Chevrolet Silverado 3500 Engine Problems by Year
By CarWhere Research · Updated
Some, but not unusually many. 165 of the 1,120 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2009–2025 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 (14.7%) name the engine, near the 19.4% median share across the 152 models we track. We have no published sales figures for this model, so there is no per-1,000 rate. The worst years are 2015, 2014 and 2017.
Engine complaints
165
Filed with NHTSA, 2009–2025 models
Per 1,000 sold
No sales data
Not computed without a published sales figure
Share of all complaints
14.7%
of 1,120 complaints for this model
Engine recalls
2
NHTSA campaigns, all years
Chevrolet Silverado 3500 engine complaints by model year
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA whose component list includes Engine and Engine Cooling. Worst years are highlighted.
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of all complaints | Crash / fire / injury | Engine recalls | Engine TSBs* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 12 | 14% | 2 | — | 85 |
| 2010 | 14 | 21.9% | 1 | — | 148 |
| 2011 | 14 | 13.5% | 2 | — | 169 |
| 2012 | 10 | 11% | 2 | — | 163 |
| 2013 | 13 | 14.4% | 1 | — | 353 |
| 2014WORST | 18 | 13.4% | 2 | — | 217 |
| 2015WORST | 24 | 17.9% | 2 | — | 203 |
| 2016 | 6 | 9.8% | 1 | — | 185 |
| 2017WORST | 18 | 12.9% | 1 | 21V49600019V328000 | 223 |
| 2018 | 7 | 31.8% | 0 | 21V49600019V328000 | 176 |
| 2019 | 6 | 25% | 0 | 21V49600019V328000 | 217 |
| 2020 | 7 | 25% | 0 | — | 294 |
| 2021 | 3 | 7.5% | 0 | — | 266 |
| 2022 | 4 | 14.8% | 1 | — | 253 |
| 2023 | 4 | 26.7% | 0 | — | 202 |
| 2024 | 3 | 6.1% | 0 | — | 175 |
| 2025 | 2 | 16.7% | 1 | — | 39 |
- Older model years have had more time on the road to collect complaints, so compare neighboring years, not 2010 against 2024.
- Crash / fire / injury = complaints where the owner reported a crash, a fire or an injury.
- *Technical service bulletins in the year's leading TSB categories that name the engine.
Common Chevrolet Silverado 3500 engine problems owners describe
We searched the narratives of all 165 engine complaints for symptom keywords. One complaint can mention several, so the shares don't add up to 100%.
Chevrolet Silverado 3500 years to avoid for the engine
2015 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
24 engine complaints (17.9% of the year's 134). Most often described: stalling or shutting off while driving.
2014 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
18 engine complaints (13.4% of the year's 134). Most often described: stalling or shutting off while driving.
2017 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
18 engine complaints (12.9% of the year's 139). Most often described: misfire or check-engine light. Covered by engine recalls 21V496000, 19V328000.
Worst years are those with at least 10 engine complaints and at least 1.5 times the model's median year. For every year's overall verdict, including other systems, see the Chevrolet Silverado 3500 years to avoid.
Chevrolet Silverado 3500 engine recalls
NHTSA recall campaigns filed under Engine for any Chevrolet Silverado 3500 model year. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check a specific car by VIN on NHTSA's site.
- 21V496000 · 2021-07-01 · 2017–2019 models
An electrical short-circuit may occur in the engine-block heater cable or in the terminals that connect the heater cable to the block heater.
- 19V328000 · 2019-04-25 · 2017–2019 models
The engine block heater cord or the terminals that connect the heater cord to the block heater may short circuit and fail.
Related research
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 have engine problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 24 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 3500, 17.9% of all 134 complaints for that year. The most common description is "stalling or shutting off while driving" (7 complaints). 2 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Does the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 have engine problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 18 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 3500, 13.4% of all 134 complaints for that year. The most common description is "stalling or shutting off while driving" (6 complaints). 2 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Does the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 have engine problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 18 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 3500, 12.9% of all 139 complaints for that year. The most common description is "misfire or check-engine light" (4 complaints). 2 engine-related recalls cover it: 21V496000, 19V328000. 1 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Which Chevrolet Silverado 3500 years have the most engine complaints?
2015 (24), 2014 (18) and 2017 (18), by owner complaints filed with NHTSA that name the engine. Raw counts favor older and higher-selling years, so treat them as a signal, not a rate.
What are the most common Chevrolet Silverado 3500 engine problems?
In the 165 engine complaints, owners most often describe misfire or check-engine light (21.8%), stalling or shutting off while driving (17.6%) and smoke, burning smell or fire (11.5%). One complaint can mention several symptoms.
Is this a engine failure rate?
No. These are complaints owners chose to file with NHTSA. Many failures are never reported, and one complaint is not a confirmed defect. Without sales figures, a high count can simply mean a high-selling model.
How we count
Counts are unique owner complaints (by NHTSA ODI number) filed with NHTSA for each Chevrolet Silverado 3500 model year, from NHTSA's public complaints data fetched July 2026 to November 2026. A complaint counts as a engine complaint when NHTSA's component list for it includes Engine and Engine Cooling.
Per 1,000 sold divides complaints by published U.S. calendar-year sales for that year. A year needs at least 5,000 sales to get a rate, and a model needs at least 3 such years for its overall rate. The comparison median covers every model with at least 50 engine complaints that clears those floors.
These are complaint rates, not failure rates. Owners report some problems more than others, and a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
Sources
- NHTSA complaints by vehicle (owner complaints API) — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Report a vehicle safety problem — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration