2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 (T1XX) · Known Issue
2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 AFM/DFM Lifter Failure (5.3 & 6.2 V8): What It Really Costs to Fix
Quick answer: 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 afm/dfm lifter failure (5.3 & 6.2 v8) typically costs $2,600 to $4,800 at an independent shop, depending on which component failed.
Applies to: 5.3L and 6.2L V8 only. Other versions of the 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 do not have this problem.
What the Issue Is
The redesigned 2019 Silverado doubled down on cylinder deactivation: the volume 5.3 (L84) and the 6.2 (L87) carry Dynamic Fuel Management, which can run the V8 in seventeen different cylinder patterns and, the load-bearing detail, puts a deactivating lifter on all sixteen valves, while lower trims kept the older Active Fuel Management 5.3 (L82) with its eight special lifters. More switching hardware cycling more often means more chances for the failure GM trucks were already known for: a lifter collapses or its locking pins stick, the pushrod bends or the cam lobe wears, and a healthy V8 turns into a ticking, misfiring one.
GM documented it. Its bulletin for a misfire from a collapsed lifter on 2019 to 2021 Silverado and Sierra trucks with the L84 or L87 (PIP5776, revised several times) describes misfire codes P0300 to P0308 with a bent pushrod and a collapsed or separated lifter, and recommends replacing the valve lifter guide and its four lifters. A 2021 class action, Harrison v. General Motors, is brought for owners of 2014 to 2021 GM vehicles with 5.3, 6.0 and 6.2 V8s and alleges the lifters can collapse, stick or fail. There was no recall for lifter failure, and a 2020 truck's 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty has now expired for most examples, moving the bill from GM to the owner.
The repair economics have not changed since the last generation: the lifters live under the heads, so the smallest honest job is heads-off. GM's procedure replaces the failed lifter's guide and its four lifters; a full set of sixteen costs more in parts but leaves no original lifters behind, and a lobe that wore adds a camshaft. Used-truck screening is ears-and-scanner work, and a documented lifter job is the fixed version of this truck, often a better buy than an untouched twin.
Symptoms to Watch For
- 1.Sudden ticking or knocking from the top of the engine
- 2.Single-cylinder misfire code with rough running
- 3.Check-engine light with reduced power or limp behavior
- 4.Shudder or drone at light-throttle cruise in deactivation mode
- 5.Metal flake in the oil filter at changes (cam lobe wear)
Real Repair Costs
Independent-shop pricing for heads-off replacement of all sixteen lifters with updated parts, plus camshaft and pushrods where a lobe wore. Dealer quotes commonly run $4,000 to $6,500. GM's bulletin repair (one lifter guide and its four lifters) prices lower but leaves twelve original lifters in service.
| Repair | Typical Cost (installed) |
|---|---|
| All 16 lifters + guides, installed | $2,600-$3,600 |
| With camshaft + pushrods (worn lobe) | $3,400-$4,800 |
| AFM/DFM disabler (prevention)keeps the V8 in V8 mode | $100-$350 |
Major issue: budget for it. Ranges are US independent-shop estimates with quality parts. Use them as negotiation grounding, not a quote.
Mechanic's Tip: Spot It Before You Buy
Idle it warm with the hood up and listen at the top of the engine: a rhythmic tick on one of these V8s is a lifter until a mechanic proves otherwise. Then let a scanner finish the interview. A pending misfire code can be stored before the check-engine light comes on, many scan tools read per-cylinder misfire counters, and on these trucks a permanent code survives a reset until the engine passes that self-test again. Clearing codes erases freeze-frame data and resets the readiness monitors, so several reading "not ready" on a truck that has been driven normally means a recent reset. On the drive, hold 55 to 70 mph on light throttle, where deactivation lives, feeling for drone or shudder. Close with three questions: oil-change intervals, whether a disabler is installed, and whether any past lifter work was a full sixteen-lifter job or a single guide. Full-job paperwork with updated parts is worth paying extra for; a tick plus a misfire code is a $3,000 conversation, not a haggling point.
The Bigger Ownership Picture
Beyond this specific issue, budget roughly $1,100-$1,600 per year for scheduled maintenance and repairs on a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. That is a typical US range from Avturo's ownership-cost table, an estimate rather than a quote, and it excludes insurance, fuel, and financing.
Own a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500? Keep an eye on it for free.
Add it to your Avturo garage and you get recall alerts for this exact car, an estimate of what it is worth, and a mechanic you can ask about afm/dfm lifter failure (5.3 & 6.2 v8) at any hour.
Free to start. Takes a minute.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a lifter replacement cost on a 2019 to 2021 Silverado?▼
Heads-off replacement of all sixteen lifters with updated parts runs $2,600 to $3,600 at independent shops, growing to $3,400 to $4,800 when a worn cam lobe adds a camshaft and pushrods. Dealers quote $4,000 to $6,500. GM's bulletin repair, one lifter guide and its four lifters, costs less but leaves twelve original lifters in service.
What is the difference between AFM and DFM lifter problems?▼
AFM (base-trim 5.3s) deactivates four fixed cylinders using eight special lifters; DFM (the volume 5.3 and every 6.2) can deactivate any cylinder across seventeen patterns, so all sixteen lifters are the switching type and the switching happens constantly. Both fail the same way, collapsed or stuck lifters, bent pushrods, worn cam lobes, and GM's misfire bulletin for 2019 to 2021 L84 and L87 trucks shows the DFM engines are not immune.
Can I prevent lifter failure on a DFM truck?▼
The popular hedge is a plug-in disabler ($100 to $350) that keeps the engine in V8 mode and stops the deactivation cycling, and it can be removed. Disciplined oil changes with the correct oil specification matter too, since these lifters are oil-pressure-operated and intolerant of degraded oil. Neither is a guarantee, but both shift the odds.
Was there a recall for GM lifter failures?▼
No. Lifter failures were handled through warranty repairs, service bulletins and litigation rather than a safety recall, so out-of-warranty trucks pay their own way. The recall people sometimes confuse with it is separate: recall 25V-274 covers 2021 to 2024 trucks and SUVs with the 6.2 (L87) for connecting rod and crankshaft manufacturing defects that can cause engine failure, with an engine inspection and a repair or replacement for those that fail it. It does not apply to a 2020 truck.
Sources
The facts on this page were last checked against these documents on October 10, 2026. Programs and their coverage end; check the car's VIN with a dealer for what still applies.
- Service bulletin: GM TechLink: Misfire Due to Collapsed Lifter (PIP5776), 2019-2021 Silverado and Sierra with L84 or L87 (gm-techlink.com)
- Court or settlement record: Harrison et al. v. General Motors LLC, E.D. Mich. No. 21-cv-12927 (class counsel case page) (bergermontague.com)
- Recall record: NHTSA recall 25V-274 (Part 573 report): 2021-2024 GM 6.2L L87 connecting rods and crankshaft (static.nhtsa.gov)
More 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Known Issues
Other Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Years
The Same Problem on Other Cars
Comparing candidates? These models have documented lifter failures too:
More Chevrolet Problems
Researching other vehicles? Browse known problems and repair costs for 59 popular models Comparing candidates? Ford F-150 vs Chevrolet Silverado 1500.
Checking out a listing for a Chevrolet Silverado 1500?
Run it through Avturo. It compares the asking price with similar listings, matches the car to documented problems like afm/dfm lifter failure (5.3 & 6.2 v8), and flags the red flags in the ad before you drive out to see it.
Free to start. We keep your listing while you create your account.