These Silverado Years Have The Worst Rust Problems According To Owners

Chevy's half-ton pickup is known for its reliable V8 engines that run forever. It's the truck people buy for longevity — the one that's supposed to outlast the others if you take care of it. Yet the NHTSA database and other complaint forums show that a different pattern is also prevalent. Rust has followed this truck for two decades straight, and it's been popping up in places no one expected, and often long before it should. Search the word "rust" on CarComplaints and you'll see hundreds of Chevrolet Silverado complaints, and that doesn't necessarily count all of the complaints filed through NHTSA or scattered across owner forums.

This problem spans multiple generations, with certain model years showing similar weak points. The 2003-2005 GMT800s top the charts with dissolving brake lines, followed by severe frame rust on the 2007-2013 models. Even the newer K2 and T1 models — which were supposed to fix this recurring rust issue — have their owners reporting photos of rust on their trucks. 

GM — unlike Toyota, which took accountability with a 2016 class-action settlement over its rust-prone frames — has done little more than surface treatments. This track record matters because these rust problems can't be chalked up to old-truck problems; it's a pattern that has stretched across model years. So, if you are buying a used Silverado, or just wondering how worried you should be about your own, start here.

Few things are more terrifying than hitting the brakes and getting no response — for owners of the first-generation GMT800 Silverado trucks, that story is a little too common. Owners of these models have been filing rust and frame-rot complaints with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for more than a decade. These specific models have over 2,702 brake-pipe corrosion failures and 107 crashes registered, which are tied to rusted brake lines on the agency's 18-page EA11-001 investigation.

CarComplaints lists 25 separate "brake line rusted out" complaints from frustrated owners for the 2004 Silverado, many of which end with a tow. Things got serious for this owner in particular: "I blew a brake line going down a steep hill ... so very lucky to be alive ... the line just below the drivers door went out, the line is very rusted as is all the other brake lines on this truck." Another 2005 Silverado V8 owner described a close call too: "I went to slow to make turn and brakes went to the floor suddenly, so I used emergency brake to stop. I believe all lines will need to be replaced as [others] look as rusty .. Looks bad for only 53,474 miles."

In several of these complaints, owners also note that GM never issued a formal recall regarding the rusty brake lines specifically. Instead, owners got a Technical Service Bulletin in late 2013 (TSV 13-05-22-001), offering dealerships a pre-formed brake line replacement kit. However, for many owners, that was too little, too late.

More than 170 structure-related complaints are on file with the NHTSA for these Silverado model years — 1500 variants from 2007-2010 — with owners reporting rust through crucial structural components, including frame rails, fuel lines, and crossmembers. Over at CarComplaints, things aren't much better. A 2007 owner claims they reported "bed and wheel well rusting," and GM allegedly told them "nothing would be done unless it rusted through."

By 2008, rust wasn't hiding underneath anymore, and owners were seeing real structural damage. One complaint mentioned a fuel leak caused by corroded metal lines, and during the fix, the shop discovered more holes in the frame and rust spreading through the shock and the spare-tire mounts. Another similar complaint stood out more than most — the owner said the frame was "rusted in so many spots there's a few places where it is broke the back end of the vehicle sprain." For a full-size truck, that kind of structural rot was a major red flag for safety.

By 2010, some owners were told their 1500 trucks couldn't even be lifted for service inspection anymore because the frame crumbled at the jack points. One mechanic declared the truck "unsafe to operate," and warned the owner that it could break into pieces in a collision or even collapse during normal driving. These weren't farm trucks that worked to the bone: Most of these complaints came from owners who bought their trucks used, three to five years after release — low mileage and kept clean — and they still rusted like they'd been buried in a swamp.

By the time the 2011 and 2012 Silverado models rolled off the line, GM had already heard years of rust complaints, but the same issues remained. Frame rust was so severe on some trucks that shock absorbers fell right off the moment they were unbolted. Others found their trailer hitches rusted through or entire sections of the frame soft enough to punch through with a screwdriver. One 2012 driver said their factory-installed trailer hitch was so far rusted that a service manager warned them not to tow anything under any circumstances.

There are even reports of rust so severe that the rear wheel wells and truck bed rotted clean through. Another owner said their frame rusted so badly that "there is more of the frame with rust than without," even though their truck looked great on the outside. A 2011 Silverado driver who tried to sell their truck discovered the truth too late — the dealer refused a simple alignment after discovering the frame was broken, with severe rust around the fuel tank and rear shock mounts. 

Also, on CarComplaints, 25 owners have logged rust issues for 2013 Silverados, and at least three said they regularly washed their trucks — all of which had under 90,000 miles on the odometer. A 2013 owner described what they saw after a car wash: "the frame and just about everything under the truck has rust that looks like it's been out in the weather for 10 or more years." Another driver complained to the NHTSA he'd already had the frame welded twice — and now it was happening again. 

Even as rust in the frame became widely known, newer but troubling issues began surfacing in less obvious places. Soon, owners were spotting rust on the body, rocker panels, and even under the doors. One 2014 owner said their rocker panels were rusting out completely, despite regular dealer visits for service and HVAC repairs. In a worst-case scenario, one inspection ended with the back half of another 2014 Silverado falling off the lift after the frame gave out. Fortunately, no one was hurt — but the warning was loud, and more than 36 structure-related rust complaints are now listed for the 2014 model on NHTSA alone.

In 2015 models, rear wheel wells, tailgate hinges, and seams around the doors were among some of the most common complaints. Multiple owners mentioned that the rust had started showing before 100,000 miles. One 2018 driver with just 15,000 miles discovered the front-passenger door hinge already rusting through. Fast-forward to 2022, multiple frame-rust complaints now appear on CarComplaints, with trucks showing rust as early as around just 4,000 miles. 

After all these years, NHTSA still hasn't registered a rust-related recall from GM, but the Service Bulletin has been updated several times to include the new platform. The bulletin now includes 2019-2024 Silverado trucks, which instructs dealers on how to deal with visible corrosion. That said, there's still no permanent fix, and no formal acknowledgement that this is any kind of systemic issue. Most owners still get denied the corrosion-warranty coverage for "environmental exposure."