Your vehicle report
1999 Chevrolet Silverado
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 1,660
- Received Nov 1998 to Sep 2024
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up542 complaints · 33% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines138 complaints · 8.3% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Tires blow out or tread separates88 complaints · 5.3% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #06V066000Certain pickup trucks have galvanized-braided-steel tailgate support cables used to support the tailgate in the full open (horizontal) position. Over time these cables can corrode and fracture when loads are applied to them.
- Recall #05V379000Certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles may experience unwanted antilock brake system (ABS) activation. This condition is more likely to occur in environmentally corrosive areas. This recall will be launched in the "salt belt" states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maryland, massachusetts, maine, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin and the district of columbia only.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 100 crashes, 6 fires, 65 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1998 | 3 |
| 1999 | 157 |
| 2000 | 206 |
| 2001 | 254 |
| 2002 | 269 |
| 2003 | 220 |
| 2004 | 163 |
| 2005 | 202 |
| 2006 | 56 |
| 2007 | 10 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 4 |
| 2010 | 5 |
| 2011 | 21 |
| 2012 | 26 |
| 2013 | 18 |
| 2014 | 28 |
| 2015 | 14 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 1,660 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 542 | 33% | – | NHTSA recall #05V379000 |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 138 | 8.3% | – | NHTSA recall #00V345000 |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 88 | 5.3% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 73 | 4.4% | – | |
| Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed | 57 | 3.4% | – | |
| Tailgate or trunk latch fails | 42 | 2.5% | – | NHTSA recall #06V066000 |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 41 | 2.5% | – | |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 27 | 1.6% | – | |
| Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps | 25 | 1.5% | – | |
| Electronic throttle body fails and cuts power | 24 | 1.5% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 23 | 1.4% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 22 | 1.3% | – | |
| Fuel pump fails and engine stalls | 22 | 1.3% | – | |
| Steering wheel clunks or clicks when turning | 21 | 1.3% | – | NHTSA recall #98V242000 |
| Parking brake fails to hold or release | 21 | 1.3% | – | NHTSA recall #05V161000 |
| Brakes fail intermittently or repeatedly | 20 | 1.2% | – | |
| Steering wanders or pulls at highway speed | 18 | 1.1% | – | NHTSA recall #98V242000 |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 15 | 0.9% | – | |
| Engine knocking from rod or main bearings | 15 | 0.9% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 12 | 0.7% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #06V066000March 8, 2006805,368 vehicles affected
structure: body: tailgate: hinge and attachments
Certain pickup trucks have galvanized-braided-steel tailgate support cables used to support the tailgate in the full open (horizontal) position. Over time these cables Can corrode and fracture when loads are applied to them.
If one cable fractures, the remaining cable may retain the tailgate in a horizontal position. If both cables fracture, the tailgate would drop and strike the top surface of the rear bumper. If anyone is sitting or standing on the horizontal surface of the tailgate when both cables fractured, they could fall and be injured. On vehicles without a bumper, the tailgate may drop to a lower position.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the galvanized support cables with stainless steel support cables. In addition, dealers are to inspect the tailgate hinge and replace it, if necessary. The recall is expected to begin during april 2006. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or Gmc at 1-866-996-9463.
NHTSA recall #05V379000August 29, 20051,353,718 vehicles affected
service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
Certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles may experience unwanted antilock brake system (ABS) activation. This condition is more likely to occur in environmentally corrosive areas. This recall will be launched in the "salt belt" states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maryland, massachusetts, maine, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin and the district of columbia only.
This Can cause increased stopping distances during low-speed brake applications, which could result in a crash.
Remedy
Dealers are to remove the wheel speed sensor and thoroughly clean the wheel speed sensor mounting surface on the bearing, apply rust inhibitor to the cleaned surface, grease the mounting surface, reinstall the wheel speed sensor, and check the peak-to-peak output voltage to ensure the wheel speed signal is within specifications. The recall began september 22, 2005. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or Gmc at 1-866-996-9463.
NHTSA recall #05V161000April 22, 200590,242 vehicles affected
parking brake
On certain pickup trucks equipped with manual transmissions and built with either pbr parking brake systems or trw parking brake systems, the parking brake friction linings may wear to an extent where the parking brake Can become ineffective in immobilizing a parked vehicle.
If the parking brake does not hold, unintended vehicle movement could occur, which could result in a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will install a low-force spring clip retainer for vehicles equipped with a pbr parking brake system. On vehicles equipped with the trw parking brake system, dealers will install a redesigned parking brake cable assembly. The recall began on july 29, 2005. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or Gmc at 1-866-996-9463.
NHTSA recall #00V345000October 30, 20001,383,922 vehicles affected
service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles. Some of these vehicles have a clearance condition between the front right-hand brake pipe and the body cross sill that could decrease to the point of allowing contact during the life of the vehicle. If contact occurs and the brake pipe becomes damaged, in half of the brake system there Can be a loss of brake fluid and pressure. The brake warning lamp will be activated when the brake fluid level reaches the indicator limit.
During braking, the pedal will be lower than normal and stopping distances will be longer. If this occurs when stopping distance is limited, a crash could occur.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the front right-hand brake pipe for wear. If there are signs of wear, this section of the brake pipe will be replaced with a new designed brake pipe section. If there are not signs of wear on the brake pipe, the dealer will install a spacer clip to ensure sufficient clearance between the brake pipe and the body cross sill.
NHTSA recall #98V242000October 6, 19988,367 vehicles affected
steering: gear box (other than rack and pinion)
Vehicle description: extended cab 4-WHEEL drive pickup trucks. Some of these vehicles have a lower than specified torque on all three of the steering gear to frame attachment bolts. The bolts Can loosen over time allowing the steering gear to move. This loosening Can result in some unresponsive steering feel and some noise to the driver.
If this condition is ignored, the steering gear to frame Can wear and/or fatigue the attaching bolts to the point of breakage or the bolts backing out. If all the bolts break or back out, the steering gear would separate from the frame resulting in a loss of steering control.
Remedy
Dealers will retorque the steering gear to frame bolts to proper specifications.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1999 Chevrolet Silverado.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN