YearToAvoid

2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA logs 171 transmission & powertrain complaints for the 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, making up 33% of all complaints filed for the year — the highest share among model years listed. Median mileage at failure is 30,000, with 1 crash and 2 injuries reported. No related recalls are on file.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
171
33% of 520
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
2
Median mileage
30,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical transmission symptoms owners report

  • Owners report hard, unexpected downshifts at highway speeds that feel like sudden braking and can cause the driver to lurch forward.
  • Owners describe a persistent vibration or shake felt above 65 mph that does not go away in neutral and worsens or improves slightly with speed changes.
  • Some owners report the transmission slipping, shuddering, or free-wheeling when going downhill at slow speeds or in reverse.
  • One owner reported the truck rolling backward while in park after being shut off and disconnected from a trailer.
  • Another owner reported repeated stalling on the interstate that preceded a full transmission failure.
  • Owners report clunky or harsh shifting during normal deceleration and abrupt slamming into gear during stop-and-go driving.

When 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Feb 18, 2018, latest Sep 16, 2026.

2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per quarter162018 Q12019 Q32020 Q42022 Q12023 Q22024 Q32025 Q4
171 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2018 Q1 to 2026 Q3; peak 2025 Q1 (16).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Silverado 1500 model year

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

  1. 201031 (7%)
  2. 201121 (3%)
  3. 201221 (7%)
  4. 201324 (7%)
  5. 2014191 (12%)
  6. 2015147 (12%)
  7. 2016193 (24%)
  8. 2017224 (27%)
  9. 2018171 (33%)
  10. 2019326 (30%)
  11. 2020225 (31%)
  12. 2021236 (29%)
  13. 2022182 (29%)
  14. 2023106 (28%)
  15. 202494 (30%)
  16. 202520 (20%)

Frequently asked questions

How common are transmission problems on the 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500?
NHTSA lists 171 transmission & powertrain complaints for the 2018 Silverado 1500, which is 33% of all complaints filed for that model year — the highest share of any year in this dataset.
Is there a transmission recall for the 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500?
No related recalls are listed in NHTSA data for this problem area on the 2018 Silverado 1500.
At what mileage do transmission problems typically show up?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for this problem area is 30,000 miles.
Have these transmission complaints led to crashes or injuries?
NHTSA data shows 1 crash and 2 injuries associated with transmission & powertrain complaints on the 2018 Silverado 1500, with 0 fires reported.

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.