AT 33,000 MILES, OCT 2002 -APPROXIMATELY 55MPH, ACTED LIKE IT WAS NOT IN GEAR THEN THE TRANSMISSION FLUID HOT LIGHT CAME ON. IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF TO SIDE OF ROAD - CHECKED TRANSMISSION FLUID, IT CHECKED OK AND THE LIGHT WENT OFF. PULLED BACK ONTO HIGHWAY - IT WAS FINE. IMMEDIATELY TOOK TO LOCAL DEALERSHIP; THEY HOOKED IT UP TO THE COMPUTER AND DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. IN JAN 2003, UPON ACCELERATION, AROUND 25-30MPH, IT ACTED AS THOUGH IT WOULDN'T GO INTO 3RD & 4TH GEAR. SAME AS OCT 2002, BUT NOTHING REGISTERED ON THE TRUCK'S MESSAGE CENTER THIS TIME. AND THIS TIME, THE PROBLEM DIDN'T GO AWAY. I TOOK TO ANOTHER LOCAL DEALER - MECHANIC DROVE VEHICLE AND NOTED THE PROBLEMS. STILL, NOTHING REGISTERED ON THE TRUCK'S MESSAGE CENTER. MECHANIC EVEN HOOKED UP THE TRUCK TO HIS COMPUTER AND DROVE IT WHILE IT WAS STILL FAILING. TO HIS SUPRISE, NOTHING REGISTERED ON HIS COMPUTER EITHER. THEY OVERHAULED THE TRANSMISSION - REPLACED 3RD & 4TH GEAR. THEY ADJUSTED THE BILL - AS IF I PURCHASED EXTENDED WARRENTY. CONTACTED GM - THEY REPORT THERE HAVE NOT BEEN ANY PROBLEMS LIKE THIS WITH THESE TRUCKS. "SOMETIMES THIS HAPPENS WHEN PEOPLE MAKE THINGS -IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT IT HAPPENED TO YOU". AFTER THAT CALL - I FOUND THIS SITE AND FOUND A TECHNICAL BULLETIN REFERRING TO THIS SAME PROBLEM. VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH ONLY HAVING 36,000 MILES SINCE MARCH 1999.
1999 Chevrolet Silverado complaints
Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1999 record →
EMERGENCY BRAKE ADJUSTMENT PROBLEM HAS CAUSED EXCESSIVE BRAKE ROTOR WEAR, AFFECTING BRAKE OPERATION. TS....*AK
ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL MODULE WENT OUT
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM ENGAGED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING. ABS WOULD NOT DISENGAGE AND DRAINED VEHICLE'S BATTERY. HAD TO PULL 60 AMP FUSE TO DISENGAGE ABS.*AK
CONSUMER CONTACTED MANUFACTURER ON 01/17/02 REGARDING ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM COMPLAINT. MANUFACTURER ADVISED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE HAD 3 OPEN RECALLS THAT CONSUMER NEVER RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF. CONSUMER WAS FIRST OWNER OF VEHICLE AND ADDRESS INFORMATION WAS CORRECTLY LISTED IN SYSTEM. RECALL CAMPAIGNS; 00V345000, 00X001000, 98V242000.*AK
THE ABS ELECTRO HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT CONTINUOUSLY RAN WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH IN THE OFF POSITION. SCC
ON MY 1999 SILVERADO EXTENDED CAB PICKUP, THERE IS A CONSTANT BUZZING NOISE UNDER THE DRIVERS DOOR. MY ABS WARNING LIGHT IS UP SOLID. I HAD TO DISCONNECT POWER TO THE ABS MODULE TO STOP THE BATTERY FROM DRAINING. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THE ABS MODULE IS DEFECTIVE AND THAT IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL AND YEAR. HE ALSO ADVISED ME THAT IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE ~$1000 TO REPLACE. I CHECKED THE INTERNED AND THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. I THINK CHEVROLET SHOULD BE FORCED TO REPLACE THESE MODULES FREE OF CHARGE.
6 DAYS AFTER REPLACING TIRES WITH SAME SIZE TIRES, I GOT IN MY 99 CHEVY SILVERADO TRUCK AND STARTED IT UP. A STRANGE HUMMING NOISE STARTED COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE TRUCK. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION I FOUND IT WAS COMING FROM THE ABS CONTROL MODULE. I CALLED THE LOCAL CHEVY DEALER TO VERIFY WHAT IT WAS AND THEY NEW INSTANTLY THAT IT WAS INDEED THE ABS CONTROL MODULE AND IT WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED.
ABS MODULE GETS WATER IN IT AND SHORTS OUT CAUSING ABS PUMP TO RUN AND BURNS UP MOTOR.TALKED TO A MECHANIC THAT WORKS FOR A CHEVY DEALER AND HE SAID THAT THEY ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THESE AND IT SEEMS TO BE ONLY THE 1999 MODEL
ABS CONTROL MODULE FAILURE
WHEN THE ANTI LOCK BRAKES HAVE BEEN APPLIED, THE BRAKES WILL LOCK UP AND THE VEHICLE WILL HAVE HEAVY VIBRATION. THUS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HAVE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE DEALER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED. PH THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP ON HEAVY SLICK SURFACES AND WOULD SLIDE OUT OF CONTROL. SCC
THE VEHICLE HAS A HARD THROTTLE WHEN PRESSED, CONSUMER STATES THE THROTTLE HAS TO BE PRESSED VERY HARD, THEN VEHICLE WILL TAKE OFF UNEXPECTEDLY. OFTEN NEARLY HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE. CONSUMER STATES CARBON HAS BUILT UP AROUND THE BRAKE PEDAL. DEALER WILL CLEAN OFF THE CARBON. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
WHEN STARTING VEHICLE THE GAS PEDAL GETS STUCK,THEN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER NOTIFIED. PH
CONSUMER STATES WHILE TURNING ON THE VEHICLE'S HEAD LIGHTS THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS DOES NOT COME ON. CONSUMER STATES IT'S HARD TO TELL WHAT GEAR YOU ARE IN. DEALER NOTIFIED. PH
THE LINING OF THE REAR BRAKE ROTORS FLAKED OFF THE ROTOR. IN TALKING WITH THE MECHANICS CONCERNING THIS INCIDENT I HAVE BEEN ADVISED THAT THEY REPLACE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF REAR BRAKE ROTORS ON CHEVROLET SILVERADOSDUE TO THIS SAME COMPLAINT.THESE ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED WHILE THE FRONT ROTORS ARE STILL ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT.THIS SITUATION CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SHUDDER VIOLENTLY WHEN BRAKING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. CAUSING A FEELING OF NO CONTROL ON THE VEHICLE.THE ENTIRE VEHICLE WOULD SHUDDER.
MY TRUCK NOW HAS 45,000 MILES (OUT OF WARRANTY) AND I AM NOW HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE ABS. I WAS DRIVING HOME, THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON, AND I NOTICED A HUMMING NOISE, EVEN AFTER THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF. I HAD TO REMOVE THE 60 AMP FUSE FROM THE FUSE CENTER TO TURN OFF THE ABS MODULE. I AM TOLD THAT THE REPAIR COST IS APPROXIMATELY $1000. I CAN'T AFFORD THE REPAIR COST AND NOW I AM DRIVING WITHOUT ABS. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE SILVERADOS AND GM WILL NOT DO ANYTHING. THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS THROUGH OUT THE WEB. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE INVOLVING THE BRAKING SYSTEM. TS
ABS SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. ALSO, INTERMITTENTLY ABS LIGHT. COME ON. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. TS. *AK
CONSUMER STATES THE DRIVER SEAT ADJUSTER IS BROKEN CAUSING THE SEAT TO MOVE BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS WHEN PULLING OFF AND BRAKING. TS
CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING THE ABS FAILED CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO HAVE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT WARNING FRONT AND REAR BRAKE ROTORS WORE OUT, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS...*AK
CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT WARNING THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKE ROTORS ARE WORN CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS EMERGENCY BRAKE CLIP AND FRONT ROTORS AND PADS WERE REPLACED. *TT
THE ABS MOTOR CONTINUED TO RUN AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF.*JB
LOUD HUMMING FROM UNDER DRIVERS SIDE OF TRUCK WITH ENGINE OFF. ABS LIGHT ON WHEN TRUCK STARTED. PULLED 60 AMP FUSE FOR ABS TO STOP HUMMING. ABS HAS PERFORMED ERRATICALLY OVER LIFE OF TRUCK, INCLUDING NOT STOPPING NUMEROUS TIMES ON BUMPY ROAD SURFACE. APPARENTLY GENERAL MOTORS IS AWARE OFISSUE WITH FAULTY DESIGN OF UNIT, BUT REFUSES TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY. WILL THEY ACCEPT THE RESPONSIBILITY WHEN SOMEONE DIES BECUASE OF THEIR NEGLECT? WILL THE NHTSA ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR NOT ASSISTING IN THE PROTECTION THAT THEY SAY THEY ARE PROVIDING? WHY ARE FAILING COMPONENTS OF THIS MAGNITUDE ALLOWED TO REMAIN ON THESE VEHICLES WITHOUT ANY JUSTIFICATION?
ABS SYSTEM WHENT BAD SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH SILVERADOS.
ABS ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL MODULE WENT BAD ON MY 1999 SILVERADO. THE HIGH PRESSURE PUMP JUST TURNED ON WHILE BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY. DID NOT SHUT OFF WHEN I TURNED THE KEY OFF. HAD TO PULL 60 AMP ABS FUSE TO STOP PUMP FROM RUNNING MY BATTERY DOWN. THIS TRUCK HAS ONLY 38,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE READ ABOUT SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME FAILURE AT LOW MILEAGE. THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE PART TO REPLACE, AND IT SHOULD LAST A LOT LONGER. I WOULD LIKE CHEVROLET TO COVER THE COST OF THE REPLACEMENT MODULE. TS
1999 CHEVY SILVERADO-ABS SYSTEM FAILS AT SLOW SPEEDS,OR COMING TO A STOP.BRAKES RELEASE,PEDEL GOES TO FLOOR CAUSING THE TRUCK TO CONTINUE FORWARD.
THE FUEL GAUGE INDICATOR IS SHOWING INCORRECT READINGS. CONSUMER STATES AS A RESULT VEHICLE RAN OUT OF GAS. CONSUMER FEEL THIS COULD BE DANGEROUS IF STRANDED. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE FUEL SENDING UNIT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
AT 51,346 MILES THE ABS MOTOR STOPPED WORKING, WHICH CAUSED THE ABS LIGHT TO REMAIN ON. THE ABS MOTOR WOULD REMAIN RUNNING, AFTER THE WAS TURNED OFF. THE DEALER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED, AND VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A RECALL. PH THE CONSUMER REQUESTED A FULL REIMBURSEMENT. SCC *JB
GENERAL MOTORS HAS INDICATED THAT PRETTY MUCH EVERY 1999 SILVERADO WILL HAVE THIS DEFECT. THE ABS MOTOR WILL STICK ON AND NOT SHUT OFF EVEN IF THE TRUCK IS OFF. YOU HAVE TO PULL THE FUSE OUT. THE DYNAMIC REAR PROPORTIONING SYSTEM IS NOW NOT WORKING. WHICH BALANCES THE FRONT TO REAR BRAKE BALANCE. GM KNOW THIS PART IS DEFECTIVE AND HAS RECALLED IT ON THE 2000 MODEL YEAR BUT NOT THE 1999 MODEL YEAR. I AM SURE YOU ALREADY KNOW ABOUT HOW MANY OTHERS ARE LIKE THIS AND COULD CAUSE THE TRUCK TO HANDLE DIFFERENT LEADING TO POSSIBLE ACCIDENT. REPAIR COST ARE AROUND 1000 DOLLARS AND MANY PEOPLE WILL NOT HAVE IT REPLACE. DT
WHEEL BEARINGS ARE SEALED, SHOULD LAST A LOT LONGER, REPAIR SHOP SAYS THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING TO A LOT OF THESE TRUCKS. DT
NO SUMMARY. DT
NO SUMMARY. DT
CONSUMER STATED, WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING, THE ABS FAILED CAUSING A LOUD NOISE AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. TS THE ABS MODULE FAILED. SCC *JB
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE WORE DOWN WITH ONLY TWO USES, DEALER NOTIFIED AND SAID THAT THE BRAKE(PARKING) IS A FLAWED DESIGN. TS
WHEN BRAKE APPLIED AT SLOW SPEED, TRUCK FAILED TO SLOW DOWN WITH CONSTANT BRAKE PRESSURE. I ALMOST REAR-ENDED VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. PAVEMENT WAS CLEAN AND DRY. I HAVE ALSO BEEN GETTING ABS CHATTER WHEN STOPPING AT SLOW SPEEDS. DT
NO SUMMARY. DT
I HAVE HAD THREE PROBLEMS WITH THE ABS BRAKES. FIRST PROBLEM WAS THE TRUCK WOULD NOT STOP WHILE TOWING MY TAILER WITH ELECTRIC BRAKES AND DOING 10MPH ON DRY, LEVEL ROAD. THE SECOND WAS SAME AS FIRST BUT WITHOUT THE TAILER. BOTH TIMES THE DEALER FOUND NOTHING. THE THIRD WAS THAT THE REAR ROTORS HAD RUSTED OVER AND THE PADS WERE DOWN TO THE METAL BACKING. THIS WAS ALL BEFORE 21,000 MILES AND I HAD TO PAY FOR THE PADS. GM ONLY PAID FOR THE ROTORS. NOW THE TRUCK IS OUT OF WARRANTY THE MODULE HAS GONE BAD AND AFTER SEVERAL PHONE CALLS TO GM THEY SAID THEY WILL ONLY PAY 30% OF THE REPAIR BILL AND I WILL HAVE TO PICK UP THE OTHER 70%. TALKING TO THE DEALER THEY TELL ME GM HAS A PROBLEM AND GM KNOWS IT. GM TOLD THE DEALER THE TRUCKS WERE NOT DESIGNED FOR THE WEATHER IN THE NORTHEAST (SNOW, SALT, WATER) SO WHY ARE THEY SELLING THESE TRUCKS WHERE THEY KNOW THEIR GOING TO HAVE PROBLEMS. THIS PROBLEM IS GOING TO GET SOMEONE HURT IF NOT KILL IF SOMEONE DOESN'T DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. A MECHANIC FRIEND AT THE GMC DEALERSHIP IN TOWN SAID THAT THE LOCATION OF THE ABS SYSTEM IS THE BIGGEST PROBLEM. HE ALSO SAID THAT THEY HAVE REPLACED QUIT A FEW UNITS IN THE LAST TWO YEARS IN GMC TRUCKS. WHY DON'T THEY DO A RECALL AND FIX THE PROBLEM. DT
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE ABS SYSTEM ON HIS VEHICLE. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT IT WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED AND THAT IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. TS
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT THE ABS SYSTEM ON THE VEHICLE. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE ABS SYSTEM PUMP WENT OUT AND IT WILL COST $820.00 TO REPLACE AND THAT IS ONLY FOR THE PUMP AND NOT LABOR. TS
BATTERY LEAKING ACID ON GARAGE FLOOR FROM POSITIVE TERMINAL POST OF BATTERY. I HAVE BEEN READING OF MANY OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FOR CHEVROLET TAHOE/YUKON OF SAME YEAR THAT HAS CAUSED CRASHES DUE TO BRAKE LINE CORROSION AND SUBSEQUENT FAILURE. MY DEALER FOUND BATTERY LEAK, BUT DID NOT INFORM ME OF ANY BRAKE LINE INSPECTION SO I AM NOT CERTAIN MY VEHICLE IS SAFE. I REPLACED BATTERY MYSELF AND USED BAKING SODA AND WATER TO NEUTRALIZE ACID AS PER DEALER INSTRUCTION. (BEFORE INSTALLING NEW BATTERY) I THOUGHT I SHOULD REGISTER COMPLAINT THAT THIS CONDITION OCCURED. DT
ABS BRAKES SEVERLY RESIST THE OPERATORS ATTEMPTS TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP AT SLOW SPEED. THE BRAKE PEDAL VIBRATES BUT INCREASED PRESSURE BY THE OPERATOR WILL NOT BEING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP. YOU HAVE TO TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF OF THE PEDAL COMPLETELY, THEN SLAM IT DOWN WITH FORCE TO GET THE TRUCK TO JERK TO A STOP MANY FEET PAST WHERE IT WOULD NORMALLY STOP. THIS FREQUENTLY CAUSES A LOSS OF CONTROL AT SLOW SPEED SUCH AS PULLING UP TO A GAS PUMP OR STOPPING AT AN INTERSECTION. ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP UNTIL IT WAS WELL INTO AN INTERSECTION. DEALER WOULD NOT REPAIR UNLESS "THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON" WHICH IT NEVER DID. OWNER REMOVED THE ABS FUSE AND THE VEHICLE STOPS NORMALLY WITH ABS DISABLED. OWNER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THE 1999 SILVERADO WHICH REQUIRES NEARLY $1000 TO REPAIR, BUT GM WILL NOT COVER THE REPAIR OF THESE OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE ABS SYSTEMS. DT
CONSUMER STATES THE BACK ROTORS HAVE COMPLETELY DISINTEGRATED AND COULD NOT BE CUT OR TURNED UPON RECENT BRAKE SERVICE. MR
CONSUMER STATED THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE CONTROL MODULE FAILED. MR *JB
MANY PEOPLE SIMPLY PULL FUSE OR DISCONNECT ABS PUMP POWER AND GO WITHOUT ABS BECAUSE OF THE COST OF REPAIRS. DUE TO THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES EXPERIENCING THE SAME FAILURE, THIS COULD BE A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY PROBLEM. DT
THE BREAK PEDEL BECOMES ROCK HARD AND THE TRUCK WILL NOT STOP HAVE TO USE THE EMERGANCY BRAKE WHEN THE ANTILOCK BRAKE FUSE IS REMOVED THE BRAKES WORK FINE. BEFORE I REMOVED THE FUSE WAS ALMOST IN MANY CRASHES, IF I HAD NOT USED THE E BRAKE!!!!!!!!!! DT
EMERGENCY BRAKE PEDAL GOES ALL THE WAY TO FLOOR AND WILL NOT HOLD ON HILL. STUTZMAN TOLD ME CHEVROLET IT IS NORMAL ON THIS MODEL TRUCK. DT
ECBM SHORTED OUT. LOCATED ON TOP OF ABS BRAKE PUMP, ATTACHED TO FRAME UNDER DRIVERS SEAT. DEALER WANTED $1100 TO FIX, $770 PART. BOUGHT PART $409 (DISCOUNT) HAD INSTALLED FOR $300, CALLED CHEVROLET SERVICE HELP. NO HELP!! GOT OTHER RECALLS FIXED AT DEALER. DEALER NOR ME COULDN'T GET HOLD OF CHEVORLET SERVICE HELP. ECBM LOCATED WHERE WATER CAN DAMAGE IT. SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH 1999. DT
I HAVE TALKED WITH OVER 50 PEOPLE JUST IN THE KNOXVILLE AREA THAT HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM - A "BURNT OUT ELECTRICAL DELAY IN THE ABS UNIT" - COSTING UPWARDS OF $1000 TO FIX. I HAVE PUT LESS THAN 5000 ON THIS VEHICLE FROM MY DATE OF PURCHASE EARLIER THIS YEAR. I AM STILL UNDER DEALER WARRANTY AND I WILL BE DEMANDING A REFUND AND AN EXPLANATION. IF SO MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS SAME EXACT PROBLEM, SOME PEOPLE TOLD ME IT IS CAUSED BY WATER FROM THE LEFT TIRE SPLASHING ON THE SPEED SENSORS, VITRUALLY RENDERING THEM USELESS, THEN WHY ISN'T THERE A RECALL? DT
CONSUMER STATE WHEN DEPRESSING THE GAS PEDAL TO GAIN SPEED CONSUMER WOULD HAVE TO USE FORCE TO DEPRESS THE PEDAL WITHOUT ANY INDICATION PEDAL WOULD BECOME STUCK. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
THE VEHICLE HAS BAD WHEEL SPINDLE AND BEARERS CREATE A GRINDING NOISE. COMING FROM THE LEFT AND RIGHT TIRES. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. DEALER IUS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. TS
Reading these
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 1999 Chevrolet Silverado → · Every Silverado year → · How the figures are calculated →