3 Silverado Engines You Should Steer Clear Of

Ever since it entered the market in 1999, the Silverado has been the flagship truck for Chevrolet, constantly going toe-to-toe with the likes of the F-150. Priding itself on all-around practicality with plenty of comfort inside to match, the full-size Chevy has long offered one of the most versatile selections of trim levels, which is even more so the case for the newer models. Throughout the truck’s life, we’ve also had the choice between a few different engine types, which is perhaps the most crucial choice of all. Not only does it dictate how capable the truck can be, but in the Silverado’s case, some engines ring louder alarm bells than others.

Since the Silverado has been around for a while, and the newest models get plenty of praise for being reliable, but that wasn’t always the case. There are plenty of reports and data from owners to give us an idea of which engine options have the most issues, and despite the difference in construction, many fall victims to the same problems.

For the 2014 model year, Chevrolet introduced a revitalized version of the Silverado, bringing nearly every aspect of the truck up to current standards. It sported a meaner look atop the new platform, but perhaps the biggest change was under the hood, with a selection of entirely new engines available. These were the first of the Ecotec3 engines, and while some, like the 4.7L V6, don’t have as many overall issues, the same can’t be said for the mid-spec 5.3L V6 engine. Unfortunately, the problems of the 5.3L remained relevant throughout the generation, until 2018. It’s certainly worth checking any 2014-2018 model years for these issues.

On CarComplaints.com, the 2014 model year comes out ahead for being the most troublesome. Electrical issues and build quality help out with that, but the engine itself is another major pain point. Specifically, the active fuel management system that was used in this engine is well-known for causing all sorts of issues. Owners report overly excessive fuel consumption, which can subsequently cause larger failures that’ll cost a hefty amount to fix. Another problem directly related to the AFM system is the lifters failing, which comes up plenty of times on the NHTSA website. Engine failure can easily follow. As this active fuel management system was used on every one of these engines from 2014 to 2018, you may want to avoid it, unless it’s been disabled permanently.

Moving into the 2019 generation of Silverados, Chevrolet opted to keep the engines from prior models and giving them a few updates. A couple of new engines were also introduced, but looking at the reported issues for these Silverados, it’s the existing V8 that proves to be the most troublesome. In place of the AFM system found in the previous generation, a new iteration, the dynamic fuel management system, was designed to refine its performance. While it may have done so, it wasn’t issue-free. Far from it, in fact.

On top of the potential DFM issues that cause similar problems to those found in older engines, things got much worse for 6.2L-powered Silverados built between 2021 and 2024. A massive recall was put out for every Chevrolet that uses this L87 V8, not just the Silverado, due to crankshaft failures and faulty connecting rods. On the NHTSA website and CarComplaints.com, there’s no shortage of reports for this problem, often mentioning the notorious knocking leading to major engine failures if left untreated. A few specific instances also mention crank bearing issues for 6.2L Silverados built before the recall.

While the engines introduced in the 2014 generation had their fair share of issues, it was the (previous) second generation and its problems that forced to GM try to fix the active fuel management. As a result, we think you should keep clear of the 5.3L engine that was used for the Silverado between 2007 and 2013. On the flip side, the smaller 4.3L V6 doesn’t have anywhere near as many complaints as the 5.3L, nor does the larger 6.0L, despite the latter also using the AFM system.

The majority of the submitted complaints for Silverados built between 2007 and 2013 revolve around excessive oil usage. Owners also reported cam and lifter failure soon after noticing the oil levels drop dramatically, as well as issues with the spark plugs. Similar to the ’14 to ’18 model years, this is an engine you should only consider if the AFM system has been deactivated, to save yourself from potential engine failures.