“I’m Done Defending Them”: Why This 2026 Chevy Silverado Owner Says Ford’s Recall Disaster Is “The Only Reason I’m Still Driving a GM”

First of all, thank-you for this article! Our 2021 5.3 V8 experience the lifter collapse 150 miles from home. 53K miles on it, you'd think isn't even broke in yet! I left it in capable hands at the Parma, MI Chevy dealer. It took almost 4 weeks to rebuild the top half of the engine. The biggest take away, DO Not purchase without an extended warranty! Thank God we have one! It's not our father's era of trucks that's for sure!

I bought a 2020 Chevy Colorado from a local dealership who said it was a one owner & “perfect”! It had 71,000 original miles on it & had never been wrecked or had any repairs, besides oil changes & other regular maintenance. The first time I took it on a 2-hr. road trip, about an hour into the trip the transmission began shuddering so bad, I drove to a dealership. After checking everything out, I was told it was a normal Transmission shudder, so they changed the fluid. It helped for a little while, but got worse as time went on. No one should have to live with that shuddering! Chevrolet, what are you going to do about it????

These issues have been known for years now and yet people still sign on the bottom line for lemons. Zero sympathy.

Life long professional aircraft/auto/marine mechanic.
Told my customer's I will not work on used Ford's so don't buy one period. That was 15 years ago it's worse now. Farley, Ford CEO is a total idiot. GM hasn't built a decent engine or tranny since 2007 5.3 and 4L60E. Stupid fuel saving systems are a tragic joke, tranny is now made of pot metal and plastic. Good job GM. I weep for humanity.

The Ford recalls are minor compared to gm's. The gm engines and transmissions will fail and not allow you to get to where you are going.

GM 's engine and transmission problems are across so many engine displacements and even fuel types. 3.0 diesel , 6.2 gm V8, 5.3 v8, and the 2.7 turbo 4 even. That's every engine in the half tons. Ford's recalls are limited to some 2.7 v6 's and some rear axles but not all.

How about ram?

Are they doing better than ford or gm?

GM like every other manufacturer is at the mercy of the EPA handling down ridiculous standards for their engines and other parts of the vehicle that uses oil. Any mechanic past 50 years old can tell you this . The more electronic components there is the more trouble you will have . Sometimes technology is a failure.

This is a very good article stating facts and truth. I work in a manufacturing plant and know for a fact that quality inspections are not where they need to be. Engineers have great ideas but I don’t believe they do enough Design Of Experiments on their new project ideas. Another thing I see that doesn’t help this problem is the work force is lacking drive and ownership of the job they are assigned to perform. I don’t like “robots” trying to take the place of a human to inspect material for flaws they are not programmed to detect. Maybe one day all this will improve.

The manufacturer sets the standard on quality. Not the truck or the dealership. I have always known the Japanese…and even now, the Koreans…build more reliable and consistent vehicles. But to seeing the American truck fall soooo far behind the likes of Toyota and even the current line of Nissan trucks? It’s about what the manufacturer allows and tolerates. We have VERY HIGHLY PAID workers that are making death traps and the manufacturer just follows the “Union standard” and fright tactics. Simple.

My perfectly maintained 5.3 failed at 104,000 miles..cost me $11k to fix and got nothing but a middle finger from GM..this was my forth silverado and unfortunately my last new truck purchase. It happened three days before I closed on my house also...I think the worst part is they knew they had issues and they just passed it off to the consumer

They should go back to the way they made trucks years ago in the 80s. With all the new electronic stuff out there, they put in cars and trucks, it's not surprising that we're having all the problems that we're having with them.. My father had a ford f 150 from 1989 had a standard V8 engine and manual transmission in it. He never had hardly any problems with it. None of that fancy electric crap that they have now it just ran great. Wish I still had that truck it ran like a beast.

Toyota?

I own a 2011 f250 4×4, with a 6.7 powerstroke diesel. With the exception of wear items, I have 145,000 almost trouble free miles. My Dad was a mechanic, and always stressed routine maintenance and oil changes, with quality fluids and filters. I don't beat on my truck, and average 18 mpg. Not bad for a four ton, 400 horsepower beast that can pull almost anything. After hearing so many horror stories about newer trucks, I will keep my old girl running around!

I have to agree with the discontent on both sides ,if it was me driving one of these I would continue to stick with ford , recalls are clearly a pain in the ass and simply not good enough but its better than major mechanical failures which are clearly I direct result o GM prioritising profit through new vehicle finance over quality albeit mostly the mechanical quality that they used to build in to their trucks and up until '96, their full size cars ,

Bought my last new Ford truck in 2004. The infamous 5.4 dual cam Triton . Terrible engine reliability and the transmission started doing the rumble strip thing at 25,000 miles and 20 years before GM . After I had to put new timing components and cams in at 76,000 ( and just for the record I maintain the hell out of vehicles ) I said that’s enough . I bought an older Chevy flatbed for my business and bought a Toyota Tacoma extended cab for my daily driver . The flatbed Chevy still runs to this day . ( it is a 1988 model with a 350 ) The Tacoma still runs as well . My grandson currently has it with 350000 miles on it . Oil changes , brakes, and spark plugs are the only wrenches turned on it so far .
I do still own a Ford truck . My Dads old 1973 Ford F100 Ranger XLT with a 302 . Great truck . Back when Ford still knew how to build a truck.

I have completely given up hope on Ford. Each year they continue to find ways to design their vehicles with cheaper products, and somehow label it "safer" and "more reliable than ever." Ive owned 8 different vehicles from Ford since 2012 and I've seen the decline in quality and overall, reliability. They make billions of dollars every year, and yet, somehow, they're unable to design a truck/vehicle that will last and hold up to it's name. Instead, they keep pumping out newer models with a slight difference in design and charge you an extra $15,000 from the previous year model. I think it's time to hire someone else to take control, because it's evident that their lack of research and enginuity is tarnishing the Ford name. Ford needs to go back to the drawing board and live by their motto, "Quality is job 1." My apologies for the rant.

I was fortunate, my truck hunting (1st) began late 2015/early 2016. Was looking for diesel as I was towing up to 7000lbs regularly. Tested Ford Super Duty - too much torque, span wheels coming out of corners, too much motor, no good for me. After pouring good money after bad on a 1999 GMC Suburban & being thoroughly disappointed with build quality, GMC/Chevy were out & since Chrysler almost went down the tubes, though they made OK trucks, reliability was notoriously poor - what do I buy? Bless Nissan, right on time they came out with the Titan/Cummins 5L V8 diesel - perfect fit for my needs. It hasn't been a smooth run. Turbo actuator had to be replaced ($800+) then the turbo ($5600.) That sucked as it was just out of warranty. Dealer recommended I write to Nissan. They approved corporate payment for the actuator and 2 weeks after replacing the turbo (with an upgraded one) Nissan sent me a letter saying they'd cover that, too & sent me a check. Still have the truck, now 10/yrs old with 60k miles & original tires (yes, I'm very careful in the wet.) It's the Titan XD Pro 4X & (garaged) it still looks great & runs well. We tend to not tow so much these days so it gets less use, but this one will be a keeper for as long as I can get the parts.

Ford had 153 recalls in 2025.

This is why I will never buy a new truck. Plus the cost, put them on a lift and walk under them. In No way are you looking at 70K to over 100K dollars. Then you have the depreciation. They say protect your investment, but at that cost, it's no investment, it's a liability. No thanks.

I drove Chevy or Ford pickups until 2003. That is when I decided I had to try something different, I was done dealing with constant problems! I tried a 2003 Ram 2500, then a 2016 Ram 2500 and now I am driving a 2022 Ram1500. All have been great trucks.

Have a 2021 Z71 Tahoe and feel a shudder that, too, feels like driving on rumble strips. Wondering if this is what is being experienced with the Silverado. Never thought about a transmission issue but sounds similar to the articles descriptions.

I worked for a GM Dealership. For many years many years
There is no support from the mother ship.
No information on parts on back order to pass on to the customer. Upper management at the dealership only cares about their own money.
It’s very frustrating to try to do a good service for customers when you are juggling multiple balls in the air and trying to get approval for repairs and all the other BS. All companies are just want lots of money in there Bank accounts.
And don’t get me started with pushing repairs/maintenance.
I say stop with all the fancy crap and build a great Product.

Chevy, Ford and Toyota are experiencing either catastrophic engine or transmission failures and the associated recalls. The article suggests that all trucks are the same junk, but one brand now stands alone as the one that isn't suffering these failures and recalls and who's new, modern, complex, small displacement turbo inline six was designed to avoid the issues the other guys are facing. The RAM 1500 stands out as the most reliable new truck you can buy with no documented engine or transmission issues with the hurricane or the ZF 8 speed. There hurricane has been around for a few years before it found its way into the 1500 so it's not brand brand new but it was an all new motor in 2023 so, it's the newest offered in a full size truck. Anyway, would have been good to mention the RAM.

I was a long time Chevy and GMC fan for most of my adult life. But after my last purchase of my 2022 GMC AT4, Sierra 1500, 6.2 liter, V8, and the abysmal "fit it" solutions offered by corporate leadership, I reluctantly sold it for a new Ram.

So far, I am very pleased with my 2025 Ram Laramie 1500.

Only time will tell if this was a good move.

Ford has been doing that for years. I’m a shop foreman for a utility company that mainly has Fords. Thank good, cause it keeps me employed 😂😂. Frustrating when something quits working and have to go to my computer to look up the fuse lay out.

This so stupid. We're a quarter of the way through the 21st century and technology that is supposed to make life better is failing us. Why are the auto companies creating junk? They KNOW it's junk, yet they still allow it to leave the R&D phase and put into production without being corrected.

This is why a lot of people are driving Toyota trucks now, Nissan trucks... Detroit better fix this foolishness, guarantee all truck owners a free fix/replacement and avoid this disaster moving forward.

My 1996 GM Sonoma was a great truck. I would still own it if we had not moved across country.

Still driving my 2006 Silverado Duramax with Allison transmission. Have 65,000 mi on it.
I know it's very little mileage but I have not had a problem with it other than a recall in 2010 about a hydraulic fitting needing tightening.
Folks have offered to buy the truck from me but I'm not a seller because I hear what you folks are all going through and I don't want to be in that boat.

Still driving my 2006 Silverado Duramax with Allison transmission. Have $65,000 mi on it.
I know it's very little mileage but I have not had a problem with it other than a recall in 2010 about a hydraulic fitting needing tightening.
Folks have offered to buy the truck from me but I'm not a seller because I hear what you folks are all going through and I don't want to be in that boat.

I think it's interesting how there are actually five half-ton pickups offered in the US but everyone focuses on the reliability issues of the top 3 - Ford, GM/Chevy & Toyota - while not saying as much about Ram & Nissan.

Personally I'll probably be in the market for a truck in the next couple of years and I intend to take a good look at the new Extended Range EV trucks from Ram, Scout and even Rivian.

Chevy Silverados and the GMC's are fully made in Mexico or Canada not in the US The only truck that made Chevy is the HDs and they're made in Flint That's why I would buy a Ford over a Chevy any day