Most common 2013 Chevrolet Silverado problems
Share of the 64 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet Silverado complaints by model year
Best Silverado years: 2016, 2010, 2013. Years to avoid: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 1999. Compare all years →
2013 Chevrolet Silverado recalls (3)
Equipment › Other › Labels
General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Chevrolet Silverado HD, Chevrolet Express, and GMC Sierra HD vehicles, and model year 2013 GMC Savana compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles that fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No.
Remedy: GM will notify owners and will send them a replacement label, free of charge. The recall began December 3, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782.
Fuel system, diesel
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Chevrolet Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD vehicles, equipped with 6.6L diesel engines and dual fuel tanks. In the affected vehicles, the transfer pump which moves fuel from the rear tank to the front tank could malfunction and cause the fuel gauge to indicate an…
Remedy: General Motors will notify owners and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel transfer pump, as necessary, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.
Power train › Automatic transmission
General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT; Chevrolet Avalanche, Express, Silverado HD, Silverado LD, Suburban, and Tahoe; and GMC Savana, Sierra HD, Sierra LD, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles, manufactured between November 7, 2012, through December 18, 2012, for…
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the affected vehicles and replace the steering column as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on January 21, 2013. Chevrolet owners may call 1-800-630-2438.
What 2013 Chevrolet Silverado owners say
Air bags
On Tuesday March 18, 2014 I was driving a 2013 Chevy Silverado and rear ended a Chevy tahao at approximately 20 MPH without hitting my brakes. Conditions at the time were clear and dry although very windy. I was the only passenger in my truck. I was wearing my seatbelt. I hit the steering wheel with my chest. The OnStar system called to say they could see I was in an accident and help was on the way. I exchanged info with the other driver and returned to my vehicle. The seatbelt was in the extended position and would not extend further or retract. On the display panel it had an 'airbag deployed' icon and message 'service airbag'. …
Hit a deer at 47mph on left front of vehicle. Air bag light came on with code b0052 deployment commanded. No air or pretensioner deployed. Contacted GM they sent an inspector out to retrieve crash data from recorder. They contacted me after they received the info from the inspector , and said I needed to take the vehicle to dealer to diagnose concern. There were no codes. They have not told me if there was a problem with the sdm that was replaced.
Transmission & drivetrain
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado. The contact stated that while driving in first gear and taking the foot off the accelerator pedal to apply the brakes, the engine RPM's would not decrease and the throttle would not release for approximately 3-4 seconds. The failure caused abnormal forward movement from the vehicle. The contact also stated that while driving in first gear and shifting into neutral, the engine RPM's increased by approximately 200 ripens before decreasing. The vehicle was diagnosed at the dealer but the cause of the defect could not be determined. The contact stated that a representative from the manufacturer came to the home and drove the vehicle. The representative experienced the defect while driving the vehicle but did not identify the cause of the defect. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 20. …
Since I purchased this truck in June 2013, I've had several occasions where when the truck sits without being used for several days, when I back out of my driveway and put the transmission in drive, the transmissions slips. The truck won't move for a second, the engine RPM's race and then when the transmission catches, it will actually squeal the tires. Then at times it will continue to do this for the first several times I stop at a light or stop sign. This doesn't seem to happen once the truck has been driven for a distance, and it doesn't happen everytime the truck is used. I've talked to the service manager at the dealership and he says they've not had any issues with other trucks. I'm actually going to pick up the service manager and have him with me when I start my truck today after it has set for four days. …
Body & structure
On Tuesday March 18, 2014 I was driving a 2013 Chevy Silverado and rear ended a Chevy tahao at approximately 20 MPH without hitting my brakes. Conditions at the time were clear and dry although very windy. I was the only passenger in my truck. I was wearing my seatbelt. I hit the steering wheel with my chest. The OnStar system called to say they could see I was in an accident and help was on the way. I exchanged info with the other driver and returned to my vehicle. The seatbelt was in the extended position and would not extend further or retract. On the display panel it had an 'airbag deployed' icon and message 'service airbag'. …
On the way to work on Monday morning, sept 1st, 2014 as my husband approached a stop light he noticed the vehicle at the light backup lights come on. He thought they May have pulled too far up under the stop light and were just going to back up a little bit so he applied his brakes. The driver of the other vehicle proceeded to push the gas and slam in to the front of my husband's truck then drive off. My husband proceeded to the nearby pilot fuel stop looked around to see if the other vehicle was there then called the police to file a report. After that he went on to work a few miles down the road. Worked his shift, stopped and put a little gas in his truck and drove the 9 miles home. Parked in the drive went in the house and came back out a few minutes later there was smoke then fire coming from around the front tire of the truck. …
2013 Chevrolet Silverado 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 2013 Chevrolet Silverado a good car?
Based on 64 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2013 Silverado rates better than average: 64% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Silverado at the same age. It is one of the best Silverado 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 2013 Chevrolet Silverado?
The air bags — 11 complaints, 17% of all complaints for this model year, most often about srs malfunction warning lamp/light. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (11) and body & structure (9).
How many recalls does the 2013 Chevrolet Silverado have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2013 Chevrolet Silverado, the most recent from October 30, 2015 (labels). 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?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2016, 2010 and 2013. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 1999. See the full Chevrolet Silverado years comparison.
At what mileage do 2013 Chevrolet Silverado problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 10,000 miles; 88% 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.