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GMC Sierra 3500Model year report

1999 GMC Sierra 3500 Problems

Complaints
19filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
59,500miles, 8 complaints with mileage
Recalls
1campaigns on record
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

Sources: NHTSA records for the 1999 GMC Sierra 3500 (complaints, recalls, investigations). Report an error

NHTSA recorded 19 consumer complaints for the 1999 GMC Sierra 3500. The part named most often is brakes, with 9 complaints (47% of the total), followed by body and structure (3) and tires (3). 8 of the complaints include a mileage, and 25% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 59,500 miles. Of all complaints, 1 involved a crash, 2 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 34 technical service bulletins for this model year. Brakes complaints overlap with 9 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Body and structure complaints overlap with 6 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Example complaints

Brakes: “Every hydraulic brake line on my 75,000-mile 1999 Gmc 3500 pickup has rusted out, and had to be replaced. They all blew out when pedal pressure was applied...including one time, when I was backing up at the transfer station to unload trash. The entire truck could have gone back and fallen into the dumpster.”

NHTSA complaint #10326017, filed 2010-04, 75,000 miles

Body and structure: “Bought a 1999 Gmc SIERRA 3500 4door 8ft. Bed with 30000 miles on it in 2001. First brake line rusted out in 2005. Second line from front to back rusted and broke 2008. Fuel line rusted and leaked gas all over my driveway 2010. Today that same truck? Is in a repair shop because the frame by the steeringbox and passenger side front rusted and cracked. Its a shame Gmc used such bad materials for their trucks. My truck now has only 97000 miles on it. If it cant be fixed safely the scrap yard is its next stop and a ford will take its place. To bad Gmc you lost another customer.”

NHTSA complaint #10586534, filed 2014-05, 60,000 miles

Tires: “We have 4 1999 Gmc 3500 series long vans used to transport students to various functions. Returning from a field trip (with children) one of the tires suffered a ply separation. The driver did an excellent job of maintaining control and the tire was changed out by our towing service. Further inspection showed another tire possibly ready to fail, and odd wear patterns. Our district in the interests of safety decided to replace all 16 tires on all 4 vans. …”

NHTSA complaint #10028586, filed 2003-07, 19,650 miles

Engine cooling: “Cab keeps filling up with exhaust fumes, causing passenger to get sick. Dealer claims engine gets too hot, causing engine manifold to warp and gasket to blowout. It is a design flaw.”

NHTSA complaint #862804, filed 2000-05

Mileage when problems were reported

25% of the 8 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 58,000 and 75,000 miles.

0%0–1013%10–2513%25–5038%50–7525%75–1000%100–15013%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (8 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 59,500 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

1999620012003200520102014
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 1999 GMC Sierra 3500 → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 34 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 34 bulletins →

Other model years of the GMC Sierra 3500

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
202652,2502———Too new
20251740,0001———Too new
20245138,3003——Too new to compareToo new
20232833,8001——47 · TypicalToo new
20223231,1543——54 · TypicalRising
202120101,5005———Rising
20205128,7008——95 · MoreRising
20191353,0047———Not enough data
20181453,8006———Not enough data
20171321,0007———Not enough data
20161927,5007———Rising
20153138,5007——50 · TypicalFalling
2014768,0003———Not enough data
20131449,2184———Not enough data
2012931,2004———Not enough data
20112077,2505———Falling
2009536,6005———Not enough data
20082559,0003——0 · FewerFalling
20071636,0003———Rising
20061149,9740———Not enough data
20052450,5000———Rising
20042484,0000———Rising
2003760,5000———Not enough data
20022079,0002———Stable
20013663,5402——Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20002657,0072——Not compared (before 2008)Rising
19991959,5001———Stable
199812128,0002———Not enough data
19971095,0001———Not enough data

All GMC Sierra 3500 model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 1999 GMC Sierra 3500 have?

NHTSA recorded 19 consumer complaints for the 1999 GMC Sierra 3500 as of Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 1999 GMC Sierra 3500 is reported most often?

Brakes is named most often, in 9 complaints (47% of the total), followed by body and structure with 3.

Has the 1999 GMC Sierra 3500 been recalled?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

At what mileage are problems with the 1999 GMC Sierra 3500 reported?

Among the 8 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 59,500 miles and the middle half falls between 58,000 and 75,000 miles; 25% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.