YearToAvoid

2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Airbags Problems

The 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 has 35 airbag complaints, 4% of its 836 total complaints for the year, tied to 19 crashes and 9 injuries. A related recall (16V651000) covers airbag software on other GM SUVs/trucks but does not list the 2017 Silverado 1500.

Airbags complaints
35
4% of 836
Crashes reported
19
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
9
Median mileage
46,075 mi
Related recalls
1

Typical airbag symptoms owners report

  • Owners report front and side-curtain airbags failing to deploy during moderate-to-high speed collisions, including deer strikes and rear-end crashes.
  • Several report airbags deploying without warning during normal driving, in one case followed by loss of steering control.
  • Multiple complaints describe smoke, chemical odor, or powder filling the cabin after a crash even when airbags did not deploy.
  • Some owners report airbags deploying but seatbelts failing to lock, resulting in the driver striking the steering wheel.
  • One owner reports airbags deploying a second time during unrelated post-repair vehicle programming.

When 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 airbag complaints were filed

First complaint Dec 3, 2016, latest Feb 26, 2026.

2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 airbags complaints: complaints filed per month2Dec 2016Oct 2018Aug 2019Sep 2020Aug 2022Apr 2023Aug 2024Oct 2025
35 complaints filed with NHTSA from Dec 2016 to Feb 2026; peak Nov 2017 (2).

Airbags recalls for the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500

  1. NHTSA 16V651000Sep 8, 2016Airbags3,640,162 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD, 3500 HD, Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Sierra 2500 HD and 3500 HD, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Cadillac Escalade ESV vehicles and 2014-2017 Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500, Trax, Caprice Police Pursuit Vehicle, GMC Sierra 1500, Buick Encore, and 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse, Chevrolet Spark EV and SS vehicles. 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.

    Risk: 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.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 13, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 16007.

Airbags complaints by Silverado 1500 model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 2010205 (48%)
  2. 2011319 (50%)
  3. 201274 (26%)
  4. 201394 (26%)
  5. 201455 (4%)
  6. 201572 (6%)
  7. 201620 (3%)
  8. 201735 (4%)
  9. 201815 (3%)
  10. 201911 (1%)
  11. 202011 (2%)
  12. 202120 (2%)
  13. 20228 (1%)
  14. 20231 (0%)
  15. 20242 (1%)
  16. 20251 (1%)

Frequently asked questions

How many airbag complaints does the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 have?
NHTSA lists 35 airbag complaints for the 2017 Silverado 1500, which is 4% of the 836 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there an airbag recall for the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500?
There is a related airbag recall, 16V651000, but it covers model year 2015-2017 Silverado 2500 HD, 3,500 HD, Tahoe, Suburban and related GMC/Cadillac SUVs, not the 2017 Silverado 1500.
Did airbag problems on the 2017 Silverado 1500 cause injuries?
NHTSA data shows 9 injuries and 19 crashes among the 35 airbag complaints for this model year.
At what mileage do airbag problems typically show up?
The median mileage at failure across these complaints is 46,075 miles.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.