Most common 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 problems
Share of the 363 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet Silverado 1500 complaints by model year
Best Silverado 1500 years: 2012, 2013. Years to avoid: 2019, 2021, 2014, 2022, 2024. Compare all years →
2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 recalls (3)
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, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida,…
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 24, 2021.
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 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, SC, TX, PR, AS, GU, the MP, and VI or "Zone…
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 25, 2021.
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 1500, Yukon, Yukon XL, and 2009-2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, GMC Sierra 2500 and Sierra 3500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in…
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 22, 2021.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500:
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.
Pedestrian alert sounds
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles.
What 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 owners say
Air bags all 197 →
The contact owned a 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while her son was driving at 40 MPH, when the vehicle in front stopped suddenly, the contact's vehicle rear-ended the vehicle. The contact's vehicle came to a stop from the impact. No warning lights were illuminated. The driver's and passenger's side air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The paramedics were not called. Both the contact's son and the passenger sustained injuries. The contact's son was taken to an emergency care center by the girlfriend. The doctor diagnosed that the contact's son had a bruise on the right side of the ribs. And the passenger had a bruise on the back, his leg, bruised ribs, and a seat belt burned by the neck. The vehicle was towed to Auto Mill LLC. The insurance company was contacted, and pending results. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. …
The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the driver's side air bag deployed without warning. The air bag deployed without incident and obstructed the contact's vision nearly resulting in a crash. Due to the failure, the contact had the vehicle towed to a dealer however, the mechanic not yet determined the cause of the failure. The manufacturer had been notified of the failure and a claim was filed. The vehicle was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V053000 (Air Bags) however, the manufacturer determined that the recall was unrelated to the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 300,000.
Body & structure all 38 →
The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while having the vehicle inspected, the contact was informed that the vehicle had failed inspection due to excessive rust on the frame of the vehicle. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and it was confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was 202,690.
The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at an independent mechanic for an oil change, the mechanic informed the contact that there was a crack in the frame near the fuel tank and that the frame needed to be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 128,000.
Engine & cooling all 38 →
The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked and failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, the ignition switch failed to turn over, and the catalytic converter failed and was replaced. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was repaired. The catalytic converter was replaced; however, the ignition was not repaired. Most recently, the engine displayed several fault codes. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure; however, no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the instrument cluster became inoperable, and the vehicle shuddered and stalled. The vehicle was able to restart after 20-seconds on all occasions. The traction control, stabili-trak, and the check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but the failure could not be duplicated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 176,300.
2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.0L 8-cyl hybrid | CVT | RWD | 21 / 22 / 22 |
| 6.0L 8-cyl hybrid | CVT | 4WD | 21 / 22 / 21 |
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 22 / 18 |
| 4.3L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 20 / 17 |
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD | 15 / 21 / 17 |
| 4.8L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
| 4.3L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD | 14 / 18 / 15 |
| 6.2L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 13 / 19 / 15 |
| 4.8L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD | 13 / 18 / 15 |
| 6.2L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD | 12 / 19 / 14 |
EPA ratings. Class: Full-size pickup.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 a good car?
Based on 363 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2010 Silverado 1500 rates average: 20% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Silverado 1500 at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500?
The air bags — 197 complaints, 54% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the body & structure (38) and engine & cooling (38).
How many recalls does the 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, the most recent from February 5, 2021 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Chevrolet Silverado 1500?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2012 and 2013. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2019, 2021, 2014, 2022 and 2024. See the full Chevrolet Silverado 1500 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 67,000 miles; 37% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.