Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1999 Chevrolet Silverado owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The gas pedal sticks. I have to clean my throttle body out with cleaner about every 1000 miles. Even after a cleaning it still sticks a little. This is a safety concern, because I have to use more pressure on the gas pedel, then it unsticks and the truck lurches foword with no control.
Accelerator pedal sticks, and driver has to depress the gas pedal hard to accelerate. Once the accelerator pedal engages, the vehicle accelerates to a high speed. On one occasion, driver depressed the accelerator hard and the vehicle accelerated and hit a dog.
Consumer states: cruise control and toll haul didn't work correctly, when turned off cruise control did not operate properly, it kept accelerating when touching brakes. The toll haul command was telling the truck to down shift.
Throttle body sticking on 1999 Chevy Silverado... I previously reported a sticking throttle body on my truck when it was new. It stuck at the idle position and took considerable effort to get it to "unstick". The dealer replaced the throttle body claiming the original had a bur, that caused it to stick. Now, several thousand miles later, the new throttle body is exhibiting the same behavior. It seems obvious that I didn't have one defective throttle body, but all throttle bodys at the time had a defect. I know that there are many similar complaints. I do not want to pay to replace what GM knows is defective. Please look into this matter further....
The transmission was serviced more than four times while under warranty for the vehicle revving and sticking in gear. The vehicle has been maintained as it should have been. The manufacture offered no help. The engine had come on, the fuel gauge did not read correctly, transmission slipped, the c control would not engage and a green and white wire at the pin circuit was loose, and the sensor in the washer jug was bad.
The rotors rusted. The manufacturer stated that repairs were not covered since the consumer lived in new england. Salt from the snow caused the problem. The pedal had gone to the floor, c/c light would stay on until the vehicle was shut off, the gas pedal would stick/throttle body, and there was a clinging noise, the master cylinder was inoperative, and the rear rotors were pitted and rusting.
Throttle sticks at idle position. I almost launched my boat and truck both into the lake due to the excessive force required to operate the throttle. I took to dealer to complain, and they said I would have to pay to get it cleaned. I did. Now under a year later the problem is coming back. I think this is a safety defect that should be fixed via a recall before people get killed.
Trying to ease forward in bumper-to-bumper traffic, accelerator pedal is rigid. Upon putting more pressure, truck lurched forward hitting another vehicle's bumper. I've noticed this malfunction several times during the 3 yr. Lease, but have never been in dangerous situation, thus I have not contacted dealer before this incident.
Whenever the engine warmed up it caused the accelerator pedal to stick intermittently, the accelerator pedal had to be depressed hard to get the vehicle to accelerate from a stop position. And the emergency parking brake would not hold properly when parked on an incline. Vehicle continued to roll. The dealer was notified.
Throttle sticks in the closed position. You then need to push it very hard to go. Sometimes it causes you to lurch out in traffic. Have paid dealer to fix once, but did not help. I am aware of 3 1999 Chevy Silverado trucks. All have same complaint.
NHTSA investigations
Throttle sticking
There is no summary currently available
Throttle sticking closed
This investigation involves the general motors corporation (GM)throttle body (tb) utilized in model year (my) 1999-2002 silverado, sierra, tahoe, suburban, avalanche and yukon (subject vehicle(s)) with 4.8l, 5.3l, and 6.0l engines. The tb valve May intermittently stick in a closed position.in such a situation, an operator May apply additional accelerator pedal force to increase engine speed.the application of…
Acceleration complaints in other Silverado years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 1999 Chevrolet Silverado?
NHTSA has 95 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 1999 Chevrolet Silverado, 6% of the model year's 1,660 complaints. The component named most often is accelerator pedal (43 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1999 Chevrolet Silverado acceleration problems?
No. NHTSA lists no speed control & acceleration recall for the 1999 Chevrolet Silverado, though it has 5 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 1999 Chevrolet Silverado acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 48,000 miles, and 31% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 9 crashes, 0 fires and 7 injuries to speed control & acceleration 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.