Head-to-head reliability
BMW M760i vs Chevrolet Silverado
How the BMW M760i and Chevrolet Silverado compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
BMW M760i vs Chevrolet Silverado: The M760i has 1 complaint and 4 recalls over 5 years, while the Silverado has 8,227 complaints, 101 recalls, and reports of 233 crashes, 160 injuries, and 3 deaths over 10 years. The M760i's lone issue is a passenger seat sensor warning; the Silverado's complaints include engine, transmission, brake, and electrical failures. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the BMW M760i or Chevrolet Silverado more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
BMW M760i
The BMW M760i is a low-volume luxury sedan that shows very few complaints over five years—just one, averaging 0.2 per year—but four recalls. The single owner report centers on a passenger seat sensor that triggers seatbelt and airbag warnings, which can affect restraint system readiness. With no crashes, injuries, or deaths reported in this dataset, the main ownership concern is electronic sensor reliability rather than major mechanical failure. Buyers should expect a complex, tech-heavy car where small sensor faults can create persistent dashboard warnings.
Chevrolet Silverado
The Chevrolet Silverado is a high-volume pickup with 8,227 complaints over ten years, averaging about 823 per year, plus 101 recalls and reports of 233 crashes, 160 injuries, and 3 deaths. Owner complaints cluster around engine, power train, electrical, and brake problems, often describing sudden shutdowns, loss of braking, or transmission going into neutral. These are not minor annoyances—they can strand a driver or reduce control while moving. The sheer volume of reports suggests a wide range of potential issues across many model years.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | BMW M760i | Chevrolet Silverado |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 1 Better | 8,227 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 4 Better | 101 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 0 Better | 233 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 0.2 Better | 822.7 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 160 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 3 |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
BMW M760i
- 01AIR BAGS1
- 02SEAT BELTS1
- 03SEATS1
Owners report a dashboard warning about a seatbelt and restraint system malfunction in the passenger seat, which seems tied to the seat-bottom sensor. The alarm comes and goes while someone sits there, creating uncertainty about whether the airbag will deploy correctly.
The same passenger-seat sensor issue triggers seatbelt restraint warnings that flicker on and off. For a buyer, this means the car may repeatedly alert you to a problem that could affect passenger safety systems.
The seat-bottom sensor in the front passenger seat is the suspected culprit behind the recurring restraint warnings. A faulty sensor here can disable or confuse the occupant classification system, which matters for airbag deployment.
“Warning about seatbelt & restraint systems malfunction in passenger seat appear in dash. Seems to correlate to seat bottom sensor in front passenger seat, goes in and out of alarm while occupants sit in the front passenger seat, creating risk of restraint sys…”
Chevrolet Silverado
- 01ENGINE2,521
- 02POWER TRAIN2,347
- 03ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1,513
- 04SERVICE BRAKES1,222
- 05UNKNOWN OR OTHER858
Owners describe engine problems including a 6.2L motor issue shortly after purchase and a 6.6L Duramax diesel experiencing repeated diesel particulate filter soot accumulation events at low mileage. These can require dealer service and may leave the truck undrivable.
Reports include a new Silverado suddenly going into neutral while driving slowly uphill, and another with less than 300 miles doing the same in a parking garage. Losing drive engagement unexpectedly is a serious safety concern.
Owners report sudden loss of normal braking with a firm pedal but reduced stopping power, as well as the engine shutting off while driving with messages like 'Return to Neutral' and 'Press Start.' These electrical faults can disable critical functions.
Complaints describe severe loss of braking shortly after dropping a child at school, and a truck shutting off completely in a parking lot with blank screens and no acceleration. Brake and shutdown issues directly affect the ability to stop or move safely.
“I purchased the 2026 Chevrolet Silverado with a 6.2L motor "new" from the dealer with 5700 miles on XXX. Roughly a month and 2500 miles later, my family and I were in the vehicle, 750 miles from home, returning from a vacation to [XXX] from the [XXX]/[XXX] ar…”
“My 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 with the 6.6L Duramax diesel has experienced three separate P2463 Diesel Particulate Filter excessive soot accumulation events at approximately 4,300, 5,500, and 10,280 miles. Each event required a Chevrolet dealer to perform…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
BMW M760i — 4 recalls
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2021 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, X3M, X4 xDrive30i, X4 M40i, M550i, X4M, X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i, X5 xDrive50i, X5M, X5 M50i, X7 xDrive40i, X7 xDrive50i, X7 M50i, Alpina XB7, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, and 8 Series C…
The risk: If the driver relies on only the rearview camera image, the missing or reduced rearview image view can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
The fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rearview camera software and update it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 16, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020-2021 740Li, 740 Li xDrive, 750Li xDrive, M760Li xDrive, and Alpina B7 vehicles. The top child seat tether anchor on the rear middle seat may not be readily accessible. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal M…
The risk: A child restraint system placed on the vehicle's rear middle seat without utilizing the three-point safety belt, could increase the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
The fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will install a top tether anchor cover at the rear middle seating position. Until vehicles are remedied, owners will be instructed to utilize the outboard rear seating positions which are equipped with a…
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2021 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, X3M, X4 xDrive30i, X4 M40i, M550i, X4M, X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i, X5 xDrive50i, X5M, X5 M50i, X7 xDrive40i, X7 xDrive50i, X7 M50i, Alpina XB7, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, and 8 Series C…
The risk: If the driver relies on only the rearview camera image, the missing or reduced rearview image view can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
The fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rearview camera software and update it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 16, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020-2021 740Li, 740 Li xDrive, 750Li xDrive, M760Li xDrive, and Alpina B7 vehicles. The top child seat tether anchor on the rear middle seat may not be readily accessible. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal M…
The risk: A child restraint system placed on the vehicle's rear middle seat without utilizing the three-point safety belt, could increase the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
The fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will install a top tether anchor cover at the rear middle seating position. Until vehicles are remedied, owners will be instructed to utilize the outboard rear seating positions which are equipped with a…
Chevrolet Silverado — 101 recalls
The defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2500, and 3500 vehicles. These vehicles may not have received an owner's manual during production. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 225, “Child Re…
The risk: Without an owner's manual to consult, owners may not know how to safely use and operate the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
The fix: Dealers will provide the owner’s manual, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 30, 2025. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N252532020. Vehicle Identifi…
The defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Chevrolet Silverado 3500, and GMC Sierra 3500 vehicles with gasoline engines and dual fuel tanks (RPOs L8T and N2N). The rear fuel pump may not transfer adequate fuel to the front tank, causing an engine stall.
The risk: An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: The vehicle's engine control module (ECM) will be updated by a dealer or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 8, 2026. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782…
The defect: General Motors has decided that certain 2027 Chevrolet Bolt EV, 2025-2026 Cadillac OPTIQ, Chevrolet Colorado, Equinox EV, GMC Canyon, 2026 Buick Enclave, Envision, Cadillac CT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade IQ, Escalade IQL, LYRIQ, VISTIQ, Chevrolet Blazer EV, Corvette Convertible, Corvette Cou…
The risk: Without an owner's manual to consult, owners may not know how to safely use and operate the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
The fix: Dealers will reset the vehicle radio, which will facilitate automatic download of the electronic owner’s manual, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 16, 2026. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-866-467-970…
The defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and GMC Sierra 2500 vehicles equipped with the enhanced towing option and 20-inch accessory tire/wheel package. The tire information label may state the incorrect rear tire pressure, resulting in underinflated tires an…
The risk: Driving with underinflated tires can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect, update the engine control module (ECM) software, apply a tire label overlay, inflate tires to the correct pressure, and perform a tire pressure monitor system (TPMS) re-learn process as necessary, free of charge. Owne…
Buyer analysis
BMW M760i or Chevrolet Silverado: which should you buy?
The BMW M760i has far fewer issues per year—0.2 complaints annually versus about 823 for the Chevrolet Silverado—but that gap partly reflects the Silverado's much higher sales volume and longer reporting period. In practice, the Silverado's complaints include serious safety events like crashes, injuries, and deaths, while the M760i's single report is a sensor warning. A buyer prioritizing low reported incident counts would lean toward the BMW, but should still weigh the Silverado's greater utility and the fact that many trucks may never experience these problems.
Key differences
- The BMW M760i has 1 complaint and 4 recalls over 5 years, while the Chevrolet Silverado has 8,227 complaints and 101 recalls over 10 years—a massive difference in reported volume.
- Silverado complaints include 233 crash-related reports, 160 injuries, and 3 deaths; the M760i has 0 in each of those categories in this dataset.
- M760i owners report a passenger seat sensor causing seatbelt/airbag warnings; Silverado owners report engine stalling, transmission going into neutral, loss of braking, and sudden shutdowns.
- The M760i's recalls involve back-over camera and child seat tether clip; Silverado recalls include fuel pump control, tire pressure monitoring, and forward collision warnings.
- Check the front passenger seat for a recurring seatbelt or airbag warning light—this points to the seat-bottom sensor that owners say flickers on and off.
- Verify that the child seat tether clips and back-over camera system have been addressed under the recalls, as these are listed recall subjects.
- Test drive at low speeds and uphill to see if the transmission unexpectedly shifts into neutral, a reported power train failure.
- Check for any history of engine shutdowns, brake loss, or dashboard messages like 'Return to Neutral'—these electrical and brake complaints are serious.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and confirm all recalls are completed, especially the M760i's camera/tether recalls and the Silverado's fuel pump and tire pressure recalls.
- For the M760i, sit in the passenger seat and watch for any intermittent restraint system warning on the dashboard.
- For the Silverado, test drive at parking-lot speeds and on an incline, and note any hesitation, neutral engagement, or warning messages.
- Ask a mechanic to scan for stored trouble codes related to the engine, transmission, brakes, and electrical system on either vehicle.
- Request service records to see if the Silverado has had repeated diesel particulate filter or engine repairs, or if the M760i has had seat sensor replacements.
Year by year
Which model years to avoid
Complaints per model year for both vehicles — lower is better. The spikes are the years to scrutinize.
| Year | BMW M760i | Chevrolet Silverado |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 0 | 961 |
| 2020 | 0 | 868 |
| 2019 | 1 | 2003 |
| 2018 | 0 | 597 |
| 2017 | 0 | 1154 |
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific BMW M760i or Chevrolet Silverado in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- BMW M760i vs Chevrolet Silverado
- BMW M760i total complaints
- 1
- Chevrolet Silverado total complaints
- 8,227
- BMW M760i total recalls
- 4
- Chevrolet Silverado total recalls
- 101
- BMW M760i avg complaints/year
- 0.2
- Chevrolet Silverado avg complaints/year
- 822.7
- More reliable overall
- BMW M760i
- BMW M760i top complaint area
- AIR BAGS
- Chevrolet Silverado top complaint area
- ENGINE