Chevrolet Silverado 2500

Owners filed 3,979 complaints across 33 model years of the Chevrolet Silverado 2500. The 2003 drew the most (449); the 1996 the fewest (2).

Model years33
Complaints3,979
Recalls103
Fires112
Deaths7

Every Chevrolet Silverado 2500 model year compared

Complaints per year
YearComplaintsRelative volumeRecallsFiresCrashesMost reportedStatus
20266
21Power TrainRoutine
202528
11Power TrainRoutine
2024139
413Electrical SystemRoutine
202347
12Power TrainRoutine
202294
323Electrical SystemRoutine
202184
612Power TrainRoutine
2020105
1032Power TrainRoutine
201974
762EngineRoutine
201852
522EngineRoutine
201754
552Electrical SystemRoutine
2016123
525SteeringRoutine
2015176
666Electrical SystemRoutine
201440
222Fuel/Propulsion SystemRoutine
201351
31Unknown or OtherRoutine
201253
32Air BagsRoutine
2011104
422Air BagsRoutine
201021
51Air BagsRoutine
200961
536Air BagsRoutine
2008191
445Air BagsRoutine
2007204
3910Air BagsAbove average
2006177
1814Service BrakesRoutine
2005269
11514Electrical SystemAbove average
2004368
21019Service BrakesFatalities reported
2003449
2823Service BrakesAbove average
2002351
3621Service BrakesFatalities reported
2001300
1311Service BrakesAbove average
2000132
349Service Brakes, HydraulicRoutine
199981
222Service Brakes, HydraulicFatalities reported
199873
237Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited SlipRoutine
199764
214Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited SlipFatalities reported
19962
0Service Brakes, HydraulicRoutine
19953
01Electrical System › 12v/24v/48v Battery › CablesRoutine
19943
0Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip › Abs Warning LightRoutine

Which Chevrolet Silverado 2500 years should you avoid?

On raw complaint volume the 2003 is the weakest year on record, with 449 complaints concentrated in the service brakes. It carries 2 recalls.

Read these numbers with sales volume in mind. A model year that sold in huge numbers naturally accumulates more reports than a rare one, and older cars have had more years to fail. The stronger signal is the severity columns and whether the same component keeps coming up year after year.

Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, September 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.