Most common 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 problems
Share of the 216 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 →
2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 recalls (2)
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2012 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii,…
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.
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2012 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 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 owners say
Air bags all 59 →
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while her son was driving at low speeds during snow weather, the driver-side air bag deployed on its own without a crash or impact with an object. As a result, the driver lost visibility and control of the vehicle resulting in a crashing into a telephone pole and then a ditch where it came to a stop. It was unknown if a warning light illuminated. The paramedics were called and performed a check; however, the contact's son sustained no injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the residence. A dealer was not contacted. The insurance company was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.
My husband picked me up from work in [redacted] we went over a very icy bridge the truck spun around and hit the guard rail on the bridge the airbags popped and broke two of my ribs I went to the hospital it was very painful I had to lose out on several days of work. I have pictures of the airbag the one that popped on me appears to be orange.
Body & structure all 35 →
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that after the dealer performed the NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V051000 (Air Bag) recall repair, the dashboard was cracked on the corner of the passenger's side air bag compartment. The contact was concerned that the air bag might deploy due to the crack. The dealer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that he was responsible for the cost to replace the dashboard. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that due to the age and mileage of the vehicle; the manufacturer was not responsible for the damage to the dashboard. The contact had also signed a waiver prior to the recall repair. The failure mileage was 101,194.
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while the vehicle was at the Walmart Tire Center for tire replacement, the contact was informed that the tires could not be replaced. The contact was informed that the front driver's side frame was corroded and had holes. The contact was advised to stop driving the vehicle. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was advised to bring the vehicle to the dealer for inspection. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was offered a 1-10 percent discount on the purchase of another vehicle. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 181,000.
Engine & cooling all 25 →
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and stopping at a stop light, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the accelerator pedal became stuck, and the engine unexpectedly revved to 5,000 RPM. The contact stated that the accelerator pedal failed to release. The brake pedal was depressed several times within 15 seconds, and the engine stopped revving. No warning lights were illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 146,250.
Oil consumption on 2011 to 2014 Chevy Silverado engine related issues on the 5.3 liter v8 flex fuel engine. Vehicle produced a service engine soon light on 9/27/2022 so I took it to the local Chevy dealer mechanic. They inspect it and determine that it was a misfire in cylinder 7. They went to run it through my warranty that I purchased when I baught the vehicle 2 years ago. They advised that it would not be covered so to it being an oil consumption issue. They advised that to fix the issue permanently it would cost $3,600 to fix. Being that this is a known issue GM should be issuing a recall to correct this. I only have 60000 miles on the vehicle and the engine is basically junk without the fix. …
2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.0L 8-cyl hybrid | CVT | RWD | 20 / 23 / 21 |
| 6.0L 8-cyl hybrid | CVT | 4WD | 20 / 23 / 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 / 16 |
| 4.8L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD | 13 / 18 / 15 |
| 6.2L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 13 / 18 / 14 |
| 6.2L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD | 12 / 18 / 14 |
EPA ratings. Class: Full-size pickup.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 a good car?
Based on 216 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2012 Silverado 1500 rates better than average: 53% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Silverado 1500 at the same age. It is one of the best Silverado 1500 years by this measure. 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 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500?
The air bags — 59 complaints, 27% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the body & structure (35) and engine & cooling (25).
How many recalls does the 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2012 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 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 75,000 miles; 24% 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.