2019 GMC Sierra 1500 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Sierra 1500 years
- Far more complaints than other years 3rd of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 10 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 4–5 out of 5 stars (varies by version)
Owners have filed 653 complaints with NHTSA about the 2019 GMC Sierra 1500. That ranks 3rd out of 32 Sierra 1500 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (309 complaints, 47%), typically at around 74,000 miles. Complaints mention 13 crashes, 3 fires, 12 injuries. There are 10 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 653owner complaints
- 10safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 13complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2019 GMC Sierra 1500 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine problems | 309 | 47% | 74,000 | “engine seized” (7%) | $10,900 |
| Power Train problems | 139 | 21% | 30,525 | “torque converter” (9%) | $8,350 |
| Service Brakes problems | 107 | 16% | 7,000 | “trailer brake” (28%) | — |
| Electrical System problems | 95 | 15% | 7,997 | “service esc” (9%) | — |
| Unknown or Other | 44 | 7% | 6,500 | — | — |
| Steering | 42 | 6% | 9,700 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 26 | 4% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 23 | 4% | 17,300 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 16 | 2% | 8,050 | — | — |
| Structure | 15 | 2% | 5,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 11 | 2% | 3,200 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 10 | 2% | 29,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 10 | 2% | 56,500 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 10 | 2% | 11,050 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 8 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 8 | 1% | 41,160 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 7 | 1% | 11,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 7 | 1% | 2,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 6 | 1% | 21,586 | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 5 | 1% | 3,100 | — | — |
| Tires | 5 | 1% | 23,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 4 | 1% | 123,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 4 | 1% | 37,417 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 | 0% | 82,000 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 2 | 0% | 55,500 | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 0% | 200 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2019 GMC Sierra 1500 recalls (10)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Tires:temporary/emergency spare tire
Problem: General Motors (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2021 GMC Sierra 1500 and Silverado 1500 vehicles equipped with certain accessory road tires and a 17" spare tire. The 17" spare tire provided with the vehicle is not compatible for use with the accessory wheels, which can cause the anti-lock brake system (ABS) to not function properly under certain conditions.
Risk: An ABS system that does not function properly can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will provide a new 17" spare tire and wheel assembly that is compatible with the accessory wheels, free of charge. Dealers will also apply a new spare tire information label, and provide owners with an owner's manual insert clarifying which spare tire to use with the accessory road tires and with the 17" original tires. Owner notification letters were mailed February 7, 2022. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-462-8782 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212346510.
Tires:sidewall
Problem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles. The affected tires were cured for too long during production.
Risk: Over cured tires may develop a break in the sidewall resulting in sudden air loss or a belt edge separation which could lead to a tread/belt loss. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers inspect and replace the tires as necessary, free of charge, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 25, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212336230.
Tires
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, XT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, Traverse, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, 2018-2021 Chevrolet Express, GMC Savana, 2019-2020 Chevrolet Blazer, Silverado 1500, GMC Acadia, Sierra 1500, and certain Continental tires sold to the aftermarket for various model year 2018-2021 vehicles. The affected tires were cured for too long during production.
Risk: Over cured tires may develop a break in the sidewall resulting in sudden air loss or a belt edge separation which could lead to a tread/belt loss. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tires, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 22, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N212329050.
Seat belts:critical fasteners
Problem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500, 2021 Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe and GMC Yukon XL and 2020-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 vehicles. The seat belt brackets may not be secured to the seat frame in the front-row center seating position.
Risk: If a seat-belt bracket is not secured, the seat belt may not properly restrain an occupant in the front-row center seat position, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect left-side and right-side front-row center seat-belt bracket attachments and reassemble it correctly as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 26, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N202314670.
Power train:driveline:driveshaft
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 and 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 trucks. One of the driveshaft joints may not have been properly welded, causing the driveshaft to separate while the vehicle is moving.
Risk: If the driveshaft separates, there may be a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driveshaft, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin December 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267. GM's number for this recall is N202314870.
Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles. These vehicles received updated software for the Electronic Brake Control Module (EBCM). This software has an error, and as a result, the vehicle's electronic brake assist may be disabled. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 126, "Electronic Stability Control" and 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
Risk: A loss of electronic brake assist can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the EBCM, free of charge. The recall began February 24, 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267. GM's number for this recall is N192268091.
Electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery:cables
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 trucks. The battery positive (B+) cable rings may have been manufactured with excessive glue, potentially causing an intermittent electrical connection between the B+ cable and alternator.
Risk: An intermittent electrical connection between the B+ battery cable and the alternator could cause the vehicle to stall, increasing the risk of a crash. The intermittent connection could also lead to electrical arcing, which could generate sufficient heat to damage surrounding material, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect for the presence of glue or other contamination at the B+ cable attachment to the alternator and clean the connection and reattach the B+ cable connection, as necessary. If arcing has damaged the cable, nut, or alternator, the dealer will replace the damaged components. All services will be performed free of charge. GM issued owners an interim notification on February 4, 2020. GM issued second notice and the recall began March 9, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267. GM's number for this recall is N192273510.
Service brakes; electronic stability control (esc); service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:abs warning light
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Cadillac CT6, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles. Due to an Electronic Brake Control Module (EBCM) software error, the vehicle's Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and Antilock Brake System (ABS) may become disabled. Furthermore, if this specific error occurs, the vehicle's diagnostics will not illuminate the instrument cluster ESC and ABS malfunction warning lights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 126, "Electronic Stability Control" and 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
Risk: If the driver operates the vehicle unaware that ESC and ABS are not functioning, there is an increased risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the EBCM, free of charge. The recall began February 4, 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, or GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267. GM's number for this recall is N192268090.
Seat belts:pretensioner
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500, and 2020 Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Sierra 2500, and Sierra 3500 vehicles equipped with carpet floor covering. When the front seat belt pretensioners deploy, hot gas may vent through an opening in the pretensioner bracket, possibly igniting the carpet.
Risk: A vehicle fire could result if materials ignite inside the vehicle.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will close off the opening in the pretensioner bracket, free of charge. The recall began December 13, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267. GM's number for this recall is N192270600.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Crew Cab and GMC Sierra 1500 Crew Cab vehicles. The passenger-side frontal air bag module may have been damaged during assembly, possibly resulting in the air bag not inflating properly in the event of a crash.
Risk: In the event of a crash, an air bag that does not inflate properly can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger side air bag module, free of charge. The recall began on December 18, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N182198820.
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Loss of motive power due to engine failure (EA25007) — opened Oct 23, 2025, still open.
- Loss of motive power due to engine failure (PE25001) — opened Jan 16, 2025, closed Oct 23, 2025, led to recall 25V274.
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 engine started making a loud knocking noise and lost power. Luckily the event happened in a neighborhood and no one got hurt. The check engine has been on for brief periods prior to this event.
The engine developed a noise while driving. The engine has been replaced. So inspection of the original engine is not available. The failure happen on the interstate system in a large metropolitan city, in heavy traffic. Our independent service center confirmed that one cylinder was not working. We…
The contact owns a 2019 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving 25 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that later while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The contact's son…
The contact owns a 2019 GMC Sierra 1500. While driving 65 MPH with cruise control activated, the messages "Service ESC", "Service Park Brake", and an unknown message was displayed, causing the cruise control to deactivate. The check engine and transmission warning lights illuminated. The vehicle…
Engine failure. My engine is near failure, loud knocking, check engine light and trusted repair shop analyzed. The repair diagnosis is that the engine will fail in the very near future and that is not safe to drive because of risk of failure. I like the truck and it is still in great condition…
Other GMC Sierra 1500 years
← 2018 Sierra 1500 · 2020 Sierra 1500 →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Sierra 1500 | 142 | 2 |
| 2025 Sierra 1500 | 119 | 1 |
| 2024 Sierra 1500 | 368 | 1 |
| 2023 Sierra 1500 | 490 | 3 |
| 2022 Sierra 1500 | 594 | 6 |
| 2021 Sierra 1500 | 587 | 7 |
| 2020 Sierra 1500 | 479 | 12 |
| 2019 | 653 | 10 |
| 2018 Sierra 1500 | 305 | 7 |
| 2017 Sierra 1500 | 354 | 6 |
| 2016 Sierra 1500 | 343 | 8 |
| 2015 Sierra 1500 | 719 | 9 |
| 2014 Sierra 1500 | 742 | 9 |
| 2013 Sierra 1500 | 116 | 3 |
| 2012 Sierra 1500 | 107 | 3 |
| 2011 Sierra 1500 | 284 | 5 |
| 2010 Sierra 1500 | 168 | 4 |
| 2009 Sierra 1500 | 234 | 4 |
| 2008 Sierra 1500 | 381 | 2 |
| 2007 Sierra 1500 | 263 | 2 |
| 2006 Sierra 1500 | 145 | 0 |
| 2005 Sierra 1500 | 177 | 0 |
| 2004 Sierra 1500 | 212 | 2 |
| 2003 Sierra 1500 | 180 | 1 |
| 2002 Sierra 1500 | 166 | 1 |
| 2001 Sierra 1500 | 140 | 2 |
| 2000 Sierra 1500 | 181 | 1 |
| 1999 Sierra 1500 | 158 | 1 |
| 1998 Sierra 1500 | 59 | 2 |
| 1997 Sierra 1500 | 83 | 3 |
| 1996 Sierra 1500 | 5 | 0 |
| 1995 Sierra 1500 | 3 | 0 |
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 2019 GMC Sierra 1500?
Owners most often report engine, power train, service brakes problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 309 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2019 GMC Sierra 1500?
Yes, 10 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2019 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 2019 has far more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 4–5 out of 5 stars (varies by version) overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.