The water pump went bad at 31,000 miles. If I continued driving and the pulley fell off the engine would overheat. I took it to the dealer and they confirmed the pump failure and want me to pay over $1,400 for repair that should be covered under warranty. There was no warning lamps lit, the pump just started making a grinding sound.
2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500: engine overheating
15 of the 859 complaints about the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 describe engine overheating.
- owner complaints
- 15
- of this car's complaints
- 2%
- recalls
- 1
Engine overheating by model year
What owners say
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that the engine occasionally overheated. The check engine warning light was illuminated for a day, and there were six diagnostic trouble codes displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed, and it was determined that the coolant flow control valve was inoperable and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed that the repair was not covered under warranty or recall. The contact became aware of GMC Special Programs: N252508340 and N25250834, which were associated with the failure; however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.
Loss of engine power while merging or passing traffic. * Reduced acceleration making it difficult to enter highways safely. * Engine overheating if the active grille shutters fail in the closed position. * Unexpected limp mode causing sudden speed reduction in traffic. * Increased risk of a rear-end collision due to loss of power or reduced speed. * Check engine light and warning messages distracting the driver. * Vehicle stalling while driving or at intersections. * Reduced visibility if the defroster or HVAC performance is affected by engine temperature issues. * Potential engine damage from overheating, creating a hazard if the vehicle becomes disabled on the roadway. The active grille shutter system malfunctioned and caused warning lights to illuminate. I am concerned that the shutters remaining closed could lead to engine overheating or reduced vehicle performance while driving, increasing the risk of an accident due to loss of power or unexpected vehicle behavior in traffic.
Once I disengaged the auto stop on my vehicle, I would accelerate from a stop and I would loose my brakes. This happened several times. I took it to the shop and was told it was fine. Finally, one day I was descending on an overpass, disengaged my auto stop and my brakes were complete failure, even my emergency brakes, my check engine light engaged (the code read emissions issue). Was able to stop in a field, get it back to the dealership to find out I lost the master break cylinder but no indication on prior visits. The truck, check engine light will spontaneously start blinking but hold no codes. I have had it routinely serviced and it will overheat and oil will run hot but mechanics find no issues
Engine Temperature fluctuates. Check engine light comes on, prompt on dash will say engine is overheating. Engine fan stays on high. Code on scanner states Coolant Control Valve. GM has issued special coverage on this exact issue. However, they tell me my truck is not covered. I am very upset with GM as they are failing to address a known concern with my vehicle.
I was driving in a straight line at 45mph when my truck jerked to one side. It felt like the back of the truck was sliding out from behind me and also felt like my truck was being pulled to a stop. A check engine light came on. I drove it back to my house (approximately 3 miles). The light went away but came back, and the transmission started overheating even though I was only going 10-20 mph. The truck randomly did the same jerking action while going home. I had to drive slow to get home. There was no warning when this happened. No lights, sounds, or other warnings. The jerking motion almost made me hit other cars, and almost made me lose control of the vehicle. It is available for inspection if needed. It has not been looked at yet because I found this website when researching the problem online. If you want to inspect it, then you need to inspect within 2-3 weeks because I’m military and I am getting stationed overseas.
Failure of the coolant flow control valve and DEF component. Caused the engine to overheat and potentially fail while driving. The part to repair this problem has been very difficult to obtain causing a prolonged period of time in a repair shop. According to online forum information this an ongoing problem with this particular engine for over 4 years now. In my general area there are 6 vehicles that are in need of this particular part before they can be repaired. This is definitely not an isolated incident.
CEL with code P1098 - which is a coolant control valve issue. Engine is not properly distributing coolant potentially causing an overheating condition. Dealer informed me that it is dangerous to drive and it is recommended that it is left at the dealer until it is repaired. If driven and other issues occur do to this failure the warranty will not cover damages. The failed part - coolant control valve is on national backorder and there is no eta on when the part will be available, no vehicle has been provided and the replacement part appears to be no different than the original except for a different model number.
Diesel engine continues to overheat, even after the oil temperature sensor failure dealership repair. Truck is very well maintained. However, common and trending issue amongst 1500 Silverado diesel owners is overheating which causes engine to loose power while driving and even get so hot it can catch fire. Warning lights appear only when problem is at engine failure point. Also, we lost power or reduced power on freeway which almost caused an accident and engine was smoking. We had it towed to Epic Chevrolet in Sacramento, CA. Within one week of dealership repair covered under powertrain warranty, dealership said overheating engine is due to a “new” code for coolant pump. In short, fire and driving safety hazard that can cost lives if not addressed by the federal safety agency.
Transmission Overheating and Jerking
I have a 2021 Chevy Silverado 1500 Custom crew cab truck with an 8-speed transmission. I have had transmission issues for a few months. I am experiencing hard shifting from 2nd gear down to 1st gear, slipping while at cruising speed, shuddering between 20mph-50mph, transmission getting too hot. I was told by an automotive shop that they experienced the hard shifting and that they also heard a whining sound while driving. They told me that they a found a Service Bulletin that came out in December of 2024, that there could be a pinched line on top of the transmission that could be causing the overheating. I have read that the transmission control module needs to be reprogrammed, a fluid flush and refill, the Thermal Bypass Valve could be at fault. Basically everything that has been released about the transmissions on 2020- 2024 GM vehicles as being safety problems, I am experiencing. I have checked my VIN on the federal safety agency website and also with a dealership, and both show that there is not a recall for my VIN. I do not tow anything, just normal ever day driving. I now have 90,000 miles on the truck and the issue first happened at around 87,000 miles. The issues with this truck are clearly manufacturer defaults and something should be done on their dime, not mine. The first time that I experienced the problems was at the end of November in traffic, which a hard shift into 1st gear, felt like I was hit from behind, but was not. Dash lights came on (traction control light, parking brake light, check engine light) and the truck went into "Limp Mode". I was able to exit the highway and get into a parking lot. I looked in the owners manual and found a quick solution and was able to regain power and all lights went off except for the check engine light. Got the code checked and it came up Transmission Control Module was potentially the issue. Code was cleared and didn't have the problem for a long time.
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.
Service bulletins that may apply
- Condition where the connecting rod and/or crankshaft engine components in these vehicles may have...
- Under Field Actions N252494000, N252494001, the service procedure includes performing a PICO test on...
- Condition that could
- This technical bulletin provides a procedure to replace the camshaft actuator magnet to correct customer...
- This informational bulletin advises the technician of a part number change for long block engines used in...
- This service bulletin provides information on replacing the intake manifold when the engine is replaced...
- This bulletin advises the tech to inspect deeper into what may be to main
- The service bulletin advises the tech of a normal transmission shift condition and the delay in throttle...
Related recalls
Engine and engine cooling: engine: hard parts internal/mechanical
- What is wrong
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, and Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles equipped with a 6.2L V8 gas engine. The connecting rod and/or crankshaft engine components may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine damage and engine failure.
- Risk
- Engine failure increases the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the engine, and as necessary, repair or replace the engine. For vehicles that pass inspection, dealers will add higher viscosity oil, install 6 oil fill cap, replace the oil filter, and update the owner's manual. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 18, 2025. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1‑800‑333‑4223, Chevrolet customer service at 1‑800‑222‑1020, or GMC customer service at 1‑800‑462‑8782. GM's number for this recall is N252494000.
Recall number 25V274000 · Recall details
Questions about the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 overheating
Is engine overheating a common problem on the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500?
15 of 859 owner complaints about the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 (2%) mention engine overheating. The model year with the most reports is 2018.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500?
There is 1 recall and 321 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
Check engine light 192Engine failure 149Loss of power 86Knocking 63Misfire 53Stalling 51Jerking 43Harsh shifting 33Hesitation 33Shudder 32Transmission failure 31Won't shift 25Slipping 17Oil consumption 15Power steering loss 15Warning lights 14Ball joint 13Fire or smoke 13Fuel pump 11Won't start 11Grinding brakes 10No deployment 9Brake failure 9ABS 8Airbag light 7Backup camera 5Seat belt 5Water leak 5
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