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2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500: engine and transmission complaints

ELEVATED COMPLAINT SIGNAL
35%
76 of 216 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

35% of relevant owner complaints on the 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is elevated. Worth an independent inspection before you commit to one.

Better than 62% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 208 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 18%).

NHTSA data checked September 13, 2026
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Drivetrain complaints
76
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
424
this model year
Fires reported
3
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
3
9 crashes · 13 injuries

Complaints by component

AIR BAGS205 · 48%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER53 · 13%
STRUCTURE50 · 12%
ENGINE42 · 10%
POWER TRAIN31 · 7%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM29 · 7%

The years either side

2010
35%
76 of 424
2011
26%
81 of 638
2012
26%
52 of 284
2013
23%
62 of 365
2014
28%
401 of 1,558
2015
27%
291 of 1,185
2016
36%
270 of 797
2017
44%
343 of 836
2018
53%
257 of 514
2019
63%
658 of 1,076
2020
63%
444 of 724
2021
75%
591 of 815
2022
69%
416 of 617
2023
69%
245 of 370

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

Cleaner alternatives

Same car, a better year

Other full-size pickups with no elevated signal in 2010

The percentage is each model year's drivetrain complaint share. No elevated signal describes the model year, not any one car; a well-kept example of a flagged model can still be the right buy, and any of these still needs an inspection.

What owners reported

ENGINE09/07/2026
As noted in my last report that I sent to you now my truck needs an engine because of a road knock. This is the second engine. It was changed in 2011 and I’ve been complaining about this and I wanted Chevy to do a pico test they refused to do it because they’re telling me it’s too old but the truck only 111842 miles on…
ENGINE08/27/2026
Driving down the road returning from Cape May on my way back home before I got off the exit at [XXX] the truck shook shimmied and shut off. It took a long time before I could get it to start and when it did start, the motor knocked clanked real loud. And shook real bad. I stopped at the Chevy dealer [XXX] there [XXX] a…
ENGINE02/18/2026
For the last couple years, I have been talking to Chevrolet GM. My engine has been replaced at 9000 miles. This motor now does not even have 100,000 miles on it. The second engine left me stranded twice coming back from a long trip. The motor shook stalled and I could not get it. Restarted once I did get it restarted t…

Three of 76 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Recall campaigns on this model year (3)

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2007-2011 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 15…
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, …
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 350…

This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.

Before you buy a 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500

Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Combined across 3 body styles NHTSA files separately.