GMC Sierra 1500 2019–2025
4th generation Sierra (T1XX)
NHTSA data through 12 August 20264,175 complaints, 880 with mileageMethod
On this generation, 39% of failures fall within the first 12,000 miles — a rate roughly 5 times higher than during the rest of the car's life.
- First 12,000 miles — 39% of all failures
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 10%
- 1,000
- 25%
- 5,754
- Median
- 21,319
- 75%
- 64,900
- 90%
- 96,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10,000 | 297 | 33.8% |
| 10,000–20,000 | 116 | 13.2% |
| 20,000–30,000 | 60 | 6.8% |
| 30,000–40,000 | 67 | 7.6% |
| 40,000–50,000 | 60 | 6.8% |
| 50,000–60,000 | 38 | 4.3% |
| 60,000–70,000 | 47 | 5.3% |
| 70,000–80,000 | 38 | 4.3% |
| 80,000–90,000 | 56 | 6.4% |
| 90,000–100,000 | 23 | 2.6% |
| 100,000–110,000 | 21 | 2.4% |
| 110,000–120,000 | 13 | 1.5% |
| 120,000–130,000 | 21 | 2.4% |
| 130,000–140,000 | 10 | 1.1% |
| 140,000–150,000 | 6 | 0.7% |
| 150,000–160,000 | 4 | 0.5% |
| 160,000–170,000 | 2 | 0.2% |
| 170,000–180,000 | 1 | 0.1% |
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 4,175 complaints with NHTSA about the 2019–2025 GMC Sierra 1500, and 880 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
39% of failures fall within the first 12,000 miles — a rate roughly 5 times higher than during the rest of the car's life. Failures clustered that early usually indicate a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear.
The most-reported areas are the engine (32.7% of complaints, typically around 46,000 miles), the transmission and driveline (14.8% of complaints, typically around 39,000 miles), the electrical system (10.5% of complaints, typically around 10,000 miles).
23 recall campaigns cover this generation.
What fails, and when
- Engine46,000median 45,500 miles, middle half 15,000 to 81,000
- Transmission and driveline39,000median 39,437 miles, middle half 9,000 to 80,000
- Electrical system10,000median 10,100 miles, middle half 1,500 to 44,000
- Problems owners could not categorise7,000median 7,000 miles, middle half 100 to 12,000
- Body structure22,000median 22,000 miles, middle half 5,000 to 40,000
- Brakes7,000median 7,052 miles, middle half 2,500 to 13,000
- Engine and its cooling system58,000median 57,750 miles, middle half 37,000 to 96,000
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 1,366 | 32.7% | 46,000 | 15,000–81,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 618 | 14.8% | 39,000 | 9,000–80,000 |
| Electrical system | 440 | 10.5% | 10,000 | 1,500–44,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 283 | 6.8% | 7,000 | 100–12,000 |
| Body structure | 230 | 5.5% | 22,000 | 5,000–40,000 |
| Brakes | 230 | 5.5% | 7,000 | 2,500–13,000 |
| Engine and its cooling system | 167 | 4.0% | 58,000 | 37,000–96,000 |
| Fuel and propulsion system | 150 | 3.6% | — | — |
| Steering | 144 | 3.4% | 11,000 | 4,500–28,000 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 99 | 2.4% | 6,500 | 4,000–16,000 |
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 21,319 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The engine accounts for 32.7% of complaints (1,366 reports, 176 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 45,500 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 15,000 and 81,000 miles.
A single system taking 32.7% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 14.8% of complaints (618 reports, 112 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 39,437 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 9,000 and 80,400 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 10.5% of complaints (440 reports, 102 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 10,100 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 1,500 and 44,000 miles.
Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 6.8% of complaints (283 reports, 23 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 7,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 100 and 12,000 miles.
Body structure accounts for 5.5% of complaints (230 reports, 29 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 22,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 5,000 and 40,000 miles.
The brakes account for 5.5% of complaints (230 reports, 94 of them with a mileage figure), and they fail early — a median of 7,052 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 2,614 and 13,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2019 model year drew the most — 881 complaints — while 2025 drew the fewest at 146. The median year sits at 659.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 23 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around the tyres (4), the transmission and driveline (3), the hydraulic brake circuit (3). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
Of the 4,175 complaints filed against this generation, 77 reported a crash; 39 reported a fire; 52 reported an injury. Crash-involved reports represent 1.8% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
What this means if you are buying one
For a buyer, an early-failure pattern is comparatively good news on a used example: 39% of the reported failures occur in the first 12,000 miles, which on a car of this age means they have already happened or they were never going to. Service history matters more than mileage here.
On inspection, the engine and the transmission and driveline are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The transmission and driveline in particular shows a median failure mileage of 39,437, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Documented problems
Engine 2021–2024 (6.2L L87)
6.2L L87 V8 connecting rod and crankshaft bearing failure. Manufacturing defects — sediment embedded on connecting rods and contamination in crankshaft oil galleries — overload the bearings, causing knock, seizure and in some cases a connecting rod breach through the block, with sudden loss of propulsion. GM recalled roughly 600,000 US vehicles in April 2025 covering 2021-2024 Sierra 1500, Silverado 1500, Tahoe, Suburban, Yukon and Escalade; NHTSA's investigation scoped as many as 877,710 vehicles. Remedy is inspection, then either engine replacement or an oil filter change plus a switch from 0W-20 to eight quarts of 0W-40 synthetic. MY2025 vehicles are excluded.
Engine 2019–2024
Dynamic Fuel Management (DFM) lifter failure on the 5.3L L84 and 6.2L L87, the successor mechanism to the earlier AFM lifter problem — collapsed lifter, dead cylinder, camshaft lobe damage.
Transmission 2019–2022
10L80 ten-speed harsh shifting, clunk and torque converter shudder; 8L90 shudder complaints continue on 8-speed trucks.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 881 | 316 |
| 2020 | 659 | 186 |
| 2021 | 736 | 141 |
| 2022 | 728 | 110 |
| 2023 | 572 | 49 |
| 2024 | 453 | 62 |
| 2025 | 146 | 16 |
Recalls (23)
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 26V083000 | 2026-03-06 | Power Train:automatic Transmission:fluid/Lubricant:valves/Valve Body |
| 25V876000 | 2026-02-05 | Equipment Adaptive/Mobility:wheelchair Restraints/Securement:latch/Anchor: |
| 25V274000 | 2025-06-18 | Engine and Engine Cooling:engine:hard Parts Internal/Mechanical |
| 25V060000 | 2025-03-17 | Structure:body:bumpers:active Shutters/Grill |
| 24V797000 | 2024-12-12 | Power Train:automatic Transmission:fluid/Lubricant:valves/Valve Body |
| 24V674000 | 2024-10-25 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist:electric:control Module:software |
| 22V463000 | 2023-01-27 | Exterior Lighting:brake Lights |
| 22V903000 | 2023-01-23 | Exterior Lighting:lighting Control Module:software |
| 21V985000 | 2022-02-07 | Tires:temporary/Emergency Spare Tire |
| 21V423000 | 2021-06-25 | Tires:sidewall |
| 21V115000 | 2021-03-22 | Tires |
| 20V811000 | 2021-01-29 | Seat Belts:critical Fasteners |
| 20V792000 | 2021-01-26 | Seat Belts:critical Fasteners |
| 20V684000 | 2020-12-17 | Tires |
| 20V650000 | 2020-12-10 | Power Train:driveline:driveshaft |
| 20V446000 | 2020-09-03 | Air Bags:side/Window:curtain:inflator |
| 20V116000 | 2020-03-23 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:caliper |
| 19V888000 | 2020-03-09 | Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery:cables |
| 20V055000 | 2020-02-24 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist |
| 19V889000 | 2020-02-04 | Service Brakes |
| 19V837000 | 2019-12-18 | Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump |
| 19V814000 | 2019-12-13 | Seat Belts:pretensioner |
| 18V868000 | 2018-12-18 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
What owners reported
Took my truck for a recall at the GMC dealer yesterday for both seatbelt tensioner and to update the brake system. After that earlier today after a red light i got a bunch of warning lights. The warning lights for brake system failure, service esc, traction control off…
2019 · 2 miles · Brakes
I started my car and i had 4 messages appear on the dash stating(service esc, service trailer brake, brake system failure-62 MPH top speed and steering assist reduced drive with care). I attempted to drive the vehicle in my neighborhood and noticed that i had lost power steering and when i went to brake there was a…
2019 · 5 miles · Brakes
I own a 2019 GMC sierra denali 1500 crew cab. After starting my vehicle and beginning my journey home. Sever warning indications of problems came on my dashboard system. While driving, the brake failure indicator illuminated and the vehicle would not immediately stop when depressing the brake pedal. Also, several…
2019 · 5 miles · Brakes
Built from 880 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-12 · open data · reproduce this page