Cylinder failed right after I had the 6.2 engine recalled. Failed on a 1200 mile daily trip through winter conditions in Utah.
2023 GMC Sierra engine problems
moderate 151 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $3,100 · see engine across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
151
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$3,100
1crash
When does it fail?
Of the 151 engine complaints filed for the 2023 GMC Sierra, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Engine accounts for 38% of every owner complaint on file for this vehicle — the dominant problem area across 9 categories tracked.
Owners have filed 151 engine complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 6.2L V8 in the 2023 GMC Sierra is failing catastrophically at low mileage—many between 9,000 and 38,000 miles—with engine seizure being the dominant failure. Owners describe sudden loss of power at highway speeds (often 55–80 mph) with zero warning lights in most cases. A few get loud metallic knocking for seconds before total shutdown; many get nothing. The engine simply locks up, kills steering and brake assist, and forces owners to coast to the shoulder or highway median with traffic screaming past. One owner was pulling a trailer with his kids; another was on a bridge at night in 5-degree weather.
Dealerships consistently find the oil pan packed with metal shavings, bearing debris, or crankshaft damage. The engine is unsalvageable. GM issued a recall in April 2025 citing connecting rod and crankshaft manufacturing defects, but the remedy (oil change with heavier viscosity) has not stopped failures. One owner had the recall service done, waited five months, then his engine seized while doing 55 mph in rush-hour traffic.
Replacement 6.2L engines are on national backorder. Wait times cited run from 3 months to 6+ months with no confirmed ETA. Some vehicles have been at dealerships for five weeks or more with no parts arrival. One owner had his truck idle at the dealer for nearly three months. A few owners report dealing with transmission issues too—inability to shift into neutral after seizure, making towing dangerous and slow.
One owner's replacement engine failed again within a year. Another reports a mechanic told him the manufacturer knew about bearing and oil issues but "shrugged it off."
Same GMC Sierra engine reports on nearby years: 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2024 · 2025
Failure modes owners describe
Engine Seizure / Complete Internal Failure
Engine suddenly seizes or locks up without warning, often during highway driving. Owners report finding metal shavings, bearing damage, thrust bearing failure, rod bearing failure, or crankshaft damage upon inspection. Engine becomes unable to restart and requires full replacement.
When: Typically between 9,000 and 38,000 miles; most commonly reported in first 2–3 years of ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden loss of engine power at highway speed; Loud metallic clanking, knocking, or banging noise immediately before failure; Engine will not restart after stalling; Loss of steering and braking power (no power assistance); Vehicle shifts to neutral involuntarily or cannot be shifted out of neutral; No warning lights or check-engine light before failure in many cases; Engine temperature warning ('engine oil too hot') appearing seconds before shutdown in some cases
Codes mentioned: Metal shavings in oil pan, Bearing failure (thrust bearing, rod bearings, main bearings), Damaged crankshaft, Engine block failure, Connecting rod failure
Repairs/costs cited: Complete engine replacement required. No field repair possible. Owners report dealerships confirming the engine is 'completely full of metal shavings' or 'no good.' Replacement 6.2L engines on national backorder with wait times ranging from 3 to 6+ months, with some vehicles still unresolved after months of waiting. Some dealers have installed remanufactured or used/rebuilt engines.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: GM Safety Recall N252494001 issued April 2025 for connecting rod and crankshaft manufacturing defects in 6.2L L87 engines; however, remedy is not yet available and applies only to dealer inventory vehicles. One owner reported recall remedy applies only to unsold vehicles in dealer inventory, not to vehicles already sold to customers. Earlier recall N252494000 or campaign 25V274000 involved oil change with heavier-viscosity oil, which owners report did not prevent subsequent failures.
Engine Misfire / Cold-Start Rough Running
Engine misfires on cold starts or during certain operating conditions. Check-engine light illuminates along with ESC/traction-control warning lights. Engine shudders and shimmies until reaching operating temperature.
When: Early morning or cold-weather starts; resolved when engine reaches operating temperature
Symptoms owners cite: Check-engine light on cold start; Service ESC light illuminated; Traction control light illuminated; Engine shuddering and shimmying; Rough idle until vehicle reaches operating temperature
Codes mentioned: Cylinder 8 misfire, Faulty lifters (cylinder 8 left/right bank)
Repairs/costs cited: Owners report dealership replaced all 8 lifters on one bank (or entire bank of lifters) and changed oil. One owner notes concern that metal shavings remain in engine, limiting engine life to 3–4 years despite $70,000+ purchase price.
Sudden Loss of Power / Hesitation During Acceleration
Vehicle loses motive power or hesitates severely during highway acceleration. Loud rattling noise often precedes the loss of power. Engine runs roughly or will not accelerate beyond a certain speed.
When: While driving at various speeds, typically highway speeds (35–80 mph)
Symptoms owners cite: Severe hesitation or loss of power during acceleration; Loud rattling or metallic noise from engine; Check-engine light may illuminate; Reduced acceleration message on dashboard; Engine running roughly; Unable to maintain highway speed; Audible clicking noise from engine
Codes mentioned: Bearing failure (main bearing, rod bearing), Metal in oil, Excessive metal filings in oil filter
Repairs/costs cited: Engine replacement required. Owners report waiting 3–6 months for replacement engines or longer with no confirmed ETA.
Check Engine Light / Faulty Engine Coolant Control Valve
Check-engine light illuminates with diagnostic code P1028 or other codes related to engine coolant control valve failure or overheat risk.
When: While driving; light may come on intermittently
Symptoms owners cite: Check-engine light illuminated; Dashboard warning 'Reduced acceleration, drive with caution'; Diagnostic code P1028 (Engine Coolant Control Valve fault)
Codes mentioned: P1028
Repairs/costs cited: Faulty engine coolant control valve replacement required. One dealer told customer to continue driving until the part arrived, noting risk of engine overheat. Part on backorder with no ETA.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Extended warranty of additional 5,000 miles offered in one case but deemed insufficient by owner.
DEF Tank Heater Failure (Diesel Models)
DEF (Diesel Exhaust Fluid) system fails due to integrated DEF tank heater failure on 2023 GMC Sierra 1500 Duramax diesel models. Vehicle has been out of service since March 2026 with no parts availability.
When: Occurred March 2026; vehicle remains unrepaired as of complaint filing date
Symptoms owners cite: DEF system failure; Vehicle enters reduced-power or speed-limited mode
Codes mentioned: DEF tank heater failure, Integrated DEF tank assembly failure
Repairs/costs cited: Full DEF tank assembly replacement required (heater is integrated into tank). Part on national backorder with no confirmed availability date.
Transmission Failure / Inability to Shift
Transmission valve body failure or inability to shift into neutral. One case involved rapid shifting between gears; transmission valve body failed and its replacement also failed.
When: One incident occurred while turning onto a highway; others during normal driving
Symptoms owners cite: Rapid shifting between two gears without acceleration; Unable to accelerate for several seconds; Inability to shift into neutral after engine seizure or loss of power; Dashboard message 'The current conditions are not suited for shifting'
Codes mentioned: Transmission valve body failure
Repairs/costs cited: Transmission valve body replacement required in one case; original replacement failed, requiring second replacement (third valve body on backorder with no ETA at time of complaint). Multiple replacements did not resolve issue long-term.
Excessive Oil Consumption
Engine consumes oil at rate of 1 quart per 2,000 miles, far exceeding typical new-vehicle oil consumption. One owner considers this 'borderline criminal' as it causes premature engine wear.
When: Throughout engine life; noted within first 40,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Oil level drops requiring frequent top-ups between service intervals; Oil consumption rate of 1 qt per 2,000 miles
Repairs/costs cited: GM dealership showed customer an internal GM service bulletin stating 1 qt per 2,000 miles is the 'accepted rate' for affected engines. No repair option offered; owners advised consumption is within spec.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: GM internal service bulletin establishing 1 qt per 2,000 miles as accepted/standard oil consumption for these engines.
Synthesized from 151 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 6 most recent
The contact owns a 2023 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated the vehicle was consuming excessive oil consumption. The contact mentioned that the vehicle was consuming oil every 2,000 miles. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and confirmed that the vehicle was consuming oil at a regular timeframe. The…
Coolant control valve malfunction Vehicle placed into limp mode while driving with no way to reset. Vehicle taken to dealer and issued verified with part ordered. Multiple dash warning lights and several different limp modes activated prior to vehicle needing to be stopped
Failing coolant control valve causing reduced acceleration warning and engine overheating. Replacement parts unavailable from GM. Vehicle has been at dealership for a month and showing symptoms sporadically since the first few thousand miles getting increasingly worse over time. Reduced acceleration caus d many unsafe incidences when on the highway.
Coolant control valve failure. The 3.0 Duramax Diesel engine coolant control valve is known for failure. The part is not available and it has no availability time frame from GM. Vehicle goes into reduced acceleration mode hindering driver from being able yo accelerate safely in traffic.
Coolant control valve has failed. Part is back ordered and availability unknown. Truck goes into reduced power mode which makes merging into traffic unsafe.
Had engine trouble with your 2023 GMC Sierra?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the engine problem on the 2023 GMC Sierra?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 151 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $3,100 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the engine typically fail?
Across the 11 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most engine failures cluster between 21,000 and 41,000 miles, with the median around 26,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 21,000; a quarter make it past 41,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $3,100 for engine repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to engine?
No active recalls currently cover engine issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2023/GMC/Sierra.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.