2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Engine
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
Total catastrophic engine failure. Occurred at roughly 80,000 miles. Engine bearing shattered causing total engine loss. Needed to be replaced. Occurred in May 2023. There were no precursors to the event and the engine had been well maintained. I noticed an investigation of my vehicles engine and thought I should report this.
Major engine failure / main bearing failure with the engine burning oil and no warning signs no oil leaks or no burning oil smoke out of exhaust. I’m in the process of having the engine re built out of pocket on this date 1/19/2025 and have no documentation from repair shop at this time so I can’t up load any further information till I get it completed,
The crankshaft bearings failed causing engine to knock very loudly. I didn't get an engine light. Dealership did replace one bearing and said lifters we fault and replaced. This happened with just over 33000 miles on truck. I didn't receive any extended warranty from manufacturers for any problems that may occur in future from pieces of metal or other contamination to inside of engine.
I was driving 65mph down the freeway when the truck suddenly turned off and the dash told me to put in neutral and start again so I did just that. Made it about another mile and the truck completely turned off and wouldn’t turn back on there was nowhere to pull over or get off the freeway in that time frame so I was stopped in the middle of the highway with my family in the truck. Luckily a guy in another truck was able to push me over to the shoulder with his vehicle where I sat and waited four hours for a tow to the dealership. Two days later they called me and told me it’s spun a bearing and threw two rods and needed a new engine. I’m anal about servicing my vehicles they told me it just happens, but it was a brand new truck with only 35k miles. Ever since I got the new engine installed it’s constantly squeaking and they can’t seem to pin point the issues I feel like it’s going to happen again and this next time I’ll probably be out of warranty and it’ll be out of pocket for me to fix.
Engine lifter failure at 75 k miles
Engine stopped working while driving on major highway. Coasted to stop on shoulder. Truck was towed to nearest Chevy dealer, Parkway Chevy, Tomball, TX ([XXX]). Diagnosed bearings failed, camshaft froze and engine valve damaged. After rude treatment by service agent and service manager, towed truck to original dealer in Conroe, TX-- Buckalew Chev/Keating Chev (Nov. 25, 2024). They confirmed problem and truck has been sitting at their dealership since Nov. 25, 2024 waiting for re-mfgd engine. No timeline given for replacement. Bought another truck (Toyota Tundra -- [XXX]). INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Dealer says my vehicle is not approved to even check the motor out. Build date 6/21 6.2l motor under recall
The contact's son owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while her son was driving at a moderate speed, the vehicle lost motive power without warning. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to a dealer where the contact was informed that the vehicle was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact was also notified that the parts for the recall repair were unavailable. The vehicle remained with the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact's husband notified the manufacturer of the failure and was provided a case number. The failure mileage was 47,000
The truck started rattling and lost power while driving. Every warning light came on on the instrument panel. I was driving on the freeway in rush hour traffic when this happened. Yes, it has been confirmed by a dealership and independent service center. No lights were on prior to when it failed to give any warning that something may be going wrong. The failure occurred immediately after GM issued a recall in April involving defective V8 engines (Recall Link [XXX] )). While our truck is not currently included in the recall, the diagnosis of the vehicle is all the same as that of the recalled engines. We should not have an engine failing at 130K miles on a vehicle that has been well maintained. We are asking that this truck be added to the recall. We are still without the vehicle as engines cannot be sourced. Please advise on next steps. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
faulty lifters, causing engine light on, and causing multiple missfires. 2021 5.3 v8 engine. GM has inspected engine and has no solutions, problem first appeared with only 343 miles on new truck.
My engine is out due to the piston rings failing and is at a dealership waiting for a new engine. The engine for this vehicle is on national back order with no ETA in sight. Out of nowhere the low oil light came on and I had to stop immediatley to check it as to make sure nothing happened while I was driving down the road. The dealership that has it has confirmed that the issue was due to the pistons. This vehilce was purchased brand new and has had perfect maintenance performed on it since day one. The dealership has inspected the vehicle. The low oil light first came on in February. I took it straight to a place to have them check it and change the oil again just until I could get it to the dealership a few days later. I was advised to have an oil consumption test done. On the 3rd time, which would have been around 3000 miles, it had already consumed more than a quart of oil. They did a borescope and confirmed that the pistons are bad and because of this the inside of the engine is scored. Now I need a new engine on a vehicle that I've taken perfect care of. I believe that this vehicle should be included in the GM recall with the other 6.2 engines as this is also a 6.2 engine in the same year range. I have included the paperwork from the dealership and my carfax showing maintenance.
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle made an abnormal knocking sound. The contact exited the freeway and continued driving 40 MPH; however, the vehicle stalled, and several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that piston #4 valve had seized, causing damage to the push rod. The dealer took the engine apart and replaced the push rod, the valve, and the head gasket. The contact stated that the failure occurred while driving 70MPH. The vehicle was towed to Team Hodges, INC. Chevrolet (2265 M-76, West Branch, MI 48661), where it was diagnosed that piston #8 valve had seized, causing damage to the camshaft. The dealer replaced the valve, the camshaft, and other unknown parts. The vehicle was repaired. The contact related to the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 10,000.
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal metal-on-metal grinding sound coming from the engine. The contact also stated that whenever the vehicle was started, the engine was making an abnormal knocking sound. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact had received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 47,000.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The component that failed is the lifter in my 2021 GM truck, which caused severe engine damage. The vehicle is currently at the dealership and is available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? My safety and the safety of my child were significantly put at risk when the engine failure occurred on the freeway while traveling at 65 miles per hour. Multiple warning lights illuminated on the dashboard, and the truck became hard to control. I was fortunate to maneuver the vehicle safely out of traffic without harm, but the sudden loss of engine power could have led to a serious accident. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes, the problem has been confirmed by the dealership, which conducted diagnostics and determined that the lifter malfunction caused severe engine damage, necessitating a full engine replacement. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others? The vehicle has been inspected by the dealership, which is an authorized service center for GM. However, it has not been inspected by the manufacturer directly, police, or insurance representatives. Were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? There were no warning lights, messages, or any other symptoms prior to the failure. The vehicle was driving normally when, all of a sudden, it began to shake and slow down,
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated upon shifting into reverse(R), the vehicle shut off. The contact stated upon shifting to park(P) to restart the vehicle, the vehicle was able to restart after pressing the Push to Start button several times, and the vehicle made abnormally loud cranking, banging, and rattling sounds. The contact stated that he was an independent mechanic and had determined that the engine was blown, despite the outstanding maintenance record on the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed due to lifters failure. The dealer determined that the engine needed to be rebuilt or replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the engine might be replaced because the parts needed for the rebuilding of the engine were on backorder. The dealer informed the contact that the engine oil would be tested. The dealer also informed the contact that a claim was filed with the manufacturer for the repair to be covered under warranty, and the dealer was awaiting a response from the manufacturer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 27,820.
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked with the oil pressure gauge fluctuating. No warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over and upon inspection, the contact discovered that the engine oil was extremely low. The contact added six quarts of oil to the engine. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the cause of the failure could not be determined. The contact stated that the engine was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil, and that six quarts of oil was added every 5,000 miles. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 56,400.
driving on [XXX] in Idaho stopped at rest area went to restroom came out my truck was smoking lifted the hood fire started on top left of engine got safely from truck and called 911 truck burnt to ground. Since i was stopped i was not in truck but if i did not stop it could of been fatal. My insurance has the truck now waiting on them for their investigation. there was no warning of any kind no dings going off no engine lights on since it burnt to the ground dont know if it can be determined what caused it but it would be nice to know why a 2021 chevy silverado with 43000 miles on it would just start on fire just had it serviced a week before this happed at a chevy dealer their is no recalls on my vin number writing this so maybe if this happens again that they will find the problem before some fatalitiy. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Leaking radiator with no ETA on parts availability and this is also an issue with the coolant valve being on back order and both have many reports of this failing as well with some google searches. The dealership has my vehicle and has been inspected by them. I also do not understand why radiators are not apart of the powertrain when it cools the most critical part the engine. If the Radiator fails the engine fails.
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the valve lifters, resulting in damage to the camshaft. The vehicle was repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin Number: 19-NA-219. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 160,000.
Cylinder 5 misfire due to collapsed lifter and bent pushrod. 3rd time this has happened. Dealer replace half of engines lifters at 4K miles, the other half at 19K miles and now it’s occurred again even with all the lifters replaced in the engine.
While driving down the highway on 11/03/2024, the engine warning light started to flash, I heard a clicking & Clanging noise so I pulled over as soon as I could find a safe place. Turned the ignition off & on again & engine warning light did not come back on, but still heard noises coming from engine. When driving home, the engine warning light came on again. I stopped again & turned the ignition off. When I turned it on again, the warning light quit flashing. I drove to the local GM dealer the next day, and they said it was a lifter problem. I did some research and found there were many lifter problems for a 2021 Silverado that I owned. I was hoping the dealer would replace both sides of lifters as they told me there was an issue & they were reengineered. Service department employee said they could only replace one side as that was all GM would approve. I told the employee that I did some research & there was a bulletin that said if mileage was less than 16,000 miles, both sides should be replaced. The employee said you surely have more miles than that & I showed her my odometer reading of 14,528. Again the employee told me that was all that GM would approve. I believe this is a safety issue if there is not a safe place to pull over. Also there should be a recall to replace these lifters with the reengineered lifters or extended warranty so us consumers are not stuck with a huge bill in the future as GM is aware this is a chronic problem.
While traveling on Interstate, the Check Engine light, Electric Parking Break service light, and Traction Control Light displayed for about 10 to 15 seconds. They all turned off at the same time and have not turned back on since. No limp mode was Vehicle has Service code for Engine Misfire with no cylinder indication. Spark Plugs, spark plug wires, and Coil Packs have been replaced. Vehicle has random flashing Check Engine Light for about 20 to 30 seconds while traveling above 30mph. Vehicle hesitation (jerking back and forth) is observed at continuous speed at 45mph and 51 mph. Vehicle has been brought to dealership for evaluation with no repair being completed. Dealership is not able to replicate issue.
A couple of days ago, noticed some coolant under my truck. Took it to a dealer who informed me that the radiator has a crack in it. The truck has just over 53,000 miles on it and the warranty doesn't cover the radiator after 36,000 miles. We keep it serviced as normal and there hasn't been any extreme weather here in Oklahoma lately to explain the this away. Just irritating to pay the kind of money you pay for something that has this kind of issue already.
"Cylinder 4 misfire" was the diagnostic code - the vehicle is currently at Millennium Chevrolet in Hempstead, NY. First attempt at a fix was the fuel injector - second fix is replacing the rocker arm. Emissions is still showing as an error. I was traveling to the dealership for repairs when the misfire became so bad that multiple alerts illuminated on the dash. I was in stop and go traffic at the time going 30 mph. Thankfully I was near a place to pull over out of the flow of traffic. I tow with my vehicle and just returned from a cross country trip - if this happened while towing up a grade in the western half of the country, I don't know what I would have done. Yes, the dealership confirmed the problem and it is under the powertrain warranty. I do not know if GM Engineers have inspected the engine, however, it has been in the care of a GM dealership and service center since [XXX]. [XXX] the check engine light illuminated for the first time, yet went off after .2 of a mile when I turned around to return home. I made an appointment with service at the dealership the next morning ([XXX]) and was on my way there when I no longer felt safe driving it and called for a tow truck. [XXX] - check engine came on and went off. [XXX] - check engine came on again. [XXX] - check engine - on the way to the dealership - service parking break, anti-traction control. This is when I pulled over because the vibration from the misfire of the engine became much worse. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I bought my 2021 chevy silverado 1500 Lt crewcab in march 2021 it had 5000 miles on it I had it for 2 weeks when it started shaking and the engine light was flashing. Took it in to auto nation cheverolet and they had it for a month. when I got it back and started the vehicle the engine light was still flashing. They had to change the lifters on Bank 1 because number 8 cylinder lifter was bad. why didn't they change all the lifters. 3 years later I am having the same issues getting a misfire on number 4 cylinder truck shaking and white smoke coming out of the exhaust. Also the dash lights up with service parking break and service esc when the engine light flashed. ofcourse my warranty is exceeded and GM knows about this problem with the 5.3 and 6.2 engines and won't issue a recall. it is a big saftey issue as your vehile looses power or shuts off. this shou;dn't be happening especially when your vehicle is fairly new. this is twice now this is happened in 3 years and now I have to pay out of pocket to get this fixed because gm won't issue a recall on this known problem that is happening to thousands of customers.
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The 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 has 226 Engine complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.