2018 Gmc SIERRA 1500

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2018 Gmc SIERRA 1500 has 415 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 5.2x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is transmission problems (30% of all complaints), specifically: since day 1 of purchasing new,to current date, there is vibration at idle. there is vibration at highway speeds of 60 mph plus. it has been to the dealer 5 times for testing. this is a known problem with thousands of vehicles. gm says it meets their specifications. the dealer balanced the tires 3 ti. ⚠️ 3 fire reports filed.

3 fire reports 11 crash reports 5 injuries

415

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

5.2x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

TRANSMISSION

126 complaints

30%

• SINCE DAY 1 OF PURCHASING NEW,TO CURRENT DATE, THERE IS VIBRATION AT IDLE. THERE IS VIBRATION AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS OF 60 MPH PLUS. IT HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER 5 TIMES FOR TESTING. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THOUSANDS OF VEHICLES. GM SAYS IT MEETS THEIR SPECIFICATIONS. THE DEALER BALANCED THE TIRES 3 TI
• BRAND NEW 2018 SIERRA 1500 Z71. WHEN DRIVING THE TRUCK FOR THE FIRST TIME AFTER SITTING FOR A NUMBER OF HOURS (6+HRS) THE TRUCK EXPERIENCES A "HARD" 1-2 SHIFT. THIS OCCURS 100% OF THE TIME WHEN I LEAVE FOR WORK IN THE MORNING. SOMETIMES IT FEELS LIKE THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED, THIS IS THE HARD
• EXTREMELY HARD SHIFTING ON LOWER GEARS. WHEN SLOWING WHEN IT GOES FROM 2ND TO 1ST IT FEELS LIKE I GOT REAR-ENDED. NOT ALL THE TIME BUT ONCE A DAY AT LEAST. IT ALSO SHUDDERS WHEN SLOWLY ACCELERATING IN TRAFFIC, SOMETIMES THE RPM GOES WAY HIGH AND IT LURCHES FORWARD WHEN IT UPSHIFTS.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 4 crashes

“SINCE DAY 1 OF PURCHASING NEW,TO CURRENT DATE, THERE IS VIBRATION AT IDLE. THERE IS VIBRATION AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS OF 60 MPH PLUS. IT HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER 5 TIMES FOR TESTING. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THOUSANDS OF VEHICLES. GM SAYS IT MEETS THEIR SPECIFICATIONS. THE DEALER BALANCED THE TIRES 3 TI”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

68 complaints

16%

• FUEL INJECTION SEALS #4 O-RING SPLIT - LEAKING FUEL - POOLING GAS ON MANIFOLD. TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR SMELL OF GAS, LACK OF ACCELERATION AND POOR GAS MILEAGE. THIS IS KNOWN ISSUE BASED ON THE SERVICE BULLETIN 18-NA-137 - VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 6000 MILES
• NO TRANSMISSION POWER REGARDLESS OF THE GEAR SHIFTER POSITION. I TURNED THE ENGINE ON AND OFF SEVERAL TIMES TRYING TO GET A SOLUTION, NO LUCK. I RETURNED TO THE VEHICLE 5 MINUTES LATER AND DID GET IT TO MOVE,,,WOULD ONLY GO 25 MPH AT 3000 RPMS. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF WI NOT NEAR ANY MAJOR DEALERS
• BUCKING AND SURGING WHEN SWITCHING GEARS. HARD BANG WHEN TRYING TO SWITCH. SURGED FORWARD AT A COMPLETE STOP.

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

“FUEL INJECTION SEALS #4 O-RING SPLIT - LEAKING FUEL - POOLING GAS ON MANIFOLD. TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR SMELL OF GAS, LACK OF ACCELERATION AND POOR GAS MILEAGE. THIS IS KNOWN ISSUE BASED ON THE SERVICE BULLETIN 18-NA-137 - VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 6000 MILES”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

43 complaints

10%

• WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE AT ANY SPEED IT STEERS TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT . NOT A SIMPLE ALIGNMENT PULL OR WANDER I CAN FEEL THE WHEEL AS TO WHICH WAY IT WANTS TO STEER AT RANDOM. IF NOT PAYING ATTENTION OR IF YOU WERE TO LET GO OF THE STEERING WHEEL IT WILL GO OFF THE ROAD ABSOLUTLY NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. WHILE
• LEFT REAR BRAKE LINE APPEARS TO BE INSTALLED IN HARMS WAY. THAT IS, AN OBJECT ON THE ROAD COULD BE STRUCK WHICH COULD TEAR AWAY THE BRAKE LINE RESULTING IN LOSS OF BRAKING POWER. OTHER VEHICLES OF THE SAME TYPE ON THE DEALER'S LOT WERE OBSERVED TO BE OF THE SAME DESIGN. IF THIS BRAKE LINE IS LOST
• MY VEHICLE IS HACKED ANYTIME I AM DRIVING THE VEHICLE I AM NOT IN FULL CONTROL. THE VEHICLE STEERS ITSELF LEFT OR RIGHT WHILE DRIVING, THE BRAKES ARE ALWAYS ON WHILE DRIVING SOMETIMES BRAKING HARDER BUT ALWAYS ON. THE INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM HAS MANY GLITCHES. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHI

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

“WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE AT ANY SPEED IT STEERS TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT . NOT A SIMPLE ALIGNMENT PULL OR WANDER I CAN FEEL THE WHEEL AS TO WHICH WAY IT WANTS TO STEER AT RANDOM. IF NOT PAYING ATTENTION OR IF YOU WERE TO LET GO OF THE STEERING WHEEL IT WILL GO OFF THE ROAD ABSOLUTLY NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. WHILE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

42 complaints

10%

• MY VEHICLE IS HACKED ANYTIME I AM DRIVING THE VEHICLE I AM NOT IN FULL CONTROL. THE VEHICLE STEERS ITSELF LEFT OR RIGHT WHILE DRIVING, THE BRAKES ARE ALWAYS ON WHILE DRIVING SOMETIMES BRAKING HARDER BUT ALWAYS ON. THE INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM HAS MANY GLITCHES. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHI
• MY TRUCK LOCKED ITSELF WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING WHEN I WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY. ALSO HAVE HAD THE BACK DRIVER SIDE WINDOW ROLL ITSELF DOWN PART WAYS WITHOUT ME INITIATING IT. ANOTHER OCCASION I PUT THE TRUCK IN GEAR TO DRIVE POSITION AND THE BRAKE OR SOMETHING HAD IT LOCKED PREVENTING ME FROM MO
• THE FIRST THING THAT HAPPENED WAS THAT ALL OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS ON MY TRUCK WENT OUT AND MY TRUCK WOULD NOT START. IT FINALLY STARTED BUT IT WOULD NOT MOVE FINALLY IT WOULD MOVE BUT VERY SLOWLY THIS HAPPENED ON 11/20/2019 I HAVE DOCUMENTATION THROUGH ONSTAR FOR THIS INCIDENT. MY BRAKES STARTED

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“MY VEHICLE IS HACKED ANYTIME I AM DRIVING THE VEHICLE I AM NOT IN FULL CONTROL. THE VEHICLE STEERS ITSELF LEFT OR RIGHT WHILE DRIVING, THE BRAKES ARE ALWAYS ON WHILE DRIVING SOMETIMES BRAKING HARDER BUT ALWAYS ON. THE INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM HAS MANY GLITCHES. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHI”

— NHTSA complaint filing

STEERING

29 complaints

• WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE AT ANY SPEED IT STEERS TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT . NOT A SIMPLE ALIGNMENT PULL OR WANDER I CAN FEEL THE WHEEL AS TO WHICH WAY IT WANTS TO STEER AT RANDOM. IF NOT PAYING ATTENTION OR IF YOU WERE TO LET GO OF THE STEERING WHEEL IT WILL GO OFF THE ROAD ABSOLUTLY NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. WHILE
• STEERING PULLS TO LEFT WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, AND TERRAIN. PULLS ENOUGH TO TURN YOU INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC IF YOU DO NOT CORRECT. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE TRUCK. STEERING PROBLEM CONTINUES AND IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE.
• WHEN IN TRAFFIC AT ANY SPEED THE STEERING WHEEL WILL ACTUALLY TURN TO THE LEFT. IT TAKES YOU BUY SURPRISE AND IT'S A STRANGE FEELING. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THEIR IS NO ISSUES. VERY SCARY! IT HAPPENS AT ANYTIME AND WITHOUT WARNING.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 415 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
TRANSMISSION: SINCE DAY 1 OF PURCHASING NEW,TO CURRENT DATE, THERE IS VIBRATION AT IDLE. THERE IS VIBRATION AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS OF 60 MPH PLUS. IT HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER 5 TIMES FOR TESTING. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THOUSANDS OF VEHICLES. GM SAYS IT MEETS THEIR SPECIFICATIONS. THE DEALER BALANCED THE TIRES 3 TI
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: FUEL INJECTION SEALS #4 O-RING SPLIT - LEAKING FUEL - POOLING GAS ON MANIFOLD. TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR SMELL OF GAS, LACK OF ACCELERATION AND POOR GAS MILEAGE. THIS IS KNOWN ISSUE BASED ON THE SERVICE BULLETIN 18-NA-137 - VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 6000 MILES
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE AT ANY SPEED IT STEERS TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT . NOT A SIMPLE ALIGNMENT PULL OR WANDER I CAN FEEL THE WHEEL AS TO WHICH WAY IT WANTS TO STEER AT RANDOM. IF NOT PAYING ATTENTION OR IF YOU WERE TO LET GO OF THE STEERING WHEEL IT WILL GO OFF THE ROAD ABSOLUTLY NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. WHILE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: MY VEHICLE IS HACKED ANYTIME I AM DRIVING THE VEHICLE I AM NOT IN FULL CONTROL. THE VEHICLE STEERS ITSELF LEFT OR RIGHT WHILE DRIVING, THE BRAKES ARE ALWAYS ON WHILE DRIVING SOMETIMES BRAKING HARDER BUT ALWAYS ON. THE INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM HAS MANY GLITCHES. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHI
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)