Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2021 Silverado 6500 HD.
The 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 6500 HD is the heavy-duty 6500-series variant of the Silverado line, and its reliability record for this model year is notably sparse: only two owner complaints have been logged, with service brakes standing out as the top complaint area, and a single recall is on file. That low volume of complaints and modest recall count place the 2021 model near the cleaner end of the Silverado 6500 HD’s documented reliability history. For researchers, that makes it a useful baseline year—one with few reported red flags beyond the brake-related concerns and the one recall to verify in service records.
Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.
| Overall length | 241.3 in |
| Overall width | 81.1 in |
| Overall height | 75.6 in |
| Wheelbase | 156.7 in |
| Curb weight | 4674 lb |
| Track (front / rear) | 68.1 / 68.1 in |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
Owner complaints about the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 6500 HD dominate in one area — the service brakes, 1 of 2 reports (50%), well ahead of the next concern. That matters, because the service brakes are also the target of recall 25V-390 on this vehicle — so the single most useful check before buying or servicing one is confirming it was actually performed. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the service brakes 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 2 complaints on record, top 2 components.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.
Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.
General Motors (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2024 Chevrolet Silverado Medium Duty 4500HD, 5500HD, and 6500HD vehicles. The brake pressure sensor assembly may leak brake fluid into the brake pressure switch and cause a… Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the brake pressure switch wire harness, free of charge. Owner…
Showing 5 of 437 bulletins on record with NHTSA.
| Bulletin | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| PIT5966F | 2026-06-23 | Unknown Or Other | This Preliminary information communicates an issue with an OTA pending message still… |
| PIC6423A | 2026-05-11 | Unknown Or Other | Pi created to provide GM dealers with information on gathering information for projection… |
| PIC6551B | 2026-05-11 | Unknown Or Other | This Preliminary information communicates to dealer to perform a MEC reset for wireless… |
| PIP6108 | 2026-04-14 | Unknown Or Other | This PI instructs technicians to inspect the ground plane on MD Silverado vehicles with… |
| PIT3271Q | 2026-04-01 | Unknown Or Other | This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel… |
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 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.