2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 problems owners report most
2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 problems are documented in public: owners have filed 838 complaints with NHTSA, the earliest in 2016 and the most recent in 2026. Sorting those by the component the filer named puts the powertrain clearly first, at 224 of the 838 complaints, about a quarter of everything filed.
A complaint is not a repair bill and not a defect finding. It is one owner telling the regulator something went wrong. What makes the count useful is the concentration: when one component takes 27 per cent of everything filed on a car, the pattern is doing more than chance.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | 224 | 27% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 222 | 26% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 133 | 16% |
| ENGINE | 130 | 16% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 88 | 11% |
| STEERING | 66 | 8% |
Against the 2016 car, this model year has drawn 5 per cent more complaints (838 against 800). The 2016 car was led by its brakes instead, so the pattern shifted between the two years.
Of those complaints, 49 describe a crash and 15 describe a fire. Filers reported 21 injuries.
Recalls on the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator found a safety defect, and the repair is free at a franchised dealer however old the car is. There are 7 recalls on this model year. Your own car may be covered by some, all or none of them, so check the VIN rather than the model.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Cadillac Escalade, 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, 2015-2018 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon vehicles. The amount of vacuum created by the vacuum pump may decrease over time.
The risk. As the vacuum level drops, the brake assist decreases, increasing braking effort, extending the distance required to stop the vehicle, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix. GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Electronic Brake Control Module, free of charge. The recall began October 8, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192268490.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, and GMC Yukon, and 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles equipped with a 5.3-liter engine, a 3.08-ratio rear axle and four-wheel drive. If a wheel-speed sensor fails, while the vehicle is traveling between 41 and 60 mph in four-wheel or automatic mode, the Electronic-Brake Control Module (EBCM) software may activate the driveline-protection system.
The risk. Unintended activation of the driveline-protection system will cause unintended braking on the wheel on the opposite side of the failed sensor, causing the vehicle to pull to one side unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix. GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the EBCM, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192261050.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD, 3500 HD, Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Sierra 2500 HD and 3500 HD, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Cadillac Escalade ESV vehicles and 2014-2017 Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500, Trax, Caprice Police Pursuit Vehicle, GMC Sierra 1500, Buick Encore, and 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse, Chevrolet Spark EV and SS vehicles. In the affected vehicles, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.
The risk. A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.
The fix. GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 13, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 16007.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 trucks. The owner's manual for the affected vehicles may be missing instructions on how to use the tether anchorage and child restraint anchorage systems. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 225, "Child Restraint Anchorage Systems."
The risk. If the instructions are missing from the owner's manual, the child seat may be installed incorrectly and not be properly secured, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
The fix. GM will notify owners, and dealers will provide a corrected insert for the owners manual, free of charge. The recall began on September 25, 2017. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), or 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 17307.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and 2016 Cadillac Escalade, Cadillac Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Sierra, GMC Yukon and GMC Yukon XL vehicles. The front upper control arms may have inadequate welds near the control arm bushing.
The risk. Inadequate welds may allow the control arm to separate from the bushing, compromising steering and increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix. GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the left and right front upper control arms and realign the vehicle, free of charge. The recall began on May 18, 2016. Until the repairs have been made, owners are advised not to drive their vehicles. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 42190.
NHTSA advises owners not to drive this vehicle until the repair is done.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse and Chevrolet Spark EV, Caprice PPV and SS vehicles, 2014-2017 Buick Encore and Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles, 2015-2016 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Trax, Suburban and Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Yukon and Yukon XL vehicles, and 2015-2017 GMC Sierra HD 2500 and 3500 vehicles. While being previously remedied for recall 16V-651, the affected vehicles may not have received the complete software update necessary to remedy the recall condition. Without the update, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.
The risk. A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.
The fix. GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2017. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 17287.
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500/3500, GMC Sierra 2500/3500 vehicles, and 2016-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles. The left-side or right-side roof rail air bag (RRAB) inflator end cap may detach from the inflator or the inflator sidewall may rupture.
The risk. A detached end cap or inflator rupture can allow compressed gas to escape and project the end cap or fragments of the inflator into the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix. Dealers will replace both RRAB modules, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed November 9, 2026. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N262569920. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on September 24, 2026.
In owners own words
These are complaints filed about the powertrain, quoted as written. They are one persons account rather than a diagnosis, and they are here because a symptom described by a driver is easier to recognise than a component name.
NHTSA Safety Complaint To: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Regarding: Vehicle Safety Hazard / Fraudulent Repairs on 2017 Chevrolet Silverado VIN: [XXX] To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to file an emergency vehicle safety complaint regarding a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado, VIN [XXX], purchased on XXX. Huntley Ford performed unauthorized, fraudulent, and unsafe repairs that resulted in the vehicle being returned to me as an active fire hazard, directly violating federal motor vehicle safety expectations. Huntley Ford forced a salvage engine onto the vehicle, stripped m
I BEGAN EXPERIENCING THE PROBLEM I AM ABOUT TO EXPLAIN SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING MY TRUCK. I WOULD EXPERIENCE AN ABRUPT SHIFT FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR SHORTLY AFTER STARTING AND ON OCCASION IT WOULD ABRUPTLY SHIFT DOWN FROM SECOND TO FIRST, FEELING AS THOUGH I HAD BEEN REAR ENDED. I SCHEDULED MY FIRST ROUTINE SERVICE ON DECEMBER 16, 2017 AT 6217 MILES. THE SERVICE WRITER, AT THE SELLING DEALERSHIP, ADVISED ME THE COMPLAINT I WAS EXPERIENCING WAS "NORMAL", AS THE TRANSMISSION HAD "TO LEARN MY DRIVING HABITS" AND WOULD CLEAR BY MY NEXT ROUTINE SERVICE. MY NEXT ROUTINE SERVICE WAS NOVEMBER 29
On 1/20/2022, my son & I were traveling I-80 east to NV. At approximately 130 miles, we noticed the engine was sputtering occasionally along the flat road. It got worse on a climb, but engine runs smoothly. It seems fine on a downhill, but on a flat road & on a climb the problem continues & was getting worse. We checked the spark plug connections to make sure they are tight & secured. After a brief refuel stop in Elko, NV, we proceeded to travel again and at approximately 4:30 am 5 miles from Elko, NV, the engine went to high revolution, oil pressure to the max, check engine light came on, and
PURCHASED MY 17 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 ON 11/28/17 AND RETURNED IT TO THE DEALERSHIP ON 12/1/17. THIS WAS DUE TO A SEVERE SHUDDERING & SHIFTING IN THE TRANSMISSION & SEVERE SHAKE IN THE FRONT END AT 70-90MPH. THEY BALANCED & ROTATED THE TIRES, SAYING THE ISSUE WAS FIXED, I PICKED THE VEHICLE BACK UP ON 12/4/17 BUT THE ISSUE WAS NOT FIXED & AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE HAD ALSO OCCURRED. I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK ON 12/7/18 WITH THE SAME COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE TRANSMISSION & SHAKING IN THE FRONT END, AS WELL AS THE ELECTRICAL ISSUE. THE PROBLEM ELECTRICALLY WAS WHILE SITTING AT A STOPLIGHT THE BRIGHT
I bought my 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 certified pre owned on 11/04/2019 shortly after I purchased it I started having problems with it. From brakes to lights. An took it in for the recall on brakes and steering. After that I've not had cruise control, and the stabilitrak warning light has been on. And just about a year ago while driving an pulling trailer, I lost communication to transmission, electronic brake, park assist, trailer brakes, ect. An was forced to stop! After taking it in to dealership to fix it, they did which lasted not even a month and done it again numerous times leaving
approximately, on or about [XXX], while driving our Chev Silverado, VIN as noted [XXX] ) started to experience transmission issues when i started from a stop sign and it started hesitating upon acceleration, jerking (gears not meshing correctly every time i had to stop). This included delayed engagement of gears, roughing shifting, slight slipping of gears, at times i could smell a burning like smell, (No leaks noticed on transmission anywhere and no warning lights coming on to warn about Transmission problems). On Jan 23rd, 2026, i took it to B&F automotive had mechanic check fluid level
Every component, by complaint count
The full breakdown of what owners named when they filed. Components below the top ten are grouped out of this table.
| Component | Complaints | Share of all complaints |
|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | 224 | 27% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 222 | 26% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 133 | 16% |
| ENGINE | 130 | 16% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 88 | 11% |
| STEERING | 66 | 8% |
| AIR BAGS | 35 | 4% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 34 | 4% |
| STRUCTURE | 26 | 3% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 21 | 3% |
How other model years compare
The same nameplate across the years we hold. Complaint counts fall naturally for newer cars because fewer of them have been on the road for long, so read the column as a rough signal rather than a ranking. In this set the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 has drawn the most complaints and the 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 the fewest.
What to check on the transmission and driveline
Powertrain reports usually describe a shift that arrives late, lands hard, or hunts between gears, often worse when the car is cold or towing. Some describe a shudder at a steady cruise rather than a bang between gears.
Buying a used 2017 Silverado 1500
Drive it from cold. A transmission fault that hides once warm is the most common thing a short test drive misses. Take it to highway speed, let it settle into top gear, then slow and accelerate again to make it downshift under load.
If you already own one
Get the fluid condition checked before anything else, and ask for the transmission control software level at the same time. Several of these complaints were answered by the manufacturer with a reflash rather than a rebuild, which costs a fraction as much.
- Test drive from cold, not after the seller has warmed it up.
- Ask whether a transmission software update exists for the VIN.
- Check the fluid condition and when it was last changed.
- Get any rebuild quote itemised into parts, fluid and labour.
Where the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 problem data comes from
Every figure on this page is counted from complaints and recalls published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, read October 12, 2026. Complaints are filed by owners and are not verified by the agency before publication. We count each complaint once per component it names, so a complaint naming two components appears in both rows.
- NHTSA recalls and complaintsRead October 12, 2026
- NHTSA record for the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500Read October 12, 2026
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