Launch year of the new truck, and it shows — the most-complained-about Silverado in our data, with a lifter design that got worse.

GM ran a Customer Satisfaction Program for 2019 trucks (owners cite it as N212326940) covering engine oil-cooler (EOC) lines that leak and detach at the crimp joints — worse in cold weather. If a line detaches while driving, oil pressure drops immediately ('Oil Pressure Low, Turn Vehicle Off'), and continued driving can mean loss of propulsion and engine damage. The remedy replaces the lines, oil, and filter and refills coolant. The catch in the complaint file: some owners find their VIN isn't included and pay out of pocket. Confirm program eligibility and whether the work was done.

The 2019 trucks pair some engines with the 8-speed automatic, and it carries the same shudder, hard kick from first to second, and hesitation the third generation was known for — enough to feed a class action on the 2019–2020 models. GM's fix is repeated transmission-fluid flushes with a specific fluid; one owner in the file was told a torque converter at 76k would cost $5,000. The 10-speed (on other trims) is much better. On a test drive, feel for shudder and a hard 1–2 shift, and prefer a truck with the 10-speed or a documented fluid service.

GM's Customer Satisfaction Program N182190821 covers a power steering belt that "may slip due to tooth wear-out or poor belt tooth-to-gear tooth fit," and the program is blunt about the consequence: "Power steering assist may be reduced or lost intermittently, if early warning signs are ignored." GM names those warning signs, which makes this an unusually checkable item — a "Steering Assist is Reduced" message, audible clicking or squealing, or a change in steering effort. The remedy is to inspect and if necessary replace the steering gear assembly. Turn the wheel lock to lock at idle and listen; any of the three signs is reason to have the program checked by VIN before you buy.

Not every truck this year got the 8-speed. On trucks with the 6-speed automatic, GM ran a Customer Satisfaction Program for "a slight deformation in the stator shaft" that leaves drivers with "vibration and a decrease in shift performance" — and the remedy is to replace the transmission. If the truck you are looking at has the 6-speed, that is potentially a free transmission on an affected VIN, which is worth establishing before you talk price. Test-drive for vibration under load and for lazy or uneven shifts, and check the program by VIN.

On 2019–2022 crew cabs, the power sliding rear window can leak where the sliding section meets the frame — water reaching the headliner, the floor behind the seats, and the window's own electronics, with mold, a dead defroster, or even a shattered pane in bad cases. GM issued service bulletins and replaced windows under warranty, but owners report leaks returning after the repair. Check the rear headliner and floor for staining and musty smell. Separate from the leaks, GM also documented “areas of high electrical resistance on the rear defroster circuit” on trucks with the power sliding rear window — heat that “could melt the areas surrounding the circuit” and, rarely, “cause a non-propagating fire.” The Customer Satisfaction Program covers the buss bar and contact covers, plus the glass where it is already damaged, and its stated scope runs 2014 through 2019. Run the defroster and cycle the window while watching for anything that smells hot.

Several 2019 recalls address genuine hazards but are free to fix: a battery positive-cable connection that can stall the truck or arc and cause a fire (19V888), a driveshaft weld that can separate (20V650), and a seat-belt pretensioner that can vent hot gas and ignite the carpet (19V814). These are the launch-year quality items — the key is confirming by VIN that each was completed.