This informational bulletin provides warranty policy information on revised wiring repair labor operations and required additional information.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2012 Chevrolet Silverado engine problems
severe 21 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $3,100 · see engine across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
21
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$3,100
2crashes
1fire
3injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 21 engine complaints filed for the 2012 Chevrolet Silverado, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 75,000-100,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Of the 21 model years of Chevrolet Silverado we track for engine problems, this one has the fewest owner complaints on file (21).
No new NHTSA engine complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 5 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering engine 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.
This informational bulletin provides warranty policy information on revised wiring repair labor operations and required additional information.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on the steps to diagnose and repair vehicles that may have a Service Engine Soon Malfunction Indicator Lamp on at low mileage. Technician may find Diagnostic Trouble Codes P0420 and or P0430 stored. Technician should be advised that the catalytic converter efficiency Diagnostic Trouble Codes P0420 and P0430 are disabled for the first hour of engine run time to allow break-in of the catalytic converter. Technician will need to use a Tech2 to check the verify engine run time on the Engine Hour Meter in the Instrument Panel Cluster Data Display/Data 1 List in the scan tool match. If the engine run time is less tha
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This Preliminary Information communication provides steps the technician will uses to diagnose and repair vehicles that have low oil pressure after an oil change with the engine Regular Production Option Code L20, L77, L94, L96, L99, L9H, LC8, LC9, LH9, LMF, LMG, LY6, or LZ1. Vehicle may have Service Engine Soon lamp with Diagnostic Trouble Code P0521 or Low Oil Pressure message on the instrument panel. Dealer will need to determine if bulletin 10-06-01-008 was completed. If the bulletin was performed inspect the left rocker cover. Dealer will insure the left rocker can hold water without leaking. If leaks are found apply room temperature vulcanization silicone to the rocker cover if possibl
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗THIS PRELIMINARY INFORMATION COMMUNICATION PROVIDES INFORMATION TO THE TECHNICIAN ABOUT VEHICLES THAT MAY HAVE A COLD ENGINE TICK NOISE FOR 50 SECONDS AT START UP. TECHNICIAN DETERMINES IF THE TICK NOISE IS POSSIBLY COMING FROM THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD, AS THIS NOISE COULD EASILY BE MISTAKEN FOR AN ENGINE TICK NOISE. IF YOUR SI DIAGNOSIS DOES NOT ISOLATE THE CAUSE OF THIS CONCERN, THIS CONCERN SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A VEHICLE DESIGN CHARACTERISTIC OF THE ECM CALIBRATION AND NO ADDITIONAL REPAIRS SHOULD BE PERFORMED.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 5.3L V8 engine in 2012 Silverados shows a pattern of accelerated oil consumption unrelated to leaks. Owners report burning 1–4 quarts per 5,000-mile interval starting as early as 13,000 miles, with the oil dipstick reading empty despite no visible leakage underneath. Check engine lights trigger low oil pressure warnings, but oil has vanished internally. Multiple dealers have recommended piston ring jobs or full engine rebuilds; GM re-engineered this engine in 2014, suggesting the issue was known and corrected in later model years.
Cylinder misfires—most commonly cylinder 7—accompany rough idle and engine knock. Spark plugs foul repeatedly even after dealer replacement, pointing to oil getting past seals. Some vehicles stall without warning at stops or in traffic, creating safety hazards; dealers struggle to diagnose these stalls and propose costly parts replacement just to test a fix.
One vehicle caught fire while being driven slowly, consuming the entire engine bay before emergency response. Oil pressure sensor failures also crop up; one owner had the sensor replaced, only to have it fail again shortly after. At 143,000 miles, one truck's lifter dropped and damaged the cam, requiring complete engine replacement.
Owners note GM declined warranty coverage, citing the oil consumption as a known issue. A class action lawsuit is reportedly pending.
Same Chevrolet Silverado engine reports on nearby years: 2010 · 2011 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015
Failure modes owners describe
Excessive oil consumption and piston/ring wear
The 5.3L V8 engine consumes oil at abnormal rates without visible leaks, ranging from 1–4 quarts per 5,000-mile oil change interval. Owner reports indicate consumption begins early (as low as 13,831 miles) and persists throughout the engine's life. One dealer explicitly diagnosed the need for a piston ring job; another recommended complete engine rebuild at 125,000 miles. Multiple owners suspect oil is being burned internally via valve stem seals or piston rings, or burned in the exhaust system without external leakage.
When: Starts as early as 13,831 miles; documented across vehicles from 20,000 to 143,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Oil level drops 1–4 quarts between 5,000-mile oil changes; No visible oil leaks underneath vehicle or engine bay; Oil warning light illuminates; Oil dipstick reads empty or nearly empty despite recent full fill; Engine check light may accompany low oil pressure warnings
Codes mentioned: Low oil pressure warnings (no specific codes cited)
Repairs/costs cited: One owner cited $3,600 estimate for piston and ring replacement; another dealer recommended full engine rebuild; one dealer performed valve cover replacement and valve stem seal service with no lasting resolution
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: GM re-engineered the 5.3 Vortec engine in 2014 to address this issue; warranty claims were denied on at least one vehicle citing 'oil consumption issue' as non-covered; multiple owners reference pending class action lawsuit alleging GM knew of the defect
Cylinder misfire and fouled spark plugs
Engine misfires, primarily on cylinder 7 (cited in multiple complaints), occur with irregular idle and rough running. Spark plugs foul repeatedly—in one case, a dealer replaced the fouled plug multiple times within a few oil change intervals, each time it fouled again. Misfire codes (P0300, cylinder-specific codes) are diagnosed at dealerships, but repairs are temporary or ineffective.
When: Reported from 7,496 miles through 119,816 miles; some failures recur every 10,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Rough or irregular idle; Engine shakes or knocks uncontrollably; Check engine light illuminates; Loss of power or sluggish acceleration; Engine stalls or quits at stops or low speed; Fouled spark plugs (visible oil fouling)
Codes mentioned: P0300 (general misfire), Cylinder 7 misfire codes, Cylinder 1 fouled spark plug (per one complaint)
Repairs/costs cited: Valve cover replacements, spark plug replacements, valve stem seal replacements, and piston removal/replacement attempted by dealers; fouling recurred after plug replacement in at least one case; piston ring job was recommended but not completed due to cost
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer diagnosed as a known issue affecting 2011–2014 Silverados; warranty claim on one vehicle was denied; manufacturer was notified in multiple cases but offered no assistance or recalls
Sudden engine stall or loss of power
Engine shuts down completely without warning while driving at low or highway speeds, leaving the vehicle immobilized. One incident occurred while stopped at a traffic light (idling); others occurred while in motion on highways or city streets. No warning signs preceded the stalls, creating hazardous conditions (at least one collision occurred when another vehicle hit the stalled truck).
When: Reported at 12,000 miles and various speeds/mileages across the complaint set
Symptoms owners cite: Engine cuts off without warning while driving or idling; No restart after stall; No prior warning lights or symptoms; Vehicle becomes immobilized, creating traffic hazard
Codes mentioned: <UNKNOWN>
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers were unable to determine root cause in at least one case; one dealer suggested it could be a shielded wire (not available from GM; entire wiring harness replacement proposed), bad power inverter, or bad transmission—all requiring parts replacement to test
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer was notified; no assistance offered; one dealer could not definitively diagnose
Low oil pressure sensor failure and lifter/cam damage
Oil pressure sensors fail and must be replaced; one owner had the oil pressure sensor and filter replaced once, and the same sensor failed again. One complaint mentions a lifter dropping and damaging the cam, resulting in engine failure requiring complete motor replacement at 143,000 miles.
When: Lifter/cam failure at 143,000 miles; sensor failures recurring at unknown intervals
Symptoms owners cite: Oil pressure warning light; Engine code for low oil pressure; Engine knock or damage sounds; Complete engine failure
Codes mentioned: Low oil pressure codes (specific codes not cited)
Repairs/costs cited: Oil pressure sensor replacement; lifter/cam failure resulted in need for complete engine replacement (cost not stated)
Engine fire
One vehicle experienced a sudden engine fire with white smoke and flames erupting from the driver's side of the hood while driving slowly on a wet gravel road. Hood release mechanism did not function, preventing access to extinguish the fire. Fire consumed the entire cab and engine compartment by the time emergency services arrived.
When: Specific mileage and date not provided
Symptoms owners cite: White smoke erupting from hood; Flames from driver's side front area; Hood release failure
Codes mentioned: <UNKNOWN>
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle was destroyed; no repair attempted
Synthesized from 21 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
Engine using 1 to 2 quarts of oil each oil change (I do check level at time of each gas refueling) this problem was documented at the service department, tom tepe auto center, Chevrolet dealer in milan, indiana dennis murphy manager812-654-3001 milage in at the time was 13831, issue still exists!
I was driving on a curvy road running 45 miles an hour and suddenly my motor started knocking has 95,000 miles on it.
Had engine trouble with your 2012 Chevrolet Silverado?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the engine problem on the 2012 Chevrolet Silverado?
It's a meaningful issue. 21 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $3,100.
At what mileage does the engine typically fail?
Across the 16 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most engine failures cluster between 20,000 and 125,000 miles, with the median around 88,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 20,000; a quarter make it past 125,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $3,100 for engine 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.
Are there any recalls related to engine?
No active recalls currently cover engine issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2012/Chevrolet/Silverado.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.