2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Problems

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 57,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• The air bag (SRS) light should come on at startup and go out within a few seconds. If it stays on, the system may not work in a crash.
• Air bag recalls are some of the most serious. Check this exact VIN for open recalls and get proof any recall work was done.

Tools that help

What owners said

I am submitting this complaint regarding an unrepaired Takata airbag recall associated with my vehicle VIN and concerns related to dealership representations and compliance charges at the time of sale. My vehicle currently shows an active unrepaired Takata airbag recall under NHTSA Recall Number 21V053 with recall status listed as…Owner complaint, filed 2026

The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V053000 (Air Bags) and requested to be removed from the recall distribution list. The local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted.Owner complaint, filed 2025

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 48,000 miles. Parts named most: Body (64), Frame and members (8).

What to check before you buy

• Look underneath with a flashlight. Utah road salt is hard on frames, brake lines and the bottoms of doors.
• Open and close every door, the hood and the liftgate, and lock and unlock each one.
• Use a paint thickness gauge and compare panels. A panel that reads very differently from the rest has likely been repaired.

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What owners said

The White Diamond Tri Coat paint that General Motors applied to vehicles is sub par and defective. There is no reason why the paint should be this bad. It is not due to damage or anything the driver has done. This is a factory defect and should be addressed. Every single vehicle I have seen with this same Tri Coat paint is chipping…Owner complaint, filed 2026

The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed low speed, the vehicle made an abnormal sound, and the control arm detached from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the subframe was corroded. The vehicle was not repaired. The…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 44,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 68,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Ask the seller not to warm the car up, and start it cold. Listen for ticking, knocking or a rough idle in the first minute.
• Pull the oil dipstick and the oil cap. Low oil, a gasoline smell or a milky film on the cap are reasons to walk away or get an inspection.
• Plug in an OBD2 scanner. Stored or pending codes matter, and so do readiness monitors that show "not ready", which usually means the codes were cleared right before the sale.
• Ask for oil change records. A gap in the records on a model known for engine complaints is a negotiating point at minimum.

Tools that help

What owners said

Due to General Motors AFM lifter defect and oil consumption issues that have been proven faulty, #4 AFM gave out on us in February of 2026 costing us approximately $5,000 in Engine repairs on our 2013 Chevrolet Silverado plus several tow bills and the inconvenience of not having a vehicle for weeks. GM Recently lost a class action…Owner complaint, filed 2026

The truck lost power, starred sputtering and misfiring. I shut the engine down, restarted and was able to drive it home. This same issue occurred a couple more times but each time it was restarted it drove okay. I started doing research and found a history of this same issue being reported by other owners and upon complaining to GM…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 4,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Drive it from cold if you can. Shifts should be smooth in every gear, including reverse.
• Feel for slipping (revs rise without the car speeding up), shudder at low speed and a delay when you put it in gear.
• Listen for whining, which is a common CVT complaint, and clunks when you go from drive to reverse.
• If it has 4WD or AWD, engage it on the test drive and ask when the transmission and differential fluids were last changed.

Tools that help

What owners said

Rear wheels lock up while driving. This happened several times and to get it to move again I had to unplug battery for 10 mins. This happened while driving at all speeds and it is so unsafe to drive that I do not feel comfortable driving the vehicle for my safety and the safety of others. I had it towed to the dealership, and they said…Owner complaint, filed 2024

The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact became aware of a failure with the transmission. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled and was shaking abnormally while attempting to downshift. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were…Owner complaint, filed 2024, at 112,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 99,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Drive over a few bumps and potholes slowly with the radio off and listen for clunks or rattles.
• Check the tires for uneven wear on the inside or outside edges, a sign of alignment or suspension trouble.
• Look behind the wheels for oily, wet shocks or struts.

Tools that help

What owners said

The frame has completely rotted through and the truck is not driveable as the mechanic has said the frame is likely to crack and that there is severe frame deterioration near the fuel tank putting it at risk of catching fire.Owner complaint, filed 2023

The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that upon inspection of the vehicle, he discovered severe corrosion on the suspension. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where pictures were taken of the corrosion and were sent to the manufacturer. The manufacturer informed the contact that the corrosion warranty on…Owner complaint, filed 2023, at 130,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 15,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Turn the wheel lock to lock while parked and listen for groaning, clicking or binding.
• On a straight road the car should track straight with the wheel centered and no loose feeling.
• A power steering warning on the dash, even briefly, deserves a mechanic’s look before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

Service traction control system and service stabilitrak system comes on dashboard periodically after driving for 30 minutes then goes off.Owner complaint, filed 2023

The contact owns a 2013 chevrolet silverado 1500. While driving in a parking lot at a very low speed, the power steering seized. When the rpms were high, the power steering worked normally. The dealer was not contacted. The [VIN] stated that there was no recall and the contact was advised to call NHTSA. The vehicle was not diagnosed or…Owner complaint, filed 2019, at 56,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 45,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Test every switch: windows, locks, mirrors, seat heaters, the screen, the backup camera, Bluetooth and every USB port.
• Watch the dash at startup. Every warning light should come on briefly and then go out.
• Have the battery and charging system tested. A weak alternator or battery drain shows up here.

Tools that help

What owners said

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact discovered a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was an independent dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 72,000. It was later discovered upon checking the Carfax report that the mileage was 268,000.Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 268,000 miles

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that they discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 163,000. It was later discovered upon checking Carfax that the mileage was 302,584.Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 302,584 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 25,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Check every light: headlights on low and high, fog lights, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights.
• Run the wipers on every speed with washer fluid, and run the defroster front and back.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2013 chevrolet silverado 1500. While driving, the front passenger window dropped down independently. The vehicle was taken to catalano motors inc (8327 erie rd, angola, ny 14006) where it was diagnosed that the steel cable fractured due to rust and the part needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The [VIN] was…Owner complaint, filed 2019, at 36,209 miles

The wipes starred while driving going slow and would just stop. Which after talking to car specialist was told it was tge motor had hone bad. The truck only has 90k on it should this happen so soon? This is very dangerous to suddenly happen with no warning or indication the motor was going bad. My husband was driving to work on highway…Owner complaint, filed 2018, at 90,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 8,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• On the test drive, press the gas gently and firmly. The response should be smooth with no lag or surge.
• Set the cruise control, then use resume and cancel to make sure each one works.

Tools that help

What owners said

After passing two cars at high speed with accelerator floored pedal was stuck to floor.tried to pull it up with foot, could not, vehicle kept accelerating past 100mph. Had ride brake until speed was slowed enough to put in neutral and shut off and coast to stop. Cruise control was engaged at the time. After putting in park and starting…Owner complaint, filed 2015, at 7,750 miles

The contact owns a 2013 chevrolet silverado. The contact stated that while driving at 70 MPH with the cruise control activated, the vehicle independently [VIN] and the brake pedal had to be depressed firmly to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The [VIN] was notified of the failure. The approximate failure…Owner complaint, filed 2014, at 2,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 60,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• The pedal should feel firm and the car should stop straight without pulling, grinding or a pulsing pedal.
• The ABS and stability control lights should go out after startup and stay out.
• Look through the wheels at the rotors. A deep lip on the edge means brakes are due soon, which is a fair thing to negotiate on.

Tools that help

What owners said

The service stabilitrak/traction control come on (ABS) at random times when driving. The truck begins to shift hard and lose power as I am driving making it very dangerous on the road especially at close proximity to other vehicles. I have taken it in and nothing can be found or done because they can't seem to find the problem. The truck…Owner complaint, filed 2021

The contact owns a 2013 chevrolet silverado 1500. The contact stated that there was an abnormal sound coming from the brakes. The stabili trak system on warning light was illuminated as well as another unknown warning light. The vehicle was taken to the amigo chevrolet located at 1900 s 2nd st, gallup, nm 87301, (505) 726-4329, where the…Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 88,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 64,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Pull out and latch every seat belt, and let each one retract on its own.
• Try every seat adjuster, and watch for a passenger air bag "off" light when an adult is in the seat.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that the rear seat belt buckle had shattered. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer and diagnosed but not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.Owner complaint, filed 2021, at 130,000 miles

Seat belt des not latch to seat belt buckle for middle back seat. Buy vehicle new in 2013, never had to use the middle back seat, when try to use it does not work. Vehicle was stationary when tryin to latch the seatbeltOwner complaint, filed 2018, at 64,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 20,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Read the four-digit DOT date on each tire. Tires older than about six years should be replaced, whatever the tread looks like.
• Check tread depth on all four. On AWD vehicles all four tires should match.
• The tire pressure light should go out after startup.

Tools that help

What owners said

Im not able to let down the spare. The system dont work properly on most trucks. This is dangerous when on the interstateOwner complaint, filed 2020, at 115,000 miles

Chrome cover of 20" wheel came off and entire wheel was replaced on 1/28/2016. It came off again on feb . 16., 2016 while driving.Owner complaint, filed 2016, at 20,247 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 70,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Smell around the engine bay and under the rear of the car for raw fuel.
• On the test drive, accelerate firmly from a stop and up a grade. Stumbling, surging or a flashing check engine light are red flags.
• Fuel pump recalls are common. Check this exact VIN for open recalls before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that he noticed that the vehicle was leaking fuel. The contact stated he noticed an abnormal odor of fuel around the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed him the fuel tank was leaking.…Owner complaint, filed 2023, at 70,000 miles

The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, there was an abnormal fuel odor inside the cabin of the vehicle with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who diagnosed that the subframe of the vehicle and the rear cross member were…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 120,000 miles

What to check before you buy

• Where it is safe, try the adaptive cruise and lane keeping on the test drive and watch for sudden braking or warnings with nothing there.
• Check the windshield in front of the camera and the bumper sensors for cracks, chips or poor repairs.
• Ask whether the windshield has been replaced. The camera has to be recalibrated afterward, and many shops skip it.

Tools that help

What owners said

Front end, yes it is available for inspection upon my request. My safety wasn’t very safe the truck felt like the front wheels and back wheels were going to come out from underneath me. Vehicle has been to many shops and I have fixed some parts myself because of prices to pay at shops. The vehicle had at least two lights on the dash…Owner complaint, filed 2025