2017 GMC Sierra 1500 Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Sep 24, 2026 · 354 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other Sierra 1500 years
More complaints than other years 10th of 32 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
5 out of 5 stars

Owners have filed 354 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 GMC Sierra 1500. That ranks 10th out of 32 Sierra 1500 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (118 complaints, 33%), typically at around 29,500 miles. Complaints mention 14 crashes, 4 fires, 7 injuries. There are 6 safety recalls covering this model year.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

Compare with another car

Most common 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Power Train118 · ~29,500 mi
Service Brakes100 · ~38,984 mi
Engine58 · ~56,000 mi
Electrical System54 · ~53,000 mi
Unknown or Other35 · ~3,605 mi
Steering25 · ~20,000 mi
Vehicle Speed Control11 · ~26,000 mi
Visibility/wiper10 · ~36,158 mi
Exterior Lighting9 · ~13,000 mi
Structure8 · ~44,850 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Power Train problems11833%29,500“torque converter” (13%)$5,000
Service Brakes problems10028%38,984“trailer brake” (16%)—
Engine problems5816%56,000——
Electrical System problems5415%53,000“trailer brake” (19%)—
Unknown or Other3510%3,605——
Steering257%20,000——
Vehicle Speed Control113%26,000——
Visibility/wiper103%36,158——
Exterior Lighting93%13,000——
Structure82%44,850——
Suspension82%19,850——
Fuel/propulsion System72%64,000——
Forward Collision Avoidance62%———
Service Brakes, Hydraulic62%49,000——
Air Bags41%1,700——
Wheels31%17,324——
Engine and Engine Cooling21%114,850——
Lane Departure21%———
Seats21%———
Tires21%71,900——
Visibility21%99,600——
Electronic Stability Control (esc)10%67,171——
Latches/locks/linkages10%71,000——
Seat Belts10%———
Service Brakes, Air10%19,906——

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2022, with 57 complaints
2017: 102017102018: 192018192019: 322019322020: 352020352021: 382021382022: 572022572023: 462023462024: 512024512025: 472025472026: 19202619

n = 354 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2017 GMC Sierra 1500 recalls (6)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

Air bags:side/window:curtain:inflatorSep 24, 2026 · NHTSA campaign 26V611000 · 1,559 vehicles

Problem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500/3500, GMC Sierra 2500/3500 vehicles, and 2016-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles. The left-side or right-side roof rail air bag (RRAB) inflator end cap may detach from the inflator or the inflator sidewall may rupture.

Risk: A detached end cap or inflator rupture can allow compressed gas to escape and project the end cap or fragments of the inflator into the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury.

Fix: Dealers will replace both RRAB modules, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed November 9, 2026. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N262569920. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on September 24, 2026.

Service brakes; service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:wheel speed sensor/tone ring; electronic stability control (esc)Oct 24, 2019 · NHTSA campaign 19V761000 · 652,967 vehicles

Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, and GMC Yukon, and 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles equipped with a 5.3-liter engine, a 3.08-ratio rear axle and four-wheel drive. If a wheel-speed sensor fails, while the vehicle is traveling between 41 and 60 mph in four-wheel or automatic mode, the Electronic-Brake Control Module (EBCM) software may activate the driveline-protection system.

Risk: Unintended activation of the driveline-protection system will cause unintended braking on the wheel on the opposite side of the failed sensor, causing the vehicle to pull to one side unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the EBCM, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192261050.

Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuumSep 6, 2019 · NHTSA campaign 19V645000 · 3,456,719 vehicles

Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Cadillac Escalade, 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, 2015-2018 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon vehicles. The amount of vacuum created by the vacuum pump may decrease over time.

Risk: As the vacuum level drops, the brake assist decreases, increasing braking effort, extending the distance required to stop the vehicle, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Electronic Brake Control Module, free of charge. The recall began October 8, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192268490.

Child seat:tether: connector/clipAug 3, 2017 · NHTSA campaign 17V487000 · 29,647 vehicles

Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 trucks. The owner's manual for the affected vehicles may be missing instructions on how to use the tether anchorage and child restraint anchorage systems. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 225, "Child Restraint Anchorage Systems."

Risk: If the instructions are missing from the owner's manual, the child seat may be installed incorrectly and not be properly secured, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will provide a corrected insert for the owners manual, free of charge. The recall began on September 25, 2017. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), or 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 17307.

Seat belts:pretensioner; air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactiveJul 10, 2017 · NHTSA campaign 17V437000 · 40,683 vehicles

Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse and Chevrolet Spark EV, Caprice PPV and SS vehicles, 2014-2017 Buick Encore and Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles, 2015-2016 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Trax, Suburban and Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Yukon and Yukon XL vehicles, and 2015-2017 GMC Sierra HD 2500 and 3500 vehicles. While being previously remedied for recall 16V-651, the affected vehicles may not have received the complete software update necessary to remedy the recall condition. Without the update, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.

Risk: A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2017. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 17287.

Seat belts:pretensioner; air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactiveSep 8, 2016 · NHTSA campaign 16V651000 · 3,640,162 vehicles

Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD, 3500 HD, Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Sierra 2500 HD and 3500 HD, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Cadillac Escalade ESV vehicles and 2014-2017 Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500, Trax, Caprice Police Pursuit Vehicle, GMC Sierra 1500, Buick Encore, and 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse, Chevrolet Spark EV and SS vehicles. In the affected vehicles, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.

Risk: A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 13, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 16007.

To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.

Recent owner reports

Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.

The contact owns a 2017 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH to 50 MPH, the vehicle shuddered and made a shuddering sound while shifting between gears. Additionally, the contact stated that the engine lifters and camshaft were previously replaced. The contact…

Power Train · received Sep 18, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11765271

The catastrophic power failure with no warning on my 2017 GMC Sierra, at 87450 miles completely contaminated the engine oil cooling lines with metallic debris and fractured structural mounts. The servicing dealership replaced the transmission but is refusing to remediate the engine line…

Power Train · received Sep 11, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11763735

I had an engine rebuilt completed on my L86 2017 GMC 6.2. After the repair, the engine failed due to the crank shaft on the engine being oversized which is the same problem that GM is having with the L87 engines. When the crank was ordered from the dealer for my L86, the only part number for the…

Engine · received Aug 28, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11760208

When I accelerate the vehicle, the gears shifts every 10mph when it shouldn’t. It does it all the way up to 60mph. It has been an on going problem since we got the truck

Vehicle Speed Control · received Jul 29, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11753626

Truck was started using auto start and I drove roughly a mile down the road smelt burning and looked in the back seat, I saw smoke and promptly pulled to the side of the road shut the vehicle off then I heard a loud pop and saw the back drivers side window shattered.

Visibility/wiper · received May 13, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11737629

Other GMC Sierra 1500 years

← 2016 Sierra 1500 · 2018 Sierra 1500 →

See all GMC Sierra 1500 problems by year, every GMC model, or the GMC VIN decoder.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2017 GMC Sierra 1500?

Owners most often report power train, service brakes, engine problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 118 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2017 GMC Sierra 1500?

Yes, 6 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 a good year?

Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Sierra 1500 model years, the 2017 has more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.