2021 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 problems, complaints & recalls

2021 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 recalls (5)

• Recall 24V797000Oct 24, 2024463,295 vehicles
  POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWARE · POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:FLUID/LUBRICANT:VALVES/VALVE BODY

  General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2500, 3500, GMC Sierra 1500, 2500, 3500, 2021 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles equipped with diesel engines. The transmission control valve may fail and cause the rear wheels to lock-up.

  Risk: Rear wheel lock-up can increase the risk of a crash.

  Remedy: Dealers will install new transmission control module software, free of charge. GM will provide a special coverage program to cover the repair of transmissions that are identified by the remedy software as containing a defective control valve. Owner notification letters were mailed December 12, 2024. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, GMC customer service at GMC 1-800-462-8782 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N242454440.

• Recall 24V060000Feb 1, 2024570,434 vehicles
  LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TAILGATE:LATCH

  General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2024 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, 3500, GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 vehicles equipped with power-unlatching tailgates. The tailgate's electronic gate-release switch may short circuit due to water intrusion, which can result in the tailgate inadvertently unlatching while the vehicle is in park.

  Risk: An unlatched tailgate may open while driving and result in a loss of unsecured cargo, creating a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.

  Remedy: Owners are advised to check that the tailgate is closed and latched before driving. Dealers will replace the exterior touchpad switch assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 17, 2024. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N232426400.

• Recall 21V758000Sep 29, 20213,241 vehiclesPark outside
  SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:ELECTRIC:CONTROL MODULE

  General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, GMC Sierra 2500, and Sierra 3500 vehicles with electronic brake control modules (EBCM) replaced during vehicle assembly. The bolts that attach the brake pressure modulator valve (BPMV) assembly may not be properly tightened, which could fail to seal the two sub-assemblies and allow water intrusion.

  Risk: Water in the BPMV may cause an electrical short circuit and increase the risk of fire.

  Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from other structures until the recall repair is completed. Dealers will replace the BPMV assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 20, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212349181.

• Recall 20V811000Dec 23, 2020470 vehicles
  SEAT BELTS · SEAT BELTS:CRITICAL FASTENERS

  General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV and 2021 GMC Canyon and Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500, Yukon, Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV and Chevrolet Blazer, Camaro, Colorado, Equinox, Silverado 1500, 2500 and 3500, Suburban and Tahoe vehicles. Incorrect bolts may have been used at one or more fastening locations to secure the seat belts to the vehicle. If an incorrect bolt was used, the seat belt may not be properly attached to the vehicle.

  Risk: If a seat belt assembly is not properly attached to the vehicle, the seat belt may not properly restrain an occupant in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

  Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the suspect bolts, free of charge. The recall began January 29, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8785, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N202322230.

• Recall 20V792000Dec 17, 2020624,216 vehicles
  SEAT BELTS · SEAT BELTS:CRITICAL FASTENERS

  General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500, 2021 Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe and GMC Yukon XL and 2020-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 vehicles. The seat belt brackets may not be secured to the seat frame in the front-row center seating position.

  Risk: If a seat-belt bracket is not secured, the seat belt may not properly restrain an occupant in the front-row center seat position, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

  Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect left-side and right-side front-row center seat-belt bracket attachments and reassemble it correctly as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 26, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N202314670.

NHTSA defect investigations

• PE21010Opened Apr 9, 2021Closed Aug 24, 2023

  Air Bag Malfunction

  On April 9, 2021, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE21-010 to investigate instances of air bag malfunction indicator light (MIL) illumination and potential for frontal air bag non-deployment in several vehicles manufactured by General Motors (GM). The vehicles included model year (MY) 2020 through 2021 CT4 and CT5 passenger cars, Sierra and Silverado trucks (1500/2500/3500 models), XT4 and MY 2021 Escalade, Suburban, Tahoe, Yukon SUVs.Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 21-NA-005, issued in March 2021, addresses air bag MIL illumination with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) B0001…

Recent 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 complaints

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

1. Filed Oct 6, 2026IDElectrical System

   Service Trailer Brake System error. There's a known issue for a faulty wire harness and BCM. Error makes it hard to drive and see the speed, keeps popping up.

   NHTSA complaint #11769417 · source
2. Filed Sep 11, 2026OHBody & Structure

   The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 3500. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked or while driving at undisclosed speeds, the tailgate unintendedly opened or closed. The failure was a recurring failure. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V060000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was contacted by phone and was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed that…

   NHTSA complaint #11763651 · source
3. Filed Aug 19, 2026MOElectrical SystemSteering

   On XXX the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado was taken to Mayse Automotive Group at [XXX] dealership for the complaint of the key getting stuck in the ignition and unable to remove causing a safety and security risk. Service department found that the transmission control in column needed to be replaced. The park switch control was defective and providing incorrect data. Service department confirmed that many vehicles alike have needed same repairs. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO…

   NHTSA complaint #11757973 · source
4. Filed Apr 29, 2026WIBody & StructureElectrical System

   Water entered tailgate through drainage hole in tailgate cap. The water then dripped on the tailgate switch causing it to short out. This short circuit caused my tailgate to open and close randomly without pressing any switches or buttons or key fobs. May tailgate has a small ding it it now from where it kept hitting the wall while parked in the garage. I took the truck to the dealership to get repairs done and was charged 308.88 for the tailgate switch and diagnosis that…

   NHTSA complaint #11734635 · source
5. Filed Mar 2, 2026OHBody & Structure

   The tailgate will go up and down when the vehicle is turned off and in park. It will also do this while driving the vehicle. * I notice there has already been a recall for this issue, but my VIN shows NO RECALLS

   NHTSA complaint #11721418 · source
6. Filed Feb 20, 2026NYFuel, Hybrid & EV Propulsion

   Service engine light kept coming on the dash, and the code came back to a faulty DEF heater. My truck had a reduced power countdown on the dash indicating the truck was going go to into limp mode after x amount of miles. On warmer days the code would go away and there would be no reduced power. The vehicle was diagnosed at a GM dealership and confirmed the DEF heater was bad, but was notified that there is a bulletin with GM for this issue occurring in many other diesel…

   NHTSA complaint #11719345 · source
7. Filed Feb 8, 2026OHElectrical SystemFuel, Hybrid & EV PropulsionOther / Unknown

   My 2021 chevy 3500hd diesel had the engine light come on and the service emissions system popped up in the info screen. It said in so many miles speed would be limited. I took it to the dealer and they said the def tank would need replaced because the tank wiring connector overheated and would cost me over $2k.

   NHTSA complaint #11716547 · source
8. Filed Nov 20, 202574,040 miLABody & Structure

   The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 3500. The contact stated that the tailgate occasionally opened and closed unintendedly. The failure had occurred several times. The dealer was contacted and notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired; however, an appointment was scheduled. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V060000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not informed of the…

   NHTSA complaint #11700549 · source

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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