The fourth generation Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is the current truck, on sale since 2019, and it is the most capable Silverado ever built. It rides on the GMT T1XX platform, tows up to 13,300 pounds, and gained a major refresh for 2022. It is also the generation with the most serious fault in Silverado history, a 6.2 litre V8 engine recall covering about 600,000 trucks.
So who does it suit? Drivers who want a nearly new full size truck with the biggest cabin and strong towing, diesel buyers who want the Duramax for long distance towing, and work buyers who want the 2.7 litre TurboMax. Check the VIN and the oil history. Our Chevrolet Silverado 1500 model guide compares every generation side by side.
This page covers the Silverado 1500 from 2019 to the present: the engines, the 2022 refresh, the problems, which years to buy, and the costs. Note that Chevrolet also sold the previous generation alongside this one in 2019 as the Silverado LD, so check which generation a 2019 truck is before you buy.
Chevrolet Silverado 1500 2019 to present at a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Generation and years sold | GMT T1XX, the fourth generation. Model years 2019 to present, major refresh for 2022. |
| Body styles | Regular cab, double cab, crew cab. Beds of 5 feet 8 inches, 6 feet 6 inches and 8 feet. |
| Main engines | 4.3 litre V6, 2.7 litre Turbo four cylinder, 5.3 litre V8, 6.2 litre V8, 3.0 litre Duramax diesel. |
| Gearboxes | 6 speed, 8 speed and 10 speed automatic. The 10 speed spread to most trims for 2020. |
| Drive | Rear wheel drive or four wheel drive. Four wheel drive is standard on Trail Boss and ZR2 trims. |
| Seats | 3 in a regular cab, 5 or 6 in double and crew cabs. |
| Towing and payload | Towing up to 13,300 pounds with the Max Trailering Package. Payload up to 2,260 pounds with the 2.7 litre TurboMax. |
| Standout features | Multi Function tailgate, 13.4 inch touchscreen and 12.3 inch cluster from 2022, ZR2 off road trim from 2022. |
Engines and specs that matter
The 5.3 litre V8 is the volume engine and the default buy. It makes 355 hp with 383 pound feet of torque and tows up to about 11,300 pounds. Early trucks use Active Fuel Management, while LT and higher trims use Dynamic Fuel Management. Buy it if you want the proven V8 with the widest parts and service support, and check the oil history. Our guide to how often to change your oil explains the habit that keeps these engines healthy.
The 2.7 litre TurboMax four cylinder is the surprise value pick. It makes 310 hp, with torque rising from 348 pound feet to 420 pound feet for 2022, and it tows up to 9,500 pounds with a payload of up to 2,260 pounds. Buy it if you tow under 9,000 pounds and drive mostly unloaded.
The 6.2 litre V8 is the muscle engine, but it carries the recall below. It makes 420 hp with 460 pound feet of torque, tows up to 13,300 pounds, and is available only with four wheel drive. Buy it only after a VIN check proves the recall work is complete, and only with full oil records.
The 3.0 litre Duramax diesel is the long distance towing pick. The LM2 made 277 hp with 460 pound feet from 2020 to 2022, and the LZ0 makes 305 hp with 495 pound feet from 2023. It returns the best fuel economy in the range and tows up to 13,300 pounds from 2022 with the Max Trailering Package. Buy it if you tow long distances every week, and budget for the oil pump belt job at about 150,000 miles. The 4.3 litre V6 made 285 hp and was the base engine from 2019 to 2021.
Towing is where buyers get caught, so treat the headline number with care. The 13,300 pound maximum belongs to one configuration only, a 6.2 litre V8 or Duramax truck with the Max Trailering Package and the right axle ratio. Your truck tows what its door sticker says, not what the brochure says. Read the payload sticker and axle ratio on the driver door jamb, and confirm the Max Trailering Package is fitted. Then keep a 10 percent margin, so a 9,000 pound loaded trailer needs a truck rated for at least 10,000 pounds.
Common problems of this generation
This generation has three serious faults, and every one is checkable before you buy. Run the VIN through the NHTSA recall checker on any truck, and demand the oil change records.
DFM lifter failure on 5.3 litre and 6.2 litre V8 trucks
The cylinder deactivation system can kill lifters on 5.3 litre and 6.2 litre V8 trucks. The warning sign is a ticking sound on a cold start that does not clear in five minutes. Failures are reported from 20,000 to 120,000 miles, and a lifter and cam replacement costs about 3,000 to 5,000 dollars. There is no recall on the 5.3 litre, so out of warranty owners pay out of pocket. Start the truck cold and listen, and buy only a truck with oil changes at or before the monitor recommendation.
6.2 litre V8 engine recall, 2021 to 2024
The 6.2 litre L87 V8 is under recall campaign N252494001, covering about 600,000 vehicles for connecting rod and crankshaft defects. The failure mode is a loss of propulsion, and an engine replacement out of warranty costs about 12,000 to 18,000 dollars. The 2025 models are exempt because the factory corrected the fault. Run the VIN through the NHTSA recall checker before you buy any 2021 to 2024 truck with the 6.2 litre V8.
8 speed automatic shudder
The 8 speed automatic can shudder at 45 to 70 mph under light throttle, with harsh 1 to 2 shifts and torque converter flutter. The cause is the torque converter clutch and the original fluid, and the fix is a fluid flush with the revised fluid, or a rebuild at about 2,500 to 5,000 dollars if the converter is damaged. Test the gearbox at a steady 45 to 70 mph on a light throttle. Walk away from a truck that shudders unless the seller shows proof of the fluid flush. Our guide to transmission slipping explains what hesitation and shudder are telling you on any automatic. The 10 speed automatic on 2022 and newer trucks is the safer buy.
Duramax oil pump belt and 2019 to 2020 fire recall
Two more checks apply. The 3.0 litre Duramax diesel uses an oil pump belt that needs replacement at about 150,000 miles, a job that needs the transmission removed and costs about 2,500 to 4,000 dollars. Some 2019 and 2020 trucks were recalled for a fire risk linked to the seatbelt pretensioner, so run the VIN and confirm the recall is complete.
Should you buy this generation
This Silverado suits drivers who want the newest truck with the biggest cabin and strong towing. If you want a diesel for long distance towing, the 2023 and newer Duramax is the pick. Work buyers should look at a 2022 or newer 2.7 litre TurboMax, and family buyers at a 2022 or newer 5.3 litre V8.
Who should skip it? If your budget only stretches to a 2019 or 2020 truck, this is the riskiest used Silverado to buy, with the fire recall, the early 8 speed shudder and the lifter fault all in play. If you want a 6.2 litre V8, buy a 2025 or newer truck, or a 2021 to 2024 truck only with written recall proof. If you tow over 12,000 pounds regularly, check the door sticker first, because only one configuration reaches the maximum.
The good buys are the 2022 and newer trucks with the 10 speed automatic: past the early shudder, with the 2022 refresh cabin and the stronger 2.7 litre engine. A 2023 or newer Duramax is the long distance pick. Years to be careful with are 2019 and 2020, and any 2021 to 2024 truck with the 6.2 litre V8 without recall paperwork.
Whatever the year, run through this checklist before you hand over money:
- Run the VIN through the NHTSA recall checker and confirm the recalls are complete.
- Start the truck cold and listen for a lifter tick.
- Demand oil change receipts at or before the monitor recommendation.
- Test the gearbox at a steady 45 to 70 mph on a light throttle and feel for shudder.
- Read the door sticker for payload and axle ratio.
- On a Duramax, check the mileage against the 150,000 mile oil pump belt job.
- Test the touchscreen, cameras and every sensor.
Running and repair costs
Running costs are moderate for a full size truck. Typical US prices for the common jobs look like this:
| Job | Typical cost in US dollars |
|---|---|
| Front brake pads, fitted | 200 to 400 |
| Four tyres, fitted | 800 to 1,600 |
| 12 volt battery, fitted | 150 to 300 |
| Major service, including oil and filters | 300 to 700 |
| Transmission fluid service, where needed | 250 to 500 |
| DFM lifter repair, where needed | 3,000 to 5,000 |
| 8 speed torque converter or rebuild, where needed | 2,500 to 5,000 |
Chevrolet fits an Oil Life Monitor on these trucks, so change the oil when the monitor and the owner manual for your exact year say so. The expensive bills come from lifter work, transmission rebuilds and the 6.2 litre engine recall.
Questions and answers
Is the 2019 to present Chevrolet Silverado 1500 reliable?
Yes, in the right year. The 2022 and newer trucks with the 10 speed automatic are the most reliable in this generation. The weak points are specific: DFM lifter failure on 5.3 litre and 6.2 litre V8 trucks, the 6.2 litre engine recall on 2021 to 2024 trucks, and 8 speed shudder on early trucks.
Should I buy the 5.3 litre V8 or the 3.0 litre Duramax diesel?
Buy the 5.3 litre V8 if you want the proven engine and you tow under 11,000 pounds. Buy the 3.0 litre Duramax if you tow long distances every week, because it returns the best fuel economy, provided you budget for the oil pump belt job at about 150,000 miles.
What is the 6.2 litre V8 engine recall?
It is a GM recall covering about 600,000 vehicles, including 2021 to 2024 Silverado 1500 trucks with the 6.2 litre L87 V8, for connecting rod and crankshaft defects. GM fixes it free of charge where the recall applies.
Which is the best 2019 to present Silverado 1500 year to buy used?
A 2022 or newer truck with the 10 speed automatic is the cleanest buy. Avoid 2019 and 2020 trucks unless the price reflects the fire recall and shudder checks, and buy a 2021 to 2024 truck with the 6.2 litre V8 only with written recall proof.