RoadVitals

2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
110
+2 complaints in 30 days
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
10
Latest Feb 12, 2026
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
1
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
5
2 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 110 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, most frequently naming the powertrain (other), brakes and electrical categories. 10 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 1 NHTSA investigation names it; and 1,401 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

10 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWARE; POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:FLUID/LUBRICANT:VALVES/VALVE BODY

Feb 12, 2026
1,055 units potentially affected
The defect: General Motors, LLC is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, 3500, GMC Sierra 2500, 3500, and 2020-2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles that may have been repaired incorrectly under recall 24V797. The transmission control valve may fail and cause the rear wheels to lock up.
The risk: Rear wheel lock up increases the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Dealers will inspect the vehicles and update the transmission control software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 6, 2026. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N252516560. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on February 12, 2026.
General Motors, LLCManufacturer number N252516560View on NHTSA.gov

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWARE; POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:FLUID/LUBRICANT:VALVES/VALVE BODY

Oct 24, 2024
463,295 units potentially affected
The defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2500, 3500, GMC Sierra 1500, 2500, 3500, 2021 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles equipped with diesel engines. The transmission control valve may fail and cause the rear wheels to lock-up.
The risk: Rear wheel lock-up can increase the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Dealers will install new transmission control module software, free of charge. GM will provide a special coverage program to cover the repair of transmissions that are identified by the remedy software as containing a defective control valve. Owner notification letters were mailed December 12, 2024. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, GMC customer service at GMC 1-800-462-8782 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N242454440.
General Motors, LLCManufacturer number N242454440View on NHTSA.gov

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TAILGATE:LATCH

Feb 1, 2024
570,434 units potentially affected
The defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2024 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, 3500, GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 vehicles equipped with power-unlatching tailgates. The tailgate's electronic gate-release switch may short circuit due to water intrusion, which can result in the tailgate inadvertently unlatching while the vehicle is in park.
The risk: An unlatched tailgate may open while driving and result in a loss of unsecured cargo, creating a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Owners are advised to check that the tailgate is closed and latched before driving. Dealers will replace the exterior touchpad switch assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 17, 2024. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N232426400.
General Motors, LLCManufacturer number N232426400View on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

PE21010ClosedPreliminary Evaluation

Air Bag Malfunction

Opened Apr 9, 2021
Closed Aug 24, 2023

On April 9, 2021, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE21-010 to investigate instances of air bag malfunction indicator light (MIL) illumination and potential for frontal air bag non-deployment in several vehicles manufactured by General Motors (GM). The vehicles included model year (MY) 2020 through 2021 CT4 and CT5 passenger cars, Sierra and Silverado trucks (1500/2500/3500 models), XT4 and MY 2021 Escalade, Suburban, Tahoe, Yukon SUVs.Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 21-NA-005, issued in March 2021, addresses air bag MIL illumination with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) B0001-1B or B0012-0D. It cites rust particles in the connection terminal interface of the driver air bag inflator housing as the cause of the air bag MIL illumination. Illumination of the air bag MIL under these circumstances may result in a non-deployment of the frontal driver air bag during a frontal collision and increased risk of injury to the driver.GM stated a correlation exists between production delays due to the pandemic shutdown and premature corrosion initiation on the surface of the air bag inflator housing, which, in some cases, caused rust development during a seven (7) month period of vehicle production. In the rare instance when a rust particle dislodges from the driver air bag inflator housing and enters the air bag connector prior to assembly, an intermittent resistance spike at the air bag connector may result. The condition generates excessive resistance in the air bag electrical system when the steering wheel horn cover is manipulated or the steering wheel is turned. This excessive resistance is momentary. A crash commanding air bag deployment would need to occur exactly when the momentary excessive resistance occurs. Thus, there is a very low likelihood the hazard will present a risk during a crash of sufficient severity to warrant a commanded deployment. This failure mechanism occurs early in life and results in an air bag MIL illumination that corresponds to a DTC warning the driver that the vehicle requires service. The vehicle's air bag remains functional while the MIL is illuminated, and the DTC is present.Once the connection of the driver air bag module to the clockspring is made at the plant, or at the dealership for service, there is no longer an opportunity for rust migration into the connection point. The connector is sealed and has gold terminals, eliminating the expectation of fretting corrosion. All subject vehicles passed standard corrosion validation testing for extensive corrosion with no issue of air bag non-deployment.There is a low rate of occurrence: 1.41 incidents per thousand vehicles (IPTV) for all related occurrences, and 0.04 IPTV for occurrences with a mention of visible rust and/or corrosion on the air bag inflator housing. The average occurrence mileage for the subject vehicles is approximately 2,100. Every occurrence related to the alleged defect experienced an air bag MIL illumination and there are no verified allegations of air bag non-deployment within all data sources.To date, there have been no reported fires, crashes, injuries, or fatalities related to this issue. In view of the low rate, and the nature of early-life failure, the high detectability of failures, and low potential hazard to drivers, this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by new circumstances.Review the ODI reports cited above at nhtsa.gov under the following identification numbers: 11537927, 11528888, 11525020, 11521401, 11506057, 11493107, 11486767, 11441525, 11433146, 11425658, 11423440, 11385267, 11376429, 11373466, 11366995.

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Filed Nov 6, 2026

18-NA-383 That is the bulletin number from the NHTSA in regard to the rear power window leaking even after it was repaired at Koons Chevrolet in White Marsh, MD. Apparently, this is a known problem that Chevy knows about but has not done nothing to fix the problem. Customers pay good money for the trucks and expect the manufacturers to own up to their faults.

NHTSA ID
11776128
Incident
Nov 6, 2026
BrakesElectrical
Filed Oct 25, 2026

Trailer brakes keep disconnecting and connecting . Warning pops up on dash to check trailer connections. I may not happen for a hundred miles or does it 10 or 12 times in just a few miles.I've seen several complaints from on line reports but no solutions from GM yet. Very frustrating when trying to pull a trailer.

NHTSA ID
11773551
Incident
Oct 1, 2025
Powertrain (other)
Filed Sep 21, 2026

While driving on the highway our transmission cooling line completely separated at rubber hose to metal line crimp. This cause transmission fluid to burst out all over the vehicle including the windshield and trailer. Vehicle immediately stopped pulling and we barely were able to get to the side of the road. This also caused a catastrophic transmission failure costing approximately $10,000 to repair. GM covered some of the transmission cost but still left us with $5000 bill for a transmission line defect on a vehicle under 100,000 miles. This created a unsafe condition with the trans fluid on the windshield and immediate loss of drive. All maintenance was performed per manufacturers specifications and no warning signs/lights/leaks provided prior to the failure. I do have pictures of the failed transmission cooling line.

NHTSA ID
11765810
Incident
May 21, 2026
Brakes
Filed Sep 17, 2026

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. The contact stated that while driving 20 MPH and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle was making a squealing noise. The failure was a recurring failure. The contact associated the failure with Technical Service Bulletin: 20-NA-020. The dealer was contacted and replaced the brake pads to fix the vehicle; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was contacted by phone and was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 12,000.

NHTSA ID
11764984
Incident
Jan 15, 2020
Mileage
12,000 mi
BrakesPowertrain (other)
Filed Sep 17, 2026

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. The contact stated that the transmission shuddered and hesitated while driving 55 MPH or at higher speed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the dealer was no longer in business. While driving at various speeds, the lifters were squeaking. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and was diagnosed with lifters failure. The contact decided not to repair the vehicle. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.

NHTSA ID
11764917
Incident
Sep 17, 2024
Mileage
170,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Sep 15, 2026

My vehicle was taken to Legacy Chevrolet of Waxahachie where a routine recall notice was addressed. During the process they technician broke my battery terminal. Upon my discovery the dealership claimed the broken terminal must have just broke on its own during the time it was at their dealership in spite of the ECM module update requiring the technician to specifically remove the battery cable from that specific terminal. Legacy has refused to address this issue and charged me for the new batteries as well as for the tow that was required. The damage was caused by their technician and all of the costs incurred should have been absorbed by the dealership.

NHTSA ID
11764369
Incident
Sep 10, 2026
Powertrain (other)
Filed Sep 9, 2026

2 of the 4 Balance weights from Front Axle Propeller Shaft have become detached from their welds. Found on chassis during routine maintenance and visual inspection. Truck was just outside window of recall N202314870, Contacted GM Customer care to confirm no recall work was preformed and vehicle is outside of window of the referenced recall. Vehicle scheduled for evaluation/repair by GM Dealer 9/14/26 approx. 84000miles

NHTSA ID
11763038
Incident
Sep 7, 2026
Powertrain (other)
Filed Aug 28, 2026

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission was slipping and shifting hard. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V083000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included. The dealer was notified of the failure, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

NHTSA ID
11760255
Incident
Jun 28, 2026
Mileage
120,000 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

PIC5650N

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an intermittent no crank, no start, or start stall concern with the security light coming on. Technician may find Diagnostic Trouble Codes B3055, B3

PIP6142

This Preliminary Information (PI) relays to dealer technicians to inspect the valve lifters during adjustment or repair for a rocker arm concern or an instance of low lift height.

PIT5909D

This Preliminary information communicates that it is normal for the tailgate to drop faster than it used to after the GM Accessory Kicker Audio System is installed.

PIT6451A

This PI communicates information that Engineering has released an updated Trailer Lighting Control Module to correct false Service Trailer Turn Signal Message when operating the power tailgate with no trailer connected.

GM Update N25-250552

• Improvements to OnStar functionality.

PIT5698F

This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Chevrolet Silverado 2500 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2027000—
2026132058.9
2025311045.2
20241454052.3
2023471049.0
2022973055.0
2021896161.4
2020Viewing11010163.1
2019747060.9
2018535059.8
2017545053.1
20161236053.3
20151796160.2
2014402153.8
2013513146.7
2012533152.3
20111044151.2
2010215149.8
2009615159.7
20081914359.5
20072043358.6
20061781044.2
20052691043.8
20043682048.9
20034492152.7
20023513460.3
20013001348.2
20001323259.9
1999812046.4
1998732051.7
1997642048.5
1996200—
1995300—
1994300—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.