GMC Sierra Problems by Year
NHTSA has 3,585 owner complaints and 52 safety recalls on file for the GMC Sierra, across 23 model years (1995–2017). The 1999 model year has the most complaints (600). The most reported problem area overall is service brakes, hydraulic.
GMC Sierra years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Sierra year: 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 1999 Sierra: 600 complaints, 5 recalls
- 2000 Sierra: 443 complaints, 8 recalls
- 2001 Sierra: 264 complaints, 4 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 2016 Sierra: 6 complaints, 2 recalls
- 2012 Sierra: 29 complaints, 2 recalls
- 2010 Sierra: 34 complaints, 0 recalls
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common GMC Sierra problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 954 | 20 | 96 |
| Visibility problems | 343 | 18 | 1 |
| Service Brakes problems | 304 | 19 | 31 |
| Power Train problems | 293 | 21 | 13 |
| Steering problems | 248 | 22 | 11 |
| Electrical System problems | 241 | 23 | 5 |
| Air Bags problems | 193 | 23 | 107 |
| Structure problems | 193 | 22 | 5 |
| Suspension problems | 160 | 22 | 8 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 155 | 18 | 5 |
| Exterior Lighting problems | 155 | 18 | 0 |
| Vehicle Speed Control problems | 152 | 20 | 12 |
| Tires problems | 135 | 18 | 7 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 91 | 14 | 2 |
| Seats | 91 | 14 | 2 |
| Seat Belts | 68 | 16 | 12 |
| Engine | 59 | 17 | 2 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 57 | 8 | 4 |
| Parking Brake | 53 | 6 | 0 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 42 | 16 | 1 |
| Equipment | 34 | 13 | 0 |
| Wheels | 29 | 13 | 2 |
| Fuel System, Other | 28 | 9 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 25 | 17 | 0 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 15 | 8 | 1 |
| Visibility/wiper | 14 | 8 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 9 | 7 | 0 |
| Interior Lighting | 7 | 7 | 1 |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Trailer Hitches | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Child Seat | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Traction Control System | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 1 | 0 |
GMC Sierra problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
- 2014: exterior lighting (63)
- 2002: service brakes, hydraulic (93)
- 2001: service brakes, hydraulic (100)
- 2000: service brakes, hydraulic (182)
- 1999: service brakes, hydraulic (280)
- 1998: service brakes, hydraulic (56)
- 1997: service brakes, hydraulic (63) · steering (63)
- 1996: visibility (84)
- 1995: visibility (140)
All GMC Sierra model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 Sierra | 61 | 0 | — | Power Train | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2016 Sierra | 6 | 2 | — | Air Bags | |
| 2015 Sierra | 53 | 6 | — | Exterior Lighting | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2014 Sierra | 101 | 11 | — | Exterior Lighting | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2013 Sierra | 39 | 3 | — | Air Bags | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2012 Sierra | 29 | 2 | — | Electrical System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2011 Sierra | 43 | 2 | — | Unknown or Other | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2010 Sierra | 34 | 0 | — | Air Bags | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2009 Sierra | 37 | 1 | — | Air Bags | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2008 Sierra | 68 | 2 | — | Air Bags | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2007 Sierra | 59 | 2 | — | Air Bags | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2006 Sierra | 53 | 4 | — | Service Brakes | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2005 Sierra | 117 | 9 | — | Service Brakes | More complaints than other years |
| 2004 Sierra | 188 | 7 | — | Service Brakes | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2003 Sierra | 206 | 6 | — | Service Brakes | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2002 Sierra | 249 | 4 | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2001 Sierra | 264 | 4 | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2000 Sierra | 443 | 8 | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1999 Sierra | 600 | 5 | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1998 Sierra | 190 | 0 | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1997 Sierra | 238 | 0 | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1996 Sierra | 246 | 2 | — | Visibility | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1995 Sierra | 261 | 6 | — | Visibility | Far more complaints than other years |
More from GMC: all GMC models · GMC VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which GMC Sierra years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 1995 (261), 1996 (246), 1997 (238), 1998 (190), 1999 (600), 2000 (443), 2001 (264), 2002 (249), 2003 (206), 2004 (188) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Sierra year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the GMC Sierra?
Service Brakes, Hydraulic, with 954 complaints across 20 model years.
How many recalls does the GMC Sierra have?
52 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.