2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Body & structure Problems

Rusted Frame and body

NHTSA ID

11674934

Incident

Jun 28, 2023

The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that the frame of the vehicle was significantly rusted, and the contact did not feel safe driving the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the frame was inspected. The dealer informed the contact that the frame needed to be replaced; however, the repair fee would supersede the value of the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and offered monetary assistance towards the purchase of a new vehicle. The contact related the failure to TSB Number: 19-NA-255. The failure mileage was approximately 139,000.

NHTSA ID

11662373

Incident

May 7, 2025

Mileage

139,000 mi

I have been shopping for a truck for a little over a year now specifically a 2012 Chevy Silverado. To date everyone I found has frame and body rust but the frame rust is so bad that most aren’t safe to drive.

NHTSA ID

11659405

Incident

May 2, 2025

The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while the vehicle was at the Walmart Tire Center for tire replacement, the contact was informed that the tires could not be replaced. The contact was informed that the front driver's side frame was corroded and had holes. The contact was advised to stop driving the vehicle. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was advised to bring the vehicle to the dealer for inspection. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was offered a 1-10 percent discount on the purchase of another vehicle. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 181,000.

NHTSA ID

11611537

Incident

Aug 28, 2024

Mileage

181,000 mi

The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, her husband observed corrosion and holes in front of the gas tank and the frame of the vehicle. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving at approximately 45 MPH, the ABS, traction control, and steering stabilizer warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 42,000.

NHTSA ID

11610890

Incident

Jun 15, 2024

Mileage

42,000 mi

The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, he became aware that the front and rear sub frame were extremely rusted. The contact also stated the shock tube had detached from the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the front and rear sub frame needed to be replaced. The dealer was not contacted, and the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.

NHTSA ID

11588548

Incident

May 13, 2024

Mileage

72,000 mi

2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 pickup truck has very extensive frame damage for 115k miles which has caused it to be unsafe to drive and basically scrap. I am the 2nd owner of the truck. When I bought it at 70k miles it definitely had rust on the frame, but no major holes. It has now rusted through in multiple spots. Is there anything that I can do or am I pretty much out of luck?

NHTSA ID

11575926

Incident

Mar 7, 2024

The body and frame are rusted so bad they wouldn't inspect it unless the y would weld on the frame only has 73000 miles

NHTSA ID

11568868

Incident

Feb 1, 2022

THE FRAME HAS RUSTED OUT AND IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. LEFT TIRE IS ALMOST SNAPPED AND YOU CAN PUT YOUR HAND THROUGH THE RUST IN FRAME. HAS BEEN INSPECTED BY 2 MECHANICS. I AM THE SECOND OWNER AND HAVE BABIED THIS TRUCK SINCE THE FIRST DAY I GOT IT IN 2014. ADDITIONAL DEFECT IS THE TAILGATE WONT STATE SHUT, MUST CLOSE 3-4 TIMES FOR IT TO REMAIN CLOSED.

NHTSA ID

11558673

Incident

Jan 1, 2023

Frame and suspension components are complete rusted and rotting off of frame. I am afraid to drive the truck in fear of it falling apart on me while on the road.

NHTSA ID

11544108

Incident

Sep 12, 2023

1. Serious frame rust found (holes punched on the inside frame rails, middle of truck). We have yet to check the rest of the truck. The truck was originally coated by ziebart ~3 times, coated with rust protective paint for maintenance (myself). The rust could not be slowed. 2. Myself including passengers could be hurt if this frame fails. Could cause accident if the failure occurs in traffic. 3. Issue confirmed by frame inspection by independent service center (Motor City Rustproofing). The application was not applied since the frame rust was discovered. 4 Not yet 5. No warning lamps, messages or other systems as of yet. 6. This vehicle is used for general cargo in the bed and hauling a 28ft. travel trailer and I'm concerned the frame will fail and cause health and safety issues. 7. Rust will occur in general, but this scenario is much more severe for an 11 year old truck and was most likely present a few years before today's inspection. 8. The truck is passed the corrosion warranty of 100K miles & May of 2018, but the severity of the rust is highly out range for this vehicle. 9. Can this be looked into as I'm now reading these trucks are severely affected for year 2009-2014. Most cases I read with sever rust are mostly parted out of junked if they cannot be safely repaired. 10. The rest of the truck is in great condition and has many more years of life and I'll like to keep it. 11. Some sample pics will be attached for has been found so far.

NHTSA ID

11507736

Incident

Feb 17, 2023

The frame of my truck is very badly rusted. Parts such as shock, body and engine mounts are very rusted and can't be as strong as necessary. Pieces of rust 1/16th thick are coming off in many places. I have not taken it to a dealership yet to see it because i have only just recently really looked at it because i was working on the trailer hitch and was under the truck for a while.

NHTSA ID

11465193

Incident

May 18, 2022

vehicle has extreme rust rot to both frame rails and cross member near the gas tank. vehicle has 88000 miles

NHTSA ID

11439072

Incident

Oct 20, 2021

THE DASHBOARD ON MY 2012 CHEVY SILVERADO 1500 IS CRACKED IN TWO PLACES. THE CRACK NEXT TO THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG HAS BEEN THERE SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE BUT THE CRACK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DASHBOARD JUST APPEARED FROM NORMAL CITY STREET AND HIGHWAY DRIVING. I AM CONCERNED IT COULD BE A PROBLEM IF I AM INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID

11414024

Incident

Mar 1, 2021

Mileage

155,000 mi

SEVERELY CRACKED DASH. COULD SHATTER IN A CRASH AND SEND SHROUDS OF PLASTIC THROUGH OUT THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT.

NHTSA ID

11405179

Incident

Jun 15, 2017

Mileage

43,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE ROCKER PANEL WAS CORRODED AND RUSTED THROUGH. THE CONTACT CALLED FRIENDLY CHEVROLET (7501 HWY 65 NE, FRIDLEY, MN 55432, (612)276-2955) WHO STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT AND THAT THE ROCKER PANEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,000.

NHTSA ID

11404178

Incident

Mar 19, 2020

Mileage

94,000 mi

MY PASSENGER AIR BAG WAS REPLACED UNDER RECALL N202324210 BY PRIORITY CHEVROLET OF CHESAPEAKE VA. I WAS REQUIRED BY THE DEALERSHIP TO SIGN ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THE GM OR THE DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR DASHBOARD CRACKING AS PART OF THE REPAIR. MY TRUCK IS LOW MILEAGE AND IN GREAT CONDITION SO I EXPECTED NO PROBLEMS. HOWEVER, THE DEALERSHIP TECHNICIAN DID CRACK MY DASHBOARD AND PREDICTABLY THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO TAKE ANY ACTION. I THINK IT IS UNACCEPTABLE THAT THE MANUFACTURER AND THEIR AUTHORIZED SERVICE DEPARTMENTS SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO DAMAGE CUSTOMER VEHICLES DURING RECALL REPAIRS. ALSO, WHILE MY CRACKS ARE FAIRLY SMALL, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT INVISIBLE DAMAGE MIGHT HAVE OCCURRED. HOW CAN I BE CONFIDENT THAT THE RECALL REPAIR DID NOT CREATE MISSILE HAZARDS? IT IS COMMON TO VIEW THE DASHBOARD AS MERELY DECORATIVE BUT I AM NOW FORCED TO CONSIDER WHAT NEW HAZARDS ARE PRESENTED BY THE DASHBOARD, BOTH FROM UNSECURED MATERIAL IN A CRASH AND MISSILE HAZARDS IN THE AREA OF THE AIRBAG, THAT WERE DIRECTLY CAUSED BY A GOVERNMENT ORDERED RECALL. I BELIEVE THAT NHTSA SHOULD ORDER REPAIR OF ALL MOUNTING EQUIPMENT AND DASHBOARD COMPONENTS AS PART OF THIS AND FUTURE AIR BAG RECALLS. THANK YOU.

NHTSA ID

11403999

Incident

Dec 30, 2020

TTHIS VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN 3 SEPARATE ACCIDENTS, 1ST ANOTHER DRIVER PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF THE TRUCK CAUSING THE ACCIDENT; 2ND A DRIVER FELL ASLEEP WITH HIS FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR AND REAR ENDED ME AT ABOUT 90 MPH; 3RD AN OUT STATE DRIVER REAR ENDED MY SON'S CAR WHICH WAS FORCED INTO THE REAR OF MY TRUCK. THE 3 ACCIDENTS WERE SEVERE ENOUGH THAT THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN SOME TYPE OF AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT BUT THERE WAS NOT. I NOTIFIED GM IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE 1ST ACCIDENT ABOUT THE FAILURE OF THE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY. I SHOULD MENTIONED THAT THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT BROKE DUE THE HARSHNESS OF THE ACCIDENT. ALL THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL YEARS AGO BUT GM NEVER ANSWERED ME NOR TOOK ANY ACTION TO INVESTIGATE THE FAILURE OF THE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY. TODAY, 4 MARCH, I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE BECAUSE AFTER ALL THESE YEARS TAKATA HAS ADMITTED THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE BAGS, EXCEPT THEY SAY IT IS ONLY THE PASSENGER AIR BAG. TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH I DIDN'T EVEN THINK I HAD AIR BAGS BECAUSE THEY NEVER WORKED. THE ID NUMBER FOR THIS RECALL IS 21V051. I AM HOPEFUL THAT EVEN THOUGH THESE ACCIDENTS TOOK PLACE YEARS AGO, I DON'T HAVE ACTUAL DATES BECAUSE I DIDN'T THEY WERE IMPORTANT, THAT YOU, AS THE FEDERAL AGENCY RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERSEEING THE SAFETY OF CARS USING OUR HIGHWAYS, WILL INQUIRE AS TO WHY GM FAILED TO INVESTIGATE A SAFETY COMPLAINT SUBMITTED TO THEIR CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER. HAVING SOME ADMINISTRATION KNOWLEDGE I AM SURE THERE HAS TO BE A FILE FOLDER WITH MY COMPLAINT IN IT. THANK YOU AND PLEASE HELP ME? * (RECALL RELATED INCIDENT) TS

NHTSA ID

11399221

Incident

Aug 3, 2020

Mileage

50,000 mi

IN FEBRUARY 2020 THE EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLE ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR BROKE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AT A COST TO ME OF $163.73. NOW THE EXTERIOR HANDLE ON THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR IS BROKEN AND HAS TO BE REPLACED. IN BOTH CASES THE HANDLE BECAME DETACHED ON THE INSIDE OF THE DOOR FRAME.

NHTSA ID

11394495

Incident

Feb 20, 2020

Mileage

50,985 mi

I BOUGHT MY 2012 CHEVROLET SILVERADO TEXAS EDITION ON, MAY 26, 2012, FROM CLASSIC CHEVROLET OF GRAPEVINE, TEXAS. I PAID $31,622.80 FOR THE TRUCK. I FEEL THAT A NEW VEHICLE SOLD IN AMERICA SHOULD HAVE AN IMPLIED WARRANTY ATTACHED TO IT THAT GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND EXPRESS WARRANTIES WHEN IT COMES TO THE VEHICLE'S SAFETY. AFTER TWO YEARS AS AN OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE I NOTICED A STAIN ON MY REAR CARPET. THE MORE I RUBBED IT THE MORE IT SPREAD. I FIGURED THAT ONE OF MY GRAND CHILDREN PROBABLY SPILLED SOMETHING AND SO I JUST DECIDED TO TRY TO LIVE WITH IT. IN LATE 2019 I NOTICED THAT MY CARPET BEHIND MY DRIVER'S SEAT WAS WET AFTER A HEAVY RAIN. SO I TOWEL DRIED IT AND TOOK A PAPER RECEIPT FROM MY CONSOLE AND ATTEMPTED TO ADJUST THE HEADER PRESSURE ON THE REAR DOOR BY STRIKING THE ROCKER PANEL STRIKER. THIS YEAR I TOOK A TRIP TO KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI IN FEBRUARY. I FOUND MYSELF HAVING TO DRIVE UNDER RAINY, MISTING, WINDSHIELD, FREEZING AND FOGGING, UP. MY DEFROSTER WAS NO MATCH FOR IT BECAUSE IT NEVER WAS ABLE TO CLEAR MY WINDSHIELD SUFFICIENTLY. ON THE WAY BACK TO TEXAS I LEFT K.C. AT 4:00 AM. THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER WAS STILL PERSISTING. MY BLOOD PRESSURE AND HEARTBEAT RACED A FEW TIMES WHEN I TRIED TO MOVE AHEAD OF TRUCKS TO AVOID THE SPLASHING FROM THEIR WAKE. IN JUNE I DISCOVERED POOLING OF WATER BEHIND MY DRIVER'S SEAT. IT WAS SO RIDICULOUS I HAD TO TAKE IT TO CLASSIC. AFTER 3 HOURS IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THE SERVICE MANAGER RETURNED TO ME AND ESCORTED ME TO THE TECHNICIAN. THE TECH SHOWED ME THAT THE WATER WAS COMING FROM AN UNSEALED OVERLAP AT MY FIREWALL. HE EXPLAINED THAT THE LEAK'S BEEN GOING ON FOR SOME TIME. THIS AREA AT THE TOP OF YOUR FENDER IS WHERE THE WATER IS ENTERING AND IT FILLS UP AN AREA INSIDE YOUR FINDER AND THEN IT LEAKS THROUGH YOUR FIREWALL AND RUNS DOWN YOUR ROCKER AND SETTLES AT THE BACK SEAT WELL. THAT REPORT COST ME $145.00.*DT*JB*JB

NHTSA ID

11344249

Incident

Jun 25, 2020

Mileage

28,371 mi

DASH IS CRACKING. *TR

NHTSA ID

11329273

Incident

Apr 6, 2020

Mileage

16,000 mi

MY 2012 CHEVY SILVERADO HAS STARTED CRACKING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE NEARBY THE AIR BAG AREA. THE CAR WAS PARKED IN MY PARKING LOT WHEN I REALIZED THIS CRACKING ISSUE STARTED. I AM JUST WORRIED THAT IT WILL CRACK MORE AND BE A SAFETY ISSUE IN THE FUTURE.

NHTSA ID

11322764

Incident

Mar 3, 2020

THE DASHBOARD CRACKED AROUND THE AIR BAG ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND BEHIND THE STEERING WHILE. I'M GUESSING IT HAPPENED OVER NIGHT I DONT KNOW EXACTLY. ONE MORNING I GOT IN MY TRUCK NOTICED THE CRACK AROUND AIRBAG AND WEEKS LATER THE ONE BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL.

NHTSA ID

11290774

Incident

Dec 14, 2014

Mileage

30,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE DASHBOARD WAS CRACKED UPON ENTERING HER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CRACK STARTED FROM THE LEFT CORNER OF THE PASSENGER AIR BAG AND EXTENDED TO THE EDGE OF THE PASSENGER SIDE DEFROSTER VENT. THE CONTACT ESTIMATED THAT THE CRACK REACHED APPROXIMATELY ONE AND A HALF INCHES. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH COAST AUTO CENTER INC (530 CHETCO AVE, BROOKINGS, OR 97415, 541-469-5321) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY WERE FAMILIAR WITH THE DEFECT AND STATED THAT THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST GMC REGARDING SEVERAL OTHER GMC VEHICLES. THERE WAS A POTENTIAL THAT THE CRACKS COULD CAUSE POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARDS. THE DEALER DID NOT ASSIST. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND A COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,696. *TT*JB

NHTSA ID

11265363

Incident

Aug 16, 2019

Mileage

40,696 mi

DASH CRACKED TO FRONT AIRBAG

NHTSA ID

11235002

Incident

Jul 26, 2019

Mileage

74,867 mi