YearToAvoid

2013 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Best

Complaint Index

5/100

#20 most-complained of 21 Silverado 2500 years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 ranks 20th out of 21 model years for reported problems, with a complaint index of 5 and 51 complaints logged. NHTSA lists 3 recalls, including two Takata airbag inflator campaigns. It carries a Best verdict relative to other Silverado 2500 years.

Complaints
51
Recalls
3
Crashes / fires
0 / 1
Injuries / deaths
1 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
—

Top 2013 Chevy Silverado 2500 problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Electrical System12 (24%)
  2. Other12 (24%)
  3. Brakes11 (22%)
  4. Fuel System10 (20%)
  5. Structure & Body8 (16%)
  6. Engine7 (14%)
  7. Transmission & Powertrain4 (8%)
  8. Airbags2 (4%)
  9. Seat Belts1 (2%)
  10. Steering1 (2%)

What owners report

  • Owners report Stabilitrak, ABS, and check-engine warnings triggering together along with rough running and hard transmission shifts.
  • Some describe dash panels cracking near the passenger airbag area in cold weather, exposing loose plastic pieces over the instrument panel.
  • Interior door handles have reportedly broken off in hand, raising concern about exiting the truck in a crash or fire.
  • A fuel tank pressure sensor has been described as malfunctioning, allowing fuel odor and leakage down the frame near the rear bumper.
  • Owners describe a delay of several seconds between pressing the brake pedal and the brakes engaging, with dealers unable to diagnose the cause.
  • One owner reported the anti-lock brake system disabling trailer brakes when towing near maximum capacity, describing near-miss incidents in mountain driving.
2013 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 complaints: complaints filed per month5Oct 2015Dec 2016Sep 2018Mar 2019Jun 2020Apr 2021Jun 2022Oct 2023
69 complaints filed with NHTSA from Oct 2015 to Oct 2024; peak Apr 2023 (5).

2013 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 21V053000Feb 5, 2021Airbags692,526 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2010 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2009 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C."

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 24, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 11, 2021. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328790.

  2. NHTSA 21V054000Feb 5, 2021Airbags1,778,128 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, SC, TX, PR, AS, GU, the MP, and VI or "Zone A." Additionally GM is recalling certain 2011-2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, Yukon XL and 2011-2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AZ, AR, DE, DC, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MO, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NC, OH, OK, PA, TN, VA, and WV or "Zone B." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2010-2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL and 2010-2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AK, CO, CT, ID, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MT, NH, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI, and WY or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 25, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed to 40 VIN owners on May 11, 2021. A second owner notification letter was mailed to all other owners on January 24, 2022. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328800.

  3. NHTSA 18V267000Apr 26, 2018Other6,154 vehicles

    Equipment

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Chevrolet Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD, 2009 GMC Topkick 5000, 6000, 7000 and 8000 Series and Isuzu F Series, and 2009-2018 Chevrolet Express, and GMC Savana vehicles, equipped with certain Plastic-Handle Fire Extinguishers or Push Button 'Pindicator' Fire Extinguishers. These extinguishers may become clogged, preventing the extinguisher from discharging as expected or requiring excessive force to activate the extinguisher. Additionally, in certain models, the nozzle may detach from the valve assembly with enough force that it could cause injury and also render the product inoperable. For a full list of the affected fire extinguisher models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2017/RMISC-17E062-5427.pdf

    Risk: In the event of a fire, if the fire extinguisher does not function properly, it can increase the risk of injury.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, instructing them to contact Kidde to get a replacement fire extinguisher, free of charge. The recall began June 11, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, and Isuzu customer service at 1-866-441-9638. GM's number for this recall is 18146.

2013 compared with other Silverado 2500 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2011Good401044—
2012Best10533—
2013Best5513—
2014Best15402—
2015Avoid801766—

All Chevrolet Silverado 2500 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2013 Silverado 2500 ranks 20th out of 21 model years, with a complaint index of 5 and only 51 total complaints. It carries a Best verdict compared to other years of this model.
What recalls does the 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 have?
NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2013 Silverado 2500: two campaigns covering Takata front passenger airbag inflators and one covering a fire extinguisher replacement. None are do-not-drive recalls.
What is the top complaint area for the 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 2500?
Electrical System complaints are the largest category, accounting for 24% of complaints (12 of 51), with a median failure mileage of 69,003 miles.
How does the 2013 Silverado 2500 compare to other model years?
The 2013 model's complaint index of 5 is far lower than years like 2005 (95) and 2024 (100), which both carry Avoid verdicts, making 2013 one of the better years for this model.

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.