2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 · symptom sheet
Engine rattles or ticks
- 30owner reports
- 50,000median miles
- 1involved a crash
Newest report Aug 20, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
431 of the 828 complaints on this car are about the engine. 30 of those describe engine rattle.
Tick what matches of 30 reports
Engine rattle on other Silverado 1500 years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026.
What this problem usually is
Owners in this group hear something before anything breaks. Most describe a ticking or tapping at idle, a rattle that's worse on a cold start and fades as the engine warms, or a noise that comes and goes over weeks. Some report the check engine light following a while later. It's the early-warning end of the engine complaints, and the reports that end in a named part are useful to anyone hearing the same sound.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the lifters (11 reports).
Recalls and investigations
One recall on the engine covers the 2021 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.
The connecting rod and/or crankshaft engine components may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine damage and engine failure.
NHTSA investigations into the engine on the Silverado 1500
Loss of motive power due to engine failure post recall remedy. Open.
Loss of motive power due to engine failure post recall remedy. Closed aug 20, 2026.
Loss of motive power due to engine failure. Open.
Loss of motive power due to engine failure. Closed oct 23, 2025, led to recall 25V-274.
Crank position sensor failure - stall. Closed sep 14, 2006.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 16,000 and 62,248 miles, from the 18 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 8 service bulletins or notices for the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
This bulletin advises the tech that the Exhaust Roller Follower may be the issue with the engine Ticking noise, misfire or rough run and what to replace if found the cause.
This service bulletin provides a service procedure to correct a condition of a Ticking Noise from the Engine.
This bulletin advises the technician to Inspect the position of the head gasket locating tabs to determine if the head gasket(s) has been possibly installed backwards to correct a concern of an Engine Thermostat Tick Noise and/or Running Hot.
This Preliminary information communicates information on correcting a rattle noise from the underbody exhaust heat shield.
4 more on the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 page.
What owners wrote
“Driving down the road and the vehicle shut off and said to restart. Wouldn't start back up. Check and found a 400 amp fuse was blown. Tested starter and was fine. Restarted the vehicle and it made a loud rattling noise and shut back off. Sent it to the dealer and they found that number 1 and 2 rods overheated and locked up the motor.”
Filed Jan 24, 2025
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 1 of 30 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Paid for this repair before a recall covered it? How recall reimbursement works
Other problems on this car
- Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing 176 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 168 reports
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 121 reports
- Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard 95 reports
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 44 reports
- Engine overheats or leaks coolant 30 reports
- Transmission fails or needs replacement 28 reports
- Power steering cuts out or goes heavy 26 reports
- Tailgate or liftgate will not open or close 26 reports