2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Engine
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
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Chronological view of owner reports
The truck lost power, starred sputtering and misfiring. I shut the engine down, restarted and was able to drive it home. This same issue occurred a couple more times but each time it was restarted it drove okay. I started doing research and found a history of this same issue being reported by other owners and upon complaining to GM, nothing was done. I stopped driving the truck and it has been sitting for 3 years now. On April 22 2024 I had the truck towed to Stingray Chevrolet to have the issue checked. I was informed that the engine was would need to be replaced at a cost estimated to be 18K. I had the truck towed back to my home and it has been sitting, until I decide what I am going to do. I have continued investigating and I have found where GM acknowledged there were engine issues that dated back from 2013/2014 more than 10 years where the same problems were reported. Several law suits were found to have been filed with some wins and some losses including class action suits. I wrote GM and asked them to step up, do the right thing and replace the engine. They refused naturally so I have been waiting, contemplating my actions but the fact still remains. GM built and sold defective engines back into the early 2000's and replaced these 5.3L V8's with another engine that there are still defects being reported. I would like for GM to fully replace the engine including all components and Auxiliary devices on my truck, at no cost to me. Give it another 100K mile guarantee and compensate me for the 3 years I have not been able to use my truck.
pistons replaced at 40000 miles due to technical service bulletin , now Active engine management lifters failed causing complete engine replacement , due to wiped cam and lifters and metal contamination. [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Driving down the road and motor died, like when you run out of gas. Would not restart. Had it towed. Engine had to be rebuilt, cost over 5k. Was told by a mechanic who makes a living rebuilding 5.3 motors that motors with active fuel mgmt. and displacement on demand will fail unless your lucky. Valve springs bad, push rods bent, lifters, oil pump, exhaust and intake valves, VVT delete kit, DOD cam, etc….. I researched this problem and it is common and videos all over the internet. Chevy has known this for over 15 years yet still sells these and no recalls. I will NEVER BUY A CHEVY AS LONG AS I LIVE AND I TELL EVERYONE ABOUT THIS. Lucky I was on a country road or it would have been disaster if I was on the freeway. This caused me MAJOR HARDSHIP with my wife disabled and us both seniors, having to spend money we didn’t have.
Rocker arm on left (as you are facing engine from outside vehicle) back rear left is making a cherping noise when engine gets warmed up. Dealership & 2 separate mechanics say the cam shaft and lifters need replaced, or the whole engine should be replaced. Vehicle has 162500 miles on it. Noise started about a week after my last oil change on 6/11/24.
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the rocker arm lifter was stuck in the open position. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 60,000.
2013 Chevy Silverado has the active fuel management system, which failed and caused the cylinder 1 to have a collapsed lifter. This is a known defeat of these GM V8 5.3 lilter motors. I feel GM should be required to repair these motors free of cost to the consumer.
Active fuel management caused my 5.3 liter v8 valve train to fail and lost compression in a few cylinders.had to replace complete motor at 120,000 miles.at mechanics now getting a new non afm jasper engine to the tune of 8000 dollars.even with impeccable maintenance.myself being the only owner.
I WAS DRIVING THE TRUCK IT STARTED SHAKING, SO I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER. THEY SAID THAT THERE IS CARBON BUILD UP ON THE ENGINE. THERE IS ONLY SIXTY THOUSAND MILES ON THE VEHICLE. GMC SENT OUT A BULLETIN TO DEALERS THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM AND SUGGESTED THE SERVICE DEPT FLUSH THE ENGINE, BUT THEY CAN NOT PROMISE ANYTHING. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT I DID NOT DRIVE THE TRUCK ENOUGH, SO THAT'S WHAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM. WHEN I BOUGHT THE TRUCK THEY TOLD ME THAT IT IS A VERY CLEAN RUNNING TRUCK, NOT AS MUCH POLLUTION. SO INSTEAD OF THE CARBON BLOWING OUT THE TAILPIPE IS IT STAYING IN THE ENGINE? I DO NOT THINK THAT I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY OUT ALL THIS MONEY FOR SOMETHING GMC OVER LOOKED. THIS IS A PROBLEM THEY DID NOT SEE, SO THEY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE EXPENSES. I MIGHT EVEN NEED A NEW ENGINE BECAUSE THEY CAN NOT BE SURE THE FLUSHING AND OIL CHANGE WILL SOLVE THE PROBLEM AND IT CAN HAPPEN AGAIN.
TRUCK WAS PURCHASED CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED IN JUNE 2017, IN JUNE 2018 PROBLEMS AROSE INCLUDING ROUGH IDLING, SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT ACTIVATION, AND STABILITRAK OFF MESSAGE ACTIVATION ON THE DASH READOUT. GENERAL MOTORS (GM) TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB) #10-06-01-008M WAS ISSUED DECEMBER, 2014 TO ADDRESS THE REPAIR FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE ISSUE WAS MOTOR OIL REACHING THE #1 AND #7 CYLINDERS THUS FOULING THOSE TWO SPARK PLUGS.THE TRUCK WAS REPAIRED UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE SAME SYMPTOMS APPEARED AGAIN IN AUGUST 2020 AND THE CHEVY DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED THE SAME ISSUE (MIS-FIRE IN THE #7 CYLINDER) AS DESCRIBED IN THE TSB. SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY, GM WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIR. I CHOSE TO DEAL WITH THE SYMPTOMS MYSELF WHICH INVOLVED INSTALLING NEW SPARK PLUGS IN THE TWO CYLINDERS. IN MID-MARCH OF THIS YEAR (2021), THE SYMPTOMS APPEARED AGAIN AND AGAIN THE #1 AND #7 SPARK PLUGS WERE FOULED WITH MOTOR OIL. IN EACH CASE, THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION WHEN THE SYMPTOMS PRESENTED. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT STABILITRAK IS DESIGNED TO HELP PREVENT ACCIDENTS BY GIVING THE DRIVER BETTER CONTROL OF THE SILVERADO. IF A SERVICE STABILITRAK WARNING APPEARS, THE SILVERADO WILL NO LONGER BE ASSISTED WHEN A LOSS IN LATERAL TRACTION IS DETECTED. ADDITIONALLY, THE ROUGH IDLING AFFECTS ACCELERATION (LOSS OF POWER.)
I OWN A 2013 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 WITH 71,453 MILES . THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED REGULARLY AND I RECENTLY NOTICED AN OIL CONSUMPTION ISSUE. AFTER A VISIT TO MY USUAL SERVICE GARAGE AND SUBSEQUENTLY A CERTIFIED DEALER., THE PROBLEM WAS ACKNOWLEDGED. I CALLED CHEVROLET USA AND OPENED A FILE BASED ON MY INFORMATION. AT ONE POINT MY TRUCK COMPUTER WARNED TO PULL OVER AND NOT DRIVE ANY FURTHER DUE TO LOW OIL. UPON INSPECTION THERE WAS NO EXTERNAL REASON FOR THE FACT THAT THE OIL WAS LOW. THE VEHICLE HAS REGULAR OIL CHANGES WITH MOBIL 1 SYNTHETIC. AFTER CHECKING CHEVROLET 5.3 LITER ENGINE ISSUES I FOUND THAT A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT WAS FILED REGARDING THE SAME ISSUE AS MINE. THE SUIT DID NOT GO ANYWHERE BUT THE ISSUE SEEMS TO BE THE SAME THAT MY TRUCK IS EXPERIENCING. IT IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY ANY LONGER BUT HAD ONLY 71,453 MILES AT THE TIME OF ISSUE RECOGNITION. CHEVROLET CUSTOMER SERVICE BASICALLY DISMISSED MY COMPLAINT SAYING THAT THERE IS NOTHING THAT THEY CAN DO BECAUSE THERE'S NO RECALL OR GM BULLETIN. THE DEALER SOLUTION IS A PISTON AND RING REPLACEMENT FOR $ 6,999.95 WHICH IS BASICALLY AN ENGINE REBUILD (BUT NOT A COMPLETE ONE). IN ADDITION, THEY WILL INSTALL WHAT WAS REFERRED TO AS A BALLAST WHICH WOULD SOLVE THE CONSUMPTION ISSUE SUPPOSEDLY. IF THIS IS TRUE THEN I ASSUME THAT THERE IS AN INHERENT ISSUE. ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE IS TO CHECK YOUR OIL EVERY 1000 MILES AND IF YOU ARE LOW THEN ADD IT. NONE OF THIS MAKES SENSE WITH A VEHICLE THAT COST OVER $40,000 WITH 71,000 PLUS MILES. I AM REGISTERING THIS COMPLAINT BECAUSE I AM FRUSTRATED AND DISAPPOINTED. THIS I AM SURE THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHERS ACCORDING TO MY RESEARCH. THANK YOU.
MY 2013 HAS DEVELOPED THE NOTORIOUS LIFTER TICK FROM A COLLAPSED LIFTER (THIS AFFECTS MANY 5.3L V8 ENGINES OF THIS ERA). THIS WILL LEAD TO EXCESSIVE OIL BURNING, AND CLOGGED EXHAUST SYSTEMS OVER TIME DUE TO THE OIL BURNING. THIS ALSO DAMAGES/DESTROYS THE CAM SHAFT OVER TIME AND REQUIRES FREQUENT SPARK PLUG CHANGES. I SUSPECT THIS PROBLEM STARTED AS EARLY AS 60,000 MILES (WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY) HOWEVER BECAUSE THE TRUCK WASN'T CONSUMING 1 QT / 1000 MILES GM REFUSED TO LOOK INTO THE ISSUE FURTHER. THIS IS A WELL-DOCUMENTED ISSUE ON THESE VEHICLES OVER TIME, THIS CAN LEAD TO STALLS OR BREAKDOWNS WHICH CAN BE A HAZARD. IT ALSO SERVERELY DIMINISHES THE RESALE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE AS THE REQUIRED REPAIRS ARE QUITE EXPENSIVE (ABOUT $2000 - $3500).
AFM SYSTEM CAUSES CYLINDERS 1 AND 7 TO FOUL THE SPARK PLUGS ACTUALLY CAUSING THE PORCELAIN TO BREAK OFF IN THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER. THE AFM IS OBVIOUSLY AN ENGINEERING FAILURE AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED AND REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. PREVIOUS FIXES DO NOT WORK. MODIFYING THE VALVE COVER TO CORRECT A DESIGN FLAW IS NOT A CURE FOR THE REAL PROBLEM, WHICH IS A DESIGN FLAW. #1 AND #7 FOUL OUT DUE TO THE COLLECTION OF CARBON DEPOSIT CAUSED FROM EXCESS OIL IN THESE CHAMBERS WHICH CAUSES THE MALFUNCTION ENGINE LIGHT TO COME ON AND THE EVENTUAL CATALYTIC CONVERTOR FAILURE, POOR GAS MILEAGE AND POOR OVERALL PERFORMANCE, WITH EVENTUAL ENGINE FAILURE. LACK OF ACCELERATION, SLOW PERFORMANCE. FIRST NOTICED AT AROUND 30 TO 50,000 MILES AND PROGRESSIVELY BECAME WORSE. IDLE IS POOR DUE TO FOULED AND BROKEN PLUGS IN THESE TWO CYLINDERS AND THE ECU ATTEMPTING TO CORRECT THE ERROR THE BALANCE OF ENGINE IS THROWN INTO A UNBALANCED CONDITION CAUSING THE BUILDUP OF CARBON DEPOSITS IN THE ENGINE AND CAUSING THE SENSORS TO ATTEMPT TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM IS UNIVERSAL AND NOT SPECIFIC TO A FEW SELECT VEHICLES BUT TO THOSE WITH THE AFM SYSTEM AND WAS OBVIOUSLY A PROBLEM SEVERE ENOUGH FOR GM TO CHANGE TO THE NEWLY DEVELOPED DFM SYSTEM WITHOUT ATTEMPTING TO ACTUALLY ADDRESS THE FLAWED AFM PROBLEM.
THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BLINKS OFF AND ON,TRACTION AND STABILITY GOES OFF THEN BACK ON ,ENGINE RUNS AND IDLES ROUGH AND SOMETIMES SHIFTS HARD.THIS HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING AND SITTING STILL (FOR THE LIGHTS AND ROUGH IDLE) NOT THE HARD SHIFTING. WHILE SEARCHING ON INTERNET ,FOUND IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 5.3L CHEVY/GMC ENGINE.
TWICE I HAVE ENCOUNTERED UN-COMMANDED RAPID ACCELERATION WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45MPH. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE ACCELERATION BACK UNDER CONTROL BY PRESSING AND HOLDING THE BRAKES. IT HAS HAPPENED IN THE SAME LOCATION, I'M GUESSING IT IS SOME SORT OF RADIO SIGNAL INTERFERENCE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BIG CITY AUTO (4910 LIMA RD, FORT WAYNE, IN 46808). THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED TO GO TO SUMMIT CITY CHEVROLET (5200 ILLINOIS RD, FORT WAYNE, IN 46804). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE LOBES ROUNDED OFF THE VEHICLE AND THE EXHAUST LIFTERS COLLAPSED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 133,000.
MY TRUCK HAS BEEN CONSUMING EXCESSIVE OIL. I HAVE USED THE SYNTHETIC OIL THAT IS SPECIFIED AND CHANGED THE OIL EVERY 5000 MILES. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE BUT MY WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. I HAD TO SPEND ANOTHER $2,000 FOR AN EXTENDED WARRANTY TO COVER THE FUTURE FIXES THEY DESCRIBED. THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL TO FIX THIS PROBLEM WHEN IT WAS IDENTIFIED. I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE NEW AND HAVE NEVER BEEN TOLD OF THE ISSUE UNTIL I COMPLAINED TO A CHEVY DEALER. THEY KNOW IT EXISTS YET THEY TRY TO FIX IT WITH A BAND-AIDE TYPE SOLUTION. IN THE END I HAD TO SPEND $2,000 TO COVER A PROBLEM THEY KNEW EXISTED YET DID NOT LET ME KNOW SO I COULD BRING IT IN BEFORE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. NOW I AM TOLD I HAVE TO ENDURE AN OIL CONSUMPTION TEST REQUIRING ME TO DRIVE 45 MINUTES TO THE DEALER, WAIT FOR MY TEST AND RETURN AGAIN. THEN THEY EXPERIMENT WITH THREE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT MIGHT FIX IT BEFORE THEY REPLACE THE ENGINE COSTING ME TIME, MONEY AND INCONVENIENCE. AS I TYPE THIS I HAVE TO ENDURE THE CHEVY TRUCK COMMERCIAL THAT SAYS THEY ARE THE BEST BUILT, LONGEST LASTING TRUCK. I AM DISAPPOINTED AND FRUSTRATED. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED OF THIS PROBLEM LONG AGO.
I HAVE NOW HAD MY CHEVY 2013 SILVERADO IN FOR OIL CONSUMPTION TESTS FOR THE LAST 3 MONTHS AND IT HAS FAILED THEM. WHEN I FIRST BROUGHT IT IN I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WOULD REPLACE THE PISTON RINGS. WHEN IT FINALLY FAILED THEY ARE NOW SAYING THE ARE ONLY REPLACING THE HEAD GASKET AND THE ROCKER ARMS. NEITHER ONE OF THESE HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH MY TRUCK BURNING OIL. THIS IS THE SECOND VEHICLE I HAVE OWNED THAT HAS HAS ISSUES BURNING OIL THE FIRST ONE THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS NORMAL FOR IT TO BURN OIL. THEY NEED TO DO WHAT THEY ORIGINALLY TOLD ME AND REPLACE THE PISTON RINGS. WHAT HAPPENS IF THIS ENGINE GOES WHILE I AM GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE TRACTION WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE LIFTERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
THE 2013 SILVERADO TRUCK I OWN HAS A LOUD POPPING NOISE IN THE EXHAUST SYSTEM WHEN THE TRUCK IS TURNED OFF. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IT IS NORMAL, BUT THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE DEALERSHIP SAID IT DIDN'T SOUND RIGHT TO HIM. THIS IS CAUSING CONCERN TO ME THAT THE TRUCK MAY BE A FIRE HAZARD SINCE THE EXHAUST GETS SO HOT THAT IT POPS LOUDLY AS IT COOLS OFF. OTHER TRUCKS DO NOT MAKE THIS MUCH NOISE IF ANY. I AM GETTING MORE AFRAID THAT THE TRUCK MAY CATCH ON FIRE WHEN I'M DRIVING IT. I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE DEALERSHIP AND GENERAL MOTORS SINCE JAN. 2014 TO TRY AND RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. AS OF TODAY, OCT. 13, THERE IS STILL ISSUES WITH THE EXHAUST. *TR
I HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT THE 5.3 LITER ENGINE IN MY 2013 CHEVY SILVERADO. I AM ENCOUNTERING PISTON SLAP FOR UP TO 5 MINUTES WHEN STARTING VEHICLE. I HAVE CONTACTED GM MULTIPLE TIMES, AND I HAVE HAD THE PISTON SLAP NOISE DOCUMENTED AT ROY ROBINSON CHEVROLET IN MARYSVILLE WA. I AM ATTEMPTING TO GET MY DEFECTIVE ENGINE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT GM DOES NOT SEEM TO CARE. I AM CONCERNED ONE OF THE PISTONS COULD FAIL, CAUSING ENGINE FAILURE, PUTTING MYSELF OR A FAMILY MEMBER IN A FATAL SITUATION. I BELIEVE THIS ISSUE IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE DOCUMENTED. ANY ASSISTANCE WOULD BE APPRECIATED. THANK YOU *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE MOTOR OF THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO ACCELERATE INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE ACCELERATOR FAILED TO RESPOND TO ACCELERATION ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH A FUEL INTEGRATION SYSTEM WHICH ALLOWED THE VEHICLE TO SWITCH FROM V8 TO V4 FOR BETTER FUEL MILEAGE AND THAT THE PROBLEM WAS NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 3,100. .... UPDATED 10-17-13 *BF UPDATED 10/24/2013*JS
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The 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 has 21 Engine complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.