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Chevrolet Silverado 1999-2006: General Information and Maintenance Schedule

General maintenance is required on every vehicle. See what you'll need to do to keep your Silverado 1500 in top working order.

By Charlie Gaston - June 2, 2015

This article applies to the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 (1999-2006).

The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is a truck that provokes not only a sense of adventure behind the wheel but a yearning to conquer wide open spaces with gusto and confidence! This light-duty, full-size truck performs well on the road thanks to an improved braking system and strong engine, offering owners hundreds of miles of high performance and speed with only minimum care and maintenance. For general maintenance, you'll want to follow the maintenance schedule to the letter, but, rest assured, this roomy and comfortable truck will not send you back and forth to your local mechanic for repair work. So, sit back, buckle up, and enjoy an aggressive ride in one of the most celebrated trucks on the market today.

Figure 1. 2004 Silverado 1500 extended cab.

General Information

The base Silverado 1500 equipment includes, but is not limited to:

  • Automatic headlamps
  • Tilt steering wheel
  • Premium theft deterrence system
  • 26-gallon fuel tank
  • AM/FM stereo
  • Intermittent wipers
  • Tachometer
  • Engine hour meter

Notable Silverado 1500 features include:

  • Competitive towing capacity of 5,000 for the 4.3-liter V6 engine and 10,000 for Vortec V8s
  • Rack and pinion steering
  • Coil string front suspension

Z71 off-road package includes, but is not limited to:

  • Gas shocks
  • Skidplates
  • Special anti-roll bars
  • Off-road jounce bumpers
  • Limited-slip rear differential
  • High-flow air cleaner

Figure 2. 2004 Z71 Silverado 1500 double cab.

Scheduled Maintenance

  • Replace oil/filter every 3K to 7K miles using synthetic hydrocarbon oil
  • Rotate tires every 5K miles
  • Replace air filter every 30K miles
  • Replace transmission filter and fluid every 50K miles
  • Replace water pump at 70K miles
  • Change out hoses and fan belts every 100K miles
  • Install a new thermostat and flush the cooling system annually
  • Re-pack front wheel bearings when brakes are replaced
  • Flush brake system every 100K miles
Figure 3. Air filter location in a Silverado.

At 100K miles, the service tune up check list entails the following:

  • Replace drive belts
  • Replace plugs and wires
  • Fuel injector cleaning
  • Flush power steering fluid
  • Change rear differential fluid
  • Flush cooling system
  • Flush transmission fluid/replace filter
  • Chasis lubrication
  • Replace PCV valve

Common Questions

What type of engine does the Silverado 1500 have?

The Silverado 1500 comes loaded with a small-block Chevy V8 engine that is designed to achieve incredible horsepower and speed on the road.

What cab options are available?

Choose from a regular 2-door cab, a 3- and 4-door extended cab, or a 4-door crew cab.

Figure 4. Custom Silverado 1500 engine.

Common Issues

Front End Shocks Feel Stiffer than Usual

If the front end shock absorbers in your Silverado 1500 feel stiffer than usual, you'll want to have them replaced. Once the replacement is complete, which should only take about 60 minutes when performed by you or a professional, you should notice an increase in gas mileage as well as a more comfortable ride.

Faulty Transmission

The transmission in the Silverado 1500 requires regular attention and maintenance for optimum performance, especially when towing and hauling heavy loads. Replace your transmission fluid and filter at the recommended intervals, and add a transmission cooler, as needed, to maintain transmission temperatures while towing cargo.

Blown Head Gasket

Some Silverado 1500 owners have reported a blown head gasket after thousands of miles of travel. The most common symptoms include a leaky water pump or radiator, smoky tail pipe and overheating. With the right tools and some experience getting underneath the hood of your truck, you can complete this repair at home. If you're not comfortable getting underneath the hood of your truck, save this repair for your local Chevrolet dealer or a local garage.

Faulty Air Conditioning Compressors

If your Silverado 1500 has trouble removing heat from its air conditioning system, the likely culprit is a failing air conditioning compressor. The compressor could be broken, in which case it would need to be replaced at a cost of $500.

Figure 5. 2004 Silverado 1500 crew cab.

Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs)

There have been several Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) issued for the Silverado, including a 2008 TSB for faulty amber side reflex reflectors; a 2007 TSB for faulty wheel hub assemblies; and a 2006 TSB for a faulty engine fuel rail pulse damper retainer clip.

(Related Article: Recalls and TSBs for the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 - Chevroletforum.com)

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