2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
369 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 2 defect investigations. It scores 14/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Other leads the reports, typically around 64,000 miles.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2012 sits among all Silverado 1500 years
What owners report
“Dash cracked at right upper corner by passenger airbag which could possibly rip air bag upon deployment”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Silverado 1500
“Takata Recall. The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V054000 (Air Bags) however, the dealer informed the contact that the parts for the recall repair were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Silverado 1500
“Dash is cracked in many places. Vehicle has 113k miles was bought that way in may of 17 with dash cracked at 104k miles”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Silverado 1500
“Lights go dim on it all the time and the electric system in it is bad sometimes the air condition works most of the time it don't and the cruise quit working in it”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Silverado 1500
“Excessive oil comsumption. I change oil and 1000 miles later my check engine lighr comes on . I check oil and it isn't even on the stick.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Silverado 1500
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 237 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 56,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 35,000 and 95,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (2)
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AL,…
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on…
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2012 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL originally sold, or ever…
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on…
Federal defect investigations
Still open as of the last data refresh. An investigation is not a recall; it may close with no action. All open investigations →
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade,…
Model years named: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
Led to recall campaign 22V063000.
Technical service bulletins
1,342 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and electrical — are on file for the 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2012 Silverado 1500 TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 reliable?
The 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 drew 369 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 14/100, scored against the model's worst year (1999).
What are the most common 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 problems?
The top reported problems for the 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 are other (90 complaints), airbags (73), and body & structure (50).
At what mileage do 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 problems show up?
Owners most often report 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 problems around 56,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 35,000 and 95,000 miles.
Does the 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 have recalls?
2 recall campaigns apply to the 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
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.