MotorCaliberNHTSA Safety Index
NHTSA crash test of the 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500

NHTSA // CRASH-TESTED

2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500

Federal crash-test performance, recalls, and complaints, scored into one NHTSA Safety Index.

12Recalls
683Complaints
3Investigations
ABOUT THE CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500

The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is a full-size pickup truck, one of the best-selling vehicles in the United States, aimed squarely at buyers who need a capable workhorse for towing, hauling, and daily driving. It competes at the heart of the brutally contested half-ton truck segment against the Ford F-150 and Ram 1500, appealing to both commercial users and families who want truck utility without sacrificing comfort.

VERDICT

The 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 earns an NHTSA Safety Index of 69 out of 100, an below average result driven by its federal crash-test stars and its recall record. It has 12 recalls on record, reflected in the score.

WHO IT IS FOR
  • urban drivers exposed to side-impact risk
WHAT REVIEWERS SAY

Reviewers generally praise the Silverado 1500 for its strong towing capability, comfortable ride, and broad powertrain options, positioning it as a competitive and well-rounded full-size truck. Most acknowledge it trails some rivals in certain areas of refinement, but overall professional opinion tends to be favorable toward its real-world truck utility and improved interior quality in recent generations.

NCAP // CRASH TESTCrash-test breakdown

Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Rollover risk 19.8%

Source: NHTSA NCAP, VehicleId 14385

Index breakdown

Crash protection61/70
Avoidance tech6/10
Defect record2/20
Forward collision warning: OptionalLane departure warning: OptionalStability control: Standard

NCAP // CRASH IMAGESCrash-test images

Crash-test images are US federal government works (NHTSA / NCAP), public domain.

NHTSA // RECALLSRecall record

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWARE26V083000

Risk: Rear wheel lock up increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect the vehicles and update the transmission control software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 6, 2026. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N252516560. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on Febr

Reported 2026-02-12

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWARE24V797000

Risk: Rear wheel lock-up can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will install new transmission control module software, free of charge. GM will provide a special coverage program to cover the repair of transmissions that are identified by the remedy software as containing a defective control valve. Owner notification letters were mailed December 12, 2024. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-80

Reported 2024-10-24

TIRES:TEMPORARY/EMERGENCY SPARE TIRE21V985000

Risk: An ABS system that does not function properly can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will provide a new 17" spare tire and wheel assembly that is compatible with the accessory wheels, free of charge. Dealers will also apply a new spare tire information label, and provide owners with an owner's manual insert clarifying which spare tire to use with the accessory road tires and with the 17" original tires. Owner notification letters were mailed February 7, 2022. Owners may co

Reported 2021-12-16

TIRES21V115000

Risk: Over cured tires may develop a break in the sidewall resulting in sudden air loss or a belt edge separation which could lead to a tread/belt loss. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tires, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 22, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N212329050.

Reported 2021-02-25

SEAT BELTS20V792000

Risk: If a seat-belt bracket is not secured, the seat belt may not properly restrain an occupant in the front-row center seat position, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect left-side and right-side front-row center seat-belt bracket attachments and reassemble it correctly as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 26, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N202314670.

Reported 2020-12-17

TIRES20V684000

Risk: Overcured tires may experience a carcass break in the sidewall resulting in a sudden air loss or could develop a belt edge separation which could lead to partial or full tread/belt loss. Either condition increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect vehicles and replace tires that have DOT number and production mold number combinations identified by Continental, free of charge. The recall began December 17, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-4

Reported 2020-11-05

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT20V650000

Risk: If the driveshaft separates, there may be a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driveshaft, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin December 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267. GM's number for this recall is N202314870.

Reported 2020-10-22

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN:INFLATOR20V446000

Risk: If the diffuser separates from the inflator during deployment, RRAB performance may be degraded, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the suspect RRAB modules, free of charge. The recall began September 3, 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, or Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is N202305380.

Reported 2020-07-30

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER20V116000

Risk: Broken caliper bolts can reduce brake performance or interfere with wheel rotation and increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake caliper bolts, free of charge. The recall began March 23, 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-866-522-9559. GM's number for this recall is N202294420.

Reported 2020-02-27

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES19V888000

Risk: An intermittent electrical connection between the B+ battery cable and the alternator could cause the vehicle to stall, increasing the risk of a crash. The intermittent connection could also lead to electrical arcing, which could generate sufficient heat to damage surrounding material, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect for the presence of glue or other contamination at the B+ cable attachment to the alternator and clean the connection and reattach the B+ cable connection, as necessary. If arcing has damaged the cable, nut, or alternator, the dealer will replace the damaged components. All services will be performed free of charge. GM issued owners an interim notifi

Reported 2019-12-12

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP19V837000

Risk: Over-pressurization can crack the fuel pump and cause leaks, increasing the risk of a fire in the presence of an ignition source.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began December 18, 2019. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267. GM's number for this recall is N192283991.

Reported 2019-11-21

SEAT BELTS:PRETENSIONER19V814000

Risk: A vehicle fire could result if materials ignite inside the vehicle.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will close off the opening in the pretensioner bracket, free of charge. The recall began December 13, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267. GM's number for this recall is N192270600.

Reported 2019-11-14

NHTSA // COMPLAINTSOwner complaints

683 owner complaints on file. These are unverified allegations reported to NHTSA.

13reported crash
9reported fire
12reported injuries
0reported deaths
Most-reported systemsEngine 227Power Train 211Service Brakes 107Electrical System 99Unknown Or Other 71Steering 71

Other Silverado 1500 years

Rivals in Sedan (2020)

Last verified 2026-07-03. Sources: NHTSA SafetyRatings (VehicleId 14385), recallsByVehicle, complaintsByVehicle for Chevrolet Silverado 1500 2020. Class rank 99 of 105 in Sedan 2020. Methodology · Disclosure