GMC Sierra reliability by year
0 recalls and 7,782 owner complaints across 21 model years. Best year to buy: 2016. Year to avoid: 2015.
Worst model years to avoid → — the single year to avoid for every model line we track, ranked side by side.
Years to avoid — and why 9 flagged on the NHTSA record
Cleaner on the data: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 and others. Still verify the specific vehicle.
At-a-glance: every year color-coded
Each cell shows the last two digits of the model year and its 0–10 reliability score from NHTSA data. Click any year to see the full record. ★ best year · ✕ year to avoid.
Year-by-year reliability 21 model years · newest first
Common trouble spots across the Sierra aggregated across 21 model years
Common questions
What's the best year to buy a GMC Sierra?
Based on NHTSA complaint volume and severity weighting, the 2016 GMC Sierra scores 8.2/10 — the strongest in the 2005–2025 range. 42 complaints on file, 0 active recalls. Reliability scores reflect the federal complaint record, not subjective owner reviews.
Which GMC Sierra year should I avoid?
The 2015 GMC Sierra scores 6.8/10 — the weakest in the lineup. 789 owner complaints with NHTSA, 0 active recalls. That doesn't mean every 2015 is a problem — it means failure rates run higher than peer model years on the same platform.
Which years of the GMC Sierra should I avoid?
On the NHTSA complaint and recall record, the model years to be most careful with are 2018 (avoid — the powertrain — powertrain: 115 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 15,000–81,000 mi); 2015 (avoid — the brakes — 7 fire-related complaints and 1 crash-related complaint on the electrical system); 2007 (avoid — the brakes — 5 fire-related complaints and 1 crash-related complaint on the electrical system); 2006 (avoid — the brakes — 5 fire-related complaints on the electrical system); 2005 (avoid — the brakes — 6 fire-related complaints on the electrical system); 2020 (high-risk ownership — electrical system: 50 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 6,400–80,000 mi). The cleaner years on the data are 2025, 2016, 2013, 2012, 2024, 2023. This is our read of the federal data, not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection of the specific vehicle.
How many years of the GMC Sierra are tracked?
21 model years (2005 through 2025) with NHTSA records on file. Total across the lineup: 0 recalls and 7,782 owner complaints.
What's the most-reported problem on the GMC Sierra?
engine is the most-reported category — 1,351 complaints across 20 model years. Average shop repair runs about $3,100.