My 2024 Chevy Silverado Is Rusting Through the Frame After 16K Miles, My Ram With 100K Was Nowhere Near This Bad

A growing number of Chevrolet Silverado owners are voicing their frustration over rust problems with their trucks. 

One owner, James, says he has a severe rust problem with the frame on his 2024 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD Duramax ZR2 with only 15,000 miles. And he isn't the only owner reporting issues with rust. James (@lakelakelakewi) explains in his TikTok clip where the rust is and where he lives in Wisconsin. 

He says, "My 2024 Chevy Silverado 2500 ZR2 frame is rusted out after only 15,000 miles and 16 months of owning it. I'm very disappointed in this truck."

Before James tells his story, imagine buying a new Silverado HD ZR2 that you use for work, and it's a plow truck for your quarter-mile-long driveway in the woods of Wisconsin. However, the truck's frame starts rusting after one year.

It's so bad that the rust is bright red on many areas of the truck's frame, and it's even rusting through in some areas. You live where they salt the roads, but you know it's not that because your RAM truck with over 100K miles never had the problem. 

James and other Chevy Silverado owners are left in disbelief. Could GM really have rust problems with the Silverado frames? James' disappointment is evident.

James says, 

"I had a Ram with 100,000 miles on it, and I traded for this truck. It was nowhere near this bad."

James is accused of taking the video of another truck and not his 2024 Silverado HD ZR2. So, he shoots another video clip showing he isn't trying to trick viewers. 

"I had quite a few people trolling me saying that it wasn't actually a new truck and that I had taken a video of an old truck, and I must have made this story up,” he says as he pans the rusty truck's frame in his video. 

Is salt on the roads the issue?

"I've received other comments saying it's because I live in a salt state. I do live in a salt state. I live in Wisconsin. However, we are well into April now, and I use my truck to plow my driveway." 

"It's about a quarter mile long, an all-black top, and no gravel. And that's what I use this truck for. It's a plow truck. So, it is a work truck. I don't use it to take my wife to Hobby Lobby like some people do." 

"This truck was built in November 2023, and I bought it in January 2024, so it's barely over a year old. My truck only has 16,544 miles on it." 

Rust is everywhere on the truck's frame.

"As we look underneath, there is rust everywhere. It's not just surface rust; it has rusted through the frame in various places. This is the same truck I showed you in the first video."

"I'm not complaining about the truck, but I have never seen this much rust on a new truck. The rest of the truck is good. But this 2024 truck is rusted out with only 16,500 miles and is only a year and four months old."  

"I didn't know Chevrolet hadn't coated the frame until now," he concludes.

What are other Chevy Silverado owners saying?

Scott says, "Hey, I wrote on your post yesterday. It doesn't matter that you live in a salt state; after 15,000 miles, the truck frame shouldn't be rusting like that. As I said yesterday, you must go to the dealership and get that addressed ASAP. You will be the first one to do it." 

"Plus, I recommend getting your truck undercoated after you have had that all addressed. I live in Canada, and those are things that we need to do to protect our vehicle frames from rusting out from the salt and sprays they put on the road. I hope you can get this addressed and fixed at no cost. Please keep us updated. Have a great week, cheers."

Jack says, "I have a 2022 GMC 2500 HD AT4, I have the same issue. I washed the truck constantly. I took it into the Chevrolet dealer to have them inspect it, and they told me there was too much dirt on the frame to inspect it." 

"So I went under it with a power washer, brought it back, and they told me it's a nonissue. I'm returning to complain at my next oil change because this truck has 23,000 miles on it and looks like a 15-year-old truck underneath. The wax coatings GM is using on all frames are completely deficient."

Several Silverado owners on this Reddit thread also report rust issues. 

jeffs_sessions - "My 2019 frame is already rusting with lots of exposed bare metal. I can't determine from the article whether GM will pay for this. If not, I'll probably just fluid film once or twice a year."

Does the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado have rust problems with the frame?

The 2024 Chevrolet Silverado can experience rust problems with the frame due to a manufacturing defect in the wax coating application. General Motors has issued a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB No. 19-NA-255) addressing peeling wax and subsequent rust. The issue is that the frame metal was improperly prepped before applying the wax coating, leading to peeling and corrosion. 

The GM TSB is not a recall.  

While not a formal recall, GM has issued a TSB to address the rust issue for multiple GM trucks, SUVs, and vans, including the 2011 to 2024 Chevy Silverado.

Affected Vehicles: The issue affects 2011 to 2024 Chevy Silverado models and other GM trucks. 

What causes the Silverado frame rust problem?

A report from the Lemon Law Experts says, "The bulletin addresses the peeling wax coating and subsequent rust and corrosion on the exposed metal. GM has identified a manufacturing error by the third-party frame supplier as the cause, where the metal was not properly prepped before the wax application."

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), some customers have reported that the wax coating on the frame of their Chevy Silverado may peel off, revealing rust or corrosion. The hot wax may also drip off the frame during shipping, leaving drips visible on the back of the frame.

Is the problem covered under warranty?

For Chevrolet and GMC vehicles, warranties generally cover rust-through corrosion of body and sheet metal components for specific durations:

• Chevrolet: Typically 6 years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first.
• GMC: Typically 3 years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first.

Lemon Law Experts says, "Some warranties may only apply to "rust perforation," requiring the metal to rust through completely for coverage. GM corrosion warranties usually exclude perforation caused by environmental factors such as acid rain."

Conclusion:

• If you own a 2011 to 2024 Chevrolet Silverado, it is recommended that your vehicle be inspected for this issue.
• Check if your vehicle is involved in any recalls related to this or any other issue moving forward.
• GM dealerships may attempt repairs such as removing remaining wax and surface rust, applying a new coating to affected areas, or replacing compromised frame components if necessary.

It's Your Turn

Do you own a Chevrolet Silverado or another GM truck? Have you experienced rust issues on your vehicle? If so, click the red Add New Comment link below and let us know.

Check out my 2024 Chevrolet Silverado story: I’ve Owned Toyotas For 30 Years With No Issues, I Took A Chance On a 2024 Chevrolet Silverado, and 5K Miles In, the Problems Begin

I am Denis Flierl, a Senior Torque News Reporter since 2012. My 30+ year tenure in the automotive industry, initially in a consulting role with every major car brand and later as a freelance journalist test-driving new vehicles, has equipped me with a wealth of knowledge. I specialize in reporting the latest automotive news and providing expert analysis on Subaru, which you'll find here, ensuring that you, as a reader, are always well-informed and up-to-date. Follow me on my X SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.

Photo credit: Denis Flierl via James