2012 Chevrolet Silverado 3500: common problems

Owners of the 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 filed 23 complaints with NHTSA, most often about tires and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 23
involving a crash: 1

What fails most often

1 Tires 26% of all complaints
2 Air bags 17% of all complaints
3 Engine 17% of all complaints
4 Fuel/propulsion system 17% of all complaints
5 Steering 13% of all complaints
6 Electrical system 9% of all complaints
7 Fuel system 9% of all complaints
8 Electronic stability control 4% of all complaints

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

Tires: 6 complaints (26% of all).
Air bags: 4 complaints (17% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engine: 4 complaints (17% of all).
Fuel/propulsion system: 4 complaints (17% of all).
Steering: 3 complaints (13% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 23 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

stalls while driving4 · 17%
fuel system, fuel smell3 · 13%
steering or power steering problems3 · 13%
jerking, harsh shifts2 · 9%
loss of power / limp mode2 · 9%
vibration2 · 9%
warning lights, check engine2 · 9%
airbags did not deploy1 · 4%
A/C or heater1 · 4%
door locks, latches, handles1 · 4%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Tires	6	0
Air bags	4	1
Engine	4	0
Fuel/propulsion system	4	0
Steering	3	0
Electrical system	2	0
Fuel system	2	0
Electronic stability control	1	0
Powertrain	1	0
Service brakes	1	0
Structure	1	0
Wheels	1	0
Other	1	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 air bags did not deploy and the driver was fatally injured. A police report was filed. The vehicle was examined by an independent firm who determined that the air bag switch was faulty. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and provided case number: case-9-[phone]. The dealer was not contacted.
Air bags · crash · 2019-10-15 · NHTSA complaint #11268474
Tire blew out. The tire was inspected by Goodyear PCA-Visual only -recvd below response after several requests. All Internal Goodyear visual Inspection procedures & methodologies are confidential and/or proprietary information of The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company.
Tires · 2025-12-12 · NHTSA complaint #11704782
TIRE - 265/70 R18 Failure: Tire caused vehicle damage - Tire is at Goodyear Tire - Akron, Ohio Pulled off the road to change tire - was helped by someone that saw incident and lived close by. Yes - Filed a claim with insurance -see attached-and Property Damage Claim Team - Goodyear Tire- PDCT re [email] - [ref].
Tires · 2025-10-07 · NHTSA complaint #11691934
The vehicle had been taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the transfer pump had failed to transfer fuel from the rear tank to the front tank. The contact was informed that the transfer pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired.
Fuel system · 2024-09-04 · NHTSA complaint #11612575
While the contact's sister was driving 65 MPH, the vehicle began to jerk with the check engine warning light illuminated violently. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled in the middle of the highway. The contact called California Highway Patrol who assisted with getting the vehicle off the road.
Engine · 2024-08-29 · NHTSA complaint #11611607
Our dashboard is beyond cracked, repair cost $2100.00 plus. I was told that the dash needed to have a metal brace installed with repair. We used a sun reflector from day one.
Structure · 2023-05-13 · NHTSA complaint #11521797
Our diesel fuel pump failed unexpectedly and without any notice while pulling a fifth wheel camper on a state highway in Ohio. The engine stopped completely (we were coasting within seconds).
Engine · 2022-07-10 · NHTSA complaint #11473264
It is amazing to me that a recall is issued in March 2021 and nothing has been done yet and they still are building vehicles probably with defective equipment if there isn't a fix for this recall. GM recall # N212328800
Air bags · 2021-10-28 · NHTSA complaint #11438473

When owners complained

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

20121
20143
20151
20162
20172
20181
20194
20212
20221
20232
20242
20252

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 7,735 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 21% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Silverado 3500 has 34 complaints (32 years in the data). This year has 23, below average.

What to check before buying

Tires. Tire age by DOT code, bulges, wear pattern.
Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 3500?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: tires, air bags, engine. Total complaints: 23. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: stalls while driving (17%), fuel system, fuel smell (13%), steering or power steering problems (13%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 3500?

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 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 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 2012 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 2026-11-06.