18127 - Special Coverage. In certain vehicles, if a driver repeatedly sits on the seat belt cable cover located at the base of the driver?s seat when entering the vehicle, it may cause the seat belt pretensioner to bend sharply over the seat side shield. If this continues to occur over an extended period of time, which is very rare, the seat belt pretensioner cable may fatigue and eventually separate, which could reduce the effectiveness of the vehicle?s seat belts. Before any damage occurs to the pretensioner cable itself, signs of wear will be visible on the pretensioner cable cover where it has been repeatedly bent over the seat side shield. Dealers are to replace the pretensioner and sid
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2017 Chevrolet Silverado seatbelts problems
severe Owners of the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado have filed 12 NHTSA complaints about the seatbelts at roughly $500 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See seatbelts across all vehicles →
Complaints
12
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$500
| Model year | seatbelts complaints |
|---|---|
| 2013 Silverado | 3 |
| 2014 Silverado | 37 |
| 2015 Silverado | 15 |
| 2016 Silverado | 8 |
| 2017 Silverado (this page) | 12 |
| 2018 Silverado | 7 |
| 2019 Silverado | 4 |
| 2021 Silverado | 3 |
1crash
2injuries
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering seatbelts 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 Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that may have hard or unable to rotate ignition key concern. When the concern is present the steering wheel will need to be rotated in either direction to alleviate the pressure between the steering column lock pin and lock plate. Please communicate to the customer this condition is a normal operating characteristic of their vehicle.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Drivers of 2017 Silverados report widespread seat belt system failures across multiple locations and mileage ranges. The most common issue is seat belt latch failure—owners describe broken internal components that prevent the belt from engaging with the buckle, making the vehicle illegal to operate in states with mandatory seat belt laws. One owner paid $316.97 for latch replacement at 44,400 miles; General Motors offered only a $16.97 prorated reimbursement and denied warranty coverage.
Seat belt retainers also fail by fracturing at their mounting points, as do cables at frame attachment points—one owner discovered only three strands holding the cable together at 84,000 miles. Other failures include complete belt detachment from the seat, stitching failures in the attachment loops, and pretensioner fractures. A passenger-side tensioner failed to engage during an accident, contributing to a serious arm injury.
Rear center shoulder belts fail to stay routed through their guides, sliding to the side and becoming unusable. General Motors consistently denies warranty claims on these components, citing absence of official recalls, even when owners report failures matching the criteria of existing recall campaigns. Owner complaints suggest the failures may stem from manufacturing defects in crimping or stitching processes.
Same Chevrolet Silverado seatbelts reports on nearby years: 2014 · 2015
Failure modes owners describe
Driver's seat belt latch failure
Internal parts of the seat belt latch break or fracture, preventing the belt from engaging with the buckle or becoming inoperable.
When: 44,400 to 109,500 miles; one owner reported failure while parked at unknown mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Seat belt will not engage into the latch; Inability to secure the driver while seated; Latch may fracture or break off from the seat
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer replacement of driver-side seat belt latch; one owner paid $316.97; some owners could not afford repair or warranty expired
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: General Motors initially denied warranty coverage; offered prorated reimbursement ($16.97) in one case; no official recall found; VIN in one case not included in Recall Campaign 21V245000
Seat belt retainer fracture
Fractured or broken retainer hardware where the seat belt attaches to the frame or seat structure.
When: 53,198 miles; multiple occurrences reported
Symptoms owners cite: Front driver's side seat belt retainer fractured from the left side of mounting; Retainer failure prevents belt function
Repairs/costs cited: Replacement required; repairs made at dealer
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified; case filed
Seat belt cable fracture at frame
Lap belt cable breaks or fractures at the frame attachment point, possibly due to manufacturing defect in the crimping process.
When: Approximately 84,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Only three strands of cable remaining intact; Cable fractured at the frame; No warning lights
Repairs/costs cited: Seat belt replacement performed at dealer
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer stated no warranty coverage for failure
Seat belt detachment from seat
Front driver's side seat belt detaches completely from the seat, rendering it unable to secure an occupant.
When: 75,000 miles (one case); other cases at unknown mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Seat belt has detached from the seat; Unable to secure the driver while seated; Stitching failure in the loop attaching the lap belt to the vehicle
Repairs/costs cited: Repair required; one owner performed out-of-pocket repairs
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer and manufacturer notified; no assistance offered; VIN not included in Recall Campaign 21V245000 despite owner reporting same failure as recall
Seat belt pretensioner fracture
Upper seat belt pretensioner (tensioning device) fractures and detaches from the seat during normal use or attempted latching.
When: Approximately 109,500 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Pretensioner fractures off the seat when attempting to latch the belt; Loss of belt tension capability
Repairs/costs cited: Owner and independent mechanic performed repairs out of pocket; warranty had expired
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer not notified
Seat belt tensioner failure in accident
Upper seat belt tensioner on the passenger side fails to engage during a T-bone collision, resulting in passenger striking the dashboard.
When: During accident at unknown mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Tensioner did not engage during T-bone accident; Passenger struck dashboard; No warning lights or known prior issues
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle was total loss; passenger sustained broken arm requiring pins and plates
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Information relayed to insurance company; unclear what steps taken
Rear seat belt latch failure
Rear driver-side seat belt fails to latch or engage properly.
When: 28,619 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Rear driver-side seat belt failed to latch
Repairs/costs cited: Repair pending; not yet completed
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer made aware; case opened
Front center lap belt latch failure
Front center lap seat belt buckle fails to latch or stay latched, rendering the belt unusable.
When: Unknown mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Seat belt latch broken or stuck internally; Belt does not stay clicked or latched
Repairs/costs cited: Unknown
Rear center shoulder belt routing issue
Plastic guide or anchor for rear center passenger shoulder belt fails to keep the belt in the upper shoulder area, causing the belt to slide to the side and become unusable.
When: Unknown mileage; vehicle approximately 2 years old at complaint time
Symptoms owners cite: Shoulder belt does not stay in upper shoulder area; Belt slides to the side; Belt cannot be adjusted properly
Repairs/costs cited: Owner unable to afford repair
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner reported similar failures were covered for other owners but not on their repair list
Synthesized from 12 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 0 most recent
Had seatbelts trouble with your 2017 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 seatbelts problem on the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado?
It's a meaningful issue. 12 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $500.
At what mileage does the seatbelts typically fail?
Based on the 12 complaints filed, seatbelts issues most often appear around 68,188 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $500 for seatbelts 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 seatbelts?
No active recalls currently cover seatbelts 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/2017/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.