1,775 of the
11,357 complaints filed about the GMC Sierra 1500
are about the braking system —
16% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2015.
My 2023 GMC Sierra 1500 SLT 4WD currently at 67659 miles was taken in to the dealer because of excessive jerk when accelerating or trying to reverse, diagnostic scan failed for check engine and ABS trouble codes. The scan return code PO747 indicating transmission pressure control solenoid “A” was stuck on for a predetermined period of time. The recommended repair is replacement of automatic transmission, solenoid control valve body. I’m aware that GM has issued a TSB 25–NA-255 and special coverage N24245441–02 addressing this exact failure on the GM 10 speed and that GM previously issued a related recall N242454440 addressing this exact failure on the GM 10 speed transmissions, and that GM previously issued a related recall for this citing rear wheel lock up risk associated with transmission valve condition. My vehicle scan showed an ABS failure at the same time as a transmission. code, consistent with the safety risk. GM has already acknowledged and its own recall documentation however I was told to contact NHTSA to document the safety risk and request investigation of the scope of this defect across affected models years and vehicles as mine seems to have fallen short. I previously owned a 2021GMC vehicle same model that experience the identical transmission valve body failure that vehicle could not be repaired in a reasonable time and I ultimately experience financial loss and had to replace a vehicle now I’m experiencing the same defect on the vehicle purchased (this one) with significantly fewer miles than would be expected for a major transmission failure, indicating that this may be a reoccurring manufacturing design defect rather than an isolated incident. Thank you for your time and I hope this issue can be resolved as I do love the truck otherwise however safety first. Thank you
NHTSA complaint #11757965 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2023 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the brakes failed to respond as needed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle was diagnosed with an inoperable battery, which caused the brake module to fail, preventing the brakes from operating as intended. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 29,000.
NHTSA complaint #11756555 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ABS Randomly turns on with the traction control light… All windows except for driver window will not go down and sometimes it does not unlock or lock sometimes. It started the beginning of 2022 and has got worst over the years. It is available for inspection. Safety has been and issue because whenever it rains it can lose control on the road haven’t had the money to fix it so don’t really drive it right now.
NHTSA complaint #11756351 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
June 29, 2025, Driving on the St. Francis loop in Amarillo, TX, brake lights start flashing, the warning sounds happening, no brakes. I had already slowed down to 35-45 mph due to road construction ahead. I weaved through the cones and as soon as possible, hit the ditch and then coasted to a stop. (I didn’t think about the emergency brake, in my panic.) I turned the vehicle off and called my husband. I decided that I wasn’t pulled over far enough over in the ditch, so I started the pickup again. The lights and warning signals for the brakes were gone and when I pressed on the brake pedal, there were brakes again. I drove home at 35 mph, knowing I could use the emergency brake at that speed, if needed, and had brakes all the way home. GMC Bender repaired truck. After driving approximately 3 miles since repaired, our daughter took the truck to Grease Monkey. She was at the garage door; employee said the pickup didn't need an oil change. She backed out and didn’t have brakes (no warning lights or sounds) and as the truck continued backing, it hit the Grease Monkey sign at the east end of their lot and broke it, knocked the sign over. An employee walked over to see what happened, she told him that she didn’t have brakes. He sat in the pickup seat and pushed on the brakes and said, yes, you don’t have brakes! The police were called, and the officer who showed up took pictures, gave us his card, talked with my husband and talked to the Grease Monkey boss. August 6, 2025, I called GMC Bender Service Department (11 mins. 8 secs.) I told them what had happened. They sent a tow truck to bring the pickup back to their shop. September 16, 2025, my husband texted me saying GMC Bender said that the pickup shows another EBS Modulator Fault. No new parts… used one would be $1293 installed. A week to get it here, no guarantees. There's more details, but the vehicle cannot be repaired to guarantee brakes will work properly. Please help us know what to do next.
NHTSA complaint #11756257 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My 2023 GNC Sierra 1500 has experienced a recurring electrical and safety-related malfunction on multiple occasions while driving. The dashboard and warning lights intermittently flash on, and off and numerous warning messages appear simultaneously. During previous occurrences, warnings included power steering service, safety restraint system, check engine and transmission related messages, including a message instructing me to pull over and shut the vehicle off. During one occurrence, the electric power steering assist stopped working while I was driving. The vehicle was taken to an authorized GMC dealership multiple times while under the factory warranty. The dealer replaced the Brake System Control Module and performed vehicle-wide software/programming updates. When the problem continued, the dealer contacted GM Technical Assistance. The Dealer subsequently diagnosed an intermittent open circuit involving the electric power steering rack-and-pinion/steering gear assembly and replaced the complete steering gear assembly. Despite these repairs, the malfunction has occurred again, during another occurrence while driving on the freeway, the dashboard flashed on and off and multiple warning lights and messages repeatedly appeared, similar to the condition that occurred before the steering gear was replaced. The vehicle currently has approximately 55,000 miles. The condition remains intermittent despite multiple repair attempts. I am concerned that this recuring electrical or vehicle communication failure could again cause loss of power steering assistance or affect other safety-related vehicle systems while driving.
NHTSA complaint #11755734 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vehicle: 2021 GMC Sierra SLT | VIN: [XXX] Dealership: Carl Black GMC Roswell, GA (11225 Alpharetta Hwy, 30076) | Invoice #[XXX] | Service Date: [XXX] Paragraph 1 – Suspension Hazard: Dealership diagnosed a worn left upper ball joint (popping sound on left turns) and installed Rough Country aftermarket upper control arms on my stock-height Sierra SLT. These arms are designed for lifted suspension and alter factory caster/camber geometry, placing extreme stress on ball joints. This can cause sudden ball joint separation, wheel collapse, and total loss of steering control at speed. The dealership admitted on the invoice they "could not find branding" on original parts and chose non-OEM lift components without my consent or any safety disclosure. Paragraph 2 – Brake Failure & No Safety Warning: The same service included a full front/rear brake job (pads + resurfaced rotors) using their certified technicians and parts. After pickup, the brakes failed to operate properly. When I returned, the service manager refused to correct their own workmanship and instead quoted $1,900 to repair the very brakes they just serviced. Most critically, at vehicle pickup they issued no written or verbal safety warning—no "do not drive" instruction—despite the brakes being knowingly compromised, endangering me and the public. Paragraph 3 – Requested Action: The service manager was unprofessional, condescending, and refused accountability. I request an immediate NHTSA investigation into Carl Black GMC's unauthorized use of lift-kit suspension parts on stock vehicles, failure to warranty their own brake service, and reckless omission of safety warnings at delivery. This dealership pattern poses an imminent public risk. Please escalate. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11752674 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My vehicle a 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 upon lower idle speeds loses vacuum pressure. As the vacuum level drops the brake assist decreases, increasing the braking effort, extending the distance required to stop the vehicle, which increases the risk of a crash. I have had a warning light come on advising to service the brake assist system. I took my truck to a local mechanic who confirmed the codes and learned that there had been a GM recall associated with this failure at one time, with GM recall # N192268490. There is also NHTSA recall bulletin 19V645000 regarding this matter as well. Upon contacting some local GM dealers in the area, I was informed that my VIN was not listed as one of the vehicles affected by this recall, so a recall notice was never sent regarding my vehicle. I was also told that I just fell outside their 10-year window regarding this matter and that they would not repair this safety issue under warranty. I called the GM customer service who could not explain why the VIN associated to my truck was not listed and they said I should contact NHTSA and start a claim for potential reimbursement in the future after repairs are made. I feel that this is an unnecessary step as I believe GM should honor their product and repair an obvious safety issue with the truck, especially since they knew this was an issue in thousands of their trucks where it was not my fault my vehicles VIN was not included as a potential recall issue, but I am following their suggestion
NHTSA complaint #11752078 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Truck did not stop when applying brakes. Message displayed brake system failure and the breaks were spongy. The truck was towed to the dealer and required the master cylinder, gasket, and reservoir to be replaced with 23,403 miles. This appears to be an ongoing issue with GMC Sierra trucks and needs further investigation as this potential could be catastrophic. Also, as this appears to be an ongoing issue, owners should not be responsible for the cost associated with any repairs and should require an immediate recall.
NHTSA complaint #11751367 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact’s mother-in-law owns a 2020 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while her brother-in-law was starting the vehicle, the brake, service engine, and engine warning lights illuminated and the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that the failure was associated with NHTSA Action Number: EA25007 (ENGINE, ENGINE, AND ENGINE COOLING) and PE25001 (ENGINE, ENGINE, AND ENGINE COOLING). The vehicle was towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The owner was scheduled to meet with the dealer to discuss the issue. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that there were no open recalls on the VIN related to the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000.
NHTSA complaint #11751171 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
When backing up, either on a hill or flat surface, the brakes fail to stop the vehicle. There is a pulsing sensation with the brakes due to failure of the vacuum. The brake pedal also becomes impossible to depress. No warning lights appear when this occurs.
NHTSA complaint #11748839 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The vacuum pump has been recalled on same year, make and model vehicle, yet my particular VIN is falling to the wayside. IT HAS A VACUUM PUMP issue, causing the brakes to malfunction at slower rates of speed. A "computer programming recall" was applied to my VIN however it is the ACTUAL Vacuum pump that is the problem. This should have been covered in all year, make and models. BRAKES ARE IMPORTANT! Reprogramming did not solve the vacuum pump issue that is causing the brakes to fail! This is absolute negligence on behalf of General Motors.
NHTSA complaint #11743787 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Incident description: On three occasion I have had the same catastrophic Engine failure putting myself and my family along with the general public in harms way. Starting March of 2022 while driving at approximately 60 MPH on the West Shore Expressway my truck experienced a sudden and total loss of motor power. My engine stalled out and I lost my ability to safety steer and stop my vehicle. This all happened during rush hour while driving in the left lane of traffic. This sudden loss of power forced me to maneuver the vehicle to the right shoulder of the expressway across the right lane of traffic. As there was no shoulder to pull over on the left side of the highway. This created an immediate crash risk for myself and other drivers. Upon inspection at the authorized GMC dealership where I purchased the truck new, a certified mechanic determined that the engine experienced a complete failure requiring replacement or rebuilding of the engine. I paid to have the engine rebuilt at the dealership. The second instance was similar to the above incident. Once again I paid for the repair. The third instance was more dangerous as when my trucks engine failed it almost caused an accident. As of today my truck is still sitting in the dealership for over 6 months and no one from the dealership or manufacturer will give me an answer on what has to be done now. This patter of sudden repeated engine failure clearly indicates a systemic safety defect that extends beyond normal wear and tear. I urge the NHTSA to open a defect investigation into the 2018 GMC Sierra 1500 engine systems.
NHTSA complaint #11741547 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and also while the vehicle was parked, the ABS and stability control warning lights would unexpectedly illuminate. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the warning lights were cleared. The contact was informed that if the failure recurred, the EBCM and BPMV would need to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure recurred. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the EBCM and BPMV had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 90,100.
NHTSA complaint #11737603 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I am getting warning signs on the dashboard saying that my brake booster performance has failed and I need to service the brake booster , the brakes are very hard to press, I need longer stopping distances,and traction control and stability control towing harness my speed has been limited to 43 mph and it's saying that the mass air flow system is has low circuit
NHTSA complaint #11735386 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2020 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle decelerated to 30 MPH. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the timing belt needed to be replaced. The part was on back order. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated the vehicle previously experienced brake failure, sensor failure, and glow plug failure. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The BBB referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
NHTSA complaint #11734531 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2021 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while her son was driving 55 MPH and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to slow down as intended. The driver attempted to use the parking brake to slow the vehicle, but the vehicle failed to slow down. The message “Braking System Failure” was displayed. The driver pulled over to the side of the road, and the passenger’s side front wheel detached and started leaning to the right before the vehicle came to a stop. The driver exited to inspect the vehicle and became aware that the front passenger’s side wheel was lying on the ground. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, but was not diagnosed. The vehicle was then towed to another dealer, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the passenger’s side upper and lower control arms, ball joints, rack and pinion, brake rotor and pads, hub, outer tie rod, brake line, speed wheel sensor, wheel and tire, and suspension parts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 77,000.
NHTSA complaint #11733285 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2019 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 MPH, the rear wheels locked up. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the brakes needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred intermittently. The vehicle was taken to another local dealer, Walker Bros Chevrolet (700 Erie St, Edinboro, PA 16412); for a second opinion, and the transmission and TCM were replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to the Customer Satisfaction Program: N192272400; however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.
NHTSA complaint #11731897 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.