GMCModel report

GMC Sierra 3500 Problems by Model Year

NHTSA recorded 578 consumer complaints across the 29 model years of the GMC Sierra 3500 (1997–2026) that have at least 5 complaints. 2020 has the most, with 51. Across all years, the part named most often is brakes (150 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.

Best and worst Sierra 3500 years →

All Sierra 3500 model years

Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.

Year	Complaints	Median mi	Recalls	TSBs	Score (50 = typical)	Trend
2026	5	2,250	2	170	—	Too new
2025	17	40,000	1	362	—	Too new
2024	50	36,000	3	841	Too new to compare	Too new
2023	28	33,800	1	742	47 · Typical	Too new
2022	32	31,154	3	894	54 · Typical	Rising
2021	20	101,500	5	841	—	Rising
2020	51	28,700	8	906	95 · More	Rising
2019	13	53,004	7	663	—	Not enough data
2018	14	53,800	6	756	—	Not enough data
2017	13	21,000	7	634	—	Not enough data
2016	19	27,500	7	668	—	Rising
2015	31	38,500	7	873	50 · Typical	Falling
2014	7	68,000	3	820	—	Not enough data
2013	14	49,218	4	843	—	Not enough data
2012	9	31,200	4	774	—	Not enough data
2011	20	77,250	5	820	—	Falling
2009	5	36,600	5	495	—	Not enough data
2008	25	59,000	3	478	0 · Fewer	Falling
2007	16	36,000	3	556	—	Rising
2006	11	49,974	0	265	—	Not enough data
2005	24	50,500	0	227	—	Rising
2004	24	84,000	0	172	—	Rising
2003	7	60,500	0	165	—	Not enough data
2002	20	79,000	2	153	—	Stable
2001	36	63,540	2	143	Not compared (before 2008)	Falling
2000	26	57,007	2	101	Not compared (before 2008)	Rising
1999	19	59,500	1	34	—	Stable
1998	12	128,000	2	7	—	Not enough data
1997	10	95,000	1	6	—	Not enough data

Parts named most often, all years

Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.

Brakes150 26%
Transmission and drivetrain93 16%
Electrical system82 14%
Fuel system59 10%
Air bags56 9.7%
Engine53 9.2%
Steering41 7.1%
Other or unknown41 7.1%

Example complaints

One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

2018: “Hid headlights on my truck flicker significantly, and dim and brighten, while driving vehicle on bumpy surfaces. This is brand new truck with 2500 miles on it. I paid extra for the all terrain version. Gmc's official response to me is that it is normal for hid headlights to flicker on/off, and they are refusing to do anything about the issue.”

NHTSA complaint #11081400, filed 2018-03, 1,000 miles

2011: “I bought this truck in the dealer they put tires smaller than what it requires and a tire exploded in the freeway, those who help the traffic explained to me that the tire was small for the size of the truck, the same thing they told me in the tire places (clegg auto sale - 1485 n main st spanish fork utah )”

NHTSA complaint #11316464, filed 2020-03, 10 miles

2008: “Takata recall for passenger side air bag inflator issued july 2015. I have contacted dealership and Gmc repeatedly since receiving this recall and as of today they have no idea when parts will be available. Their suggestion was to not let anyone ride in the front passenger seat. I want something else to drive until issue resolved.”

NHTSA complaint #10882071, filed 2016-07, 50,000 miles

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About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Methodology