2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

105 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, alongside 6 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 19/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Transmission & drivetrain leads the reports.

One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.

105Complaints
19/100Trouble index
6Recalls

Better year

Where 2021 sits among all Silverado 2500 years

Darker = quieter yearsBrighter amber = more trouble

What owners report

Transmission & drivetrain 28 complaints (27%)
“While the truck is in motion and the transmission shifts gears it has a kick to it also it down shifts on its own and other times the truck loses all power like if it was in neutral”— owner report to NHTSA, 2021 Silverado 2500
Electrical 19 complaints (18%)
Brakes & stability 12 complaints (11%)
Fuel system 8 complaints (8%)
Latches & locks 8 complaints (8%)
Engine 7 complaints (7%)

Recalls (6)

POWER TRAIN 24V797000 2024

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…

Fix: 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…

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES 24V060000 2024

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…

Fix: 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…

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 21V758000 2021 Park outside

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, GMC Sierra 2500, and Sierra 3500 vehicles with electronic brake control modules (EBCM) replaced during vehicle assembly. The bolts that attach the brake…

Fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from other structures until the recall repair is completed. Dealers will replace the BPMV assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were…

TIRES 21V578000 2021

General Motors, LLC. (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and GMC Sierra 2500 vehicles equipped with a 17" spare tire (RPO ZHQ or ZXT) and either the 20" accessory road tire (RPO REM) or the 18" accessory road tire (RPO Q2V).…

Fix: Dealers will provide the appropriate spare tire and apply a new spare tire information label, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 18, 2021. Owners may contact…

SEAT BELTS 20V811000 2020

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV and 2021 GMC Canyon and Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500, Yukon, Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV and Chevrolet Blazer, Camaro, Colorado, Equinox, Silverado 1500, 2500 and 3500,…

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the suspect bolts, free of charge. The recall began January 29, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8785, Cadillac customer…

SEAT BELTS 20V792000 2020

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500, 2021 Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe and GMC Yukon XL and 2020-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 vehicles. The seat belt…

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect left-side and right-side front-row center seat-belt bracket attachments and reassemble it correctly as necessary, free of charge. The recall began…

Federal defect investigations

Air Bag Malfunction PE21010 opened 2021, closed 2023

Technical service bulletins

1,068 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and electrical — are on file for the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.

See the 2021 Silverado 2500 TSB list →

Complaint history for this model year

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

2021peak 38 in 20252026

Questions buyers ask

Is the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 reliable?

The 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 drew 105 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 19/100, scored against the model's worst year (2003).

What are the most common 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 problems?

The top reported problems for the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 are transmission & drivetrain (28 complaints), electrical (19), and brakes & stability (12).

Does the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 have recalls?

6 recall campaigns apply to the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. At least one carries a do-not-drive or park-outside warning — check your VIN before driving.

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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.