2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Complaints

POWER TRAIN,ENGINE — Filed 01/14/2026

1. The vehicle's transmission does not operate consistently and safely. 2. At times, the transmission will not engage, and this has placed my family in very dangerous situations when changing lanes. 3. At red lights, at times, the transmission will not engage to drive. 4. When slowing in traffic at times , the transmission will not adjust to the slower speed, although the operator is applying the brakes. Then, without warning, the transmission will engage the higher speed, almost launching the vehicle forward suddenly, potentially into another vehicle or person, depending on the situation.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 10/18/2025

After starting the vehicle. I heard a hissing noise coming from the rear of the cabin. I looked in the rear view mirror and saw a large amount smoke rising from the box where the rear defroster power connects to the window. I immediately shut the vehicle off, got out and walked around the passenger side of the vehicle. As I approached the passenger rear door, the rear passenger window exploded with a Loud pop, shooting glass across the bed of the truck. I know there is currently a recall for this issue in Canada.

AIR BAGS — Filed 09/26/2025

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado. The contact stated that while driving 10-15 MPH, the driver and passenger side air bags deployed independently. A dealer and an independent mechanic were contacted. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact sustained injuries to the head and neck. No medical attention was required. No police report was filed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and they informed him that he would have to wait two to three weeks before getting the diagnosis. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000.

AIR BAGS — Filed 09/05/2025

I hit a deer going 60mph and the side airbags in the pillars attempted to deploy but did not appear to fully inflate, not only that but my steering wheel airbag did not deploy at all/no other airbags deployed.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 01/26/2025

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while in a drive-through, he noticed a smoky odor. The contact stated that he looked through the rearview mirror and noticed that smoke was coming from the rear window of the vehicle. The contact exited the vehicle and inspected the rear window. The contact noticed an inch-long fire at the bottom of the rear window. The contact was able to blow the fire away. The contact stated that upon entering the vehicle, the rear window shattered. No warning lights were illuminated. A fire report was not filed. A police report was not filed. There was no injury sustained. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer referred the contact to the dealer for the vehicle inspection. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the vehicle inspection was performed, and the diagnostic report was sent to the manufacturer for claim purposes. The contact was not provided with the diagnosis information. The manufacturer later informed the contact that the claim was denied after reviewing the facts of the case's capital investigation. The manufacturer referred the contact to the insurance company for assistance. The contact stated that he was afraid of driving the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 53,500.

AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS — Filed 02/08/2025

I was driving at approximately 35 -40 mph in foggy and wet conditions. As I approached a corner, I collided with a big metal dumpster. My airbags gave off that powder, and the smell was prominent, and the dash light came on. As well as, my side airbags (only the plastic) popped out, but, to my amazement, none of my actual airbags deployed at all. And my passenger seat belt was locked up to where I couldn't use it anymore, and no one was in that seat. Had I been in a frontal collision, I might have died. This is a major safety issue I have a 2107 Silverado 1500 LT.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 02/04/2025

I was parked at a gas pump, just got done fueling, hung hose up. I quickly ran into the gas station to grab a drink and as temps are 0°F, I remote started my vehicle from check out counter. When I returned to my vehicle the cab was filling with smoke. I sprung into action and quickly but safely drove away from gas pump with very little visibility, due to smoke, I assessed what was going on. Upon further investigating where the fire was coming from, I Could see the smoke was billowing from my rear window. As I Went to check on window heater that turns on automatically with remote start, the windows left panel exploded in my face from the outside of truck. Minor glass cuts, no major injuries. No insurance claims filed, no emergency services called as after I extinguished fire and turned off vehicle smoke seemed to have dissipated enough to safely get home 4 minutes away. As preventive messures I pulled the fuse to the rear window defroster so it is no longer getting power. This is seriously a safety hazard and thankfully I was able to pull away from gas pump. My truck, not so lucky. After looking into the issue when I got home, the US has NOT filed a recall on rear window defrosters for truck years 2014-2019. Canada DOES have a recall for this issue. As it has happened to me in the US in a very scary manor this needs to be addressed. I can’t imagine what would have happened if I was driving with kids in the rear seat. This needs to be taken care of and not at owners expense. Americans buy new vehicles to feel safe and secure. After owning my vehicle I have second thoughts about owning new, especially if a fire happens due to electronics built into the vehicle. I pray we can have this issue resolved to save all the innocent GM truck owners with families and friends who would also like to feel safe in their trucks. With temps this low in New England, I would like to be able to use my window defroster and have safer fields of view in icy/snowy conditions.

SERVICE BRAKES — Filed 11/07/2024

We were heading on vacation to Florida on the evening of [XXX].While driving [XXX] towards Athens, Alabama we heard a squealing noise from our engine that lasted a minute then it stopped. We got off at the closest exit and realized that we had “No Brakes “. I prayed for our safety. Our truck ran through two stoplights that were red at the time. I downshifted the vehicle and stood on the brakes (hard pedal) and jumped over two concrete curbs before it finally came to a stop. We had it towed to Champion Chevrolet dealership in Athens Alabama. They diagnosed the problem as a brake vacuum pump that locked up and broke the belt too leaving us with no brakes at all. Champion Chevrolet worked us in and replaced the vacuum pump and belt.And got us back on the road for our vacation. We had to pay for a tow truck $100. An overnight stay at a hotel $150. I’m concerned about the tires, rims, alignment and suspension being damaged by jumping over the concrete curbs. I’m requesting a free inspection at a local Chevrolet dealership to thoroughly inspect and repair any damaged parts and a realignment. I also am out of pocket $250 for the tow and hotel room. I feel I’m being fair to ask for reimbursement and repairs. The dealership didn’t charge me for the repairs of the vacuum pump and drive belt as it was covered by a special recall (N182202780). Please direct me for escalation of reimbursement ,complimentary inspection and repair of my 2017 Silverado suspension or damages involved in this incident. Thanks [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] cell phone number [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING — Filed 09/24/2024

I am filing a complaint regarding an electrical fire in the junction box of my 2017 Chevy Silverado 1500. The issue began when the front passenger side marker light would not turn off. I disconnected the battery overnight to troubleshoot the problem. However, when I reconnected the battery the next morning, an electrical fire occurred in the fuse junction box under the hood. At the same time, the engine unexpectedly attempted to turn over and start on its own. I immediately disconnected the battery again to stop the fire. Upon inspection, I found that several wires, plugs, and the top half of the junction box had sustained significant damage.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 01/06/2024

The power sliding rear window circuit heated up so much that it produced smoke and shattered the rear window.

AIR BAGS — Filed 11/02/2023

The drivers air bag actuator activated in a front end collision but the air bag didn't deploy.I explained the problem to the collision center of the dealership where the vehicle was taken.The insurance company has assigned an adjuster. There were no warning lights

POWER TRAIN — Filed 10/06/2023

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle made grinding sounds. The contact pulled over on the side of the roadway. Upon inspection, the contact noticed flames coming from the rear differential, and the driveshaft had detached. The contact extinguished the flames with bottled water. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the rear axle had detached and the driveshaft had struck the transfer case. The contact was informed that the rear end and transfer case needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 74,000.

AIR BAGS — Filed 08/10/2023

8/10/2023 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 had a collision with a deer on driver side front bumper and grille near Piedmont KS in the country. Airbags did NOT deploy although the airbag light DID come on at time of incident. On-Start contacted husband, driver, to make sure he was ok since it was a front end collision. Truck is currently at Gerber Auto Collision 10760 W Kellogg Wichita KS being repaired. Truck was due to be returned to us by 8/21/2023. As of this morning, the date was updated to be 8/21 to 8/25. I called them on it and they said they were having "someone" check the airbags since the light was on but it did not deploy.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC — Filed 06/19/2023

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 mph, the braking system suddenly failed causing the brake pedal to become extremely hard to press and the vehicle would not immediately stop. As a result, the contact crashed into a utility pole. During the incident, no injuries were reported and no police report was filed. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The contact indicated that the vehicle was previously serviced under the NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V761000(Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The contact indicated that the vehicle had experienced that same failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 118,000.

SERVICE BRAKES — Filed 03/13/2023

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V761000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulics, Service Brakes, Electronic Stability Control). The contact stated that while driving at 55 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to reduce speed and stop immediately, which caused the contact to rear-end another vehicle. The contact sustained injuries and received medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow shop. The vehicle has not been deemed totaled. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 12/11/2022

Rear sliding widow automatic defroster caught fire filled truck with smoke causing driver to make emergency stoppage and open windows to clear deadly smoke condition to breathe when glass shatteted and created loud noise and danger of shattered glass to rear passengers. Recall in Canada for same exact dangerous rear window defect.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,POWER TRAIN — Filed 07/20/2022

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brakes made grinding noises due to the brake pads rubbing on the rotors. The contact added oil to the brake pads; however, the failure recurred. The contact replaced five hubs, two rotors, four calipers, and two brake lines. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with vacuum pump failure and the vacuum pump was replaced. The failure recurred and the vehicle was taken to Jim Butler Linn Chevrolet Service (317 Main St, Linn, MO 65051) where it was diagnosed that the transmission was faulty, and the torque converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to replace the faulty parts with OEM parts. The failure mileage was approximately 126,000. The consumer had an accident due to brakes locking up and not able to get the transmission fixed.

AIR BAGS — Filed 10/14/2022

Airbags failed to deploy when the truck was hit on the drivers side.

SERVICE BRAKES — Filed 09/30/2022

I was driving north on Hwy 60 just south of the Hwy 73 turnoff in Arizona. It was a windy mountain road. I was approaching a vehicle from behind and took my foot off the gas and hit the brakes. Nothing - Nothing. I started pumping the brakes to the floor - still nothing. I was able to adjust my position on the road and travel between the two lanes of traffic - one northbound and the other southbound. I did slightly clip another vehicle. My truck rolled into a stop several miles later. When I was almost at a complete stop - the brakes finally engaged and the vehicle stopped. From where I stopped - it was a flat drive into Showlow, AZ and there was no cell service where I was. I drove at appx 40-45 mph with my emergency flashers along the right side of the road. The truck is sitting on my lot in Lakeside, AZ and has not yet been taken to the dealer for service. Several things to note: I have no recollection of the incident after the initial brakes failed and I took corrective action. My next memory was rolling to a stop on the side of the road. Right after the incident, which driving into town, I suffered a stroke and drove to the hospital. I was released 24 hours later and have since returned to Phoenix. The truck is still in Lakeside awaiting repair.

VISIBILITY — Filed 03/22/2022

The contact own a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado. The contact noticed that the plastic piece from the rear defroster window was sparking and smoke was coming from rear window. In addition, the plastic was melting. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the rear window defroster assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired, The manufacturer was notified of the failure, The approximate failure mileage was 68,000.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER — Filed 03/06/2022

I went outside and started my truck as I normally do. After a few seconds of the rear defroster being on I heard a sizzling noise behind me. I turned around and could see white smoke coming out and filling the truck w smoke. I quickly turned the rear defroster off and then the truck. The whole component has melted for the rear deforster and rear power window. The truck has less that 60,000 mi. After a quick Google search I learned this is apparently a known issue. This is an absolute safety hazard and needs to be addressed immediately. I shouldn't have to pay for a repair on the electrical wiring or faulty parts that were installed by the manufacturer.

SEAT BELTS — Filed 12/27/2021

Was involved in a T-bone intersection accident. The upper seatbelt tensioner on the passenger side of the my vehicle did not engage and and caused my passenger to strike the dash resulting in a badly broken arm (pins and plates to repair). The vehicle was a total loss was last located at the USAA lot in Yorktown Virginia. This information was relayed to the insurance company not sure what steps they have taken. There were no warning lights or know issues with the belt prior to the accident.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 02/01/2022

While driving the vehicle I turned the rear window defrosted on. The rear window started smoking after 5 minutes of turning on rear defroster and filled the vehicle cabin with smoke. I immediately turned the rear defroster off and pulled off the side of the road and opened all the doors to air it out. I then went back in and turned the defroster back on to verify the rear window defroster was the issue. It instantly started smoking again and was scalding to the touch of the bottom right of the sliding window. I turned defroster off and waited about 20 minutes where I felt that it had cooled. After some research I found the TSB provided by GM. TSB # N192265660. I contacted GM customer service and they said there is nothing they can do and it will need to be fixed out of pocket. This is unacceptable as this may cause the window to blow out on passengers, or can cause a smoke inhalation issues. I had everything I could do the get the vehicle pulled over because I could not see. The truck is only has 56,000 miles on it.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 12/08/2021

Was driving for 25 minutes in the truck. Temperature outside was around 40 degrees Fahrenheit. I did not know the rear defroster was on. My son who was in the back seat smelled smoke and said that the truck was on fire. I pulled to the side of the road and looked in the back and could see the rear defroster on drivers side was glowing and emitting smoke. I looked at rear defrost light and it was on. I turned the rear defroster off to prevent any more current from going through the wire. Once we were sure there was no more smoke or fire we got back in the vehicle. About 300 seconds later the window shattered. If my son was not in the back seat and smelled smoke the back seat could have caught on fire. I called the dealer and they stated no recalls for my vehicle. There is an article from Canada describing what happened to my truck. https://gmauthority.com/blog/2019/07/gm-truck-recall-2014-2019-silverado-sierra-trucks-over-fire-risk/ No warning at all. The rear defroster just started smoldering and smoking. I do have a rear sliding window so only the left glass pane was impacted.

AIR BAGS — Filed 10/26/2021

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at 70 mph, he hit a deer. Only the trim of the side curtain air bags deployed with a powder substance released from the air bags. The driver and passenger-side air bags did not deploy upon impact. No injury was sustained. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. The dealer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 42,000.