2020 Gmc Sierra 1500: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 604 complaints
604
Total Complaints
15,700mi
Median Mileage
Engine
Top Issue
15
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

3,575 25th Percentile
15,700 Median Mileage
68,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

Engine
183
Power Train
78
Electrical System
70
Service Brakes
46
Unknown Or Other
41
Steering
34
Fuel/Propulsion System
23
Suspension
17
Engine And Engine Cooling
12
Visibility/Wiper
12

Severity Assessment

15
Crashes
5
Fires
15
Injuries
0
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"WHEN MAKING RIGHT TURNS IN THE DARK THE HEADLIGHTS DO NOT CAST LIGHT TO THE RIGHT SO YOU CAN SEE WHERE YOU ARE TURNING. THIS IS ESPECIALLY A PROBLEM IN THE RURAL WITHOUT STREETLIGHTS IT IS TOTALLY BLACK FROM THE DRIVERS SEAT LOOKING OVER THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE HOOD OR OUT THE RIGHT WINDOW."
"THE BACKUP CAMERA IS ENTIRELY TOO BRIGHT AT NIGHT. IT IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THE MIRRORS DUE TO THE BRIGHTNESS"
"TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 52 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT WAS VERY FIRM. THE PARK BRAKE WAS ACTIVATED BUT FAILED TO EFFECTIVELY STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS COASTED TO A PARKING LOT AND WAS PUT IN PARK. THE BRAKE SYSTEM FAILU..."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

When Were Complaints Filed?

Number of complaints by the year the issue occurred.

When Does Each Component Fail?

Median mileage at complaint for top components.

Engine 183 complaints
25th: 5,325 mi Median: 40,624 mi 75th: 73,250 mi
Power Train 78 complaints
25th: 6,500 mi Median: 46,000 mi 75th: 75,387 mi
Electrical System 70 complaints
25th: 238 mi Median: 5,000 mi 75th: 12,650 mi
Service Brakes 46 complaints
25th: 1,950 mi Median: 5,000 mi 75th: 13,000 mi
Unknown Or Other 41 complaints
25th: 786 mi Median: 5,500 mi 75th: 9,175 mi

Where Are Complaints Coming From?

Top states by complaint count.

TX: 89 MI: 65 FL: 40 CA: 40 LA: 23 GA: 19 OK: 18 PA: 17 NY: 17 MN: 17

Who Files Complaints?

0.3%
Original Owners
99.7%
Second+ Owners

Gmc Sierra 1500 — Other Years

See how this model compares across different model years.

YearComplaintsCrashes
19971000
1998686
199918210
200021515
200117114
200219220
200321015
200425312
20052186
200618212
200731011
200843813
20092785
20102151
20113629
20121437
20131472
2014102039
201591429
201643614
201746522
201840516
201978319
20216177
20226178
20234709
20243655
20251097
2026500

Active Recalls (12)

Federal safety recalls issued for this vehicle.

Tires
Campaign 21V115000 | 25/02/2021
Over cured tires may develop a break in the sidewall resulting in sudden air loss or a belt edge separation which could lead to a tread/belt loss. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tires, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 22, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac cus
Cables
Campaign 19V888000 | 12/12/2019
An intermittent electrical connection between the B+ battery cable and the alternator could cause the vehicle to stall, increasing the risk of a crash. The intermittent connection could also lead to electrical arcing, which could generate sufficient heat to damage surrounding material, increasing t
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect for the presence of glue or other contamination at the B+ cable attachment to the alternator and clean the connection and reattach the B+ cable connection, as necessary. If arcing has damaged the cable, nut, or alternator, the dealer will replace the
Seat Belts
Campaign 20V792000 | 17/12/2020
If a seat-belt bracket is not secured, the seat belt may not properly restrain an occupant in the front-row center seat position, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect left-side and right-side front-row center seat-belt bracket attachments and reassemble it correctly as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 26, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, Chevrolet customer service
Tires
Campaign 20V684000 | 05/11/2020
Overcured tires may experience a carcass break in the sidewall resulting in a sudden air loss or could develop a belt edge separation which could lead to partial or full tread/belt loss. Either condition increases the risk of a crash.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect vehicles and replace tires that have DOT number and production mold number combinations identified by Continental, free of charge. The recall began December 17, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick customer service a
Inflator
Campaign 20V446000 | 30/07/2020
If the diffuser separates from the inflator during deployment, RRAB performance may be degraded, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the suspect RRAB modules, free of charge. The recall began September 3, 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, or Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for
Pretensioner
Campaign 19V814000 | 14/11/2019
A vehicle fire could result if materials ignite inside the vehicle.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will close off the opening in the pretensioner bracket, free of charge. The recall began December 13, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267. GM's number for this recall is N192270600.
Fuel Pump
Campaign 19V837000 | 21/11/2019
Over-pressurization can crack the fuel pump and cause leaks, increasing the risk of a fire in the presence of an ignition source.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began December 18, 2019. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267. GM's number for this recall i
Temporary/Emergency Spare Tire
Campaign 21V985000 | 16/12/2021
An ABS system that does not function properly can increase the risk of a crash.
Dealers will provide a new 17" spare tire and wheel assembly that is compatible with the accessory wheels, free of charge. Dealers will also apply a new spare tire information label, and provide owners with an owner's manual insert clarifying which spare tire to use with the accessory road tires a
Driveshaft
Campaign 20V650000 | 22/10/2020
If the driveshaft separates, there may be a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of crash.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driveshaft, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin December 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267. GM's number for this recall is N202314870.
Caliper
Campaign 20V116000 | 27/02/2020
Broken caliper bolts can reduce brake performance or interfere with wheel rotation and increase the risk of a crash.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake caliper bolts, free of charge. The recall began March 23, 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-866-522-9559. GM's number for this recall is N202294420.
Software
Campaign 24V797000 | 24/10/2024
Rear wheel lock-up can increase the risk of a crash.
Dealers will install new transmission control module software, free of charge. GM will provide a special coverage program to cover the repair of transmissions that are identified by the remedy software as containing a defective control valve. Owner notification letters were mailed December 12, 202
Software
Campaign 26V083000 | 12/02/2026
Rear wheel lock up increases the risk of a crash.
Dealers will inspect the vehicles and update the transmission control software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 6, 2026. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N252516560.

Extend Your Engine Life

Based on the most common issues reported for this vehicle.

  • Change oil on schedule — this is the single most important thing you can do
  • Use the manufacturer-recommended oil weight and type
  • Replace the air filter every 15,000-30,000 miles
  • Don't ignore the check engine light — small issues become expensive fast
  • Let the engine warm up for 30 seconds before driving hard in cold weather
  • Address coolant leaks immediately to prevent overheating damage

Vehicle Rankings

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Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28