2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Front Air Bag Recall (21V495)
General Motors, LLC · 12 vehicles · Reported July 1, 2021
General Motors, LLC is recalling 12 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 vehicles. The front driver's side air bag module may be missing one or more metal tabs that secure the plastic air bag cover to the housing. The missing tabs may prevent the air bag from deploying properly, increasing the risk of injury in a crash. Dealers will make the repair free of charge.
Recall 21V495 at a glance
| NHTSA campaign number | 21V495000 |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer recall number | N212336560 |
| Date reported to NHTSA | July 1, 2021 |
| Manufacturer | General Motors, LLC |
| Vehicles | 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 |
| Units affected | 12 |
| Component | Air Bags > Frontal |
| Safety risk | The missing tabs may prevent the air bag from deploying properly, increasing the risk of injury in a crash. |
| Fix | Available at dealers |
What is wrong with the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 in recall 21V495?
The front driver's side air bag module may be missing one or more metal tabs that secure the plastic air bag cover to the housing.
General Motors, LLC. (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 vehicles. The front driver's side air bag module may be missing one or more metal tabs that secure the plastic air bag cover to the housing.
Is it safe to drive a 2021 Silverado 1500 with recall 21V495?
NHTSA has not told owners to stop driving, but the risk is real: The missing tabs may prevent the air bag from deploying properly, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
NHTSA describes the risk this way: The missing tabs may prevent the air bag from deploying properly, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
NHTSA has not issued a do-not-drive or park-outside warning for this recall. Still, get the repair done as soon as it is available, and stop driving if you notice symptoms related to the frontal.
Which vehicles are included in recall 21V495?
Recall 21V495 covers 12 vehicles: 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500.
NHTSA lists 12 vehicles in this campaign. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.
| Model years | Make | Model |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Chevrolet | Silverado 1500 |
What is the fix for the Silverado 1500 front air bag recall?
Yes. Dealers will inspect the driver frontal air bag, and replace it if necessary, free of charge.
Dealers will inspect the driver frontal air bag, and replace it if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 16, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N212336560.
When was recall 21V495 announced?
General Motors, LLC reported recall 21V495 to NHTSA on July 1, 2021. NHTSA lists the owner letter date as August 16, 2021.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| July 1, 2021 | General Motors, LLC filed the defect report with NHTSA; NHTSA assigned campaign 21V495000. |
| August 16, 2021 | Owner notification letters scheduled (per NHTSA). |
This recall was filed 63 months ago. If your Silverado 1500 was built in that window, the VIN check below is the way to confirm it is included.
How do I check if my Silverado 1500 is part of recall 21V495?
Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 21V495 is open on your Silverado 1500, it will be listed there.
The fastest check is NHTSA’s VIN lookup. Type in the 17 characters from your registration or insurance card. Because only some 2021 Silverado 1500 vehicles are included, the VIN check is the only reliable way to know. A brand-new recall may take several days to show up.
What should Silverado 1500 owners do about recall 21V495?
Check your VIN, schedule the free recall repair, and keep a repair order for every dealer visit.
- Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm recall 21V495000 applies to your Silverado 1500.
- Book the recall appointment with any authorized Chevrolet dealer. Ask up front whether parts are available and how long the vehicle will be there.
- Keep a copy of every repair order. Check that each one lists your complaint, the mileage, and the dates in and out.
- Write down when symptoms involving the frontal happen: date, mileage, speed, weather and what you felt or heard. Photos and short videos help.
- Count the days the vehicle is at the dealer. Days out of service add up toward California's 30-day presumption.
- If the problem comes back after the repair, return to the dealer and contact a lemon law attorney.
What are Silverado 1500 owners reporting to NHTSA?
Owners have filed 828 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 20 of them about the air bags.
Since recall 21V495 was reported on July 1, 2021, owners have filed 17 complaints with NHTSA about the air bags on these vehicles. 1 of them (6%) describe the same problem happening more than once or coming back after a repair attempt.
How we counted: we matched NHTSA owner complaints for the model years in this recall that list the air bags and were received on or after July 1, 2021, then flagged narratives that describe a repeat failure or a problem returning after a dealer repair, recall service or software update. Data from NHTSA, accessed October 1, 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports and may involve a related air bags issue rather than this exact defect; automated text matching can miss or misread some reports.
NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 828 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this recall, and 20 of them involve the air bags. Complaints are reports from owners and have not been verified by NHTSA, but a high count for the same component is a sign the problem is widespread.
- 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500: 828 complaints in total, 20 about the air bags
Here is what some owners told NHTSA, in their own words (excerpts, unverified):
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20 MPH, the vehicle crashed into a parked vehicle. During the crash, the front passenger side of the vehicle was severely damaged but the air bag did not deploy.
2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 owner, AR, NHTSA complaint 11642543, filed February 13, 2025
I was in an accident my seatbelts did not lock and OnStar was called , it says my airbags were deployed I could smell a smell but nothing deployed…
2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 owner, IA, NHTSA complaint 11706995, filed December 25, 2025
A week or two before I took my truck into decorah Chevy isr because tailgate was going up and down all by itself while I was driving or parked without me by it. They said it was just the latch button .
2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 owner, IA, NHTSA complaint 11707687, filed December 29, 2025
Can recall 21V495 make my Silverado 1500 a lemon in California?
Not by itself. A recall repair that fails, or repeat dealer visits for the same defect, can support a California lemon law claim.
Recall 21V495000 does not automatically make your Silverado 1500 a lemon. California's Song-Beverly Act asks two questions: does a warranty defect substantially impair the vehicle's use, value or safety, and did the manufacturer fail to fix it in a reasonable number of tries (Civ. Code 1793.2(d))?
An air bag warning light that keeps coming back after a recall repair is worth documenting. Air bag defects are safety defects, and California law can require fewer repair attempts for them.
A remedy is available. Many vehicles are fixed on the first try. If the problem returns after the recall repair, or the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 has needed other repairs for the same defect, those visits count toward a lemon law claim.
Civil Code 1793.22(b) sets out a presumption that applies in the first 18 months or 18,000 miles: two or more repair attempts for a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, four or more attempts for the same defect, or more than 30 total days out of service for repairs. Written notice to the manufacturer is required in some cases. Owners outside that window can still have a claim.
An owner who prevails in a lemon law case can recover reasonable attorney fees and costs from the manufacturer (Civ. Code 1794(d)). You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
In our cases, a recall repair visit counts as a repair attempt, and it's strongest when the owner complained about the problem before the recall came out. A recall shows the defect is real and that enough owners reported it for the manufacturer to issue a fix.
The biggest mistake I see is waiting too long. The mileage offset starts at your first repair visit for the problem, so the sooner you take it in, the better. If the problem comes and goes, take it in when it happens. You can't go back to that date later.
If you get a recall notice, call a lemon law attorney right away. You may have taken the car in for the same problem before and forgotten, or there may be other recalls related to it.
Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320), Founder and Managing Attorney. Quotes lightly edited for clarity. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Has your Silverado 1500 been back to the dealer for this problem?
Call 877-536-6620Other Chevrolet Silverado 1500 recalls
Frequently asked questions about recall 21V495
Did the recall 21V495 fix work?
Since recall 21V495 was reported on July 1, 2021, owners have filed 17 complaints with NHTSA about the air bags on these vehicles. 1 of them (6%) describe the same problem happening more than once or coming back after a repair attempt. If your vehicle still has the problem after the recall repair, go back to the dealer, get a repair order, and talk to a lemon law attorney.
When will owners be notified?
According to NHTSA, owner notification letters were or are scheduled to be mailed August 16, 2021.
Is the 21V495000 recall repair free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are done free of charge at authorized dealers.
How do I know if my Silverado 1500 is part of recall 21V495000?
Enter your 17-character VIN in NHTSA's recall lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or call a dealer. The VIN is on your registration, insurance card and the lower corner of the windshield.
What if my air bag light stays on after the recall repair?
Go back to the dealer. A warning light that returns means the system may not deploy correctly, and the visit is another repair attempt for a safety defect.
Does the recall fixing my car mean I have no case?
Not necessarily. Even if the recall repair fixed it, you may still have a case, and a car that's a year or more old can still qualify.
Do used cars qualify for California lemon law?
We take certified pre-owned, demo and dealer vehicles. Since the California Supreme Court's Rodriguez decision in 2024, ordinary used cars generally do not qualify.
How long does a recall lemon law case take?
Recall-related cases typically resolve in one to three months from your first call. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
What does a lemon law attorney cost?
You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
Sources
- NHTSA recall record 21V495000 (recall report and owner letters are posted there)
- NHTSA complaints and recalls data, accessed October 1, 2026
- California Civil Code 1793.2 and 1793.22
Attorney advertising. America’s Lemon Lawyer is a trade name of Wynn Law Group, APC. Responsible attorney: Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320). This page is general information, not legal advice. America’s Lemon Lawyer is not affiliated with NHTSA or Chevrolet. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.