2nd generation (GMT900) · GMT900 · 4,522 complaints, 2,373 with mileage
Owners filed 4,522 complaints with NHTSA about the 2007–2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, and 2,373 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 38,280 and 107,000 miles. The median is 70,000 miles.
The most-reported areas are the airbag system (43.1% of complaints, typically around 80,000 miles), problems owners could not categorise (12.0% of complaints, typically around 65,000 miles), body structure (8.6% of complaints, typically around 70,000 miles).
7 recall campaigns cover this generation.
Note: in 2007, both this generation and the previous one were sold at the same time, and NHTSA complaints are not separated by body.
| System | Complaints | Share | Typical mileage | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 1,948 | 43.1% | 80,000 | 50,000–120,000 |
| Unknown Or Other | 542 | 12.0% | 65,000 | 44,600–95,000 |
| Structure | 391 | 8.6% | 70,000 | 40,696–100,000 |
| Electrical System | 293 | 6.5% | 71,000 | 40,000–108,000 |
| Engine | 256 | 5.7% | 99,000 | 63,099–128,000 |
| Power Train | 137 | 3.0% | 59,805 | 12,000–99,476 |
| Suspension | 100 | 2.2% | 79,000 | 39,000–125,600 |
| Service Brakes | 90 | 2.0% | 74,000 | 57,000–100,000 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 82 | 1.8% | 88,000 | 59,000–130,000 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 71 | 1.6% | 24,000 | 3,000–72,453 |
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 mixed | 1,056 | 552 |
| 2008 | 1,094 | 557 |
| 2009 | 553 | 299 |
| 2010 | 451 | 230 |
| 2011 | 698 | 350 |
| 2012 | 278 | 165 |
| 2013 | 392 | 220 |
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 70,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The airbag system accounts for 43.1% of complaints (1,948 reports, 600 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 80,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 50,000 and 120,000 miles.
A single system taking 43.1% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.
Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 12.0% of complaints (542 reports, 319 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 65,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 44,600 and 95,000 miles.
Body structure accounts for 8.6% of complaints (391 reports, 249 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 70,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 40,696 and 100,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 6.5% of complaints (293 reports, 217 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 71,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 40,000 and 108,000 miles.
The engine accounts for 5.7% of complaints (256 reports, 180 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 99,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 63,099 and 128,000 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 3.0% of complaints (137 reports, 95 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 59,805 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 12,000 and 99,476 miles.
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2008 model year drew the most — 1,094 complaints — while 2012 drew the fewest at 278. The median year sits at 553.
The first year of the generation, 2007, sits above the median. That is a common pattern — early production of a redesigned vehicle tends to surface problems that later years do not repeat — and it is worth weighing when choosing between years.
One caveat on the year figures: in 2007, the manufacturer sold both this generation and the previous one at the same time, and NHTSA records do not distinguish between them. Complaints filed under that year may describe either vehicle.
NHTSA records 7 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around the airbag system (5), the suspension (2). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Of the 4,522 complaints filed against this generation, 150 reported a crash; 56 reported a fire; 205 reported an injury; 10 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 3.3% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 38,280 and 107,000 miles, with a median of 70,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the airbag system and problems owners could not categorise are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. Problems owners could not categorise in particular shows a median failure mileage of 65,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Excessive oil consumption on Gen IV 5.3L AFM engines — the AFM oil pressure relief valve sprays oil at the piston skirts while low-tension piston rings fail to control it, fouling plugs and dropping oil level between changes. Subject of the Siqueiros v. GM class action covering the LC9 5.3L in 2011-2014 trucks and SUVs.
Collapsed AFM lifters on the deactivating cylinders, often wiping the corresponding camshaft lobe; presents as a misfire plus a persistent top-end tick.
Dashboard top-pad cracking and splitting, widespread enough to generate its own complaint category.
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 21V052000 | 2021-09-20 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module |
| 21V054000 | 2021-05-11 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module |
| 21V053000 | 2021-05-11 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module |
| 21V051000 | 2021-05-11 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module |
| 21V050000 | 2021-03-01 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module |
| 11V007000 | 2011-01-11 | Suspension:Rear:Axle:Spindle |
| 10V643000 | 2011-01-11 | Suspension:Rear:Axle:Spindle |