Diagsheet

2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 · symptom sheet

Tailgate or liftgate will not open or close

  • 26owner reports
  • 45,000median miles
  • 0involved a crash

Newest report Sep 1, 2026 · checked Sep 19, 2026

39 of the 810 complaints on this car are about the structure. 26 of those describe tailgate or liftgate failure.

Tick what matches of 26 reports

8
12
5

What got replaced

Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the latch (8 reports).

Recalls and investigations

No recall on the structure covers the 2021 model year as of Sep 19, 2026.

NHTSA investigations into the structure on the Silverado 1500

EA05-007opened Apr 14, 2005
Latches/Locks/Linkages · model years 1998 to 2000

Tailgate support cables. Closed apr 11, 2006, led to recall 06V-066.

NHTSA summary
GENERAL MOTORS IS CONDUCTING A SAFETY RECALL TO REMOVE AND REPLACE THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES INSTALLED IN 805,368 MODEL YEAR 1999 AND 2000 GMT 800 MODEL VEHICLES.THE MODEL YEAR 1999 AND 2000 GMT-800 SERIES VEHICLES THAT WILL BE CAMPAIGNED HAD CONTRIBUTED A SIGNIFICANT MAJORITY OF THE TOTAL COMPLAINTS (87%) AND INJURIES (79%) ASSOCIATED WITH THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLE BREAKAGE IN THE MODEL YEAR 1998 - 2000 C/K SERIES VEHICLES ADDRESSED BY THIS INVESTIGATION.
RQ04-010opened Sep 28, 2004
Latches/Locks/Linkages · model years 1998 to 1999

Tailgate support cable breakage. Closed apr 14, 2005.

NHTSA summary
ODI IS UPGRADING RQ04-010 AND OPENING AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES INSTALLED IN 1998, 1999, AND PARTIAL YEAR 2000 SILVERADOS AND SIERRAS (C/K MODELS).GENERAL MOTORS IS CONDUCTING RECALL CAMPAIGN 04V-129 TO REPLACE THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES ORIGINALLY INSTALLED IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2000 - 2004 SIERRAS AND SILVERADOS.GENERAL MOTORS HAS ADVISED ODI THAT THE MATERIALS USED FOR THE TAILGATE CABLE SHEATHING INSTALLED IN C/K MODELS HAD INADVERTENTLY CHANGED IN OCTOBER 1999, INCREASING THE PROPENSITY FOR VOIDS IN AND AROUND THE GALVANIZED STEEL CABLE STRANDS WHICH CAN ALLOW MOISTURE TO WICK AMONG THE STRANDS, LEADING TO OXIDATION AND WEAKENING OF THE STRANDS.SINCE ODI INITIATED RQ04-010 IN SEPTEMBER 2004, ODI HAS RECEIVED 10 ADDITONAL NON-INJURY COMPLAINTS ON MY 1998-99 C/K VEHICLES, BUT NO ADDITIONAL INJURY COMPLAINTS.DURING THIS SAME PERIOD, GM HAS RECEIVED 564 NON-INJURY AND 35 INJURY COMPLAINTS. ODI HAS RECEIVED 6 INJURY COMPLAINTS AND 38 NON-INJURY COMPLAINTS FROM OWNERS OF MODEL YEAR 2000 C/K VEHICLES AND REQUIRES FURTHER INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE WHETHER THESE INCIDENTS OCCURRED IN VEHICLES WITHIN THE SCOPE OF CAMPAIGN 04V-129 OR SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE INJURY SUMMARY FOR RQ04-010.
EA04-005opened Feb 19, 2004
Latches/Locks/Linkages · model years 1999 to 2003

Tailgate cable breakage. Closed sep 28, 2004, led to recall 04E-067.

NHTSA summary
GENERAL MOTORS FILED A DEFECT NOTICE 04V-129 ON MARCH 17, 2004, WHICH OUTLINES A PROGRAM TO REPLACE THE TAILGATE CABLES INSTALLED IN AFFECTED MODEL YEAR 2000-2004 VEHICLES.REFER TO ODI'S CLOSING REPORT FOR EA04-005 FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.ODI IS AWARE OF REPORTS OF TAILGATE CABLE BREAKAGE OCCURRING IN MODEL YEAR 1999 AND EARLIER VEHICLES.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH SIMILAR TAILGATE CABLES AS ADDRESSED BY 04V-129, BUT ARE NOT BEING ADDRESSED BY CAMPAIGN O4V-129.ODI IS INITIATING A SEPARATE INVESTIGATION TO ADDRESS THESE VEHICLES.THE COMPLAINT-INJURY-FATALITY STATISTICS SUMMARIZED ABOVE PERTAIN TO MODEL YEAR 2000-2004 VEHICLES. THE COMPLAINT-INJURY STATISTICS FOR MODEL YEAR 1999 AND EARLIER VEHICLES ARE SUMMARIZED ON THE OPENING RESUME FOR THAT INVESTIGATION.
PE03-049opened Oct 23, 2003
Latches/Locks/Linkages · model years 1999 to 2002

Tailgate cable breakage. Closed feb 19, 2004.

NHTSA summary
DURING THE PE, ODIDISCOVERED THAT ONE OR BOTH OF THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES CAN BREAK DUE TO THE EFFECTS OF METAL FATIGUE AT THE POINT WHERE THE CABLE FLEXES WHEN THE LIFT GATE IS OPENED AND CLOSED. CONCURRENTLY, THE STRENGTH OF THE CABLE DEGRADES OVER TIME DUE TO CORROSION OF THE WIRE STRANDS IN THE SUPPORT CABLES.WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY AND CARGO IS BEING LOADED OR UNLOADED, THE TAILGATE CAN TIP DOWNWARD DISPLACING CARGO AND/OR PEOPLE TO THE GROUND WITHOUT WARNING.ODI IS ALSO AWARE OF ONE TOTAL SEPARATION OF THE TAILGATE FROM THE VEHICLE.OWNERS CANNOT EASILY DETECT WHETHER THE SUPPORT CABES ARE DAMAGED OR CORRODED BECAUSE THEY ARE COVERED BY A PROTECTIVE SHEATH.ODI IS UPGRADING THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION FOR FURTHER APPROPRIATE ACTION.MODEL YEAR 2003 VEHICLES WILL BE ADDED TO THE INVESTIGATION.FURTHER, WE WILL INCUDE ADDITIONAL VEHICLES, THOSE BEING THE AVALANCHE AND CADILLAC EXT, MODEL YEARS 2002-2003, AND THE SIERRA, MODEL YEARS 1999-2003.

None of these investigations covers the 2021 model year.

When it happens

The middle half of failures fell between 29,500 and 56,000 miles, from the 13 reports that gave a mileage.

323
1024
825
526

What owners wrote

“Rear tailgate does not open and sometimes will show a warning on the dash that the tailgate is open when it is not. The tailgate for the heavy duty 2500/3500 trucks were recalled for the same reason but not the 1500 trucks. This is a common issue on the truck forums and is an unsafe condition.”

Filed Sep 1, 2026

“I washed my truck and now suddenly the tailgate opens and closes whenever it decides and I have paint that is bubbling and it looks as if it’s gonna all chip right off the hood”

Filed Jan 14, 2025

“Unwanted inadvertent tail gate opening. The tailgate is opening without human interaction causing a safety issue and potential loss of cargo. Damage to tailgate from striking objects due to inadvertent opening”

Filed Nov 11, 2024

“The tailgate on my 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 opens randomly. Initially, it was not often, but progressively happening. I had to pull over in rush hour traffic this morning to shut the tailgate after it opened randomly. The only reason I knew, was checking the rear camera.”

Filed Sep 25, 2024

Should you keep driving it?

This page can't tell you that. 0 of 26 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.

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