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moderate Owners of the 2005 Chevrolet Silverado have filed 11 NHTSA complaints about the lighting, typically surfacing around 36,000 miles at roughly $250 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See lighting across all vehicles →
| Model year | lighting complaints |
|---|---|
| 2005 Silverado (this page) | 11 |
| 2006 Silverado | 9 |
| 2007 Silverado | 15 |
| 2008 Silverado | 4 |
| 2009 Silverado | 6 |
All 4 active lighting recalls on this vehicle land at critical or severe — none classified moderate.
No new NHTSA lighting complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 9 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Without the amber side reflex reflectors, the lighting visibility may be affected, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.
Lack of amber side reflectors in the lamps will decrease lighting visibility to other drivers and may possibly result in a vehicle crash
Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.
Lack of amber side reflectors in the lamps will decrease lighting visibility to other drivers and may possibly result in a vehicle crash.
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering lighting on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
TURN SIGNAL IN CAMPER STYLE OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR (RPO DPN) DOES NOT ILLUMINATE TURN SIGNAL FLASH (REPLACE UPPER MIRROR GLASS)
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗TURN SIGNALS INOPERATIVE.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗IPC, INTERIOR LIGHTS AND/OR HEADLAMPS FLICKER. FB2
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗IPC BACKLIGHTING INOPERATIVE TBC 2A FUSE OPEN.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
Brake light failures are the dominant complaint. One owner's lights dimmed while his foot remained on the brake pedal, creating a rear-end collision risk; the dealer acknowledged the problem but couldn't fix it. Another had his right rear brake light go out five times by 40,000 miles. A third found no brake lamps illuminating when the pedal was pressed, despite all bulbs and fuses checking out—he mentioned a recall on similar trucks and two near-crashes from drivers not seeing him brake.
Bulb socket corrosion is widespread. Owners found burned plastic on both bulbs and sockets, with filaments intact but no contact. One noted that silicone grease temporarily fixed the connection; a former GM employee told him the manufacturer should have applied this grease at the factory. A mechanic confirmed a tail light bulb had actually melted and disabled the socket prongs.
Water is getting into tail light housings, corroding bulb bases and destroying contact. One owner replaces his tail lamps every 3 to 6 months. Headlights came on by themselves on one truck and wouldn't shut off despite multiple switch resets. Instrument panels flickered and went dark—one owner linked this to a brake line failure. Gear shift indicators aren't illuminating; owners cite existing GM recalls for this year that supposedly don't cover their trucks.
Same Chevrolet Silverado lighting reports on nearby years: 2007
Brake lights dim when brake pedal is lightly released while foot remains on pedal, or fail to illuminate at all when brakes are applied. Reduces visibility to following vehicles, creating rear-end collision risk.
When: Started at 24,000 miles on complaint #1; complaint #4 reports repeated failures at 40,000 miles; complaint #10 at unspecified mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Brake lights dim while foot still on brake pedal; Brake lights fail to illuminate when brake pedal depressed; Repeated failures on same vehicle
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership in complaint #1 acknowledged the failure but could not repair it, stating it is 'an unadjustable shift.' Owners in complaints #4 and #8 replaced bulbs themselves.
Light bulb sockets have poor contact with bulbs; plastic insulation and socket show burn marks. Bulbs themselves are functional but fail to light due to corroded or burned connection points. Owner suggests silicone grease coating resolves issue temporarily.
When: Complaint #2 documents repeated occurrences; complaint #6 reports failure starting at 30,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Bulbs fail to light despite being functional; Burned plastic on bulb and socket; Poor connection between bulb and socket; Bulbs checked out ok but not making contact
Repairs/costs cited: Complaint #2 owner applied silicone grease to connections as temporary fix. Complaint #6 owner had local mechanic inspect; light bulb was melting and disabling prongs from touching.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Complaint #2 alleges GM was supposed to apply silicone grease to electrical contacts at manufacture but failed to do so.
Headlights come on by themselves and cannot be turned off, even after restarting vehicle and toggling automatic headlight switch multiple times. Headlights stay on while tail lights do not.
When: Complaint #3 documents vehicle parked at 7:00 PM; lights discovered on at 3:00 AM with no movement or restart
Symptoms owners cite: Headlights come on automatically without input; Headlights cannot be shut off with switch; Headlights stay on after engine restart; Automatic headlight switch has no effect; Headlights on but no tail lights
Water leaks into tail light housing, corroding bulb bases and preventing electrical contact. Results in bulb failures and loss of light function.
When: Complaint #7 documents ongoing failures requiring replacement every 3 to 6 months
Symptoms owners cite: Water leaks into tail light housing; Bulb bases corrode; Loss of electrical contact; Tail and brake light bulbs fail to operate
Repairs/costs cited: Owner replaces tail lamps every 3 to 6 months.
Instrument cluster flickers and loses illumination unpredictably, making speed and gear selection unreadable. Complaint #5 documents this occurring during braking event where brake line failure also occurred; complaint #7 documents panel failure at 65,000 miles.
When: Complaint #5 at unspecified mileage; complaint #7 at 65,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Instrument panel flickers randomly; Panel goes completely dark; Speed readout becomes invisible; Gear selection indicator becomes invisible
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Complaint #7 states extended warranty did not cover the failure despite GM recall existing for similar issue on this model year.
Indicator light showing current gear selection does not illuminate. Complaints #9 and #11 reference this as a known GM recall issue for this model year, but owners' vehicles reportedly not covered.
When: Unspecified mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Gear shift indicator has no display; Gear shift mechanism light does not illuminate
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Complaints #9 references existing GM recall for this same issue on this model year; owner states their vehicle not covered under recall despite documented problem.
Synthesized from 11 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
Vechicle gear shift meconisim doesn't light up too show gear shift.
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 11 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $250 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
Across the 8 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most lighting failures cluster between 24,000 and 65,000 miles, with the median around 36,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 24,000; a quarter make it past 65,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
Independent shops typically charge around $250 for lighting repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Yes — 4 active recall(s) cover lighting issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.