1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

2,815 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 14 defect investigations. It scores 100/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Brakes & stability leads the reports, typically around 72,801 miles.

Avoid this year if you can. The 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 1990, 1992–1996, 2010, 2012–2013.

2,815Complaints
100/100Trouble index
2Recalls
78,725Typical trouble mileage

Avoid

Where 1999 sits among all Silverado 1500 years

Darker = quieter yearsBrighter amber = more trouble

What owners report

Brakes & stability 1,457 complaints (52%) · typically ~72,801 miles
“Brake anti lock motor runs continuously had to disconnect motor. Now there is no antilock protection for brakes”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 Silverado 1500
Suspension 146 complaints (5%) · typically ~104,000 miles
“Vibration at 40-45 and 70-75. Truck leans to driver side 1". Dealer cannot fix.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 Silverado 1500
Transmission & drivetrain 145 complaints (5%) · typically ~69,750 miles
“Fuel pump, body control module and main computer have been replaced but the vehicle continues to stall while driving or not start at all. Nlm”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 Silverado 1500
Body & structure 144 complaints (5%) · typically ~115,000 miles
“The frame broke right over the rear end. . I seen the bed of the truck was not lining up with the cab one day.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 Silverado 1500
Wheels & tires 119 complaints (4%) · typically ~51,000 miles
“The tire separated and blowed out,destroying the rim also.( dot number: w273wma238 tire size: p26575r16 )”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 Silverado 1500
Speed control 116 complaints (4%) · typically ~57,040 miles
“Consumer states that while driving at any speed and no warning the throttle will stick and it will be hard for the consumer to get control of the vehicle to decelerate. Dealer notified. Mr”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 Silverado 1500

Mileage when trouble shows up

Among the 1,206 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 78,725 miles. Half of those reports fall between 51,000 and 121,333 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.

Recalls (2)

EQUIPMENT 07E088000 2007

CERTAIN HONEYWELL FRAM RACING BRAND HP4 AND HP8 OIL FILTERS THAT WERE MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 25, 2006, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 14, 2007, AND SOLD FOR USE AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR VEHICLES LIST ABOVE. THE AFFECTED FILTERS ARE MARKED WITH A DATE CODE A61451…

Fix: HONEYWELL WILL REPLACE THE AFFECTED OIL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN DURING NOVEMBER 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE TOLL-FREE AT 1-800-890-2075.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 06E043000 2006

CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18, 2005, THROUGH MARCH 21, 2006, SOLD FOR…

Fix: HONEYWELL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-890-2075 (OPTION 1).

Federal defect investigations

Brake line corrosion failure EA11001 opened 2011, closed 2015
Brake line corrosion failure PE10010 opened 2010, closed 2011
PARKING BRAKE FAILURE DP05009 opened 2005, closed 2006
UNWANTED LOW-SPEED ABS ACTIVATION PE05020 opened 2005, closed 2005

Led to recall campaign 05V379000.

TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES EA05007 opened 2005, closed 2006

Led to recall campaign 06V066000.

TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLE BREAKAGE RQ04010 opened 2004, closed 2005
PARKING BRAKE FAILURE EA04011 opened 2004, closed 2005

Led to recall campaign 05V161000.

TAILGATE CABLE BREAKAGE EA04005 opened 2004, closed 2004

Led to recall campaign 04E067000.

PARKING BRAKE FAILURE PE03057 opened 2003, closed 2004
TAILGATE CABLE BREAKAGE PE03049 opened 2003, closed 2004
STEEL WHEEL RIM FRACTURE PE03026 opened 2003, closed 2003
THROTTLE STICKING CLOSED EA02015 opened 2002, closed 2004
THROTTLE STICKING PE02021 opened 2002, closed 2002
STEERING GEAR/GRAME ATTACHING BOLTS RQ99005 opened 1999, closed 2001

Led to recall campaign 98V242000.

Technical service bulletins

283 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on transmission & drivetrain and engine — are on file for the 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.

See the 1999 Silverado 1500 TSB list →

Complaint history for this model year

When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.

1998peak 367 in 20022024

Questions buyers ask

Is the 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 reliable?

The 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 drew 2,815 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 100/100, scored against the model's worst year (1999).

What are the most common 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 problems?

The top reported problems for the 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 are brakes & stability (1,457 complaints), suspension (146), and transmission & drivetrain (145).

At what mileage do 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 problems show up?

Owners most often report 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 problems around 78,725 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 51,000 and 121,333 miles.

Does the 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 have recalls?

2 recall campaigns apply to the 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.

← 1998 Silverado 1500 All Silverado 1500 years 2000 Silverado 1500 →
Data updated 2026-08-20 from NHTSA's public records

Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.