Chevy Silverado 1500 Used Buying Guide: Known Issues

• The used Chevy Silverado’s common complaints come from a variety of areas, from its AC unit to its 5.3-liter V8 engine.
• Before you commit to a used Silverado 1500, make sure you verify that it’s had any necessary recall repairs!
• Because the GM warranty transfers to the next owner, you can use whatever’s left of your used truck’s coverage.
• At Alan Jay, we stock only the best used Silverado 1500 trucks, because we want you to enjoy a safe, reliable ride.

Throughout its run, the worst complaints about the Silverado 1500 range from a rocky ride, caused by various suspension issues, to outright transmission failure. Since the most expensive problems don’t tend to creep up until these trucks have achieved old age and/or upwards of 85,000 miles, used shoppers can minimize problems by shopping for later model years (circa 2018 and later).

• Failed mode door activator: If this HVAC part fails, the air blowing from your truck’s vents may not be the temperature you were expecting. If your AC blows only cold or hot air (or some blend of both), you may need to replace this part. This is a common problem for aging Silverado trucks (from about 2016 and earlier).
• Leaky A/C condenser: If your truck’s air conditioning never seems to get very cold, you may have a cracked condenser on your hands. This issue was so prevalent for third-generation Silverado 1500 models (2014-2018) that Chevy extended their warranty on the part to 5 years/60,000 miles (whichever comes first) to help fix it.
• Oil-thirsty 5.3L Vortec 5300 V8 engine: If this engine’s piston rings lose their tension, oil can squeeze past them and burn off in the combustion chamber. Worse still, the oil monitoring system has been known to fail. Watch out for these compounding issues in 2010-2013 Silverado trucks.
• A shaking Chevy: If your Silverado is giving you motion sickness, it might be the infamous Chevy Shake. These mystery vibrations have been known to affect 2014-2016 Silverado trucks. Although this issue was seemingly fixed on later models, there doesn’t seem to be a single cause behind it. Drivers have been advised to inspect tires, active fuel management, the exhaust back pressure valve, and even whether the roof is properly bonded to the frame. The issue can be fixed — it’s just a matter of finding what’s behind it! You can help guard against the Chevy Shake with regular suspension maintenance and high-quality replacement parts.

A wide range of recalls have been issued for various Silverado 1500 model years! Visit the NHTSA’s website to see if your used Silverado truck needs any outstanding recall repairs. Here are a few to watch out for:

• Defective Takata airbags: The 2007-2013 Silverado were part of the biggest recall in US history. Before you take home one of these trucks, you’ll want to make sure it has gotten its potentially defective Takata airbags replaced!
• Faulty transfer case: A recall for 2014-2015 Silverados addresses an issue that can make the truck shift into neutral. If parked, a shift into neutral could cause the truck to roll away.