2012 Gmc SIERRA 3500

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Excellent Reliability

Quick Summary

The 2012 Gmc SIERRA 3500 has 15 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.2x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (20% of all complaints), specifically: traveling at 60mph on turnpike pulling long heavy trailer in rain at night with moderate to heavy traffic. sudden shutdown of all systems. engine shut off and all electrical systems shut down. unable to restart or get electrical systems to work. worked vehicle to shoulder and had it towed to a de.

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

0.2x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

3 complaints

20%

• TRAVELING AT 60MPH ON TURNPIKE PULLING LONG HEAVY TRAILER IN RAIN AT NIGHT WITH MODERATE TO HEAVY TRAFFIC. SUDDEN SHUTDOWN OF ALL SYSTEMS. ENGINE SHUT OFF AND ALL ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS SHUT DOWN. UNABLE TO RESTART OR GET ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS TO WORK. WORKED VEHICLE TO SHOULDER AND HAD IT TOWED TO A DE
• THIS STARTED JUST A FEW WEEKS AFTER I PURCHASED THE TRUCK, STILL UNDER WARRANTY. IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP TWICE FOR THIS. IT HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES. WHILE DRIVING THE TRUCK WILL SHUT OFF LIKE YOU TURNED THE KEY OFF. VERY DANGEROUS WHEN DRIVING IN TRAFFIC. HAS BEEN IN SHOP TWICE FOR THIS PROBLEM, GMC HA
• WHILE PULLING MY FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER 12500# AT HIGHWAY SPEED 65 MPH PULLING A GRADE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE DASH. THIS REDUCED AND LIMITED THE SPEED TO 50 MPH AND STEPS THE TRUCK DOWN FROM THERE UNTIL YOU CAN ONLY DO 20 MPH ON THE INTERSTAT

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

“TRAVELING AT 60MPH ON TURNPIKE PULLING LONG HEAVY TRAILER IN RAIN AT NIGHT WITH MODERATE TO HEAVY TRAFFIC. SUDDEN SHUTDOWN OF ALL SYSTEMS. ENGINE SHUT OFF AND ALL ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS SHUT DOWN. UNABLE TO RESTART OR GET ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS TO WORK. WORKED VEHICLE TO SHOULDER AND HAD IT TOWED TO A DE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

FUEL SYSTEM

3 complaints

20%

• THIS STARTED JUST A FEW WEEKS AFTER I PURCHASED THE TRUCK, STILL UNDER WARRANTY. IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP TWICE FOR THIS. IT HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES. WHILE DRIVING THE TRUCK WILL SHUT OFF LIKE YOU TURNED THE KEY OFF. VERY DANGEROUS WHEN DRIVING IN TRAFFIC. HAS BEEN IN SHOP TWICE FOR THIS PROBLEM, GMC HA
• WHILE PULLING MY FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER 12500# AT HIGHWAY SPEED 65 MPH PULLING A GRADE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE DASH. THIS REDUCED AND LIMITED THE SPEED TO 50 MPH AND STEPS THE TRUCK DOWN FROM THERE UNTIL YOU CAN ONLY DO 20 MPH ON THE INTERSTAT
• DRIVING FROM GM DEALER FOR TWO MILES CHANGE FUEL FILTER MESSAGE APPEARED AND ENGINE DIED. TOWED TO A DEALER DIAGNOSED AS A HIGH PRESSURE INJECTOR PUMP FAILURE WITH METAL CONTAMINATION TO FUEL SYSTEM. I HAVE FOUND A BULLETIN DATED 2009 FROM EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS. THIS JOINT STATEMENT HAS INFORMATIO

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

“THIS STARTED JUST A FEW WEEKS AFTER I PURCHASED THE TRUCK, STILL UNDER WARRANTY. IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP TWICE FOR THIS. IT HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES. WHILE DRIVING THE TRUCK WILL SHUT OFF LIKE YOU TURNED THE KEY OFF. VERY DANGEROUS WHEN DRIVING IN TRAFFIC. HAS BEEN IN SHOP TWICE FOR THIS PROBLEM, GMC HA”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

3 complaints

20%

• WHILE PULLING MY FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER 12500# AT HIGHWAY SPEED 65 MPH PULLING A GRADE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE DASH. THIS REDUCED AND LIMITED THE SPEED TO 50 MPH AND STEPS THE TRUCK DOWN FROM THERE UNTIL YOU CAN ONLY DO 20 MPH ON THE INTERSTAT
• WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, TRANSMISSION SHIFTS HARD TO HIGHER GEAR. THIS STARTED ALL OF A SUDDEN WILL TAKE TO DEALERSHIP. *JS
• THE VEHICLE WILL NOT SHIFT PROPERLY WHEN TOWING A TRAILER. WHILE GOING UP A HILL, THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT DOWNSHIFT PROPERLY. WHILE GOING DOWNHILL, THE VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTS TO 2ND GEAR WHILE GOING 60 MPH. I HAVE CONTACTED GM SEVERAL TIMES (THEY HAVE IT ON FILE) THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE TRAN

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

“WHILE PULLING MY FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER 12500# AT HIGHWAY SPEED 65 MPH PULLING A GRADE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE DASH. THIS REDUCED AND LIMITED THE SPEED TO 50 MPH AND STEPS THE TRUCK DOWN FROM THERE UNTIL YOU CAN ONLY DO 20 MPH ON THE INTERSTAT”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

2 complaints

13%

• TRAVELING AT 60MPH ON TURNPIKE PULLING LONG HEAVY TRAILER IN RAIN AT NIGHT WITH MODERATE TO HEAVY TRAFFIC. SUDDEN SHUTDOWN OF ALL SYSTEMS. ENGINE SHUT OFF AND ALL ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS SHUT DOWN. UNABLE TO RESTART OR GET ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS TO WORK. WORKED VEHICLE TO SHOULDER AND HAD IT TOWED TO A DE
• The service brakes lights has come on a d disabled my brake controller. This is a safety issue while towing and completely unacceptable.

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

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

2 complaints

13%

• THE GMC SIERRA 3500HD WHILE IN REGENERATION MODE FUNNELS EXHAUST DIRECTLY INTO THE CAB THROUGH THE VENTS. WHILE GM RECOGNIZED THIS AS A FLAW AND CAME UP WITH A FIX FOR IT, THEY WILL ONLY REPAIR IT IN A 5 YEAR OR 100,000 MILE WINDOW. HOW IS THIS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE WITHOUT AN EXPIRATION?
• Our Dash board cracked very badly from the top next to the speaker to the passenger side air bag. We purposely use a dash board cover and never place heavy things on it. This is a safety issue as if getting in an accident wouldn’t be bad enough flying shrapnel would be worse. We just had it fixed at

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

“THE GMC SIERRA 3500HD WHILE IN REGENERATION MODE FUNNELS EXHAUST DIRECTLY INTO THE CAB THROUGH THE VENTS. WHILE GM RECOGNIZED THIS AS A FLAW AND CAME UP WITH A FIX FOR IT, THEY WILL ONLY REPAIR IT IN A 5 YEAR OR 100,000 MILE WINDOW. HOW IS THIS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE WITHOUT AN EXPIRATION?”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

FUEL SYSTEM(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 15 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: TRAVELING AT 60MPH ON TURNPIKE PULLING LONG HEAVY TRAILER IN RAIN AT NIGHT WITH MODERATE TO HEAVY TRAFFIC. SUDDEN SHUTDOWN OF ALL SYSTEMS. ENGINE SHUT OFF AND ALL ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS SHUT DOWN. UNABLE TO RESTART OR GET ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS TO WORK. WORKED VEHICLE TO SHOULDER AND HAD IT TOWED TO A DE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
FUEL SYSTEM: THIS STARTED JUST A FEW WEEKS AFTER I PURCHASED THE TRUCK, STILL UNDER WARRANTY. IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP TWICE FOR THIS. IT HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES. WHILE DRIVING THE TRUCK WILL SHUT OFF LIKE YOU TURNED THE KEY OFF. VERY DANGEROUS WHEN DRIVING IN TRAFFIC. HAS BEEN IN SHOP TWICE FOR THIS PROBLEM, GMC HA
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: WHILE PULLING MY FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER 12500# AT HIGHWAY SPEED 65 MPH PULLING A GRADE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE DASH. THIS REDUCED AND LIMITED THE SPEED TO 50 MPH AND STEPS THE TRUCK DOWN FROM THERE UNTIL YOU CAN ONLY DO 20 MPH ON THE INTERSTAT
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: TRAVELING AT 60MPH ON TURNPIKE PULLING LONG HEAVY TRAILER IN RAIN AT NIGHT WITH MODERATE TO HEAVY TRAFFIC. SUDDEN SHUTDOWN OF ALL SYSTEMS. ENGINE SHUT OFF AND ALL ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS SHUT DOWN. UNABLE TO RESTART OR GET ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS TO WORK. WORKED VEHICLE TO SHOULDER AND HAD IT TOWED TO A DE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)