2018 GMC Sierra 3500 Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Apr 30, 2026 · 14 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other Sierra 3500 years
Fewer complaints than other years 18th of 31 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
Not rated

Owners have filed 14 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 GMC Sierra 3500. That ranks 18th out of 31 Sierra 3500 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is service brakes (6 complaints, 43%), typically at around 37,034 miles. 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 2018 GMC Sierra 3500 problems

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

Service Brakes6 · ~37,034 mi
Steering3 · ~37,034 mi
Electrical System2 · ~53,800 mi
Exterior Lighting2 · ~528 mi
Electronic Stability Control (esc)1 · ~16,068 mi
Engine1
Forward Collision Avoidance1
Fuel System, Gasoline1 · ~177,000 mi
Power Train1 · ~58,000 mi
Visibility1 · ~70,000 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Service Brakes643%37,034——
Steering321%37,034——
Electrical System214%53,800——
Exterior Lighting214%528——
Electronic Stability Control (esc)17%16,068——
Engine17%———
Forward Collision Avoidance17%———
Fuel System, Gasoline17%177,000——
Power Train17%58,000——
Visibility17%70,000——
Visibility/wiper17%———

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

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2019, with 4 complaints
2018: 2201822019: 4201942020: 1202012022: 2202222023: 1202312024: 2202422025: 1202512026: 120261

n = 14 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2018 GMC Sierra 3500 recalls (6)

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

Air bags:side/window:curtain:inflatorOct 10, 2024 · NHTSA campaign 24V756000 · 2,061 vehicles

Problem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500, 2018-2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, 3500, and GMC Sierra 2500, 3500 Crew Cab trucks. The left or right-side roof-rail air bag (RRAB) inflator end cap may detach from the inflator or the inflator sidewall may rupture.

Risk: A separated inflator end cap or inflator rupture can allow compressed gas to escape, resulting in the end cap or other components being propelled into the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury or crash.

Fix: Dealers will replace the left and right side RRAB modules, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 8, 2024. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, and GMC Customer Service at 888-988-7267. GM's number for this recall is N242474500.

Fuel system, diesel:storage:tank assemblyFeb 2, 2023 · NHTSA campaign 23V047000 · 22,132 vehicles

Problem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, 3500, and GMC Sierra 2500, 3500 vehicles equipped with a dual fuel tank option. The rear fuel tank may collapse and prevent the fuel pump from transferring fuel to the front tank, resulting in an engine stall.

Risk: An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will inspect the fuel tank and fuel pump module, replacing them as necessary. Dealers will also add a vent hose to the rear tank assembly. Repairs will be performed free of charge. An interim owner notification letter informing owners of the safety risk was mailed on March 15, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed June 21, 2023. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N222368030.

Equipment:electrical:engine block heaterJul 1, 2021 · NHTSA campaign 21V496000 · 338,020 vehicles

Problem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, 3500 and 2017-2019 GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 vehicles equipped with a Duramax diesel 6.6 liter engine and an optional engine-block heater cord. An electrical short-circuit may occur in the engine-block heater cable or in the terminals that connect the heater cable to the block heater.

Risk: An electrical short-circuit can increase the risk of a fire.

Fix: Dealers will replace engine block heaters and heater cords. Vehicles that have this feature disabled as a remedy to the safety condition will be contacted and offered replacement block heaters and heater cords under a separate customer satisfaction program, free of charge. GM will provide free replacement block heaters and cords under a separate customer satisfaction campaign. For vehicles previously included in recall 19V-328, the heater cord will be replaced and rerouted, free of charge. Interim owner notifications were mailed on August 13, 2021. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on April 4, 2022. Customers may call GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 212329840.

EngineApr 25, 2019 · NHTSA campaign 19V328000 · 318,374 vehicles

Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 4500, 5500 and 6500 vehicles and 2017-2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500 vehicles and GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 vehicles equipped with Duramax 6.6 liter diesel engines and an optional engine-block heater. The engine block heater cord or the terminals that connect the heater cord to the block heater may short circuit and fail.

Risk: A short-circuit may damage the engine components and increase the risk of fire.

Fix: GM will contact owners, dealers will replace the engine block heater, free of charge. Additionally, in Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500 vehicles, dealers will install a new rerouted heater cord. The recall began December 11, 2019. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-586-596-1733. GM's number for this recall is N182206310.

Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assemblyFeb 7, 2019 · NHTSA campaign 19V088000 · 18,574 vehicles

Problem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 GMC Sierra 3500 and Chevrolet Silverado 3500 trucks equipped with gasoline engines and dual fuel tanks. The fuel-level sensor in the front tank may stick in a low-level position, allowing the rear tank to overfill the front tank.

Risk: If the front tank overfills, the excess pressure may cause the front tank to expand and contact the driveshaft, possibly resulting in a hole in the tank. The hole will leak fuel, which in the presence of an ignition source, can increase the risk of a fire.

Fix: GM has notified owners, and dealers will replace the rear-tank fuel-pump module, inspect the front tank and, if necessary, replace the front tank, free of charge. The recall began July 30, 2019. GM's number for this recall is N182204190.

Seat belts:front:retractorSep 14, 2017 · NHTSA campaign 17V567000 · 38,048 vehicles

Problem: General Motors (GM) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 trucks. The front seat belt retractor assemblies were built with the incorrect torsion bar. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 209, "Seat Belt Assemblies."

Risk: The seat belt retractors may not perform as intended during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace both front seat belt retractor assemblies, free of charge. The recall began March 24, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's numbers for this recall are 17368, 17375, and 17376.

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 2018 Gmc Sierra 3500. The contact stated while operating the vehicle at an undisclosed speed the vehicle suddenly shutoff, the vehicle was coasted to side of the road. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V739000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) however, the VIN was not…

Fuel System, Gasoline · received Apr 30, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11734912

Driving on the freeway going approx 70 MPH and the ABS warning light, and Stabilitrak warning light suddenly turned on. I’m sure you can imagine how panicked I was going that fast on the freeway and having my brake warnings suddenly turn on. Especially with my entire family in the vehicle with me…

Service Brakes · received Dec 16, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11705328

The contact owns a 2018 GMC Sierra 3500. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, several unknown warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact pulled over to the shoulder of the roadway to restart the vehicle. After the vehicle was restarted, the vehicle hesitated to…

Electrical System · received Jul 29, 2024 · NHTSA complaint 11605067

The contact owns 2018 GMC Sierra 3500. The contacted stated that while the vehicle was parked in the driveway, the vehicle started and the defrost system was activated and the contact's daughter entered the vehicle and saw that it was smoking and informed the contact. When the contact arrived at…

Visibility · received Feb 14, 2024 · NHTSA complaint 11571837

17Jan2023. 2018 GMC Sierra 3500HD Denali. Northbound on I37 near Three Rivers, TX. Speed approx 75 mph. Temp approx 55F. Wx conditions, 1/2 mile vis in fog. Traffic, zero vehicles ahead, one vehicle approx 100 yards behind. Time approx 0815. No overpasses encountered. Cruise control engaged. My son…

Visibility/wiper · received Feb 3, 2023 · NHTSA complaint 11505403

Other GMC Sierra 3500 years

← 2017 Sierra 3500 · 2019 Sierra 3500 →

See all GMC Sierra 3500 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 2018 GMC Sierra 3500?

Owners most often report service brakes, steering, electrical system problems. The top one, service brakes, accounts for 6 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2018 GMC Sierra 3500?

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

Was the 2018 GMC Sierra 3500 a good year?

Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Sierra 3500 model years, the 2018 has fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.