The GMC Sierra is a full-sized pickup truck introduced by General Motors in 1988.
Sierra is a reliable, solid truck, and people have loved it for decades. It is one of the best-selling vehicles manufactured by GM.
The GMC Sierra has gone through several redesigns during its lifetime. But it has always focused on off-road capabilities and a rugged appearance.
The Sierra 1500, Sierra 1500 Hybrid, Sierra 2500, and Sierra 3500 are the main variants of the truck, and we will only discuss the most popular basic models.
There are also several model years of the GMC Sierra, but all the model years are not the same. Some of them are great while some GMC Sierras are problematic.
Let’s discuss which GMC Sierra years to avoid while buying a new or used and why.
According to the user reviews and complaint numbers, you should avoid the 2005, 2007, 2014, 2015, and 2017 GMC Sierra model years. Among them, the 2014 model year has the most complaints. However, the 2015 model year is the worst because of its higher repair costs and problems at lower mileage.
1. GMC Sierra Years to Avoid: 2005
The 2005 GMC Sierra is a second-generation facelift edition of the Sierra truck model. There are several problems with the model years. Let’s discuss the common problems:
Electrical problems: Electrical problems include faulty speedometers, burned blower resistor wires, random door locking, and instrument cluster issues. Generally, these problems occur at 37,000 to 80,000 miles and cost up to $500 to fix.
AC/Heater problems: The heaters turn on automatically and sometimes malfunction. These problems can occur at 80,000 miles or more. It costs around $1,000 to fix the issues.
Exhaust system issues: Exhaust manifold leaking is the main issue, which occurs at 100,000 miles and takes up to $300 to fix.
Steering problems: intermediate steering shaft failure, loose feeling, and thump noise over bumps are the most common issues. They can appear at 15,000 to 90,000 miles and cost around $250 to fix.
Transmission problems: hard shifts, gear slipping while driving, and transmission failure are the main GMC Sierra’s transmission problems. These problems can appear at 90,000 miles or more. Transmission issues cost a lot of money, as the main solution is to rebuild or replace the transmission.
There are also exterior accessories, interior accessories, drivetrain, engine, and fuel system problems with the model year. So you should avoid buying a 2005 GMC Sierra.
2005 GMC Sierra Reviews
Edmunds consumer rating: 4.4 out of 5.0
J.D. Power reliability rating: N/A
2. GMC Sierra Years to Avoid: 2007
The GMC Sierra 2007 is a third-generation pickup truck in the Sierra family. The common problems of this model year are as follows:
Engine problems: excessive oil consumption, reduced engine power, and engine deadness while driving are the main issues. These problems can occur at 15,000 to 75,000 miles.
Seat belts/airbag issues: airbag sensor error causes the truck not to start, and seat belt inflator discharge during driving is the main issue. These problems can occur at 14,000 miles or more. You will need to replace the airbags and seatbelts to fix the issues.
Transmission problems: Transmission failure and powertrain issues are the most common issues that can occur at 15,000 miles. You will need to rebuild or replace the transmission to fix the issues, which are very costly.
There are also brake, electrical, and miscellaneous issues with the model year. This model year isn’t that bad, but there are less problematic model years. So, you should avoid the 2007 GMC Sierra when buying a used truck.
2007 GMC Sierra Reviews
Edmunds consumer rating: 4.7 out of 5.0
J.D. Power reliability rating: 80 out of 100
03. GMC Sierra Years to Avoid: 2014
The GMC Sierra 2014 is a fourth-generation truck in the Sierra series. Common problems with this model year are:
Light problems: terrible headlights, poor visibility, burned-out headlight bulbs, and lights not working are the main issues. These issues can appear after 8,000 miles or more and cost up to $400 to fix.
AC/Heater issues: AC not working, AC condenser leaking, and AC lower house leak are the main problems. These problems can appear after 60,000 miles or more and cost up to $1100 to fix.
Interior accessory problems: seat warmer not working, touch screen issue, radio not working, broken seat and frame, etc. are the common issues. However, many users also reported about Sierra’s power outlet problems.
Body/Paint issues: peeling paint, orange spots everywhere, a rotted frame, and a poor paint job are the main issues.
Electrical problems: The main electrical issues are the vehicle shutting down while driving, the engine won’t start, the vehicle shutting down during turns, and alternator malfunction. These issues can occur at 22,000 to 80,000 miles and cost up to $1500 to fix.
Engine problems: excessive oil consumption, misfiring, collapsed lifter, vibration, check engine light on, and engine failure are the common issues. You may face these issues at 39,000 miles or higher. These issues cost up to $3,000 to fix.
Transmission issues: clunking noise and hesitation shifting at low speed, torque converter failure, transfers to neutral randomly, jerking, and poor shifting are the most common issues. These problems appear at 45,000 miles or higher. Transmissions are very costly to repair or replace.
There are also drivetrain, suspension, brakes, steering, cooling system, etc., problems with the model year. This model year has the most complaints. So you must avoid purchasing the 2014 GMC Sierra.
2014 GMC Sierra Reviews
Edmunds consumer rating: 3.4 out of 5.0
J.D. Power reliability rating: 75 out of 100
04. GMC Sierra Years to Avoid: 2015
The GMC Sierra 2015 is also a fourth-generation truck in the family. The common problems are as follows:
Light problems: The common light issues are poor lighting patterns, headlights blowing out frequently, fogging in the headlights, and cool temperatures causing the headlight to malfunction. These issues can appear at 10,000 miles or later and will cost you up to $250 to fix.
AC/Heater issues: AC not working, compressor lockup, and condenser failure are the main issues. These issues can appear at 60000 miles or more, costing up to 1300 dollars to fix.
Transmission problems: hesitation during shifting, gear skipping, torque converter failure, 4WD lacking power, clunking, and surging are the main problems. These issues can show up at 7,600 to 60,000 miles or more. Fixing transmissions is very costly and can cost up to $4500.
Body/Paint issues: peeling paint, water leaks inside the vehicle, rusting frames, chirping sounds while accelerating, and the tailgate handle falling apart are common body and paint issues.
Interior accessory issues: radio display malfunction, radio not working, seat heater not working, 4×4 lights on, inaccurate fuel gauge, and navigation not working are the main issues.
Engine problems: tapping and knocking noise, rough running, check engine light on, chirping noise, and engine seizing are the main problems. These problems can appear at 55,000 miles or more. It will cost up to $4,500 to fix the issues.
Brake issues: Brake failure is the main problem, which can appear at 55,000 miles and cost around $1,000 to fix.
There are also drivetrain, cooling system, suspension, electrical, wheel, steering, and fuel system problems with the model year. The 2014 model year may have had the most complaints, but the 2015 model year is the most problematic. So you must avoid the 2015 GMC Sierra model year while buying.
2015 GMC Sierra Reviews
Edmunds consumer rating: 3.4 out of 5.0
J.D. Power reliability rating: 78 out of 100
05. GMC Sierra Years to Avoid: 2017
The GMC Sierra 2017 model year is a fourth-generation facelift edition of the Sierra pickup truck family. The most common problems are:
Transmission problems: hard shift, transmission slipping, jerking, limp mode, and hard downshift are the main issues. These problems can appear at 12,000 miles or more. Fixing transmissions is very costly.
Engine problems: rough running, lifter failure, and excessive oil consumption are the main engine problems. These issues can show up at 15,000 miles or more and cost up to 6,000 dollars to fix.
Body/Paint problems: peeling paint, excessive wind noise inside the vehicle, and extreme discoloration are the most common issues.
Brake problems: Brake failure and grinding brakes are the most common problems. These issues can appear after 40,000 miles or more and cost up to $500 to fix.
There are also AC/heater, internal accessories, drivetrain, and electronic issues with the model year. So, you should also avoid the 2017 GMC Sierra model year before purchasing.
2017 GMC Sierra Reviews
Edmunds consumer rating: 3.6 out of 5.0
J.D. Power reliability rating: 66 out of 100
GMC Sierra Best Years
These are the best GMC Sierra model years to buy:
- 2010 GMC Sierra
- 2012 GMC Sierra
- 2016 GMC Sierra
- 2018 GMC Sierra
- 2020-2023 GMC Sierra
These model years have a low number of complaints, and they are considered the most reliable model years.
GMC Sierra User Complaint Numbers
| GMC Sierra
Model Years |
User Complaint Numbers
(Source: carcomplaints.com) |
User Complaint Numbers (Source: NHTSA) |
|
2000 |
25 | N/A |
| 2001 | 21 |
N/A |
|
2002 |
23 | N/A |
| 2003 | 37 |
N/A |
|
2004 |
63 | N/A |
| 2005 | 40 |
N/A |
|
2006 |
24 | N/A |
| 2007 | 42 |
332 |
|
2008 |
49 | 455 |
| 2009 | 29 |
272 |
|
2010 |
32 | 208 |
| 2011 | 56 |
348 |
|
2012 |
28 | 45 |
| 2013 | 40 |
153 |
|
2014 |
353 | 761 |
| 2015 | 252 |
686 |
|
2016 |
31 | 29 |
| 2017 | 65 |
287 |
|
2018 |
24 | 159 |
| 2019 | 45 |
208 |
|
2020 |
11 | 109 |
| 2021 | 12 |
86 |
|
2022 |
N/A |
44 |
GMC Sierra Recall History
1998 GMC Sierra recall: Recalled for retightening steering gears.
1999 GMC Sierra recall: Recalled for steering gear issues.
2000 GMC Sierra recall: Recalled for brake system upgrade and fix.
2001 GMC Sierra recall: Recalled for the label.
2003 GMC Sierra recall: Recalled for replacing the hydro-boost relief valve.
2004 GMC Sierra recall: Recalled for seat belts, service brakes, structure, and equipment.
2005 GMC Sierra recall: Recalled for steering and seat belt issues.
2006 GMC Sierra recall: Recalled for wheel, equipment, and steering.
2007 GMC Sierra recall: Recalled for airbags, electrical system, and wheel issues.
2008 GMC Sierra recall: Recalled for airbags and electrical systems
2009 GMC Sierra recall: Recalled for airbags, equipment, and electrical system issues.
2010 GMC Sierra recall: Recalled for equipment and airbags.
2011 GMC Sierra recall: Recalled for airbags, electrical systems, equipment, steering, and suspension issues.
2012 GMC Sierra recall: Recalled for airbags, equipment, electrical system, and seat belts.
2013 GMC Sierra recall: Recalled for airbags, powertrain, and equipment.
2014 GMC Sierra recall: Recalled for seat belts, electronic stability control, service brake, equipment, airbags, steering, electrical system, seats, and powertrain issues.
2015 GMC Sierra recall: Recalled for airbags, seat belts, electronic stability control, service brakes, steering, electrical system, steering, and seats.
2016 GMC Sierra recall: Recalled for airbags, electronic stability control, service brakes, suspension, and electrical systems.
2017 GMC Sierra recall: Recalled for electronic stability control, service brakes, child seat, airbags, and seat belts.
2018 GMC Sierra recall: Recalled for service brakes and electronic stability control.
2019 GMC Sierra recall: Recalled for tires, seat belts, powertrain, service brakes, electrical system, electronic stability control, and airbags.
2020 GMC Sierra recall: Recalled for tires, seat belts, powertrain, airbags, service brakes, electrical system, and fuel system.
2021 GMC Sierra recall: Recalled for tires and seat belts.
2022 GMC Sierra recall: Recalled for exterior lighting.
Final Words
The GMC Sierra is a reliable and popular pickup truck.
However, all the model years do not meet expectations and have many issues.
So, you must avoid the problematic model years and choose from the best years while buying a new or used GMC Sierra pickup truck.
