FROM THE VERY BEGINING, THE ENGINE, (5.3L), HAS MADE A TICKING/KNOCKING NOISE AT START UP (SIMILAR TO WHAT "NOISY LIFTERS). I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER SOME TIME AGO, THAT IS WAS FAULTY PISTONS, ("PISTON SLAP"), WITH NO SOLUTION YET. I HAVE SINCE ALSO HEARD THIS FROM ADDTIONAL AUTOMOTIVE RESOURCES. IT HAS CONTINUED TO GET WORSE. I SPOKE TO THE DEALER AGAIN TODAY, AND AM MEETING WITH HIM TOMORROW, LEAVING MY TRUCK SO THEY CAN START IT IN THE MORNING. I JUST ANTICIPATE A LOT OF PROBLEMS. HE HAS TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE HAD MANY TRUCKS COME BACK FOR THE SAME REASON, AND HAVE EVEN REPLACED ENTIRE ENGINES. BUT HE ALSO SAID IT COULD BE "CARBON BUILD UP". I DON'T THINK SO, BECAUSE IT WAS DOING THIS FROM THE FIRST DAY OFF THE LOT. I HOPE I AM WRONG, BUT EXPECT A VERY DIFFICULT BATTLE TO GET THE ENGINE REPLACED. ANY INFORMATION OR HELP YOU CAN GIVE ME WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. I HAVE TALKED TO NUMEROUS OTHER TRUCK OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. SOME HAVE HAD MAJOR REPAIRS LIKE NEW LIFTERS, WITHOUT SUCCESS. BUT THOSE WHO LET THE DEALER DO MAJOR REPAIR, THEN LATER WERE TOLD CHEVROLET WOULD NOT TAKE THE MOTOR BACK AND PUT A NEW ONE IN, BECAUSE THE DEALER HAD ALREADY "BROKE" INTO THE ENGINE. (DIDN'T MEAN TO WRITE A BOOK, BUT REALLY WOULD LIKE SOME HELP/SUPPORT. THIS IS A VERY NEW AND EXPENSIVE TRUCK, AND I SHOULD NOT HAVE AN ENGINE KNOCKING WITH 40,000 MILES ON IT, PARTICULARLY FROM DAY ONE. I TAKE METICULOUS CARE OF THIS TRUCK AND CHANGE THE OIL LIKE CLOCK WORK EVERY 3500 MILES. THANKS SO
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 →
ABS LIGHT WOULD REMAIN ON, AND ABS MOTOR WOULD STILL BE RUNNING,EVEN WITH IGNITION SWITCH TURNED OFF. VEHICLE TAKEN TO INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR REPAIRS/REPLACEMENT OF ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL MODULE. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. *AK THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THERE WAS SHORTAGES OF THE PART NEEDED TO FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THERE WERE MANY FAILURE. *YH
WHILE DRIVING IN WET CONDITIONS BRAKES DO NOT WORK FOR A COUPLE OF SECONDS AND ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED, CONSUMER STATES WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED THE ABS MODULE WAS CONTINUALLY RUNNING EVEN WITH ENGINE AND IGNITION TURNED OFF, MECHANIC STATED A NEW MODULE WAS NEEDED. *SLC
NEW EMERGENCY BRAKE SYSTEM PADS WORE OUT DUE TO EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILURE. DID HAVE A WARNING LIGHT WHEN BRAKES WERE ON. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP. INFORMED BY MECHANIC IT WAS A WEAR ITEM. OWNER HAS PADS. *AK DEALER REPRESENTATIVE WOULD NOT COOPERATE WITH CONSUMER BECAUSE HE USES THE TRUCK FOR BOATING. *SLC
THE COMPONENTS ON THIS TRUCK RANGING FROM THE ENGINE AND DRIVETRAIN, WINDOWS, STREERING GEAR AND SHAFTS, E-BRAKE LINES, FUEL PEDAL LINKAGE AND NOW THE FUEL GAE ITSELF HAS BEEN A CONSTANT SOURCE OF PROBLEMS FOR ME SINCE THE TURCH WES ONLY A FEW MONTHS OLD ( 8,000 MILES). CHEVROLET HAS ADMITTED THAT THEY KNWON OF MOST OF THE MAJOR PROBLEMS BUT HAS INDICATED THAT THEY ARE "WORKING ON A FIX". YET I HAVE TO CONTIUNE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. I NEED SOME HELP.ONSTA
APPLIED BRAKES ON CONCRETE DRIVEWAY (CLEAN AND DRY) AND WAS UNABLE TO STOP. CRASHED THROUGHCLOSED GARAGE DOOR HITTING VEHICLE PARKED INSIDE AND PUSHING IT THRU THE HOMES FAMILY ROOM WALL. WEATHER CONDITIONS DRY AND COLD (APPROX 25 DEG). TIME OF DAY - 1:30 PM. BRAKE PEDAL WAS PUSHED NEARLY TO FLOOR AND ABS PULSE/NOISE WAS HEARD AND FELT (PASSENGER VERIFIED) BUT VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW DOWN OR STOP. APPROX DISTANCE 30 FT. AFTER INITIAL ACCIDENT, WITNESSES WERE ABLE TO PUSH BRAKE PEDAL TO FLOOR WHILE ENGINE RUNNING (SEVERAL STAGGERED ENGINE RESTARTS AND BRAKE TRYS). ALL, INCLUDING DRIVER AND PASSENGER, CONCLUDED PROBLEM EXISTS WITH ABS/BRAKES. DRIVER HAS NEVER DEPRESSED BRAKE PEDAL THIS FAR IN THE 18 MOS THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN OWNED.*AK
MANUFACTURER HAS FAILED TO INSTALL A DUST GUARD FOR DISC BRAKES WHICH COULD CAUSE BRAKES TO LOCK UP, AND HAD A POTENTIAL FOR VEHICLE ROLLOVER. MANUFACTURER SENT OUT TSB, BUT WILL NOT ASSIST CONSUMER BECAUSE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN OFF ROAD. *AK
BRAKE MODULE HAS GONE OUT ON VEHICLE. ALSO, GAS PEDAL STICKS. EVERY 10-15000 MILES CONSUMER HAS TO CLEAN OUT CARBON BUILT UP. *AK
GAS PEDAL CONSTANTLY STICKS WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE WHICH CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO LUNGE DANGEROUSLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY (I.E. FROM DEAD STOP OR WHILE ALREADY IN MOTION IF YOU REMOVE FOOT FROM ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THEN TRY TO ACCELERATE AGAIN). THIS IS AN EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS SITUATION, ESPECIALLY WHEN TRYING TO START OUT FROM A DEAD STOP AND YOU HAVE TO INCREASE FOOT PRESSURE ON THE ACCELERATOR TO UNSTICK IT CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LUNGE. THE NHTSA CONSUMER COMPLAINT PAGES ARE FULL OF THIS EXACT SAME SCENARIO, INVOLVING THIS VEHICLE AND THIS PROBLEM, AND THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT ACCEPTED OWNERSHIP OF THIS OBVIOUS MALFUNCTION AND OBVIOUS MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN. THIS SHOULD BE HANDLED BY THE MANUFACTURER VIA A SAFTEY RECALL ISSUE. *AK
ABS LIGHT STAYED ON, AND WHEN TURNING OFF TRUCK COULD HEAR ABS PUMP RUNNING. CONSUMER HAD TO TAKE OUT FUSE TO GET IT TO STOP. CURRENTLY, ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS ARE ON. IF CONSUMER WOULD SLAM ON BRAKES WHEELS WILL LOCK UP.*AK
THE ABS PUMP WILL NOT SHUT OFF UNLESS THE UNDERHOOD FUSE IS REMOVED. THE BRAKES STILL OPERATE SOMEWHAT, BUT NOT TO THEIR POTENTIAL. COULD CAUSE ACCIDENT. OUT OF WARRANTY, HAVE SEEN MORE THAN A DOZEN OTHER TRUCK OWNERS SAME PROBLEM, SAME TRUCK ON CHEVROLET PERFORMANCE WEBSITE. *AK
ABS LIGHT COMES ON. THERE'S A MOTOR NOISE COMING FROM BACK WHEEL. PROBLEM JUST STARTED. DEALER WILL BE CONTACTED. *AK
AFTER PARKING CONSUMER HEARD ABS PUMP STILL RUNNING. CONSUMER THEN DISCONNECTED PUMP. DEALER ADVISED HIM THAT ABS SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. VEHICLE OUT OF WARRANTY. *AK
THIS TRUCK IS ONLY 2 YEARS OLD AND THE ABS SYSTEM IS OUT. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE IT AFFECTS YOUR WHOLE BRAKING SYSTEM. I JUST CANNOT BELIEVE THAT A COMPANY THE SIZE OF GM WOULD NOT BE CONCERNED. I HAVE PURCHASED OVER 25 GM UNITS THROUGH MY COMPANY FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS, BUT WILL NEVER PURCHAS ANOTHER ONE. *AK
INCREASED ACCELERATOR PEDAL EFFORT CAUSED BY STICKING PARTS IN THROTTLE BODY. CHEVROLET TBSOOO6O4 CONFIRMS THE PROBLEM BUT DOES NOT OFFER HELP TO OWNER.*AK
RIGHT REAR TIRE SIDEWALL COLLAPSED WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE STARTED TO VIBRATE. DID NOT LOSE CONTROL. PULLED OFF INTO A PARKING LOT, AND EXCHANGED TIRE. FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS AT, P265/75R16. *AK
P265/75R16, DOT UNKNOWN, FIRESTONE WILDERNESS XL 15, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE. THEN, TIRE BLEWOUT. TREAD SEPARATION PRIOR TO BLOWOUT.*AK *SLC
WHEN DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL VEHICLE WOULD GO INTO EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER HAS REPAIRED VEHICLE 3 TIMES . TECH STATED NORMAL OPERATION FOR ABS BRAKES. *AK THE BRAKES HAD FAILED SIX TIMES AND NO SOLUTION HAD BEEN FOUND. THE MANUFACTURER INDICATED BRAKE FLUID AS THE POSSIBLE CAUSE, BUT THERE WAS NOT BRAKE FLUID LEAK. *YH
WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH THE DRIVER'S SEAT COLLAPSED AND THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SEAT DROPPED DOWN WITH A STARTLING UNEXPECTED SHOCK CAUSING THE DRIVER TO SWERVE, THE DAMAGED SUPPORTING PARTS OF THE SEAT HAVE BEEN REPLACED. CJ
WAS TRYING TO ADJUST DRIVER'S LUMBAR SEAT WITH LEVER WHEN LEVER BROKE IN HALF. PULLED VEHICLE OVER TO CHECK OUT SEAT. NOTICED A PIECE OF WHITE PLASTIC WITH METAL INSIDE WAS BROKEN. *AK
TWICE DIED WHILE DRIVING NO STEERING OR BRAKES FEAR FOR YOUR LIFE. *AK
ENG KNOCKS @ START DAILY, DEALER SAYS NRML, OWNERS MANUAL DOESNT SHOW AS NORMAL. *AK
OWNER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER TO HAVE IT INSPECTED, AND EMERGENCY HAND BRAKE DID NOT WORK. *AK
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM WILL ACTIVATE WHEN IT SHOULDN'T. GMC DECLARES NOTHING WRONG WITH BRAKES. IT AFFECTS RISK OF BRAKING DISTANCE. *AK
TIRES HAVE HAD FREQENT FLATS, 1 DEFLATED ON ITS OWN OVERNIGHT, TREAD WEAR ABOVE AVERAGE, THESE TIRES NEED TO BE INCLUDED IN RECALL. *AK (TIRESIZE: P265-75R16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P265-75R16 )
FRONT LAP SEAT BELTS PERFORMED POORLY. *AK
STEERING AND THE BRAKING SYSTEMS ON THESE VEHICLES SHOULD NOT GO OUT WITH UNDER 35000 MILES ON THEM.*AK
INTERMITTENTLY WHEN MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT HAND TURN VEHICLE WILL LOSE RPMS AND ACCELERATION POWER WHICH HAS CAUSED CRASH. ONLY WAY TO REGAIN POWER BACK IS BY STRAIGHTENING STEERING WHEEL. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE CAUSE OF DEFECT.*AK
THE TRUCK WAS PARKED EARLY EVENING, AT 3:30 A.M. FIRE HAD BROKE OUT IN THE CARPORT. *AK
PASSENGER'S SIDE RESTRAINT RATCHETS BACK, AND DOES NOT ALLOW PASSENGER ENOUGH ROOM. *AK THE SEAT BELT HAD BEEN REPLACED TWICE, BUT STILL TIGHTENS UP AND IS UNCOMFORTABLE AND DANGEROUS. *YH
ADOPTIVE ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE SYSTEMS FAILURE. *AK
IN ORDER TO GET VEHICLE TO MOVE DRIVER HAS TO PRESS REALLY HARD ON GAS PEDAL, THEN CAR WILL TAKE OFF. DEALER SAID IT WAS CAUSED BY CARBON BUILD UP IN THROTTLE BODY. *AK
AFTER PICKUP HAS BEEN DRIVEN FOR A FEW MINUTES, LIKE TO A SHOPPING CENTER, AND THE ENGINE IS STOPPED. UPON RESTARTING ENGINE THE THROTTLE WILL STICK, REQUIRING AN ESTAMATED 30 TO 80 POUNDS PRESSURE TO ACTIVATE. THEN, IT WILL SUDDENLY DEPRESS CAUSING THE PICKUP TO "JUMP." THIS IS DANGEROUS, PARTICULARLY BACKING OUT INTO TRAFFIC OR TRYING TO BACK TO HITCH A TRAILER.*AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
BACK BRAKE ROTORS ARE WORN OUT. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER SAID IT WAS REGULAR WEAR AND TEAR. GRINDING NOISE OCCURRED WHEN PROBLEM FIRST STARTED.*AK THE DEALER RECOMMENDED HEAVY DUTY BRAKE ROTORS. *YH
WAS DRIVING VEHICLE APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH WHEN ABS LIGHT CAME ON, AND HAD NO BRAKES. WAS STEPPING SEMI HARD ON THEM. TRYING NOT TO REAR END VEHICLE IN FRONT. CONTROL MODULE MADE LOUD WHINNING NOISE. FINALLY, VEHICLE STOPPED. STILL MAKING WHINNIN NOISE AFTER TURNING IT OFF. DISCONNECTED FUSE TO ABS BRAKE LIGHT. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP & WAS INFORMED NOT UNDER WARRANTY, AND WOULD NOT REPAIR ABS BRAKES.*AK
ABS MOTOR WOULD CAME ON AND CAUSED COMPLETE BRAKE LOSS, DISENGAGED ABS SYSTEM TO ACTIVATE THE HYADRAULIC BRAKE SYSTEM. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS OUT OF ITS WARRANTY. ANY REPAIRS WOULD BE AT DEALER'S COST. *AK
AT 70MPH ON THE INTERSTATE, THE WHOLE SIDEWALL BLEW OUT ON THE TIRE.*AK (DOT NUMBER: VN73WMA TIRESIZE: P26575R16)
WHEN CONSUMER APPLIES GAS PEDAL IT STICKS, HE HAS TO PRESS VERY HARD TO GET VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE, WHEN VEHICLE ACCELERATES IT JUMPS AND COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *AK *SLC
A PIECE OF METAL FELL OUT OF STEERING COLUMN. ALSO, FRONT END NEEDED ALIGNMENT DUE TO DRIFTING/PULLING RIGHT/ 4-WD LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. WHEN SHIFTING INTO GEAR, REAR END WOULD POP, AND ABS BRAKES WENT OUT WHEN APPLIED. WHEN VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF IT WOULD STILL BE RUNNING. WOULD RESTART IT AND IT TURNED OFF.*AK
FRONT CRASH AT 50 MPH, VEHICLE TOTALLED, DRIVER INJURED WHEN SHE HIT STEERING WHEEL, AND AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
HEADLIGHTS FAILED TWICE WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. DUE TO A WIRE THAT SHORTED OUT. BUT CONSUMER IS STILL HAVING OTHER RELATED ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. *AK
ABS MODULE TOR MOTOR WENT OUT.*AK
INITIAL AIR LEAK OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY 1 MONTH AFTER DELIVERY, THE WINDOW WAS REPLACED, AND HAS BEEN REPLACED 5 OTHER TIMES INCLUDING NEXT SERVICE APPOINTMENT, IN SEPT. OR OCT. OF THIS YEAR A THUMPING SENSATION WAS FELT THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL, AFTER ONE ATTEMPT TO SERVICE, DEALER WAS UNABLE TO REPRODUCE PROBLEM, I REQUESTED APPOINTMENT WITH SERVICE ADVISOR IN WHICH PROBLEM WAS NOTICED. I WAS TOLD IT WAS A LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHING AND THAT WAS OCCURRING WITH THE 99 SILVERADO FREQUENTLY. WITH THAT SAID THE SERVICE ADVISOR AT PARKS CHEVROLET IN BEAUFORT, SC 843-525-4100 STATED THAT BOTH THE WINDOW WOULD BE REPAIRED AT THE SAME TIME THE FRONT WAS REPAIRED; HE WOULD ORDER THE PARTS; I HAVE RECEIVED NO CALLS FROM THE DEALER. *AK
CONSUMER BELIEVES THE ABS SYSTEM IS DEFECTIVE IN DESIGN WHICH CAUSES THE CONSUMER TO LOOSE CONTROL WHILE BRAKING AND THE PEDAL TO FEEL SPONGY. NLM
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY GIVEN SPEED AND WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THEY WILL NOT WORK FOR 5-10 SECONDS AFTER TRACTION CONTROL IS ACTIVATED. *AK
GAS PEDAL STICKS. MAKES TRUCK JERK QUICKLY FORWARD IN DRIVE GEAR, OR JERK QUICKLY BACKWARD WHEN IN REVERSE. THE PART WAS REPLACED AT ABOUT 34000 MILES, HOWEVER THE SAME PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN AT 67000 MILES. LESS THAN 34000 MILES AGAIN. THIS IS A SEVERE PROBLEM WITH THE GAS PEDAL STICKING. IT IS HARD TO PARK THE TRUCK, BACK THE TRUCK UP, OR START MOVEMENT OF THE TRUCK IN TIGHT PLACES. THE TRUCK COULD LURCH OUT OF CONTROL AND HIT ANOTHER CAR IN FRONT OR REAR. THE GAS PEDAL HAS TO BE STOMPED TO GET IT UNSTUCK. THIS COULD LEAD TO AN UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION.
DRIVER'S SEAT SEPARATED FROM TRACK, CAUSING SEAT TO MOVE UNEXPECTEDLY WHEN APPLYING ACCELERATOR OR BRAKES. DEALER WAS INSPECTING VEHICLE.*AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
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 →