2013 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 problems, complaints & recalls

Updated from NHTSA data · How we count

Owners have filed 27 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, most often about fuel, hybrid & EV propulsion. There are 3 recalls for this model year.

Complaints
27
Recalls
3
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
1
Median mileage
77,000 mi
at time of problem

Key facts

  • Fuel, Hybrid & EV Propulsion is the most-reported problem area, named in 7 of 27 complaints (26%).
  • Electrical System (5) and brakes (4) follow.
  • Half of the complaints that list mileage happened before 77,000 mi.
  • Owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire and 1 injury.
  • The 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 has 3 recalls on file.
  • NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation covering this vehicle.
  • It ranks 12th of 22 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 model years by our severity-weighted complaint score (1st = worst).
  • That is 23% more complaints than the 2012 model year (22).

2013 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 problems by category

  • Other / Unknown
    7 complaints
  • Fuel, Hybrid & EV Propulsion
    7 complaints
  • Electrical System
    5 complaints
  • Brakes
    4 complaints
  • Engine
    4 complaints
  • Transmission & Drivetrain
    3 complaints
  • Airbags
    1 complaints
  • Lighting
    1 complaints
  • Body & Structure
    1 complaints
  • Seats & Seat Belts
    1 complaints
  • Steering
    1 complaints

A complaint can mention more than one problem area, so categories add up to more than the total.

Most-reported components

Component (as filed with NHTSA)Complaints
Unknown or other7
Fuel/propulsion system6
Electrical system5
Service brakes4
Engine4
Power train3
Air bags1
Seats1

When problems happen (mileage)

1Under 10k210k–30k30k–60k560k–100k5100k–150k150k+
Mileage at the time of the problem, for 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 complaints that list mileage.

2013 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 recalls (3)

  • Recall 21V053000Feb 5, 2021692,526 vehicles
    AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

    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."

    Risk: 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.

  • Recall 21V054000Feb 5, 20211,778,128 vehicles
    AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

    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.

    Risk: 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.

  • Recall 18V267000Apr 26, 20186,154 vehicles
    EQUIPMENT

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Chevrolet Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD, 2009 GMC Topkick 5000, 6000, 7000 and 8000 Series and Isuzu F Series, and 2009-2018 Chevrolet Express, and GMC Savana vehicles, equipped with certain Plastic-Handle Fire Extinguishers or Push Button 'Pindicator' Fire Extinguishers. These extinguishers may become clogged, preventing the extinguisher from discharging as expected or requiring excessive force to activate the extinguisher. Additionally, in certain models, the nozzle may detach from the valve assembly with enough force that it could cause injury and also render the product inoperable. For a full list of the affected fire extinguisher models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2017/RMISC-17E062-5427.pdf

    Risk: In the event of a fire, if the fire extinguisher does not function properly, it can increase the risk of injury.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, instructing them to contact Kidde to get a replacement fire extinguisher, free of charge. The recall began June 11, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, and Isuzu customer service at 1-866-441-9638. GM's number for this recall is 18146.

NHTSA defect investigations

  • EA21002Opened Sep 17, 2021Open

    Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

    From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.C…

Recent 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 complaints

Excerpts of the newest owner complaints, lightly cleaned of personal details. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

  1. Filed Oct 13, 2024CAFire1 injuredAirbagsElectrical SystemSeats & Seat Belts
    I believe all the dealership did was dust/armor all my air bag compartment door. It still has a 2013 takata air bag installed which was deployed somehow causing a can of axe body spray to explode which caused the dash, seat, and wiring including the compartment to burn/melt totaling my truck. I could have been killed if I was sitting their.
    NHTSA complaint #11619520 · source
  2. Filed Apr 18, 2024MAEngine
    oil cooler line failed . oil gushing out of engine. Both line bad. Having repaired at local shop. If engine malfunctioned in traffic -definitely could have been a safety issue ! never noticed small leak- line just let go- was a major leak- drained the oil pan. hope it didn' t damage engine.
    NHTSA complaint #11583736 · source
  3. Filed Jun 28, 2023MOElectrical System
    Tcm failed driving 60 down the highway, check engine light came on, stabiliatrack service light came on traction control tuned off all at the same time. Lost all communication to the transmission putting truck in limp mode going down the highway. Mechanic shop hooked up the scanner to the truck and couldn’t communicate with the tcm in anyway. All things happened at once while driving. There are no replacement parts to be found in the country. Please make this a recall…
    NHTSA complaint #11529314 · source
  4. Filed Jun 6, 2023ALOther / Unknown
    The transmission control module shut down in the process of me driving. I could not even move my truck out of the highway. Had to have it towed. General Motors isn’t even producing this part even though thousands of people are having this same problem with trucks made from 2009 through 2015. This problem could prove to be deadly if the module goes out in heavy traffic.
    NHTSA complaint #11525733 · source
  5. Filed May 2, 2023FLEngineFuel, Hybrid & EV Propulsion
    Driving on the interstate the truck starting. Message center displayed a fuel sys warning. The messages changed warning of speed limitations. The speed allowed wa# reduced every few miles. Eventually the engine would not run nor would it restart.
    NHTSA complaint #11520139 · source
  6. Filed Apr 13, 2023PAElectrical SystemTransmission & Drivetrain
    TCM for Allision Transmission,went out .2013 Chevy 2500-65000 miles,Lights in dash came on truck would not pull 1/2 mile later.down the road.Truck is setting waiting for GM to get a TCM,none are availble.
    NHTSA complaint #11516841 · source
  7. Filed Apr 7, 2023FLBrakesOther / Unknown
    The transmission control module is not communicating with the ECM and the braking system the stabilitrac and traction control are not working truck goes into “limp” mode while driving
    NHTSA complaint #11515963 · source
  8. Filed Apr 2, 2023CATransmission & Drivetrain
    Transmission control module failure while driving, loss of communication. Sent into limp mode, lost speed and power while towing. Lost stability control and traction control. Faults are U0101 and P0880. Dangerous while going down the road. Research online shows part is backordered with no ETA. Multiple owners have similar failures currently. Used test TCM and verified failure. Issue is known with GM and has affected 09-2014 trucks. Also pi0310 bulletin. This needs to be a…
    NHTSA complaint #11515051 · source

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Other 2013 Chevrolet models

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation public data, as of Oct 11, 2026. Complaints are submitted by owners and are not verified by NHTSA or by us; a complaint does not prove a defect exists. View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov Methodology