2012 Gmc SIERRA 1500

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Below Average

Quick Summary

The 2012 Gmc SIERRA 1500 has 146 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.8x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is air bags problems (29% of all complaints), specifically: interior upper dash cracked at 11,000. always garaged. known issue with '07-'13 gm trucks. potential damage to passenger air bag upon inflation. due to sharp corners on crack the airbag could be damaged or become inoperative due to a puncture upon inflation..

5 crash reports 1 injury

146

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

1.8x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

AIR BAGS

42 complaints

29%

• INTERIOR UPPER DASH CRACKED AT 11,000. ALWAYS GARAGED. KNOWN ISSUE WITH '07-'13 GM TRUCKS. POTENTIAL DAMAGE TO PASSENGER AIR BAG UPON INFLATION. DUE TO SHARP CORNERS ON CRACK THE AIRBAG COULD BE DAMAGED OR BECOME INOPERATIVE DUE TO A PUNCTURE UPON INFLATION.
• I NOTICED GETTING INTO MY TRUCK TODAY THAT I HAD CRACKS IN MY DASH IN TWO SPOTS. ONE CRACK IS ABOVE MY INSTRUMENT PANEL ON THE DRIVERS SIDE AND THE OTHER IS ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE, RUNNING TO WHERE MY PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYS FROM. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ONLINE THIS APPEARS TO BE A TREND T
• THIS TRUCK IS FOUR YEARS OLD, HAS 30,000 MILES, IS GARAGE KEPT (NEVER PARKED IN THE SUN) AND THE DASH HAS CRACKED NEAR THE AIR BAG AREA. I AM CONCERNED THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAG COULD BE AFFECTED BY THE CRACKED DASH.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 3 crashes

“INTERIOR UPPER DASH CRACKED AT 11,000. ALWAYS GARAGED. KNOWN ISSUE WITH '07-'13 GM TRUCKS. POTENTIAL DAMAGE TO PASSENGER AIR BAG UPON INFLATION. DUE TO SHARP CORNERS ON CRACK THE AIRBAG COULD BE DAMAGED OR BECOME INOPERATIVE DUE TO A PUNCTURE UPON INFLATION.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

38 complaints

26%

• INTERIOR UPPER DASH CRACKED AT 11,000. ALWAYS GARAGED. KNOWN ISSUE WITH '07-'13 GM TRUCKS. POTENTIAL DAMAGE TO PASSENGER AIR BAG UPON INFLATION. DUE TO SHARP CORNERS ON CRACK THE AIRBAG COULD BE DAMAGED OR BECOME INOPERATIVE DUE TO A PUNCTURE UPON INFLATION.
• I HAVE A TRUCK WITH LESS THEN 44000 MILES AND HAS DEVELOPED A CRACK IN THE DASH RIGHT ABOVE THE PASSENGER AIRBAG. MY CONCERN WILL BE WHAT GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN MY TRUCK IS INVOLVED IN A WRECK AND THE PASSENGER AIR BAG DEPLOYS. PRETTY SAD THAT ALL THE MONEY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GAVE GM THEY COULDN'T
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC SIERRA 1500. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, AN ABNORMAL SEWAGE ODOR EMITTED FROM THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CABIN FILTER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHI

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

— NHTSA complaint filing

BODY/STRUCTURE

21 complaints

14%

• THIS TRUCK IS FOUR YEARS OLD, HAS 30,000 MILES, IS GARAGE KEPT (NEVER PARKED IN THE SUN) AND THE DASH HAS CRACKED NEAR THE AIR BAG AREA. I AM CONCERNED THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAG COULD BE AFFECTED BY THE CRACKED DASH.
• DASH IS CRACKED AROUND PASSENGER AIR BAG
• THE DASHBOARD HAS CRACKED AND I'M NOW CONCERNED ABOUT THE AIRBAGS.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“THIS TRUCK IS FOUR YEARS OLD, HAS 30,000 MILES, IS GARAGE KEPT (NEVER PARKED IN THE SUN) AND THE DASH HAS CRACKED NEAR THE AIR BAG AREA. I AM CONCERNED THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAG COULD BE AFFECTED BY THE CRACKED DASH.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

8 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC SIERRA 1500. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, AN ABNORMAL SEWAGE ODOR EMITTED FROM THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CABIN FILTER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHI
• STARTING ISSUES,IGNITION?DEALERSHIP CANT SEEM TO FIND PROBLEM?HAPPENS NOW AND THEN,SOMETIMES IT WILL START AND THEN TURN OFF.THIS ONLY HAPPENS WHEN TRYING TOO START VEHICLE.
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE RPM INCREASED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS FIRM. THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL TO SLOW THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT PULLED OVE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC SIERRA 1500. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, AN ABNORMAL SEWAGE ODOR EMITTED FROM THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CABIN FILTER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHI”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

7 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC SIERRA 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE HESITATED. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER THINKING THAT IT NEEDED A TUNE UP. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE CAMSHAFT AND UPLIFTERS NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTUR
• ON 26MAR2017 I NOTICED A TICKING NOISE COMING FROM MY VEHICLE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP 27MAR2017 AND WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED A NEW FLYWHEEL. I WANTED A SECOND OPINION BECAUSE I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF A FLYWHEEL GOING BAD IN MY LIFE. AFTER SPEAKING WITH A FEW MECHANICS WE ALL AGREED THAT IT WAS NOT T
• MY ENGINE HAS A TICK,,BROUGHT IT TO A SHOP HE TOLD ME LIFTERS AND ITS EXPENSIVE...WENT TO DEALER,,, TOLD ME I NEED LIFTERS 2600.00 TO FIX IT AND APPARENTLY MY LIFTER ISN'T GETTING OIL IN IT , "FROM ACTIVE FUEL MANAGEMENT" WITH I HAVE READ ALL OVER INTERNET THAT ITS A HUGE PROBLEM AND PEOPLE HAVE T

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC SIERRA 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE HESITATED. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER THINKING THAT IT NEEDED A TUNE UP. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE CAMSHAFT AND UPLIFTERS NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTUR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

BODY/STRUCTURE(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 146 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
AIR BAGS: INTERIOR UPPER DASH CRACKED AT 11,000. ALWAYS GARAGED. KNOWN ISSUE WITH '07-'13 GM TRUCKS. POTENTIAL DAMAGE TO PASSENGER AIR BAG UPON INFLATION. DUE TO SHARP CORNERS ON CRACK THE AIRBAG COULD BE DAMAGED OR BECOME INOPERATIVE DUE TO A PUNCTURE UPON INFLATION.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: INTERIOR UPPER DASH CRACKED AT 11,000. ALWAYS GARAGED. KNOWN ISSUE WITH '07-'13 GM TRUCKS. POTENTIAL DAMAGE TO PASSENGER AIR BAG UPON INFLATION. DUE TO SHARP CORNERS ON CRACK THE AIRBAG COULD BE DAMAGED OR BECOME INOPERATIVE DUE TO A PUNCTURE UPON INFLATION.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BODY/STRUCTURE: THIS TRUCK IS FOUR YEARS OLD, HAS 30,000 MILES, IS GARAGE KEPT (NEVER PARKED IN THE SUN) AND THE DASH HAS CRACKED NEAR THE AIR BAG AREA. I AM CONCERNED THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAG COULD BE AFFECTED BY THE CRACKED DASH.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC SIERRA 1500. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, AN ABNORMAL SEWAGE ODOR EMITTED FROM THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CABIN FILTER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHI
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)