The Lane Check

Home › Cars › Chevrolet › Silverado 3500 › 2017

2017 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
43%
54 of 127 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

43% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.

Worse than 51% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 12 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 39%).

NHTSA data checked October 3, 2026

The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 have transmission problems?

Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 54 of 127 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (43%), and the largest group is filed under power train (35). For comparison, the 2016 scores 31%. On a test drive, check for shuddering, slipping, delayed or harsh shifts, or a whine at speed. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
54
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
139
this model year
Fires reported
3
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
6
13 crashes · 4 injuries

Complaints by component

POWER TRAIN35 · 25%
SERVICE BRAKES32 · 23%
ENGINE18 · 13%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER12 · 9%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM11 · 8%
STRUCTURE8 · 6%

The years either side

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

How the 2017 compares with other Chevrolet Silverado 3500 years

Of the 11 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 years with enough complaints to score, the 2017 is the 3rd-worst on engine and transmission share (43%). The worst is the 2020 (50%), the best the 2022 (28%). By volume, the 2017 drew 139 complaints (54 drivetrain), against 61 for the 2016 and 22 for the 2018.

Chevrolet Silverado 3500 years to avoid and best years →

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 3500

  • The mileage where it happens. When owners of the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 said the problem showed up, and the range most of them fell in.
  • What the repair costs. Typical transmission repair ranges, to price into your offer.
  • Cleaner alternatives. Similar cars and nearby years with a better record.
  • Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
  • What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
  • Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.

What one owner reported

POWER TRAIN,ENGINE11/25/2024
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 3500. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle failed to upshift while depressing the accelerator pedal. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic and was diagnosed with a stuck torque con…

One of 54 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

2017 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 engine recalls

Yes. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns on the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 6 in total. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

fuel system, diesel: storage: tank assembly23V047000 · Feb 2023

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, 3500, and GMC Sierra 2500, 3500 vehicles equipped with a dual fuel tank option. The rear fuel tank may collapse and prevent the fuel pump from transferring fuel to the front tank, resulting in an engine stall.

Risk: An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will inspect the fuel tank and fuel pump module, replacing them as necessary. Dealers will also add a vent hose to the rear tank assembly. Repairs will be performed free of charge. An interim owner…

equipment: electrical: engine block heater21V496000 · Jul 2021

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, 3500 and 2017-2019 GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 vehicles equipped with a Duramax diesel 6.6 liter engine and an optional engine-block heater cord. An electrical short-circuit may occur in the engine-block heater cable or in the terminals that connect the heater cable to the block heater.

Risk: An electrical short-circuit can increase the risk of a fire.

Fix: Dealers will replace engine block heaters and heater cords. Vehicles that have this feature disabled as a remedy to the safety condition will be contacted and offered replacement block heaters and heater cords under a…

engine19V328000 · Apr 2019

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 4500, 5500 and 6500 vehicles and 2017-2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500 vehicles and GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 vehicles equipped with Duramax 6.6 liter diesel engines and an optional engine-block heater. The engine block heater cord or the terminals that connect the heater cord to the block heater may short circuit and fail.

Risk: A short-circuit may damage the engine components and increase the risk of fire.

Fix: GM will contact owners, dealers will replace the engine block heater, free of charge. Additionally, in Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500 vehicles, dealers will install a new rerouted heater cord. The recall began…

fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly19V088000 · Feb 2019

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 GMC Sierra 3500 and Chevrolet Silverado 3500 trucks equipped with gasoline engines and dual fuel tanks. The fuel-level sensor in the front tank may stick in a low-level position, allowing the rear tank to overfill the front tank.

Risk: If the front tank overfills, the excess pressure may cause the front tank to expand and contact the driveshaft, possibly resulting in a hole in the tank. The hole will leak fuel, which in the presence of an ignition…

Fix: GM has notified owners, and dealers will replace the rear-tank fuel-pump module, inspect the front tank and, if necessary, replace the front tank, free of charge. The recall began July 30, 2019. GM's number for this…

2 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
seat belts: front: retractor17V567000 · Sep 2017
General Motors (GM) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 trucks. The front seat belt retractor assemblies were built with the incorrect…
air bags: frontal16V651000 · Sep 2016
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD, 3500 HD, Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Sierra 2500 HD and 3500 HD, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.

Checking one particular 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 3500? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

Get a history report from EpicVIN Before you pay: EpicVIN’s $1 offer is a 3-day trial (up to 5 reports) that renews at $49.99 a month unless you cancel. Other plans are listed under “View all our packages” at checkout. We may earn a commission if you buy through this link. It does not change what this page reports.

Questions people ask about the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 3500

Does the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 have transmission problems?

Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 54 of 127 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (43%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the transmission and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.

What is the most common problem with the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 3500?

Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 is power train: 35 of 139 complaints (25%) name it, followed by service brakes (32) and engine (18). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap.

Is the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 reliable?

On the engine and transmission, owner complaints point to a weak spot: 43% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain (high signal). That is worse than 51% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 11 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 years we score, it ranks 3rd-worst. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 3500?

Yes. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns on the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 6 in total: 23V047000 (fuel system, diesel: storage: tank assembly), 21V496000 (equipment: electrical: engine block heater), 19V328000 (engine), and more. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.

Which Chevrolet Silverado 3500 years are better?

Among the Chevrolet Silverado 3500 years we track, the 2022 (28%), the 2016 (31%) and the 2012 (33%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2017 (43%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/chevrolet-silverado-3500

Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.

Check a VIN

Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.