Problems · NHTSA complaints
2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 problems
Owners filed 109 complaints about the 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 with NHTSA between Mar 2020 and Oct 2026. The most-cited component is power train (33).
Complaints
109
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Power train33
- Electrical system18
- Service brakes17
- Tires10
- Engine10
- Steering9
- Fuel/propulsion system8
- Structure6
- Engine and engine cooling4
- Vehicle speed control4
- Service brakes, hydraulic3
- Latches/locks/linkages2
- Exterior lighting2
- Fuel system, diesel2
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 8, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
11
10
11
12
19
22
24
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 11 |
| 2021 | 10 |
| 2022 | 11 |
| 2023 | 12 |
| 2024 | 19 |
| 2025 | 22 |
| 2026 | 24 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Power train
33 reports1 crash1 fire3 related recalls
“While driving on the highway our transmission cooling line completely separated at rubber hose to metal line crimp. This cause transmission fluid to burst out all over the vehicle including the windshield and trailer. Vehicle immediately stopped pulling and we barely were able to get to the side of the road. This also caused a catastrophic transmission failure costing approximately 10,000 to repair. GM covered some of the transmission cost but still left us with 5000 bill for a transmission line defect on a vehicle under 100,000 miles. This created a unsafe condition with the trans fluid on the windshield and immediate loss of drive. All maintenance was performed per manufacturers specifications and no warning signs/lights/leaks provided prior to the failure. I do have pictures of the failed transmission cooling line.”
Electrical system
18 reports2 fires
“Trailer brakes keep disconnecting and connecting . Warning pops up on dash to check trailer connections. I may not happen for a hundred miles or does it 10 or 12 times in just a few miles.I've seen several complaints from on line reports but no solutions from GM yet. Very frustrating when trying to pull a trailer.”
Service brakes
17 reports1 crash
“The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. The contact stated that while driving 20 MPH and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle was making a squealing noise. The failure was a recurring failure. The contact associated the failure with Technical Service Bulletin: 20-NA-020. The dealer was contacted and replaced the brake pads to fix the vehicle; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was contacted by phone and was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 12,000.”
Tires
10 reports1 related recall
“Tire size 275 65 R20 entire tread came completely off the tire & caused damage to my fender & fender well. This tire had approximately 29,830 miles on it. It was 1 of the original tires from the factory on this truck.”
Engine
10 reports1 fire
“2020 3.0 diesel duramax sucked in the antifreeze and caused a hydrolock. The dealer says that it is not covered under warranty since the engine was over 100k miles. They did offer a new engine for $30K which I declined. The truck was always well taken care of and only received the best in all products”
Steering
9 reports
“The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel briefly became tight before returning to normal functionality. After the failure, the temperature gauge indicated that the engine was overheating. The contact also stated that the brake pedal required excessive force to slow and bring the vehicle to a complete stop. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the water pump. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 74,000.”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 8, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.