2012 Chevrolet Silverado 2500

Routine

Owners filed 53 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the air bags. It has been recalled 3 times.

When it fails
020k40k60k90k120k200k
72,000 milesMedian miles at failure

35 complaints record an odometer reading. Failures cluster around 40,00050,000 miles.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Air Bags9
000
Electrical System6
000
Unknown or Other5
000
Fuel/Propulsion System5
000
Engine5
000
Steering4
100
Structure › Body3
000
Power Train3
000
Electrical System › Instrument Panel › Speedometer/Odometer3
000
Tires2
100

3 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module21V054000
Filed Feb 5, 20211,778,128 vehiclesGeneral Motors, Llc

Defect. General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, SC, TX, PR, AS, GU, the MP, and VI or "Zone A." Additionally GM is recalling certain 2011-2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, Yukon XL and 2011-2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AZ, AR, DE, DC, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MO, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NC, OH, OK, PA, TN, VA, and WV or "Zone B." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2010-2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL and 2010-2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AK, CO, CT, ID, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MT, NH, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI, and WY or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy. GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 25, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed to 40 VIN owners on May 11, 2021. A second owner notification letter was mailed to all other owners on January 24, 2022. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328800.

Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module21V051000
Filed Feb 5, 2021284,645 vehiclesGeneral Motors, Llc

Defect. General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2012 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy. GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 22, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 11, 2021. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328770.

Equipment18V267000
Filed Apr 26, 20186,154 vehiclesGeneral Motors Llc

Defect. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Chevrolet Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD, 2009 GMC Topkick 5000, 6000, 7000 and 8000 Series and Isuzu F Series, and 2009-2018 Chevrolet Express, and GMC Savana vehicles, equipped with certain Plastic-Handle Fire Extinguishers or Push Button 'Pindicator' Fire Extinguishers. These extinguishers may become clogged, preventing the extinguisher from discharging as expected or requiring excessive force to activate the extinguisher. Additionally, in certain models, the nozzle may detach from the valve assembly with enough force that it could cause injury and also render the product inoperable. For a full list of the affected fire extinguisher models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2017/RMISC-17E062-5427.pdf

Risk. In the event of a fire, if the fire extinguisher does not function properly, it can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy. GM will notify owners, instructing them to contact Kidde to get a replacement fire extinguisher, free of charge. The recall began June 11, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, and Isuzu customer service at 1-866-441-9638. GM's number for this recall is 18146.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Electrical System › Instrument Panel › Speedometer/Odometer
Filed Jul 8, 2026456,903 milesMO

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy upon obtaining a Vinlo vehicle report. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 93,000; however, the Vinlo report listed the mileage at 456,903 in 2023. The contact called the Missouri DMV, but no assistance was provided.

Electrical System › Instrument Panel › Speedometer/Odometer
Filed Mar 9, 2026216,000 milesFL

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. The contact stated that the vehicle seller advised the contact that the mileage was 196,000 prior to the purchase. Upon purchasing and driving the vehicle, the contact noticed that the odometer was inoperable. The vehicle was a dealer sale. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where the failure was corrected, and the odometer reading was 216,000. The seller informed the contact that the instrument cluster needed to be replaced for the correct odometer reading to be displayed; however, the contact stated that the actual mileage was 216,000, and the seller had committed odometer fraud.

Electrical System › Instrument Panel › Speedometer/Odometer
Filed Sep 30, 2025250,000 milesVA

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. The contact discovered a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 147,209. It was later discovered that the mileage on the Title was unknown. The contact paid for a full vehicle report, and he discovered that the mileage was 250,000. on September 6, 2025. The VIN was invalid.

Power Train
Filed Apr 15, 2025DE

The vehicle's TCM has apparently failed as evidenced by CEL code "U0101", low power ("limp mode"), hard shifting, no gear selection indicator, and extremely slow acceleration. Vehicle is currently available for inspection, but will be receiving a replacement TCM soon. Myself and others' safety was put at risk due to my the vehicle's inability to continue through an intersection at a reasonable rate. The problem has not been reproduced by a dealer/service center, nor has it been inspected by anyone since the incident. The aforementioned warning lamp that indicated the issue appeared upon starting the vehicle, which drove normally for the first 11 miles.

Electrical System
Filed Feb 17, 2025IL

Day after driving to n a snow storm the vehicles stabilitrak and traction control light and message to service those came on the dash and a sudden lose of power. I pulled over and put it in park noticing the gear indicator on the dash was gone. I put in drive and could barely move. So I shifted to 1st gear then back to park and into drive and the light came off and it was back to normal. The next day I started the vehicle and the light was on again with the check engine light. And stuck in limp mode. There are forums I've read with thousands of people with the same problem. The vehicle is available for inspection. The safety concerns are the traction control and stabilitrak can affect the way it handles and brakes. The vehicle will be going to dealership. There where no warning light prior to. The lights and systems failed simultaneously. This vehicle only has 44000 miles on it, no rust the frame is mint. This is a very clean truck and shouldn't be having this kind of problem.

Electrical System
Filed Jan 30, 2024MN

Transmission control module

Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Dec 8, 2023TX

Was driving the truck doing 65 on the highway and the cp4 ruined the whole fuel system. That includes the fuel rails injectors and pump! Ended up costing me around $8,000 I believe!

Fuel System, Diesel
Filed Oct 31, 202322,000 milesFL

The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, a message indicating that the DEF system had failed was displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to several unknown dealers, where the O2 sensor, a diesel injector, and other unknown repairs were performed; however, the failure recurred while driving. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, a message indicating that the DEF system had failed was displayed. Additionally, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode and gradually decelerated. The contact was able to drive to the nearest independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the DEF system, fuel pump, and oxygen sensor had failed. The vehicle was repaired; however, the contact was concerned that the repair was temporary. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 22,000.

Electrical System
Filed Sep 22, 2023KS

The transmission control module went out on my Chevy duaramax. GM is aware of this problem in the years of 2009-2015 and has yet to fix the problem.

Power Train
Filed Sep 2, 2023PA

My TCM went out in my truck while towing which made the vehicle not be able to move putting my family in jeopardy while on the road.

Power Train
Filed Aug 4, 2023FL

Transmisión control module stopped working while driving on the highway. It went from going 70 miles per hour on the highway to 15 miles per hour. Very scary and dangerous.

Electrical System
Filed Apr 7, 2023CA

The Transmission Control Module failed causing the vehicle to loose power and operate only in "limp mode". General Motors does not have a replacement module available, leaving the vehicle inoperable. GM has no reliable information as to when a module will be available. I had to use a third party service to try and repair the module for a cost of over $1,200. This seems to be a common problem with the 2008-20015 GM Duramax with the Allison transmission.

Unknown or Other
Filed Feb 5, 2023VA

Mechanic has informed me of my truck's frame has excessive rust that has spread to other components, and states ongoing issue will cause frame to rust apart.

Unknown or Other
Filed Apr 30, 2022WI

DASHBOARD IS CRACKED IN SEVERAL PLACES INCLUDING AROUND PASSENGER AIR BAG

Air Bags
Filed Apr 13, 2022CT

The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V054000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect. The consumer stated the repairs were completed by the dealership on May 2, 2022 and covered under a recall.

Air Bags
Filed Feb 22, 202279,184 milesTX

The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. The contact stated that he had the vehicle repaired under NHTSA Campaign 21V051000 (Air Bags) however when he retrieved the vehicle the air bag warning light was illuminated and a warning message to the service air bag soon was displayed. The contact stated that before the repair he had no issues with the air bag or warning lights. The contact stated that the dealer was contacted and the contact was informed that the air bag was already replaced. The contact stated that he was informed that he was responsible for any additional repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 79,184.

Air Bags
Filed Oct 25, 2021OH

GM sent me a recall notice March 2021 that my air bag is defective and they plan to replace it. That notice was in March 2021 and they still have not repaired it stating that parts are not available yet. I feel the air bag is a time bomb waiting to explode and I should not be subject to this danger.

Air Bags
Filed Oct 7, 2021CA

Takata Recall. The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V051000 (Air Bags) however, the dealer informed the contact that the parts for the recall repair were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

Air Bags
Filed Jan 28, 2021OH

DASHBOARD IN THE TRUCK HAS TWO STRESS CRACKS ONE BY THE AIR BAG AND ANOTHER ONE ABOVE THE SPEEDOMETER. THAT DASHBOARD IS VERY POOR QUALITY AND SHOULD BE RECALLED BY GENERAL MOTORS.

Engine
Filed Sep 18, 202060,000 milesCA

EXHAUST GAS RECIRCULATION (EGR) COOLER BYPASS VALVE HAD TO BE REPLACED 60,000 MILES. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION.

20 of 53 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2003
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20266200Routine
202528100Routine
2024139410Routine
202347120Routine
202294320Routine
202184610Routine
20201051030Routine
201974760Routine
201852520Routine
201754550Routine
2016123520Routine
2015176660Routine
201440220Routine
201351310Routine
2012 — this page53300Routine
2011104420Routine
201021510Routine
200961530Routine
2008191440Routine
2007204390Above average
2006177180Routine
20052691150Above average
20043682102Fatalities reported
2003449280Above average
2002351361Fatalities reported
2001300130Above average
2000132340Routine
199981221Fatalities reported
199873230Routine
199764213Fatalities reported
19962000Routine
19953000Routine
19943000Routine

Compare every Silverado 2500 year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Feb 5, 2021. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.