What Owners Report NHTSA ODI · 2,175,102 complaints · MY1998–2026

2020 Chevrolet Silverado 3500

Typical pattern

9.4% of complaints about the 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2020 vehicle — around the middle of the 178 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 5.1 yr in service. The most-reported system is power train (16 complaints), typically at 5.8 yr or about 40,000 miles.

Complaints
53
Median age at failure
5.1 yr
Median mileage
40,000 n=16
Crash / fire / tow
17% of reports
Safety recalls
8

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

System
0y2y4y6y8y10y12y14y
Power train
16 reports · 40,000 mi
5.8 yr
18.8%

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

26V083000 2026-02-12
Power train:automatic transmission:control module:software

General Motors, LLC is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, 3500, GMC Sierra 2500, 3500, and 2020-2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles that may have been repaired incorrectly under recall 24V797. The transmission control valve may fail and cause the rear wheels to lock up.

Rear wheel lock up increases the risk of a crash.

24V797000 2024-10-24
Power train:automatic transmission:control module:software

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 transmission control valve may fail and cause the rear wheels to lock-up.

Rear wheel lock-up can increase the risk of a crash.

24V060000 2024-02-01
Latches/locks/linkages:tailgate:latch

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 can result in the tailgate inadvertently unlatching while the vehicle is in park.

An unlatched tailgate may open while driving and result in a loss of unsecured cargo, creating a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.

20V792000 2020-12-17
Seat belts

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 brackets may not be secured to the seat frame in the front-row center seating position.

If a seat-belt bracket is not secured, the seat belt may not properly restrain an occupant in the front-row center seat position, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

20V446000 2020-07-30
Air bags:side/window:curtain:inflator

General Motors, LLC. (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT5 and XT6, Chevrolet Blazer, Silverado 1500, 2500 and 3500 and Traverse and GMC Acadia and Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500 vehicles. The diffuser component of the Roof-Rail Air Bag (RRAB) inflator may not have been properly crimped to the inflator and could separate from the inflator during air bag deployment.

If the diffuser separates from the inflator during deployment, RRAB performance may be degraded, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

20V324000 2020-06-04
Structure:body:hood

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 vehicles previously recalled under 20V-142. Some of the vehicles in 20V-324 were not part of Recall 20V-142 but received defect parts during another service (typically during collision repair). The hood-latch striker wires on replacement hoods installed for Safety Recall 20V-142 may not have been heat-treated properly, possibly causing them to fracture.

If a striker wire fractures, the hood may open unexpectedly while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

20V142000 2020-03-12
Latches/locks/linkages:hood:latch

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 vehicles. The hood-latch striker wires may not have been heat-treated properly, possibly causing them to fracture.

If a striker wire fractures, the hood may open unexpectedly while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

19V814000 2019-11-14
Seat belts:pretensioner

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500, and 2020 Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Sierra 2500, and Sierra 3500 vehicles equipped with carpet floor covering. When the front seat belt pretensioners deploy, hot gas may vent through an opening in the pretensioner bracket, possibly igniting the carpet.

A vehicle fire could result if materials ignite inside the vehicle.

In owners’ own words

Power train mileage not reported 5.3 yr in service
2nd time I’ve had to replace def heater and tank. Truck goes into limp mode and limits the speed leaving a person stranded.
Power train mileage not reported 5.1 yr in service
Dealership told me the throttle body failed in my transmission. I wanted it completely torn down to find the actual point of failure since it did represent the current recall on the truck that hadn't been done because the part isn't yet available. The transmission has been replaced for almost $10,000.00
Power train mileage not reported 6.0 yr in service
Since buying the vehicle I’ve had issues with the truck going into limp mode with codes p0700 as well as p0747. I have taken it to the dealership twice now, when it has arrived the codes were no longer there. Every time the truck went into limp mode the transmission would get stuck into 5th gear stuck at 45 mph. The problem with the truck started at 48,000 miles, the truck currently has 60,000 miles and the problem has been more active. With the dealership not wanting to resolve the issue the truck was taken to another shop to try to fix the transmission.

Other Silverado 3500 model years

202420202016201520022001200019991998

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