Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2005 Chevrolet Silverado owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Silverado. While the vehicle was parked with the air conditioner set on level five, the blower intermittently clicked off and on. The contact also stated that a burning smell emitted through the vents of the vehicle. The failure recurred on several occasions until level five and four settings no longer worked. The contact inspected the connector sw/power st adjuster and discovered that the wires were melted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer informed the contact that the connector and resistor for the air conditioner and heater and the resistor for the heater needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 97,000.
I was driving along when the cab filled with smoke and a burning plastic smell. I saw smoke come from under the passenger side dashboard. The blower motor resistor harness had caught fire. I was able to put it out with damage to only the harness and resistor. It was replaced under the extended warranty I had purchased from GM. Fast forward to May 9, 2010 and 50,000 miles later, the same thing happened and GM corporate told me there was nothing they could do even though this same model vehicle has been recalled in Canada for the same problem. I was quoted $300.00 for the repair. On May 10.2010, my dealer called and said he received an e-mail from GM stating that GM was in the process of offering a 10 year 150,000 mile warranty on the blower motor and harness repair. Have not received any notice from GM yet but dealer said they would fix it no charge.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Silverado. The contact stated the wiring harness connected to the blower motor became hot and began to melt. A private mechanic repaired the resistor in October 2008; however, the failure occurred again. In January 2011, the contact had the wiring harness and the resistor qa replaced by a private mechanic since he smelled a burning odor and had to disconnect the wiring harness in order to protect it from melting. The dealer nor manufacturer were notified. The current mileage was 119,000. The approximate failure was 80,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Speedometer does not read accurate. It either reads 15 MPH at highway speeds, or goes way high such as 120 MPH at 55 to 60 MPH. Sometimes at the higher reading, it will read 60 MPH when vehicle is stopped, in park, and ignition off. I was told this is a stepping motor but hard to change and expensive to change. I have read that there was a class action lawsuit that was never brought up.
This truck has experienced two fuse block failures since new. The symptom, in both cases, was the truck would not start. Both repairs were accomplished at brown and brown Chevrolet in mesa arizona. The first repair occurred in 2008 and the second repair occurred in 2012. When reimbursement was requested for the second failure, the brown and brown service person and the GM customer care person both denied warranty coverage because there are third-party devices installed in the vehicle. There is an alarm system and a kenwood stereo, with a GM module, installed that were deemed third-party. There is also a cb radio but it was not cited. All vehicle equipment is powered through fuses on the fuse block. None of the fuses were found to be blown by brown and brown, including the ones powering the third-party equipment. …
The speedometer one morning just went to 110 MPH when I was driving 55 and then stayed. It would work one minute and then not the next. Finally after two days it stayed at 160. There was no way to drive it and tell what speed I was going. I have received a speeding ticket recently and wonder if the speedometer was malfunctioning then. The failure speedometer was 63,000 just 2,000 out of warranty. I went to the dealer who showed me the special bulletin on the 03 and 04 but since mine was an 05 I had to pay $501.30 to have it repaired. I placed an incident w/ GM who had the guts to tell me that there was not an instrument panel failure on the 05 (kinda funny since I have a 05 that failed) and that since my vehicle was not an 03 or 04 that it couldn't be happening. Even though the dealership that fixed it knew right away the problem and admitted I wasn't the first 05 he had seen. …
I have a 2005 Chevrolet Silverado. I kept smelling an odor of something burning but could not find where it was coming from until recently when my fan motor stopped working. I had been having problems with the switch not working in all positions. I called the dealership to inquire about the price and availability of the switch. The parts dept. Informed me that it was most likely the fan resistor or the plug because they have had several that needed replaced. When I looked under the dash I found what had been causing the smell. The resistor showed signs of being overheated and the wire harness was burnt for approximately 6 inches. This is a fire hazard and it is only a matter of time before someone is either injured or killed due to this defective resistor/plug.
The speedometer on my 2005 Chevy Silverado does not accurately display the speed of the vehicle. It May read anywhere from 0 to 120 MPH regardless of the actual speed of the vehicle. I first became aware of the inaccurate readings while driving on the expressway at an indicated 72 MPH. I noticed that I was passing the few other vehicles on the road and because of the speed at which I was doing so I checked the speed reading on my GPS and found that I was doing almost 100 MPH. This a safety issue. I am also aware of several other general motors trucks of the same year with the same problem. And also that the 2003 and 2004 GM truck have the same problem with the identical part for which GM has instituted a customer satisfaction recall.
First time we have taken the vehicle on a long trip. After 500 miles on the road, speedometer topped out at 120 MPH (even though we had cruise set at 65). Even when we were at a complete stop, speedometer read 65 MPH. After a couple of days it worked fine, week later when we were returning from the trip same thing occurred. We took it to the Chevy dealer and they said it was a problem with the cluster and they ordered the part. We will take it in tomorrow to have the part replaced. Our vehicle only has 37,000 miles, we do have platinum warranty on it, but still will have to pay $200.00 fee. Service tech says Chevy has already had recall on 2002 and 2003, just wanted to report the problem is still there.
I am registering this complaint because it is a safety issue. I own a 2005 Chevy Silverado with 15,000 miles with brake lights which frequently fail to function. I checked the problem myself and found there was a connection issue. When it continued to occur I took the truck back to the dealer (11/15/07) requesting a different design which I believe is the only way to correct this problem. They lubed the sockets with dielectric grease and they are already out again. They told me they had no other design to fix this problem. When my brake lights fail to work, unless someone alerts me, I am unaware of this issue. Is this something which can be corrected? It truly is a safety issue.
Electrical complaints in other Silverado years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2005 Chevrolet Silverado?
NHTSA has 64 complaints about the electrical system of the 2005 Chevrolet Silverado, 20% of the model year's 316 complaints. The component named most often is instrument cluster/panel (28 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Chevrolet Silverado electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2005 Chevrolet Silverado, though it has 8 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 2005 Chevrolet Silverado electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 66,000 miles, and 16% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 5 fires and 1 injury to electrical system 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.