2010 Chevrolet Silverado 2500: common problems

Owners of the 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 filed 21 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and structure. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 21

What fails most often

1 Air bags 29% of all complaints
2 Structure 19% of all complaints
3 Latches, locks, linkages 14% of all complaints
4 Electrical system 10% of all complaints
5 Engine 10% of all complaints
6 Fuel/propulsion system 10% of all complaints
7 Powertrain 10% of all complaints
8 Service brakes 5% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Air bags: 6 complaints (29% of all).
Structure: 4 complaints (19% of all).
Latches, locks, linkages: 3 complaints (14% of all).
Electrical system: 2 complaints (10% of all).
Engine: 2 complaints (10% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 21 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

door locks, latches, handles3 · 14%
steering or power steering problems3 · 14%
warning lights, check engine3 · 14%
knocking, grinding or other noise2 · 10%
rust, corrosion2 · 10%
smoke, burning smell, fire2 · 10%
airbag warning light1 · 5%
headlights and tail lights1 · 5%
oil leak or consumption1 · 5%
loss of power / limp mode1 · 5%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Air bags	6	0	0
Structure	4	0	0
Latches, locks, linkages	3	0	0
Electrical system	2	0	0
Engine	2	0	0
Fuel/propulsion system	2	0	0
Powertrain	2	0	0
Service brakes	1	0	0
Steering	1	0	0
Suspension	1	0	0
Tires	1	0	0
Visibility	1	0	0
Other	1	0	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

The consumer stated that a recall was performed on the vehicle in october 2021, and in july 2022 while driving the airbag warning light appeared on the dash.
Air bags · 2022-11-15 · NHTSA complaint #11493678
The contact stated that no warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the door failed to open with the key fob or the door button. The contact stated that the door was cut open with a grinder, metal cutting wheel, and torch by an independent mechanic.
Latches, locks, linkages · 2021-10-19 · NHTSA complaint #11437338
Takata Recall. The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V054000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.
Air bags · 2021-10-13 · NHTSA complaint #11436677
Takata recall. The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V050000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available.
Air bags · 2021-07-14 · NHTSA complaint #11424831
The contact stated that the lifters on the camshaft was making a knocking sound while the vehicle was idling. The contact stated that jim wernig, inc. (2401 old u.s. 27 s, gaylord, [ZIP], [phone]) was contacted and informed of the failed. The contact was provided information of an unknown recall.
Engine · 2021-01-05 · NHTSA complaint #11386580
Reporter to the dealer right front wheel got so hot it was smoking friday 9/2/20. Has been about a year and 5000 miles later took back to dealer could not duplicate the problem. Recommend flushing power steering fluid which I did. Not sure if problem fixed.
Structure · 2020-09-11 · NHTSA complaint #11354415
The contact stated that the interior passenger and driver side door handles were fractured. The vehicle was taken to jake sweeney chevrolet ([address], cincinnati, [ZIP], [phone]) where it was diagnosed that the door handles were fractured. The vehicle was not repaired.
Structure · 2018-11-13 · NHTSA complaint #11151197
Power steering lines rust through and spray down motor compartment. Gm also has a known issue with the throttle body switches not functioning correctly causing serious loss of power immediately and has a service bulletin, but only honored if less than 120k miles and that put my truck out.
Fuel/propulsion system · 2018-10-16 · NHTSA complaint #11140541

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

20101
20111
20121
20131
20143
20151
20161
20173
20183
20201
20214
20221

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 8,077 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 22% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Silverado 2500 has 121 complaints (34 years in the data). This year has 21, below average.

What to check before buying

Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Latches, locks, linkages. Door, hood and tailgate latches, especially near the impact.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 2500?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, structure, latches, locks, linkages. Total complaints: 21. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: door locks, latches, handles (14%), steering or power steering problems (14%), warning lights, check engine (14%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 2500?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 2010 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.