Is the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 a bad year?
714 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 191, 10× a quiet Silverado 1500 year.
Keep it, but watch the transmission
The transmission draws 10× the complaints of a quiet Silverado 1500 year, spread over 24k–92k miles, so there's no single mileage to plan around.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2017 Silverado 1500 owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 62,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and drivetrainSTANDS OUT | 191 (27%) | 24k–92k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| BrakesSTANDS OUT | 190 (27%) | 33k–65k miles · around this mileage | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Electrical systemSTANDS OUT | 123 (17%) | 15k–65k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| SteeringSTANDS OUT | 58 (8%) | 29k–72k miles · around this mileage | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Engine | 117 (16%) | 30k–74k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Air bags | 30 (4%) | 22k–66k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Fuel system | 32 (4%) | 10k–44k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Body structure | 20 (3%) | 7k–44k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Visibility and wipers | 20 (3%) | 14k–61k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Exterior lighting | 16 (2%) | 1k–37k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Suspension | 15 (2%) | 5k–36k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Stability control | 10 (1%) | 17k–59k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Wheels | 7 (1%) | 8k–24k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Speed control | 18 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 62,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 714 complaints: 36 mention a crash · 12 mention a fire · 16 report an injury · 29 say the car was towed.
59 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Oct 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
Purchased my vehicle just a few months ago and had zero issues, other than pesky afm bull. Within the last month, transmission began shuddering and jerking as if slipping gears under normal driving conditions.
Greetings all I had to put my truck in the shop because it started shuddering at 20 MPH and I could barely get anywhere in it.
Transmission abruptly shifting. Feel like the truck is being hit by another vehicle. I don't know when it's gonna do it but when it does, its scary.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 62,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500: 7
The left-side or right-side roof rail air bag (RRAB) inflator end cap may detach from the inflator or the inflator sidewall may rupture. A detached end cap or inflator rupture can allow compressed gas to escape and project the end cap or fragments of the inflator into the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury.
If a wheel-speed sensor fails, while the vehicle is traveling between 41 and 60 mph in four-wheel or automatic mode, the Electronic-Brake Control Module (EBCM) software may activate the driveline-protection system. Unintended activation of the driveline-protection system will cause unintended braking on the wheel on the opposite side of the failed sensor, causing the vehicle to pull to one side unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.
The amount of vacuum created by the vacuum pump may decrease over time. As the vacuum level drops, the brake assist decreases, increasing braking effort, extending the distance required to stop the vehicle, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
The owner's manual for the affected vehicles may be missing instructions on how to use the tether anchorage and child restraint anchorage systems. If the instructions are missing from the owner's manual, the child seat may be installed incorrectly and not be properly secured, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Without the update, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash. A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.
In the affected vehicles, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash. A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.
The front upper control arms may have inadequate welds near the control arm bushing. Inadequate welds may allow the control arm to separate from the bushing, compromising steering and increasing the risk of a crash.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Chevrolet: 528
Repair instructions Chevrolet sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Engine related shudder
Normal transmission shift condition and the delay in throttle response when the throttle plate is opened rapidly and advises the customer that it is normal…
Diagnostic aids for a no start or DTC'S following a transmission replacement
Transmission Adaptive Functions and Correcting Low Mileage Harsh Shifts, Slips, or Flares
Neighbouring years
2016 Silverado 1500: 797 complaints, keep it, but watch the transmission · 2018 Silverado 1500: 524 complaints, keep it, but watch the transmission.
Every Chevrolet Silverado 1500 year
2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · 2026 · All Silverado 1500 years side by side
Other Chevrolet models: Chevrolet Astro · Chevrolet Avalanche · Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 · Chevrolet Aveo · Chevrolet Blazer · Chevrolet Bolt EV · Chevrolet Camaro · Chevrolet Captiva · Chevrolet Cavalier · Chevrolet Cobalt · Chevrolet Cobalt SS · Chevrolet Colorado · Chevrolet Corvette · Chevrolet Cruze · Chevrolet Equinox · Chevrolet Equinox EV · Chevrolet Express · Chevrolet HHR · Chevrolet Impala · Chevrolet Malibu · Chevrolet Malibu Classic · Chevrolet Malibu Maxx · Chevrolet Monte Carlo · Chevrolet S10 · Chevrolet Silverado · Chevrolet Silverado 1500 HD · Chevrolet Silverado 2500 · Chevrolet Silverado 3500 · Chevrolet Sonic · Chevrolet Spark · Chevrolet Suburban · Chevrolet Suburban 1500 · Chevrolet Tahoe · Chevrolet Tracker · Chevrolet Trailblazer · Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT · Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT 370 · Chevrolet Traverse · Chevrolet Trax · Chevrolet Uplander · Chevrolet Venture · Chevrolet Volt. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 a bad year?
714 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 191, 10× a quiet Silverado 1500 year. At 62,000 miles the tool says: Keep it, but watch the transmission. The transmission draws 10× the complaints of a quiet Silverado 1500 year, spread over 24k–92k miles, so there's no single mileage to plan around.
What are the most common problems with the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: transmission and drivetrain (191), brakes (190), electrical system (123), steering (58), engine (117). Half of the transmission complaints were filed between 24k–92k miles.
How many recalls does the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 have?
7 recall campaigns list this model year: Air bags (NHTSA 26V-611), Brakes (NHTSA 19V-761), Brakes (NHTSA 19V-645), Other (NHTSA 17V-487) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.