Top 5 Problems Chevy Silverado Truck 1st Generation 1999-2007

In this video, we're going over the top five problems on this first-generation Chevy Silverado.

Now there's nothing wrong with this vehicle. There's nothing wrong with owning one or buying one. All vehicles have their problems. These are the top five that we have found.

Number one, the knock sensor. Now the knock sensor on this vehicle happens to be underneath the intake. So, it's a little bit tricky to get to. As far as symptoms go, you're probably not gonna notice any drivability issues. It'll probably run normal. You'll just have a check engine light with a knock sensor code. It's important to note that when you take the intake off, you should not reuse that gasket. Replace the intake gasket. And also, the knock sensors have a wiring harness that's separate from the main engine wiring harness, and it is replaceable. It's a good idea to replace that harness as well.

Number two, steering intermediate shaft. Now, it's located right here, going into the firewall. Now, it's the one that telescopes into the firewall. You take that bolt off. You can actually move it up. And there's a bolt on the inside to remove it as well to get it out. Now, what happens with this, the symptoms you're going to find when you're turning the wheel a quarter turn and you go over bumps, you're gonna hear this knocking noise. It's going to be very annoying. It's not a safety issue. All it is is more of a nuisance. To fix this condition, the best thing to do is to replace it. Now, you can lubricate it but it's only gonna last you probably 5,000 miles and then the noise is gonna be back.

Number three, the EVAP vent valve. Now it's located right here on this vehicle. Sometimes, they're located closer to the front of the fuel tank. But this is where it's located on this one. And one of the symptoms you're gonna find is basically a check engine light with an EVAP code. You probably won't see any drivability issues if this goes bad. A lot of the times, the reason why these valves fail is because dirt and debris from the elements gets inside and clogs the value. Now something to think about, you always want to check the gas cap if you have an EVAP code. Make sure that it is nice and tight, and make sure the gasket looks good.

Number four, front wheel bearings. Now the front wheel bearing is located right here. And it's what attaches the wheel to the actual vehicle. And how to check it, you just want to grab the wheel on the top and the bottom and give it a shake. If there's any play in there, then the wheel bearing is probably what's loose. It also could be the upper/lower ball joint. But most of the time it's the wheel bearing. Now some of the symptoms you're gonna notice with a bad wheel bearing is when you're going down the road a humming noise or a growling noise. And as you turn the wheel back and forth, it's gonna change the pitch of the noise, if not go away. So, it might be making the noise while you're going left but now while going right. Also, you could notice ABS activation at slow speeds. So when you come to a stop the pedal feels like it keeps going and the vehicle doesn't stop. And that is because the wheel bearing itself has rusted and pushed the sensor away a little bit. Now, you can clean that area so that the sensor gets closer and works properly. But sometimes it's just easier to replace the hub.

Number five, the tailgate handle. Now, a lot of the times these will seize up and you won't be able to open the tailgate. A lot of the times you can take this trim off, and you can access the rods. If you take the rods off and pull on those, then you'll be able to get the tailgate down. They can also seize up when you open it up. And then when you go to close the tailgate, the tailgate won't close. That's because the rods are being pulled out, and it's unable to latch. Pretty easy fix. You just take this trim bezel off. There's three bolts right there. And then, also the two rods. You take the two rods off. Put the new one on. Put it back together.

So there's our top five problems for this Chevy Silverado. If you enjoyed this video, make sure you subscribe to our channel, ring that bell, turn on all notifications so you don't miss any of our videos.