Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The truck caught on fire while I was returning from a trip out of state and then it appears it came from underneath either the transmission the engine or electrical. While returning home a message came on the panel on the highway, saying transmission, hot idle run I pulled off and did this and after about 15 minutes, the message light went off and I pursued Coming home nothing was wrong with the truck. After I dropped off to the passengers, I was on the way home and turned on home road and the message came on that says truck powering down all the lights came on the dashboard. I put the truck in park and shut the engine off had a manly open the doors and got out and smoke was rolling from underneath the truck. I grabbed the cell phones and told my passenger to call 911. …
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving 50 MPH and making a turn in the opposite direction, the vehicle lost motive power and there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the rod and the lifters had failed, causing damages to the upper half of the engine. The dealer replaced the gaskets, the rods, the guides, the lifters, the camshaft, and the transition kit. Additionally, and oil change was performed. The vehicle was not covered under warranty and was repaired at the customer's expense due to the mileage. …
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated after an independent mechanic had performed an oil change on the vehicle, the vehicle was moved and parked. The contact stated that upon attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The mechanic diagnosed that the engine had seized and there were metal shavings in the oil. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the manufacturer had denied coverage because the vehicle was previously serviced by an independent mechanic. The vehicle was repaired at the contact's expense. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Action Number: PE25001 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling). Additionally, the contact stated while idling and while driving at various speeds, the vehicle made an abnormal whining sound. …
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed with force to stop the vehicle. The contact was concerned that the issue was abnormal. The failure had occurred on several occasions. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer to be diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The vehicle was not repaired. Additionally, while the vehicle was parked, the contact attempted to pull out of a parking lot, and the vehicle became difficult to maneuver. The contact stated that the power steering was inoperative, but no warning lights were illuminated. …
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed, however the vehicle failed to accelrate as intended. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, howeve the failure was not duplicated. The failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed wiring harness and a failed coolant oump. The contact was informed that the wirng harness and the coolant pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated thirteen days later the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed transmission and failed coolant pump. The contact was informed that the transmission and the coolant pumo needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The failure reoccurred three days later. …
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving, the vehicle was shuddering. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the torque converter and transmission needed to be flushed. While driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle was shuddering and the transmission seized, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The failure had occurred briefly, and the failure was self-corrected, and the contact continued driving. The failure reoccurred approximately 2 - 3 times. The vehicle was returned to the dealer, and the transmission was replaced. The failure persisted, and the vehicle was returned to the dealer, and the transmission was replaced a second time. The vehicle was returned to the dealer, who was unable to diagnose or repair the vehicle. …
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at a moderate speed, the fuel warning light had appeared on the instrument panel. After fueling the vehicle at a gas station, the vehicle began to hesitate while depressing the accelerator pedal, with several warning lights, including the "Engine Power Reduced" and "Service ESC" illuminated. Due to the failure, the contact had the vehicle towed to a dealer. The dealer informed the contact that the starter needed to be replaced because the vehicle had failed to start. The mechanic performed a diagnostic test and discovered that the fuel injectors were defective and leaking fuel into the engine. The mechanic diagnosed the vehicle with engine failure and provided the contact with an estimate for repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. …
The contact's son owns a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. While the contact's son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The vehicle started shaking erratically, and several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road, and the engine seized. The vehicle was towed to the son's residence. The vehicle was later towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with lifter failure in cylinder #5 and a failed CAM shaft. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was being repaired. The contact was informed that the failure was a manufacturer's defect. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not associated with the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. …
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was shaking and vibrating abnormally. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated the failure was a recurring failure. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer and the contact was informed that the oil level was low, and oil was added. The dealer had not diagnosed the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred. The contact had been checking the oil level and was constantly adding oil. The contact stated that the same dealer had changed the spark plugs and fuel injectors in January 2025. Recently the contact was unable to start the vehicle, and the vehicle was towed to the same dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed; however, the dealer advised that the failure might have occurred due to a failure with the transmission. The vehicle was not repaired. …
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle shuddered and lost automotive power. The check engine, ABS, and several other unknown warning lights were displayed before an engine misfire. The vehicle regained automotive power before hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal. Additionally, there was an abnormal humming sound coming from the engine. The vehicle was eventually driven to the dealer where a diagnostic test was performed. The dealer determined there was a lifter failure in cylinder #2, and there was debris in both the engine and transmission, which caused engine and transmission failures. The dealer agreed to a goodwill repair, to cover part of the cost of the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and transferred the contact to the NHTSA to report the failure. …
NHTSA investigations
Loss of motive power due to engine failure
On January 16, 2025, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE25001 after receiving complaints and field reports concerning engine failures in MY2019-2024 GM's full-size truck and SUV T1XX platform equipped with the L87 6.2L V8 engine.
Loss of motive power due to engine failure
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 1,157 reports of engine bearing failure failures in the L87 6.2L engine produced by General Motors (GM). Of the 1,157 reports received, 173 are outside of the scope of recall 25V-274.
Engine complaints in other Silverado 1500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500?
NHTSA has 271 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 36% of the model year's 747 complaints. The component named most often is exhaust system › emission control (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, though it has 12 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 68,000 miles, and 33% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 2 fires and 0 injuries to engine & cooling problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.