Head-to-head reliability
Toyota Yaris vs Chevrolet Silverado
How the Toyota Yaris 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
Toyota Yaris vs Chevrolet Silverado: The Yaris averages 14.5 complaints per year, with airbag failures linked to 6 deaths, while the Silverado averages 662.5 complaints per year, with engine and transmission issues dominating. Both have serious reliability concerns. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Toyota Yaris or Chevrolet Silverado more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Toyota Yaris
The Toyota Yaris is a subcompact car with a moderate complaint rate of about 14.5 per year, but its issues are concentrated in safety-critical areas. Owners report airbag non-deployment in crashes, sudden loss of power or acceleration, and electrical gremlins that leave them stranded. The high number of airbag complaints and crash-related injuries suggest that in a collision, the safety systems may not perform as expected.
Chevrolet Silverado
The Chevrolet Silverado is a full-size pickup with a very high complaint volume—over 662 per year—reflecting its popularity and widespread issues. The dominant problems are engine failures (knocking, stalling, power loss), transmission failures (fluid leaks, sudden loss of drive), and electrical system faults (battery drain, warning light malfunctions). These are major drivetrain and safety concerns that can leave owners stranded or require expensive repairs.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Toyota Yaris | Chevrolet Silverado |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 145 Better | 6,625 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 24 Better | 69 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 36 Better | 148 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 14.5 Better | 662.5 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 40 Better | 120 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 6 | 3 Better |
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.
Toyota Yaris
- 01AIR BAGS55
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM20
- 03VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL18
- 04ENGINE16
- 05SERVICE BRAKES14
Owners report that in crashes—often involving loss of control on ice—the airbags fail to deploy, leading to serious injuries. This is the most common complaint, with 55 reports, and is linked to 6 deaths.
The car may suddenly lose power while driving, with the accelerator pedal unresponsive, or fail to start due to a dead battery. These issues can occur at low mileage and leave the driver stranded.
Some owners experience unintended braking or loss of acceleration, such as the car coasting despite pressing the gas pedal. This can be dangerous in traffic or on the highway.
The engine may vibrate intensely at stops or struggle to start, sometimes accompanied by a dead battery. These symptoms suggest potential engine or charging system defects.
“MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THINKS THAT SHE MUST HAVE HIT A PATCH OF ICE BECAUSE THE CAR SUDDENLY FELT OUT OF CONTROL. THE LAST THING SHE REMEMBERS IS HEADING STRAIGHT TOWARD A GUARDRAIL AND TURNING TO AVOID A COLLISION. THE NEXT THING SHE REMEMBE…”
“OUR DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING OUR 2013 TOYOTA YARIS ON THE HIGHWAY APPROXIMATELY 60-65MPH, HIT A PATCH OF ICE AND SPUN OUT. IT IS UNCLEAR EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THAT AS SHE HAS NO MEMORY OF WHAT OCCURRED FROM THE TIME THE CAR BEGAN TO SPIN AND WAS HEADED STRA…”
Chevrolet Silverado
- 01ENGINE2,128
- 02POWER TRAIN1,913
- 03ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1,268
- 04SERVICE BRAKES903
- 05UNKNOWN OR OTHER718
The most common issue, with over 2,100 complaints. Owners report loud knocking noises, shaking, and sudden loss of power at highway speeds, often requiring complete engine replacement even on low-mileage trucks.
Transmission failures are frequent, including fluid line ruptures that cause rapid fluid loss and sudden loss of drive, or complete transmission failure while towing. No warning lights precede these failures.
Problems include the vehicle not starting, warning lights malfunctioning, and high-voltage battery faults in EV models that can cause loss of vehicle control. These issues often persist after multiple dealer visits.
Brake-related complaints often accompany electrical faults, with reports of unintended braking or loss of braking power. Some incidents involve the collision avoidance system activating unexpectedly.
“At approximately 3,000 miles, the engine began making a loud knocking noise that became progressively worse while driving. The truck was diagnosed as needing a complete engine replacement. No warning lights, no check engine light, nothing. For someone inexper…”
“Truck has less than 1800 miles. Was at a stop light and the vehicle started shaking and making metal tin rattling sounds. Stopped for gas, started the vehicle all noises went away. Got onto the freeway and about 1 mile down the road the truck lost power at 70…”
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.
Toyota Yaris — 24 recalls
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Yaris, Yaris Hatchback, and Yaris Sedan vehicles. An impeller within the low-pressure fuel pump may crack and deform, potentially causing the fuel pump to fail.
The risk: A fuel pump failure may cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 30, 2021. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 21TB05 a…
The defect: Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Toyota Camry, Corolla, Rav4, Sienna, and Yaris iA vehicles equipped with factory-installed floor mats. The load carrying capacity modification label may be incorrect. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements…
The risk: An incorrect label may lead to unintentionally overloading the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: SET will notify owners and provide a corrected label for placement over the inaccurate label, free of charge. The recall began August 23, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. SET's number for this recall is S…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 Yaris vehicles manufactured August 31, 2011, to February 9, 2015, and sold or registered in Puerto Rico. The affected vehicles may have been manufactured with a roof headliner that does not provide the prope…
The risk: If the vehicles are equipped with a headliner that does not meet the impact requirements, there is an increased risk of occupantl injury in the event of a crash.
The fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the headliner, free of charge. The recall began on June 22, 2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 Yaris vehicles manufactured August 31, 2011, to February 9, 2015, and sold or registered in Puerto Rico. The affected vehicles may have been manufactured with a roof headliner that does not provide the prope…
The risk: If the vehicles are equipped with a headliner that does not meet the impact requirements, there is an increased risk of occupantl injury in the event of a crash.
The fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the headliner, free of charge. The recall began on June 22, 2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.
Chevrolet Silverado — 69 recalls
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2025 Chevrolet Silverado EV work trucks. The pedestrian alert sound system may not produce sound at a sufficient volume. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 141, "Minimum So…
The risk: A vehicle that fails to make sufficient sound may result in pedestrians being unaware of an approaching vehicle, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will update the software in the body control module (BCM), free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 22, 2025. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N24…
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 (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 torsion bar. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety…
The risk: The seat belt retractors may not perform as intended during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace both front seat belt retractor assemblies, free of charge. The recall began March 24, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-22…
The defect: 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 heat…
The risk: A short-circuit may damage the engine components and increase the risk of fire.
The 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 December 11, 2019. Owners…
Buyer analysis
Toyota Yaris or Chevrolet Silverado: which should you buy?
The Toyota Yaris has far fewer complaints per year (14.5 vs 662.5) and fewer recalls, but its airbag failures are a critical safety concern. The Chevrolet Silverado's high complaint volume reflects widespread engine and transmission failures that can be costly and dangerous. In practice, the Yaris may be less troublesome day-to-day, but both have serious reliability red flags.
Key differences
- The Yaris has 55 airbag complaints with 6 deaths; the Silverado has 148 crash-related complaints but only 3 deaths, suggesting different crashworthiness.
- The Silverado's engine and transmission failures are far more common (over 4,000 combined complaints) than the Yaris's total complaints.
- The Yaris's electrical issues often cause sudden power loss; the Silverado's electrical problems include battery drain and warning light failures.
- The Yaris has 24 recalls vs the Silverado's 69, but both have recalls for fuel pumps and airbags.
- Check for any history of airbag non-deployment or crash-related complaints; inspect the airbag warning light and ensure all recalls are performed.
- Test the electrical system: look for signs of battery drain, difficulty starting, or any history of stalling or power loss while driving.
- Listen for engine knocking or rattling noises, especially at low mileage; check for any engine replacement or repair history.
- Inspect transmission fluid condition and look for leaks; test drive to ensure smooth shifting and no sudden loss of power.
Before you buy
- Obtain a vehicle history report and check for open recalls on both models.
- For the Yaris: verify airbag recall completion and test all electrical functions (lights, windows, starting).
- For the Silverado: have a mechanic inspect the engine and transmission, including fluid samples if possible.
- Test drive both vehicles on the highway to check for vibrations, power loss, or unusual noises.
- Ask the seller about any previous repairs for engine, transmission, or electrical issues.
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 | Toyota Yaris | Chevrolet Silverado |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 9 | 819 |
| 2019 | 26 | 1955 |
| 2018 | 4 | 584 |
| 2017 | 15 | 0 |
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 Toyota Yaris or Chevrolet Silverado in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Toyota Yaris vs Chevrolet Silverado
- Toyota Yaris total complaints
- 145
- Chevrolet Silverado total complaints
- 6,625
- Toyota Yaris total recalls
- 24
- Chevrolet Silverado total recalls
- 69
- Toyota Yaris avg complaints/year
- 14.5
- Chevrolet Silverado avg complaints/year
- 662.5
- More reliable overall
- Toyota Yaris
- Toyota Yaris top complaint area
- AIR BAGS
- Chevrolet Silverado top complaint area
- ENGINE