2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 — Should You Buy One?
Typical asking price: $20,000–$31,000. There is 1 high-severity known issue you need to know before handing over a check.
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Kestrel Take
A comfortable, capable half-ton with the proven 5.3L (or 6.2L) V8 and a smooth-riding chassis. The big watch-item is the 5.3L's AFM (cylinder deactivation) lifter/oil-consumption issue — listen for a tick and check oil use. Otherwise it's a durable, easy-to-own truck with strong parts support. A maintained Silverado is a great-value work-or-family hauler; verify the V8's health.
What we checked
Partly reconciled against public records, 2026-09-11
NHTSA holds 836 owner complaints for the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, across 6 recall campaigns.
A big number here usually means a lot of these were sold, not that it is a bad vehicle — popular models collect more complaints for the same rate of trouble. So the total on its own says little. What is worth reading is the shape of it. The largest single group is the transmission and drivetrain at 27%. That is notable without being overwhelming — worth checking, not worth panicking about.
6 recall campaigns cover this model year. Recalls are repaired free, for any owner, with no time limit on most safety campaigns — but only if someone books it in. Ask the seller to show it was done, or have any dealer check the VIN; it takes them a couple of minutes and costs nothing.
Not written up yet: the brakes (221 complaints). That group is in the public record and is not covered by the issues below. Treat it as something to ask about, not as absent.
Counts come from the NHTSA complaint and recall database — free, public, and worth checking yourself.
Known Issues for the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
Ranked by wallet impact. These are documented, recurring problems — not freak accidents.
Active Fuel Management can collapse lifters and cause oil use/misfires; listen for tick and check oil level. A common, costly repair.
Repair cost (estimate): $1,500-$4,000 if affected
Source: NHTSA complaints filed under the engine (133), the fuel system (38).
Some 8-speed trucks report shudder tied to fluid; a flush/update helps.
Repair cost (estimate): $200-$600
Source: NHTSA complaints filed under the transmission and drivetrain (224).
Occasional MyLink and sensor faults.
Repair cost (estimate): $100-$500
Source: NHTSA complaints filed under electrics and electronics (133).
Walk-Away Red Flags
- ✗Lifter tick / misfire (AFM)
- ✗Oil consumption
- ✗Tow/plow abuse with no records
- ✗Transmission shudder
Good Signs
- ✓Quiet V8, steady oil
- ✓Documented service, honest tow history
- ✓Clean frame, one or two owners
Found a specific Chevrolet Silverado 1500?
This page covers what goes wrong on the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 in general. The Kestrel report covers this specific car— the asking price vs. market, the photos, the seller's description, and a BUY / NEGOTIATE / WALK AWAY verdict with a negotiation script.
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Not ready to pay for one? The free read is instant and needs no card — it checks the asking price against the market and names the top issues for this year. It stops short of the verdict, because that needs the photos.
Known issues on this page are based on documented owner reports, NHTSA complaints, class-action records, and manufacturer technical service bulletins. Individual vehicles vary. A pre-purchase inspection by a trusted mechanic is always worth doing.
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