GMC Sierra 1500 Structure Problems
Owners have filed 590 complaints with NHTSA about structure problems on the GMC Sierra 1500 across 30 model years. The 2022 model year has the most (104). The words owners use most often: “flew off” (13% of reports).
- 590structure complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 15mention a crash
- 12mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $1,300typical repair cost reported by owners
- 76%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Flew off: mentioned in 74 of 590 complaints (13%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical structure repair on the GMC Sierra 1500 at $1,300, and half of them between $800 and $1,600.
Based on 16 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2004–2026), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do structure problems happen?
Based on 249 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 590 complaints, 15 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 12 an injury.
GMC Sierra 1500 structure complaints by model year
| Model year | Structure complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Sierra 1500 | 2 | 1% | — |
| 2025 Sierra 1500 | 3 | 3% | — |
| 2024 Sierra 1500 | 26 | 7% | 18,500 |
| 2023 Sierra 1500 | 89 | 18% | 51,350 |
| 2022 Sierra 1500 | 104 | 18% | 34,500 |
| 2021 Sierra 1500 | 13 | 2% | 18,000 |
| 2020 Sierra 1500 | 13 | 3% | 10,000 |
| 2019 Sierra 1500 | 15 | 2% | 5,000 |
| 2018 Sierra 1500 | 6 | 2% | 29,562 |
| 2017 Sierra 1500 | 8 | 2% | 44,850 |
| 2016 Sierra 1500 | 7 | 2% | 50,000 |
| 2015 Sierra 1500 | 28 | 4% | 46,000 |
| 2014 Sierra 1500 | 31 | 4% | 55,537 |
| 2013 Sierra 1500 | 25 | 22% | 75,000 |
| 2012 Sierra 1500 | 21 | 20% | 65,000 |
| 2011 Sierra 1500 | 45 | 16% | 49,000 |
| 2010 Sierra 1500 | 34 | 20% | 64,500 |
| 2009 Sierra 1500 | 20 | 9% | 76,000 |
| 2008 Sierra 1500 | 25 | 7% | 85,000 |
| 2007 Sierra 1500 | 17 | 6% | 64,540 |
| 2006 Sierra 1500 | 9 | 6% | 56,546 |
| 2005 Sierra 1500 | 3 | 2% | 89,900 |
| 2003 Sierra 1500 | 4 | 2% | 86,000 |
| 2002 Sierra 1500 | 8 | 5% | 75,500 |
| 2001 Sierra 1500 | 6 | 4% | 148,000 |
| 2000 Sierra 1500 | 11 | 6% | 89,000 |
| 1999 Sierra 1500 | 9 | 6% | 135,000 |
| 1998 Sierra 1500 | 4 | 7% | 110,213 |
| 1997 Sierra 1500 | 3 | 4% | 85,000 |
| 1996 Sierra 1500 | 1 | 20% | 147,657 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Structure:body:bumpers:active shutters/grill
Model years: 2022
Problem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles equipped with chrome front grille deflectors. The attachments that hold the front grille deflectors in place may fracture, resulting in grille detachment.
Risk: A detached front grille deflector may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will reinforce or repair all attachment points on the chrome front grille deflector, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 17, 2025. Owners may call GM customer service for GMC at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N242490120.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Upper grille deflector flew off going down the highway and hit the windshield and cracked it. Truck is a 2023 and warranty or dealership will not cover the repairs. Its a $85k truck and I don't think pieces of it should just fly off going down the highway. What if it hit somebody walking or riding…
Front grill deflector flew off on the highway causing visibility issues and damaging paint on the truck. The clips broke and the piece shattered when it hit the roadway. Theres a recall on the 2022 and my 2023 is the exact same design with the exact same part. Gmc doesn't want to recall more trucks…
I have a 2022 GMC Sierra that has a black grill and the same thing happened to me that follows this safety recall; N242490120. I was driving on the highway and the same piece snapped off and went right over my head and a car behind me ran over it and they had to pull over.
Vehicle Safety Hazard Summary: This complaint concerns an incomplete, non-compliant post-collision structural repair on a 2021 GMC Sierra 1500 (VIN: [XXX]). It has resulted in immediate vehicle tracking failure, dangerous steering drift, and a compromised cabin safety cage following a…
Driving vehicle at approximately 70 mph when a semi truck passed me going the opposite direction. The upper grille deflector / molding section of my front end grille blew off and landed into on coming traffic. I understand a recall was issued for the same problem on the 2022 models, but not the…
Frequently asked questions
Do all GMC Sierra 1500s have structure problems?
No. NHTSA has 590 owner complaints about structure for the GMC Sierra 1500. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the GMC Sierra 1500 structure?
Yes: 1 safety recall list structure. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix structure problems on the GMC Sierra 1500?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,300 (half paid between $800 and $1,600), from 16 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about structure problems on the GMC Sierra 1500?
The most frequent phrase is “flew off”, in 74 of 590 complaints.
Other GMC Sierra 1500 problems
- Engine problems (2,079)
- Power Train problems (1,341)
- Service Brakes problems (1,224)
- Electrical System problems (1,212)
- Air Bags problems (950)
- Steering problems (614)
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems (475)
- Exterior Lighting problems (339)
See all GMC Sierra 1500 problems.