2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Problems

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

Incident: Twice our Chevrolet Silverado 2020 Duramax has experienced while operating, sudden with no warning "reduced engine power" and "check engine light" the engine sounds very different and does not operate as it should and presents a safety issue when you are driving and traveling at a high rate of speed. These incidences occurred…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Had a misfire in cylinder 4 so I took it to the dealership to diagnose. It held compression and switched the plugs and still had the same misfire. They said it was a common issue that the lifters go out with the DFM. It only has about 50k miles on it and I am the original ownerOwner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 61,000 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

Transmission started slipping for no reason around 100 thousand miles. All maintenance had been done no code was ever shown on dash no check engine light took it to 3 different places and had it tested all said the same thing they couldn't find anything wrong. Now its sitting at the shop and they are saying its the Transmission and it…Owner complaint, filed 2026

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while attempting to reverse at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle accelerated independently. The check engine warning light and transmission warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine and transmission…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 60,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 5,000 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

Was driving for about an hour pulling our 7,000 lb camper when all of sudden my daah lit up with all kind of lights and warnings. The messages were Service Trailer Btake System, Service ESC, Service Parking Brake, Brake System Failure 62mph top speed, check engine light, Traction Control Off, ABS Off. Pretty much had no brakes and had to…Owner complaint, filed 2026

While driving my 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, the braking system suddenly malfunctioned without any prior warning. When I released the accelerator, the vehicle began slowing as though the brakes were being applied even though I was not pressing the brake pedal. When I attempted to brake normally, the vehicle did not stop as expected…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 6,000 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

Truck would not start - it left me stranded. The main body to engine ground strap had rotted off. I found there is a Chevrolet Customer Satisfaction Program (N252515590) for ground straps rotting for the same make/model/year as my vehicle, but for some reason mine isn’t listed by VIN number in the program.Owner complaint, filed 2026

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The A/C condenser and the vehicle battery failed. The failed components are available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The A/C failure causes the driver's side to blow warm air, creating…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 12,000 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

In several situations, I have lost partial or complete power steering ability. Once, while driving, I recieved a SERVICE ESC message and steering became quite difficult. Another time, power steering was completely gone, making steering impossible, although every other aspect of the vehicle operated normally. In both instances, there was…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Intermittent and sudden loss of power steering. The only message displayed briefly then went out was “service trailer brake controller”. Brought vehicle to Dealership. The grounding strap behind the front right wheel that goes to the frame (Earth Strap) was rotted. This seams to be a very common problem with this model truck and is…Owner complaint, filed 2025

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 41,000 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

Vehicle sent alert on phone saying battery critically low, then the vehicle started having fuel gauge issue and started lurching. Shut the vehicle down saw a P129F in the alerts. Checked battery vehicle was a no start. Luckily near a shop so it wasn't catastrophic and was able to r eplace the fuel pump control module and it instantly…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Our truck would not start, we had to have it towed twice. We had a s Diagnostic run and the code was for the fuel pump. We had the truck towed to a local mechanic and they mentioned the open recall on fuel pumps for our make, model and year. We tried to schedule the appointment at the dealership for recalls, but our VIN was not on the…Owner complaint, filed 2025

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 26,000 miles. Parts named most: Body (21).

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.

Tools that help

What owners said

GM Corporate Legal has formally denied a repair for a known design flaw (TSB 18-NA-383) that has caused progressive structural corrosion and water intrusion underneath the cab carpets near vehicle electrical routing since 2024. The certified GM technician explicitly identified GM Technical Service Bulletin #18-NA-383 as the governing…Owner complaint, filed 2026

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while vehicle was parked, water was leaking inside the rear interior of the cab. The dealer was notified of the failure, and the vehicle was serviced but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 38,000 miles

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

I received a notice via OnStar of a P129 code of a critical issue with engine or transmission system on my 2020 Silverado pickup after I pulled on to the highway. Vehicle reduced engine power warning and engine light came on. I was forced to put vehicle in neutral and restart vehicle several times. This code indicates fuel pump control…Owner complaint, filed 2026

1) The vehicle experienced a rear axle/rear-wheel lock-up after the recall-related repair was performed and the same diagnostic codes associated with the initial repair reportedly returned. 2)The rear axle/rear wheels locked while the vehicle was being driven on the highway, creating a significant loss-of-control and collision hazard. A…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 8,000 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 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while activating the rear window defroster, there was a crackling and sizzling electrical sound coming from the lower section of the windshield were the electrical components were located. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local…Owner complaint, filed 2024, at 49,000 miles

While the vehicle was in operation, the drivers side mirror fell off. The is a safety risk as I was not able to use mirror to check for vehicles in blind spot or in left lane as I was driving. Not to mention, as per NYS vehicle and traffic law, vehicles have to have at least a drivers side rear view mirror while in operation. After the…Owner complaint, filed 2024

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

Well taken care of 2020 trailboss upper control arm completely failed driving down the interstate with family in the truck. Suspect defect from ball joints. Only 68k miles. No warnings. Tire fell into suspension causing thousands in damage. Had to be towed. At high speed we could've all been killed. Seen multiple reports online of…Owner complaint, filed 2026

When the truck was less than 2years and less than 20,000 miles old it developed a clunking noise in the rear suspension. Sounds like 2 heavy pieces of metal softly being knocked together. The dealership inspected it and replaced both rear shocks. The noise was still there. The dealership replaced the left leaf spring assembly. This…Owner complaint, filed 2025

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

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado LD Crew with General Grabber RST/LT-T1. Tire Size: 255/70R17. DOT Number: A3E8hn002320. The contact stated that while spouse was driving approximately 30 mph they heard a stranger noise and noticed that rear passenger tire had split. The tire was remove and replaced with the spare the contact…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 40,000 miles

Bought this vehicle 4 months ago first month the tire loosing air went on a trip park in a garage left it there for the week end came out passenger front tire was flat put spare on notice crack on inside of the rim...2 month later took another trio on the way home tire was loosing air change out again Crack on inside of rim driver rear…Owner complaint, filed 2023

Parts named most: Automatic emergency braking (7).

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

Vehicle came to abrupt stop with no warning and no reason. There was not a vehicle in front of me, nor behind me when this occurred. If there had been a vehicle coming behind me there would have been a collision.Owner complaint, filed 2026

The component that recently failed on my 2020 Chevy Silverado is the side detection/blind spot warning. It no longer works and upon startup of my vehicle the notification on my dash shows “side detection temporarily unavailable”. This problem started 3 weeks ago. After doing research online, it seems that there is a common issue in…Owner complaint, filed 2022

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

MVC involving 7 vehicles. My truck was rear ended, pushed into on coming traffic where i was hit in the front fender, bumper and side wall of front right side ( passenger side). The rear bumper was rolled under the truck and the front right side was pushed inward towards driver side. The front passenger seat was pushed toward the driver…Owner complaint, filed 2025

I hit a concrete light pole at 10-15mph on the right side and zero air bags went off, I hit my face and arm and chest on steering wheel, broken my nose, messed left arm up and brushed left lung it’s got fluid on it and ribs are bruised it’s hard to breathe and move after a week happened on 2022 thanksgiving around 1030 pm cops showed up…Owner complaint, filed 2022

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

I am writing to formally report a persistent and dangerous manufacturing defect regarding the rear window and seating assemblies in my 2020 Chevrolet Silverado. I have already had GM replace the rear window in 2023, it needs replaced again now in 2026. The rear window seal is failing, allowing a significant amount of rainwater to leak…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Sliding rear window leaking, causing mold and ruined seats. Had it "fixed" in 2023 only 3 years of owing it. Now here 3 years later the same issue is occurring and they're not willing to make it right. Mold causes a safety hazard for my children and anyone in my vehicle. My truck only has 30,000 miles on it and I shouldn't be having this…Owner complaint, filed 2026