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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
8,601 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 engine problems

engine problem

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2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Owner Comments (Page 1 of 15)

problem #285

Jan 162026

Silverado 1500

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

6.2L L87 V8 engine experienced catastrophic engine failure do to lifter failure and a cylinder 8 misfire. Causing additional damage to camshaft. The dealership has inspected the vehicle and refuses to acknowledge the problem as there own. I have invoices for the work if I choose to proceed. Incident occurred while driving on the freeway, complete lose of power and control. This engine is known for this exact problem yet I never received a recall.

- Phoenix, AZ, USA

problem #284

Dec 192023

Silverado 1500

  • miles
At 46000 miles the motor was replaced because of an internal oil consumption issue after the motor was replaced at 1500 miles the motor locked up while traveling down the road they rebuilt this motor. I went to go pick it up. Drove it 20 miles and oil was blowing out the rear main seal. after this, I sold the truck back to Gwatney Chevrolet and purchased a 2024 model with a 6.2 L I have not had any problems yet.

- Beebe, AR, USA

problem #283

Jan 272026

Silverado 1500

  • miles
Starting back in June 2025 Loss of engine power multiple times. Many times almost hit from behind as I turned onto a highway. Found out vehicle had a stop sale recall at the time of purchase and I had issues with back right tire. Took truck to a tire shop and learned that the wheel was welded in many places and fracture was visible. Finally, got the dealership to pay attention in October to my concerns. They were going to allow me to trade the vehicle out for another one while paying off the bank but that-??s not what they did. They attempted the repair and tried to hand it back to me. 1/27/26 Was recently told this was corrected, and the sales person told me when he picked it up from shop he couldn-??t go more than 30 mph. Dealership management told him not to tell me. I am submitting this complaint for immediate review regarding Ruiz Ranch Motors (Spring Branch, TX) for an illegal vehicle sale, prolonged withholding of my vehicle, misrepresentation of a -??loaner-?? vehicle, and coercive threats involving law enforcement. This matter involves ongoing safety risks, financial harm, and improper dealer conduct affecting both myself and my minor child. Summary of Key Facts (Concise): -?? On June 25, 2025, I purchased a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado (VIN 1GCUYHET7MZ155657) from Ruiz Ranch Motors, financed through Ally Financial. -?? The vehicle was subject to a GM Stop-Sale / No-Sale Safety Recall (NHTSA 24V797000) at or around the time of sale. -?? I repeatedly raised safety concerns beginning shortly after purchase. These concerns were dismissed for months. -?? In November, Ruiz Ranch Motors took possession of my 2021 Silverado under the representation that they were -??working on trade numbers-?? and a solution to correct the experience. Misrepresented -??Loaner / Trade-?? Vehicle: -?? I was provided a 2023 Chevrolet Silverado, represented as a potential trade option, no trade was made (only dealership delay) this vehicle now has a engine light and no cooperation from dealership

- Spring Branch, TX, USA

problem #282

Oct 242025

Silverado 1500

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I own a 2021 Silverado 1500 6.2 v8. Since October of 2025 this truck has been in and out of the dealership. First engine (Oct. 24, 2025) issue as my teen driver was on the expressway and luckily was able to get off and get safely to an unknown persons driveway. Then the motor seized and died as we tried to drive it home. A friend was able to tow it to our driveway and GM sent a tow truck to pick it up and haul to the dealership. The truck was in the dealership for 2 weeks prior to the first engine failure and "EVERYTHING WAS FINE". Nov 26, 2025 new engine comes in. December 12th SECOND motor was put in and FAILED as cylinder 7 had no compression. Dec 31, 2025 picked up my truck with the THIRD motor. Jan 14, 2026 took the truck back AGAIN for engine ticking, noise, loss of propulsion/speed, running sluggish. Dealer kept it until Jan 21, 2026. Dealer said they drove it and the noise is normal injector noise. They did nothing other than drive it. They will not investigate any further as it wasn't pulling codes or warning lights. It is still not running right and I'm waiting for it to have a major failure. It is not safe to drive. The first motor did not show any warnings either. GM really needs to get this figured out soon. No vehicle with 52,000 miles should have 3 motors put in it. This is not quality work and concerns for safety are real.

- South Lyon, MI, USA

problem #281

Jan 162026

Silverado 1500

  • miles
Lights appeared on dash, brought to the dealership. Dealership states engine damage due to valve train and a remanufactured engine was installed. This was approved by us for a $2000 charge. This charge included new manifolds, water pump, fuel pump and all associated gaskets

- Windsor, CT, USA

problem #280

Dec 142025

Silverado 1500

  • miles
I am the owner of a January 2021 6.2 liter Chevy Silverado 1500. I have had multiple issues with this vehicle. Oil pressure control solenoid, many no starts, failure to starts, engine lights, oil lights. Truck started to use an excessive amount of oil before scheduled oil changes. The engine sometimes hesitate and fails to accelerate. The engine became noisy. My mechanic started that the engine is noisy and the oil pressure is at 15 lbs. They said it will need a replacement engine that is not covered under my expired power train warranty. The mechanic stated it's not a matter of if it will go, is a matter of when We are a family of 5 and this is our family vehicle. We feel very uncomfortable driving this vehicle with our family knowing the engine is going to fail at any time while driving. This is a heartbreaking expense that I don't believe that we should have to pay for. We have always maintained our vehicle and have never abused it.

- Angola, NY, USA

problem #279

Jan 152024

Silverado 1500

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Jan 2024 lifters on one side went out. Towed to dealer and had repaired. 9 months later lifters went out again. Had private shop repair it. Less than 3 months later, motor went out. Paid out of pocket to have new motor shipped and repair shop fixed it. A few months later, GM put out the safety recall for 6.2L engine failure.

- Lubbock, TX, USA

problem #278

Nov 122025

Silverado 1500

  • miles
The vehicle had originally stopped in a moving lane of traffic. It was towed to a dealership and the engine was rebuilt with a remanufactured engine. The engine idled rough and seemed to be misfiring. The check engine light kept coming on. The dealership stated the vehicle was repaired and I picked it up. The engine is worse. It idles rough like before. It is rough while driving and the check engine light continues to come on. I am about to return the vehicle for the third time before it stops in the roadway again.

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #277

Nov 302025

Silverado 1500

  • miles
Dealer did the L87 6.2 Recall (basically changed the oil to 0w-40). Based on the -??clean bill of health-?? we towed our Imagine trailer to Tucson. Stayed for 3weeks over Thanksgiving and then started back home. We then towed it back home to Fort Collins and when we reached Denver the check engine light came on and within seconds the engine stopped. We had to coast off the freeway and ended up on an interstate interchange ramp (blind and dangerous). The motor was seized completely. Oil pressure and temps were all normal before the engine stopped. Oil was super HOT when I checked it. After a big adventure dealing with getting the truck and trailer to a safe place via a tow from OnStar, they towed the truck to the nearest dealer. I had to rent a UHaul truck to tow the trailer home (another 80 miles or so) with wife, two dogs and myself crammed in the cab. The dealer got Chevy to cover the engine replacement but I was out $200 for the trailer tow to safety and another $200 for the U-Haul rental. Chevy would not cover that.

- Fort Collins, CO, USA

problem #276

Dec 162025

Silverado 1500

  • miles
Component that failed: The valve train system failed due to collapsed lifters in the GM 5.3L L84 engine. The lifter failure caused internal camshaft damage requiring major repair. The failed components were removed by the Chevrolet dealership and should be available through the repair facility if inspection is requested. Safety risk: The engine failure caused a sudden and severe loss of power while driving. The vehicle would not accelerate beyond approximately 45 mph on a 65 mph roadway while en route to the dealership, creating an unsafe speed differential. When attempting to accelerate to pass another vehicle on a two lane road, the engine backfired and immediately throttled back, making it unsafe to complete the pass. The check engine light illuminated at the exact moment the vehicle lost power during the passing attempt. This sudden propulsion loss during an active maneuver created a hazardous driving condition. Dealer confirmation: An authorized Chevrolet dealership diagnosed collapsed lifters which damaged the camshaft and confirmed this as a known failure pattern in GM L84 engines. Inspection by others: Vehicle was inspected and repaired by the dealership. No accident occurred, so no police or insurance inspection was involved. Warnings or symptoms: No prior warning lights appeared before the passing event. The check engine light came on during the failure while accelerating. Additional context: This failure aligns with widely documented lifter collapse defects in GM 5.3L L84 truck engines. The breakdown was not caused by maintenance or wear and tear but by premature internal component failure known across this engine platform.

- Rockwall, TX, USA

problem #275

Dec 132025

Silverado 1500

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Warning lights came on at approximately 46000 miles. Brought to dealer for faulty lifters. One week later they decided that the lifters had damaged the cam and now the dealer wants to replace the motor.. Unfortunately for us the dealer has no car that we can use, so we had to rent a vehicle. Hopefully it will be ready in 2 weeks. That will make it four weeks with out a vehicle

- Windsor, CT, USA

problem #274

Jan 162026

Silverado 1500

  • miles
Most mornings after starting truck and driving off, it appears to be a hesitation or brief loss of power. Issue has been present for several years. It's hard to determine if it's engine or transmission issue. Truck is available for inspection. It usually occurs when leaving house in the morning so there is no safety issue because it happens within the first minute of driving. No warnings, cannot recreate issue.

- Montgomery, AL, USA

problem #273

Dec 272025

Silverado 1500

  • miles
I have a 2021 Chevy Silverado 6.2 engine. The recall that has been sent out for most of those engines I have experience the same damage to my truck engine. Connecting rod/ crankshaft engine failure. But my vin is not in the system for the recall. Can someone have a engineer look into more of these engines especially my engine vin. I was driving and all of sudden my dash lite up saying I have reduce steering. Took it to the shop and I was told that my engine needs major repairs. I have a really nice truck and it can be a show truck and for the engine to just go out because of bad manufacturer parts is not right I also had my kids with me. Please help

- Lawtey, FL, USA

problem #272

Apr 192024

Silverado 1500

  • miles
On 4/19/24 I was driving at highway speed. The engine started to knock and the check engine light came on. I was fortunate enough to be extremely close to my local Chevrolet dealership and made it there before the engine failed. The truck had 38633 miles on it. They found damaged engine components and repaired only the broken parts. Was under warranty. Truck is still ticking to this day. Took it in for this noise and they said nothing was wrong.

- Richmond, IN, USA

problem #271

Jan 032026

Silverado 1500

  • miles
Complete engine failure and it just outside the recall. This is unacceptable and needs fixed.

- Bremen , GA, USA

problem #270

Oct 152025

Silverado 1500

  • 62,248 miles
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. While the contact's wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine seized. The low engine power warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine failure was the result of no oil in the vehicle. The contact was informed that there was no oil on the dipstick when checked. The contact stated that the failure had occurred shortly after an oil change was performed on September 9, 2025, at Walmart. In addition, the contact stated that there was no evidence of an oil leak. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact referenced an unknown recall with a similar failure description; however, the VIN was not associated. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 62,248.

- Irwin, PA, USA

problem #269

Aug 222025

Silverado 1500

  • miles
I have a Chevrolet Silverado 1500 with the 6.2L engine. I received the recall notice about the loss of propulsion due to a crankshaft issue. The safety of myself, family, friends and coworkers who ride with me on an everyday basis were put at risk because of the faulty engine. I brought my truck in for an oil change in August 2025. I had the Team Chevrolet dealership in Las Vegas Nevada do a telescopic inspection to see if my particular engine had the recall issue. It was discovered the engine did have the recall issue and was kept by the dealership for roughly two and a half months. Chevrolet has confirmed this is a major issue and is affecting roughly 600,000 people. There was no sign of the issue before the telescopic inspection but since the engine has been replaced I have now had three separate issues with misfiring cylinders on the new engine. The plugs and wires have been replaced twice and has not resolved the issue. When the misfires have occurred there were error codes, check engine light notification, and engine sputtering. This again has endangered the safety of myself, family members, friends, and coworkers who ride in my truck on a daily basis. This is now going on four months of issues that keep persisting and I am very concerned that both the manufacturer Chevrolet and the Team Chevrolet dealership are not taking the proper steps in order to solve this very serious issue.

- Las Vegas, NV, USA

problem #268

Dec 092025

Silverado 1500

  • miles
The coolant control valve has failed, my vin isn-??t a part of the special coverage for this bad part ( though the same part and model is covered)

- Point Pleasant, WV, USA

problem #267

Aug 212025

Silverado 1500

  • 81,000 miles
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact received notice of an unknown recall in approximately July 2025. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced, and the failure was associated with the recall. The contact was also advised that the parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the vehicle remained with the dealer for three months and was repaired when the parts became available. The contact stated that two days after the repair, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle vibrated and hesitated. The vehicle was taken back to the same dealer where it was diagnose, d and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and three cases were filed. The failure mileage was 81,000.

- San Antonio, TX, USA

problem #266

Oct 022024

Silverado 1500

  • miles
2021 Silverado 19,000 miles no indication of failure at a busy intersection about to go thru intersection and engines started knocking, multiple check engine lights on. Luckily got thru the intersection and to my place of residence which was very close by. Truck was towed to Chevy dealer. Dealer found 3 bent push rods, 3 bad valves. This engine had the lifters fail completely out of the blue. Oil changed at the dealer, meticulously maintained. Dealer only replaced the faulty bank of lifters due to mileage, seriously if it was under 16,000 they would replace all of them. This is unacceptable. This truck left me almost stranded in a busy intersection, lucky I knew well enough to keep going versus getting T-boned. I just think GM needs to do something about this. Now fast forward to 41K and I'm at the dealer same symptoms except this time my warranty is running up soon and being forced into an extended warranty. There are plenty of online claims, chat rooms, posts, etc to warrant this as a safety issue.

- Lincoln, NE, USA

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