The 2013 Chevy Silverado 1500 is a full-size pickup truck. This lineup, which includes three body styles, three options in bed lengths, and five trim levels, is designed for every day and light commercial use. Chevy Silverado 1500 owners report some common problems and concerns with this vehicle for the 2013 model year.
Common Owner Problems With the 2013 Chevy Silverado 1500
Take a look at some of the most common problems and complaints that owners have had with the 2013 Chevy Silverado 1500. These are based on owner concerns and reported problems with this particular make and model for the 2013 lineup.
4WD Message Displays on the Vehicle
One common problem relates to the display of the 4WD transfer case encoder motor position sensor or the selector switch. Either item can fail when in operation. This pulls up a display of the 4WD error message.
The transfer case control module must be accessed to determine the message’s underlying cause. Some owners report that all of their instrument panel displays stopped working randomly without any damage to the car. Others report they also had an ABS light come on the dash while the failure of other features occurred.
Some owners report that the needle measuring the speed would stay at 0 with only slight fluctuations to increase it. They also had trouble related to the gas gauge malfunctioning. Other times, repairs to these components are necessary.
Some owners report that all of their instrument panel displays stopped working randomly without any damage to the car. Others report they also had an ABS light come on the dash while the failure of other features occurred. Some owners report that the needle measuring the speed would stay at 0 with only slight fluctuations to increase it. They also had trouble related to the gas gauge malfunctioning.
Fuel Level Sensor Failures
Owners report the 2013 Chevy Silverado 1500 will not have accurate fuel levels indicated on it. They report the fuel level sensors on the fuel tank fails. This leads to the truck’s inaccurately updating the fuel level on the dashboard. In some cases, owners report the gas gauge will read the tank as “empty” even with a full tank.
Some also report having the fuel level sensor replaced fully and the vehicle reporting the same error message again. Many owners report the fuel sensor will even change levels and jump between full and empty from time to time. This was reported on the 2013 Chevy Silverado 1500 LS trim model, but other sensor errors were reported on other trims as well.
Excessive Oil Consumption
Owners of the 2013 model Silverado 1500 report the same concerns as owners of previous years with excessive oil consumption in their vehicles. Owners reported the vehicle would burn through as much as a quart of oil every 1,000 miles driven.
However, most reporting this type of overconsumption stated it began happening once the vehicle had over 50,000 to 60,000 miles. Owners report the cause is the engine’s cylinders, which caused lower rpms to reduce the amount of fuel used. This drop leads to too much oil being used.
Airbags Did not Deploy
Some users reported that, during an accident, only the passenger door airbags opened up. The driver side and other airbags did not deploy. This occurred with the 2013 Chevy Silverado 1500 LT trim model. It occurred when a vehicle rolled over during an accident. The owner says, due to the impact, all of the airbags should have deployed.
Heating and Air Conditioner Temperature Failures
Owners with problems with their Silverado 1500 also reported that one or more of the car’s air conditioner or heater air delivery and temperature model door actuators may fail to operate. This leads to improper or no air delivery or temperature control in that area.
Technicians can determine this problem by accessing the fault code located in the HVAC control module. This problem seems to happen intermittently, occurring sometimes, but not always.
Owners reported hot air blowing from the driver’s side or left driver’s side vents blowing hot air while the passenger side vents blow cold air. They were able to temporarily fix this by turning the engine off and restarting it. Owners report this happens when the vehicle is driven at higher speeds and then slows down, though others report it happens more often.
Stability Message Display for Steering Wheel Sensor
Some owners reported the 2013 Chevy Silverado 1500 may display a service stability message. This message comes on, indicating a failed steering wheel position sensor. These sensors are designed to inform the driver of changes in the steering operation.
Drivers report that sensor warnings include StabiliTrak and Traction Control displaying on the dash intermittently. Some report this happens every time they turn on the vehicle. It does not hinder their ability to drive or operate the vehicle, but some report the service warning display will flash.
Technicians have fixed the problem by replacing the steering position sensor that has failed.
Frequent Battery Rundown
Some owners have reported battery-related problems with this particular make and model, including the 2013 lineup. Owners report that the vehicle’s battery simply runs down unexpectedly and quickly. This has been reported in the Silverado XFE and other trim packages.
In some cases, no known cause was found as to why the battery had drained. In others, it was related to an alternator failure. In the reported cases involving the frequent battery rundown, owners had to replace the battery. Some purchased a backup battery to avoid breakdowns.
Erratic Function of the Instrument Panel Gauge
Owners report that, at times, the speedometer or other components of the instrument panel will simply fail. They may operate erratically, where they display obviously incorrect information. If this happens, the instrument cluster must be repaired at a specialized facility. It is a fault within the system’s computer that leads to it.
Some owners report that all of their front panel instrument panel displays simply stopped working randomly without any damage to the car. Others report they also had an ABS light come on the dash while the failure of other features occurred. Some owners report that the needle measuring the speed would stay at 0 with only slight fluctuations to increase it. They also had trouble related to the gas gauge malfunctioning.
Throttle Position Sensor Failure
Two of the more common problems with the Chevy Silverado 1500 over several model years, including the 2013, are reduced power and the “check engine” light coming on in the display. The throttle position sensor (TPS) is responsible for this. It can fail in the vehicle.
This can cause a drop in the vehicle’s power, the display of the check engine light, and an inability to restart the vehicle right away. This is due to a bad throttle position sensor (requiring replacement), or it may be due to improper wiring of the sensor. Sometimes, a poor connection with the TPS can also produce this failure. Most of the time, though, the senor’s replacement is necessary to stop the problem from occurring again.
Steering Wheel Noise
Some vehicle owners report that, suddenly, their steering wheel developed a loud, clunking sound. This seems to come from the upper intermediate steering shaft on the truck. A clunky type of noise may happen when a driver turns sharply. Others notice a knocking sound that seems to come from deep within the engine. It also makes a louder operational sound when the truck goes over bumps or is used in off-road conditions.
Technicians report this could be due to a number of problems, including those related to the shaft’s function and lubrication level. Some owners report this problem has led to vibrations in the steering wheel, making for a rough ride, especially around corners and turns.
Sounds Coming from the Brakes
Some Silverado 1500 truck owners reported abnormal sounds coming from the brake area. In short, this occurs when the StabiliTrak System warning light is displayed on the dash. In these situations, the vehicle had to have the brakes replaced to stop the sound and to stop the presence of the display warning. The problem happened more than one time for some drivers.
Paint and Body Condition Problems
Some vehicle owners reported the 2013 model had some damaged paint areas, including paint peeling, without any known cause for it. Some also reported early rusting, and failure of the vehicle’s frame and undercarriage-this was less common. Others reported concerns with the door handles; some owners reported the handles came off too easily or even broke off when pulled too heavily.
Owners reported that the interior door handles tend to be most likely to break and that inferior materials were used to make them. Some also reported water leaking into the doors due to failed weather stripping around them.
Transmission-related Problems
Transmission problems are not as common with the Silverado 1500 for 2013 as in previous years.
However, some owners reported transmission failures, including on younger vehicles. They also reported slips in the transmission when they were downshifting. As a light-duty passenger truck with a Work Truck model, this can be worrisome. Other drivers reported a transmission clunking sound that comes and goes. Some owners report that the transmission seems sluggish, especially after 60,000 miles were on the truck.
