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Gmc

2010 Gmc SIERRA 1500

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Above Average

Quick Summary

The 2010 Gmc SIERRA 1500 has 216 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.5x the segment average of 472. The most common issue is air bags problems (36% of all complaints), specifically: there are cracks on drivers side dash & around air bag on passenger side. *tr. There are 4 recalls issued for this model year. ⚠️ 4 fire reports filed.

4 fire reports 2 crash reports 4 injuries

216

Total Complaints

4

Recalls Issued

/5

Safety Stars

0.5x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems(top 5 of 8)

AIR BAGS

77 complaints
36%
  • THERE ARE CRACKS ON DRIVERS SIDE DASH & AROUND AIR BAG ON PASSENGER SIDE. *TR
  • AROUND 37,000 MILES A CRACK APPEARED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE DASH, AROUND THE PASSENGER AIRBAG. THERE ARE NOW 3 CRACKS AROUND THE AIRBAG AND THESE CRACKS COULD POTENTIALLY RESULT IN A TEAR IN THE AIRBAG DURING DEPLOYMENT, RENDERING THE AIRBAG INEFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING INJURY DURING AN ACCIDENT. FROM
  • PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT WENT ON INDICATING THAT THE AIR BAG WAS NOT FUNCTIONAL. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP AND THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THEN TOOK IT TO A GMC DEALER AND THEY DETERMINED THAT IT WAS DUE TO LOSS OF POWER TO THE AIR BAG MODULE ATTRIBUTED TO CORROSION WI
Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 2 crashes

THERE ARE CRACKS ON DRIVERS SIDE DASH & AROUND AIR BAG ON PASSENGER SIDE. *TR

— NHTSA complaint filing

When Problems Appear on the 2010 Gmc SIERRA 1500

Based on 131 owner complaints that included an odometer reading. Median mileage at time of complaint: 60K miles. Most complaints cluster in the 60-100K miles range.

Overall complaint distribution by mileage
0-30K
20
30-60K
40
60-100K
41
100-150K
18
150-200K
9
200K+
3

ENGINE

Earlier than typicalmedian 54K mi · 14 reports
0-30K
4
30-60K
4
60-100K
2
100-150K
1
150-200K
3
200K+
0

FUEL SYSTEM

Earlier than typicalmedian 27K mi · 5 reports
0-30K
3
30-60K
1
60-100K
1
100-150K
0
150-200K
0
200K+
0

SEATS/RESTRAINTS

Earlier than typicalmedian 65K mi · 5 reports
0-30K
2
30-60K
0
60-100K
2
100-150K
0
150-200K
1
200K+
0

AIR BAGS

Reported earliermedian 65K mi · 33 reports
0-30K
2
30-60K
12
60-100K
9
100-150K
8
150-200K
2
200K+
0

OTHER

In line with typicalmedian 60K mi · 33 reports
0-30K
4
30-60K
12
60-100K
13
100-150K
2
150-200K
1
200K+
1

BODY/STRUCTURE

In line with typicalmedian 64K mi · 26 reports
0-30K
2
30-60K
7
60-100K
11
100-150K
4
150-200K
1
200K+
1

Mileage figures are self-reported by owners in NHTSA complaint filings. Peak bucket = the mileage range with the most complaints for that component; it reflects when owners noticed and reported problems, not necessarily when the fault first occurred.

Recalls (4)

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE05/02/2021

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2010 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2009 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C."

Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 24, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 11, 2021. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328790.

Above-average theft risk

#16 most stolen in 2025

The Gmc SIERRA 1500 was the #16 most-stolen vehicle in the United States in 2025, with approximately 6,300 thefts reported to law enforcement.

Notes: Full-size truck; parts demand

Source: NICB Hot Wheels 2025 report + HLDI theft loss studies. Model-year ranking; not all years of this model have identical risk.

Estimated Insurance Cost for 2010 Gmc SIERRA 1500

Estimate only, not a quote. Modeled from NAIC + HLDI averages for a hypothetical 35-year-old driver with clean record + full coverage. Your actual quote depends heavily on your age, driving history, credit, ZIP code, and insurer.
Full coverage / year
$1,448
Full coverage / month
$121
Liability only / year
$611
vs US avg
-14%
How this estimate is calculated
US base full-coverage premium$1674
× state (US)1.00x
× vehicle class (sedan-midsize)0.96x
× theft risk1.06x
× safety rating1.00x
× vehicle age0.85x
= Full coverage estimate$1448

Coverage assumed: 100/300/100 liability + comprehensive/collision, $500 deductibles. Data sources: NAIC 2024 + HLDI loss studies.

Maintenance & Warranty

Recommended Gmc SIERRA 1500 Service Intervals

Oil change
8K mi / 12 mo
Tire rotation
8K mi
Brake fluid
36 months
Transmission fluid
45K mi
Engine coolant
150K mi
Spark plugs
100K mi
Cabin air filter
23K mi
Engine air filter
45K mi
Differential (AWD/4WD)
45K mi

Uses GM Oil Life System. Full-size trucks may have shorter differential and transfer case intervals if used for towing.

"Severe service" conditions (heavy towing, extreme temps, city stop-and-go) typically halve these intervals. Always consult your vehicle's owner's manual for the authoritative schedule.

Gmc New-Vehicle Warranty Coverage

Bumper-to-bumper (basic)
3 yr / 36K mi
Powertrain
5 yr / 60K mi
Hybrid/EV battery
8 yr / 100K mi
Corrosion (rust perforation)
6 yr / 100K mi
Roadside assistance
5 yr / 60K mi

These are the terms for a new Gmc. If you're buying a used 2010 SIERRA 1500, remaining coverage is usually pro-rated from the vehicle's original in-service date. Not all coverage transfers between owners — check with a Gmc dealer for VIN-specific remaining warranty.

Estimated Repair Costs

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)
$500
OTHER(~50K mi)
$500
BODY/STRUCTURE(~50K mi)
$500
ENGINE(~50K mi)
$500
ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)
$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 216 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

  • AIR BAGS: THERE ARE CRACKS ON DRIVERS SIDE DASH & AROUND AIR BAG ON PASSENGER SIDE. *TR

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • OTHER: THE WINDSHIELD AND THE SIDE WINDOWS OF MY NEW 2010 GMC SIERRA 1500 WT, HAVE AN EXTREME TENDENCY TO FOG OVER IN TEMPERATURES NEAR THE FREEZING POINT. I HAVE READ, AND OBSERVED, THAT THE AC COMPRESSOR BECOMES AUTOMATICALLY DISABLED WHEN THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE GETS NEAR THE FREEZE ZONE (I THINK THE A

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • BODY/STRUCTURE: I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2010 GMC SIERRA CREW CAB. THE REAR SEAT HEAD RESTRAINTS ARE INADEQUATELY AND/OR DEFECTIVELY DESIGNED, AND WILL OFFER LITTLE PROTECTION TO THE REAR SEAT PASSENGERS IN THE EVENT OF A REAR END COLLISION. THE RESTRAINTS ARE MOUNTED ON SHORT POSTS, WHICH DO NOT EXTEND HIGH ENOUGH

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • ENGINE: 2004 GMC SIERRA WITH 5.3L ENGINE. AT 53,920 MILES BEGAN TICKING AT COLD START UP. CONFIRMED BY GMC DEALER TODAY THAT CYLINDER HEAD HAS CRACK WHICH CAUSED COOLANT TO SEEP INTO ENGINE OIL. $3,800 TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE CYLINDER HEADS AND INSTALL NEW LIFTERS. TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN # 06-06-01-01

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • RECALLS: Verify all 4 recalls have been completed — free at any Gmc dealer
  • General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)

NHTSA Safety Rating

No NHTSA safety rating available

At a Glance

Complaints
216
Recalls
4
Fire reports
4
Crash reports
2
Injury reports
4
Segment avg
472

Check a Specific VIN

See recalls for YOUR 2010 Gmc SIERRA 1500