FAILURE - STALLEA06016 · 2001 · closed Nov 9, 2007
    Led to recall 07V-521
  6. HYDRAULIC PUMP FAILRESEA04012 · 2000–2002 · closed Feb 28, 2005
    Led to recall 05V-005
  7. HYDRAULIC PUMP SHAFT FAILURESPE04004 · 2000–2002 · closed Apr 30, 2004
    No recall
  8. REAR AXLE SEPARATION FROM VEHICLEPE97001 · 1997 · closed May 29, 1997
    No recall