InsightArise CarsU.S. Owner Complaint Index
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2026 GMC Sierra 1500 problems, complaints & recalls

More Rising

NHTSA has received 75 owner complaints about the 2026 GMC Sierra 1500, or 75.0 per year on the road — more complaints than typical (complaint index 1.86, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 73 model-year 2026 vehicles we track, it ranks #67 of 73 by complaints per year (#1 = fewest). Against other GMC models its rate is 17% lower; against other Full-size pickups it is 23% lower.

Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count

Complaints filed between 2026-07-31 and 2026-10-13. Median delay from incident to filing: 18 days.

75Complaints
75.0Complaints per year on the road
1.86Complaint index vs. all tracked vehicles
2Recalls · ⚠ 1
1.3%Share involving a crash or fire
75Last 12 months

Analysis

The previous model year (2025) drew 66.0 complaints per year, fewer than this one.

The most common problem area is Engine (72.0% of complaints), followed by Transmission / powertrain (12.0%) and Electrical (5.3%). Engine complaints are 3.2 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. 1 report (1.3%) describes a crash or fire; owners mention 0 injuries and 0 deaths.

Half of the reported incidents happened within 7 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was the first year (100% of incidents). In the last 12 months 75 complaints were filed, versus none in the 12 months before.

NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls for this model year, 1 with a do-not-drive or park-outside warning. 1 NHTSA investigation covers this model year; the most recent is “Loss of motive power due to engine failure post recall remedy” (engineering analysis, opened 2026-08-20, still open).

Complaint index

  • vs. all tracked vehicles1.86
  • vs. other GMC models0.83
  • vs. other 2026 models3.01
  • vs. other Full-size pickups0.77
  • #67 of 73 · 2026Rankings ›

1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road.

Other model years

  • 201834.7 per year0.86
  • 201983.8 per year2.08
  • 202070.0 per year1.73
  • 2021101.1 per year2.51
  • 2022124.3 per year3.08
  • 2023129.1 per year3.2
  • 2024131.5 per year3.26
  • 202566.0 per year1.64
  • 202675.0 per year1.86

GMC Sierra 1500 problems, complaints & recalls by model year ›

What owners complain about

  • Engine54 · 72.0% · 3.23×
  • Transmission / powertrain9 · 12.0% · 1.03×
  • Electrical4 · 5.3% · 0.34×
  • Unspecified or other4 · 5.3% · 0.59×
  • Fuel system2 · 2.7% · 0.62×
  • Brakes1 · 1.3% · 0.22×
  • Wheels, tires & suspension1 · 1.3% · 0.52×

vs. all vehicles: 1.00 = All-vehicle average

Problem areas: Engine · Transmission / powertrain · Electrical · Body & structure · Unspecified or other · Brakes · Steering · Wheels, tires & suspension · Fuel system · Driver-assist systems

When complaints were filed

2026: 75 75 2026
  • Crashes reported: 1
  • Fires reported: 0
  • Injuries: 0
  • Deaths: 0

Vehicle age at incident

  • <1 yr100.0%
  • 1–2 yrsnot reached yet
  • 2–3 yrsnot reached yet
  • 3–5 yrsnot reached yet
  • 5+ yrsnot reached yet

Median age at incident: 7 months

What owners report

Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.

Segment peers · 2026 · Full-size pickups

ModelsComplaintsComplaints per year on the roadComplaint index
2026 Ford F-1501818.00.45
2026 GMC Sierra 15007575.01.86
2026 Ram 1500101101.02.5
2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500114114.02.83

Safety recalls (2)

POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE) Campaign 26V289000 · 2026-05-07

⚠ Park-outside / do-not-drive warning

Summary: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2026 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, and Tahoe, and GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles with four-wheel (4WD) or all-wheel drive (AWD), and certain 2015-2020 Suburban, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Yukon, Yukon XL, and Tahoe vehicles. A component missing from the drivetrain transfer case may cause the front and/or rear wheels to lock up without warning to the driver.

Risk: Front or rear wheel lockup increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the remedy is completed. Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the transfer case assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 18, 2026. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223. GM's number for this recall is N262557620. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 7, 2026.

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL Campaign 26V114000 · 2026-02-26

Summary: General Motors has decided that certain 2027 Chevrolet Bolt EV, 2025-2026 Cadillac OPTIQ, Chevrolet Colorado, Equinox EV, GMC Canyon, 2026 Buick Enclave, Envision, Cadillac CT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade IQ, Escalade IQL, LYRIQ, VISTIQ, Chevrolet Blazer EV, Corvette Convertible, Corvette Coupe, Corvette Convertible E-Ray, Equinox, Silverado 1500, 2500, 3500, Silverado EV, Suburban 1500, Tahoe, Traverse, GMC Acadia, Hummer EV Pickup, Hummer EV SUV, Sierra 1500, 2500, 3500, Sierra EV, Terrain, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. The radio may not have been set to the correct status to download the electronic owner's manual during production. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, “Occupant Protection.”

Risk: Without an owner's manual to consult, owners may not know how to safely use and operate the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will reset the vehicle radio, which will facilitate automatic download of the electronic owner’s manual, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 16, 2026. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-866-467-9700, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223. The manufacturer's number for this recall is N252540430. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on February 26, 2026.

How to check whether your car has an open recall ›

Investigations