Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2018 3500HD Medium Duty.
The 2018 Chevrolet 3500HD Medium Duty is a heavy-duty work truck within Chevrolet's commercial lineup, and its reliability profile for this model year is defined by a small but telling set of data points. Eleven total owner complaints have been logged for the vehicle, with the electrical system emerging as the most frequently reported concern, and six recalls issued against the model year underscore a notable level of manufacturer-level intervention. For researchers, the 2018 stands as a useful benchmark within the 3500HD's history: a low complaint volume paired with a recall-heavy docket that suggests issues were largely addressed through factory fixes rather than persistent in-service failures.
Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.
| Overall length | 254.3 in |
| Overall width | 96.1 in |
| Overall height | 78 in |
| Wheelbase | 167.7 in |
| Curb weight | 6781 lb |
| Track (front / rear) | 68.9 / 67.7 in |
Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.
The firing order is 1-2-7-8-4-5-6-3.
| Cylinder Firing Order | 1-3-4-2 |
| Cylinder Firing Order | 1-2-3-4-5-6 |
| Cylinder Firing Order | 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3 |
| Cylinder Firing Order | 1-3-4-2 |
| Cylinder Firing Order | 1-6-5-4-3-2 |
| Cylinder Firing Order | 1-2-3-4-5-6 |
| Cylinder Firing Order | 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3 |
| Cylinder Firing Order | 1-2-7-8-4-5-6-3 |
| RPM | 43.0 |
| 1 | Use old crankshaft balancer bolt and tighten to 240.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: Remove bolt and throw away. Step 3: Make sure the nose of the crankshaft is recessed 2.40-4.48mm into the balancer bolt. Step 4: Use new crankshaft bolt. Step 5: 110.0 ft. lbs., Step 6: 360 degrees, Step 7: 59.0 ft. lbs., Step 8: Balancer bolt with rotating washer tighten additional 200 degrees; Balancer Bolt with flanged head tighten additional 125 degrees. | 240 ft. lbs |
| 1 | 3.7 ft. lbs. | 3.7 ft. lbs |
| 2 | 7.4 | |
| 1 | 11 ft. lbs. | 11 ft. lbs |
| 2 | 15 | |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
Owner complaints about the 2018 Chevrolet 3500HD Medium Duty lead in one area — the electrical system, 2 of 11 reports (18%), well ahead of the next concern. NHTSA has issued no recalls for this vehicle, so these are owner-reported concerns only. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 1 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the electrical system pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.
All 11 complaints on record, top 8 components.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.
No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.
Showing 5 of 995 bulletins on record with NHTSA.
| Bulletin | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| PIT6247B | 2026-05-04 | Unknown Or Other | This Preliminary information communicates direction to find information at… |
| PIT3271Q | 2026-04-01 | Unknown Or Other | This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel… |
| PIP6104 | 2026-03-09 | Unknown Or Other | This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and… |
| PIP4902V | 2026-03-09 | Unknown Or Other | This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into… |
| PIT6400A | 2026-01-16 | Unknown Or Other | This PI Communications information on an alternative product dealers can use to perform… |
The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.
Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.
Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.
NHTSA lists 6 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.