Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
NHTSA data on file today
The 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns and 216 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
NCAP overall rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars, averaged across 6 NHTSA-tested trims.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #21V054000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #21V051000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Unknown or Other 73 complaints
- Air Bags 59 complaints
- Structure 35 complaints
- Engine 25 complaints
- Electrical System 21 complaints
- Electronic Stability Control (ESC) 10 complaints
Of the 216 complaints on file, 7 report a crash and 1 a fire; across all 216 complaints, owners report 6 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $5,000–$12,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 has a moderate number of complaints (216) and two recall campaigns. Most issues involve the unknown/other category and air bags, with 73 and 59 complaints respectively. The data suggests some reliability concerns but is not extensive enough for definitive conclusions.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| air bags | 80,000–110,000 miles | $400–$1,000 | common |
| engine | 70,000–100,000 miles | $1,500–$3,000 | occasional |
| electrical system | 60,000–90,000 miles | $200–$800 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil and filter changes
- Brake inspections
- Tire rotations
- Coolant system check
- Transmission fluid change
- Air filter replacement
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Airbag warning light
- Engine misfires
- Electrical shorts or failures
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.