Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1999 Chevrolet Silverado submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 47 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 47, in the owner's own words
MY TRUCK SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT FREEWAY SPEEDS. I WAS ABLE TO TURN THE TRUCK BACK ON AND HEADED TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE I WAS NOTIFIED IT WAS THE IGNITION SWITCH WHICH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS NO WARNING PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT (NO ISSUES WITH STARTING OR SHUTTING OFF WHILE IN MOTION). *TR
BROKEN ODOMETER. *TR
(1) NONE (2) INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD GO HAY-WIRE. ANY OR ALL THE GAUGES WOULD BE PEGGED FOR NO REASON AND THEN EITHER GO DEAD OR START WORKING AGAIN. (3) IT WAS "SO CALLED REPAIRED" TWICE UNDER WARRANTY. I WAS WAITING FOR IT TO GO COMPLETELY OUT SO THEY COULD SEE WHAT WAS WRONG. IT WENT OUT FOR GOOD ABOUT 6/20/02. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND HE SAID IT HAD TO BE REMOVED AND SENT BACK TO GM FOR REPAIR. I GOT MY TRUCK BACK ON 6/28. HE TOLD ME IT WOULD BE AROUND 500.00 FOR THE REPAIR. I TOLD HIM, AND HE HAD IT ON RECORD BECAUSE I HAD IT "REPAIRED" THE 2 TIMES UNDER WARRANTY THAT I DIDN'T FEEL THAT I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING BECAUSE I FELT IT WS NEVER REPAIRED CORRECTLY IN THE FIRST PLACE. HE SAID THE BEST HE COULD DO WAS CHARGE ME AROUND 250.00. I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO PAY BECAUSE HE WOULDN'T RELEASE MY TRUCK BACK TO ME.....I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME PROBLEM ON ALOT OF OTHER TRUCKS, SUV'S ETC IN THE GM LINE. I FEEL THAT GM SHOULD RE-IMBURSE ME BECAUSE I HAD TO PAY FOR A PROBLEM THEY DID NOT FIX IN THE WARRANTY PERIOD. *TR
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILED AND THE GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR DID NOT ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER PREVIOUSLY WAS REPLACED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM.
I WOKE UP TO A DEAD BATTERY YESTERDAY ON MY 1999 Z71 SILVERADO. I JUMPED THE VEHICLE AND DROVE TO THE LOCAL AUTO PARTS STORE TO REPLACE THE BATTERY SINCE IT WAS THE ORIGINAL AND I DID NOT WANT TO GET STRANDED IN 0 DEGREE WEATHER. IN ROUTE, MY ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND A LOUD MOTOR SOUND CAME FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THIS NOISE DID NOT CEASE ONCE I TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF. I REPLACED THE BATTERY & DROVE TO MY DEALER. HE OPENED THE HOOD AND PULLED THE ABS FUSE AND SAID "YOU CAN FIX IT THIS WAY OR THE EXPENSIVE WAY FOR $1500." I PLAN ON KEEPING THE VEHICLE FOR A COUPLE MORE YEARS AND DRIVE THREE SMALL CHILDREN IN THIS VEHICLE SO SAFETY IS OF MY UTMOST CONCERN. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ECBM FOR OVER $1100. THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE AS WELL AS NUMEROUS OTHER FORUMS. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED PROBLEM. GM NEEDS TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND ISSUE AT LEAST A RECALL TO INSPECT THESE UNITS AS THEY ARE IN AN AREA ON THE VEHICLE THAT IS SUBJECT TO ROAD DEBRIS & CORROSION. AND ULTIMATELY REIMBURSE ANY SILVERADO OWNERS FOR EXPENSES INCURRED TO REPLACE THIS UNIT. HOW MANY COMPLAINTS DOES IT TAKE TO GET AN ACTION OUT OF CHEVROLET? HOPEFULLY THEY RESPOND BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT. *JB
1999 SILVERADO BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED, WHEN PRESSING THE BRAKES THEY WENT TO THE FLOOR. *TS THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED BRAKE FAILURE ON 5 SEPARATE OCCASION. ON 2 OF THE 5 OCCASIONS THE CONSUMER REAR ENDED A VEHICLE AND THE LAST TIME THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND SUBSEQUENTLY CRASHED THROUGH A GARAGE DOOR. THE CONSUMER STATED SHE WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL INVESTIGATION OF THE ABS. THE DEALER DID ADMIT ON THE INVOICE THERE WAS A PROBLEM, HOWEVER THEY REFUSED TO FIX IT. THE CD PLAYER WAS NOT READING THE CD'S IT WOULD ISSUE AN ERROR MESSAGE. *JB
I HAVE BEEN HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE BRAKES ON MY PICKUP TRUCK CAUSING MY TRUCK TO WANT TO GO INTO A SPIN WHEN I TRY TO STOP. THE TRUCK PULLS TO EITHER THE LEFT OR RIGHT WHEN SLOWING TO A STOP. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE PROBLEM CHECKED OUT AND THEY TOLD ME THE BRAKES JUST NEEDED CLEANING. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED AFTER THE CLEANING AND RECENTLY I NOTICED THE ABS SYSTEM KICKING IN ALSO. I HEARD ABOUT A RECALL INVOLVING 1999 VINTAGE GM PICKUP TRUCKS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE ABS BRAKES SO I INQUIRED WITH GM ABOUT THE RECALL. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE; A 1999 CHEVY SILVERADO 3500. I ALSO READ A COUPLE OF NEWS ARTICLES THAT SAID GM WASN'T FINDING ENOUGH EVIDENCE HERE IN THE US TO JUSTIFY A RECALL ON THESE VEHICLES. I HAVEN'T HAD AN ACCIDENT CAUSED BY THIS YET AND I HOPE THAT I DON'T BUT WINTER IS COMING AND THE LIKELIHOOD WILL INCREASE DUE TO THE DRIVING CONDITIONS.*JB
DT: THE CONTACT STATES HE WAS WORKING ON A VEHICLE IN CUSTOMER CAR SHOP IN MIAMI. HE WAS TAKING THE DOORS OFF WHEN WITHIN 15 MINUTES TO A 1/2 HOUR HE SMELLED SMOKE. THE WHOLE DASHBOARD UNDERNEATH THE STEERING WHEEL WAS ON FIRE. EVERYTHING UNDER THE HOOD CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE SPREAD FROM THE DASHBOARD TO THE BACK OF THE CAR. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SEEM TO THINK IT WAS ELECTRICAL. THE WHOLE SHOP BURNED DOWN BECAUSE OF THE VEHICLE FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED. TWO FIRE MARSHALS CAME AND THEY QUESTIONED THE WIRING. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS ALSO CALLED. THIS HAPPENED ON 9-22-05.*AK
GM 1999 SILVERADO ANIT LOCK BRAKE UNIT WOULD NOT SHUT OFF EVEN WHEN TRUCK WAS SHUT OFF. I TRIED TO DISCONNECT BATTERY AND BURNED FINGERS. TO CORRECT THE FAILURE PULLED THE FUSE, BUT BRAKES DO NOT STOP GOOD I HAVE TO PRESS REAL HARD TO STOP. THE PROBLEM WITH THE ABS BRAKE IS THAT THE PUMP MOTOR IS PRODUCING VOLTAGE SPIKES AND THE AMPLIFIER SHORTS AND WON'T SHUT OFF DRAWING HIGH CURRENT AND ANTI LOCK BRAKE FAILURE AND OVER HEATING OF BATTERY TERMINALS CAUSING BURNS WHEN TOUCHED. THIS WAS SO HOT THAT THE POST CAME OUT OF THE BATTERY. TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM GM NEEDS TO CHANGE THE AMPLIFIER TO ORIGINAL FAILED 75 AMP PUMP MOTOR POWER AMPLIFIER WITH A DOUBLE DUTY RATED 104 AMP (360 AMP SURGE) DEVICE. ADD A 600 WATT HIGH SPEED VOLTAGE SUPPRESSOR TO PROTECT THE EBCM AND THE NEW AMPLIFIER SET FROM VOLTAGE SPIKES CREATED BY THE PUMP MOTOR AND JUMP STARTS. I HAVE NOT HAD THIS FIXED ON MY TRUCK BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR A RECALL. WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE THEM FIX THIS. YOU HAVE MANY LISTING OF THIS FAILURE ON YOUR SITE. LISTED AS BRAKE LIGHTS ON, ABS ETC. EBAY NOW HAS PEOPLE WHO FIX THESE MODULES ONE HAS OVER 400 SATISFIED CUSTOMERS. I THIS THIS MAY EFFECT MILLION OF TRUCKS. INCIDENT DATE I WOULD HAVE TO CHECK FOR ACTUAL DATE.
PARKING BRAKE HAS NEVER BEEN EFFECTIVE TO HOLD VEHICLE, AT 66000 MILES THE REAR AXLE PINION BEARINGS WORE OUT. AT 68 K000MILES THE ABS CONTROLLER STOPPED WORKING/ FUSE HAD TO BE PULLED TO STOP MOTOR. [SHOULD THERE HAVE BEEN A RECALL ON THIS PART AS A LOT OF SILVERADOS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM] 73000 MILES FRONT AXLE HOUSING SPLIT IN TWO HALVES LITERALLY/ HAD TO REMOVE AXLE. 50000 MILES BATTERY CORRODED AND LEAKED AT POSITIVE TERMINAL TAILGATE STRAPS BROKE, LUCKILY ONE FIRST.*AK
THE TRANSMISSION WAS SERVICED MORE THAN FOUR TIMES WHILE UNDER WARRANTY FOR THE VEHICLE REVVING AND STICKING IN GEAR. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN MAINTAINED AS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN. THE MANUFACTURE OFFERED NO HELP. *JB THE ENGINE HAD COME ON, THE FUEL GAUGE DID NOT READ CORRECTLY, TRANSMISSION SLIPPED, THE C CONTROL WOULD NOT ENGAGE AND A GREEN AND WHITE WIRE AT THE PIN CIRCUIT WAS LOOSE, AND THE SENSOR IN THE WASHER JUG WAS BAD. *SC
THE ROTORS RUSTED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT REPAIRS WERE NOT COVERED SINCE THE CONSUMER LIVED IN NEW ENGLAND. SALT FROM THE SNOW CAUSED THE PROBLEM. *AK THE PEDAL HAD GONE TO THE FLOOR, C/C LIGHT WOULD STAY ON UNTIL THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF, THE GAS PEDAL WOULD STICK/THROTTLE BODY, AND THERE WAS A CLINGING NOISE, THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS INOPERATIVE, AND THE REAR ROTORS WERE PITTED AND RUSTING. *SC *JB
I DRIVE A 1999 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. ON A RAINY DAY TRYING TO DO A STOP THE VEHICLE LOST CONTROL LUCKILY THERE WAS NO OTHER VEHICLES AROUND. LATER I LEARNED THAT THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM WAS FAILING. I LEARNED LATER THAT MANY PEOPLE WITH THE SAME VEHICLE HAVE HAD MANY FAMILIAR INCIDENTS. I HAVE NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM BECAUSE GM CHARGES AN EXTREMELY HIGH PRICE AND THIS IS NOT COVERED BY ANY TYPE OF INSURANCE OF WARRANTY NOT EVEN THE DEALERS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH VEHICLE STALLED, CAUSING CONSUMER TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE DISTRIBUTOR AND ROTOR CAP. *AK
HORN FAILED. THE HORN BECAME HIGH PITCHED AND THEN FAILED ALTOGETHER.*AK
CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT AN INDICATOR LIGHT PROBLEM (SHIFT INDICATOR AND ODOMETER). THE DASHBOARD WAS TOTALLY DIGITAL, AND THE LIGHTS COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING. *AK
FAULTY 4 WHEEL DRIVE SWITCHES &ABS MODULES RUNNING NON STOP. DEALER SAYS THEY SEE A LOT OF THESE BUT THERE ARE NO RECALLS. AN AVERAGE OF 1 PER WEEK. *CB
1999, CHEVROLET, SILVERADO, AT 45000 MILES THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON. THE ABS MOTOR CONTINUED TO RUN EVEN WHEN THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. IT SEEMED LIKE THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE AND NUMEROUS INCIDENTS OF THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED. *AK THE MODULE WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER. THIS PROBLEM MADE THE ABS INOPERATIVE. *SC THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE. *JB
1. ABS MOTOR STARTED RUNNING WHILE DRIVING, THEN KEPT RUNNING, EVEN WHEN VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF. 2. ENGINE TURNS OVER BUT IS HARD TO START IF IT SITS LONGER THAN 15 MINUTES AND LESS THAN 6 HOURS 3. WHILE IDLING, ENGINE OCCASIONALLY SHAKES AND SOUNDS LIKE IT'S GOING TO DIE. *LA
CONSUMER STATES ABS MODULE FAILED DUE TO DEFECTIVE ELECTRICAL WIRES. DEALER HADS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
ACID FROM THE BATTERY ESCAPED WHILE DRIVING AND DRIPPED ONTO THE WASHER TANK PUMP MOTOR. THE ACID DISSOLVED THE HOUSING AND THE PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TT
THE BRAKES LOCKED UP, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO EXPERIENCE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *JB THE CONSUMER LOST CONTROL AS HE DROVE THROUGH A PUDDLE OF FOUR INCH WATER DUE TO THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE SHORTING OUT WHICH CAUSED THE ANTILOCK TO FAIL. SCC
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
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE WILL LOOSE POWER IN THE BATTERY, THAT WHEN AT A COMPLETE STOP AND TRYING TO DRIVE AGAIN THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND THE CONSUMER HAD TO GET JUMP WIRES. CONTACTED DEALER AND THE DEALER CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM. TS
ABS MOTOR WILL NOT TURN OFF AFTER THE CONSUMER TAKES THE KEYS OUT OF IGNITION.
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.
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