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2010 GMC Sierra 2500 problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

NO ELEVATED SIGNAL
11%
5 of 45 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2010 GMC Sierra 2500. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 11% of relevant complaints.

Better than 97% of the 1,789 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 14 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 8%).

NHTSA data checked October 3, 2026
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Does the 2010 GMC Sierra 2500 have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 5 of 45 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2010 GMC Sierra 2500 concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (11%). For comparison, the 2011 scores 33%. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
5
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
59
this model year
Fires reported
2
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
5
3 crashes · 10 injuries

Complaints by component

UNKNOWN OR OTHER18 · 31%
AIR BAGS13 · 22%
STRUCTURE12 · 20%
SERVICE BRAKES6 · 10%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM4 · 7%
ENGINE3 · 5%

The years either side

2010
11%
5 of 59
2011
33%
25 of 106
2012
38%
18 of 60
2013
34%
24 of 85
2014
40%
23 of 131
2015
38%
31 of 147
2016
28%
16 of 65
2017
46%
41 of 98
2018
40%
12 of 35
2019
38%
11 of 32
2020
47%
35 of 76
2021
48%
19 of 51
2022
30%
12 of 43
2023
66%
21 of 32

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

What owners reported

ENGINE12/22/2015
ENGINE LIFTER ISSUE/LOW OIL PRESSURE PROBLEM RELATES TO HAVING THE LIFTERS REPLACED. THE 5.3 VORTEC ENGINE HAS AFM (ACTIVE FUEL MANAGEMENT). DEALER WANTS $5800 TO FIX THE LIFTER ISSUE, WHILE ESTIMATES TO REPLACE THE ENGINE WITH NECESSARY PARTS RUNS BETWEEN $6900 AND $7200. IS THIS A MANUFACTURER PROBLEM? TRUCK HAS …
ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM01/03/2015
ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING, DASH GAUGES BLANK. I MANAGED TO PULL OVER WITHOUT POWER BRAKES OR STEERING! AFTER A FEW MINUTES I WAS ABLE TO RESTART WITH "REDUCED ENGINE POWER, TRACTION CONTROL OFF, AND STABILITRAC" PROBLEMS DISPLAYED ON DASH. I WAS A MILE FROM HOME IN -10F TEMPS! I PULLED IT INTO MY SHOP. DTC CODE P2135…
POWER TRAIN12/03/2014
I WAS TRAVELING HOME FROM VACATION AND ABOUT 70 MILES AN HOUR IN MY 2010 GMC SIERRA AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MY TRUCK REVVED UP AND MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. I ABOUT GOT HIT FROM BEHIND. I PULLED OVER AND THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM THE HOOD. I OPEN THE HOOD AND THERE'S TRANSMISSION FLUID FROM THE FRONT TO THE BACK UNDER TH…

Three of 5 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Recall campaigns on the 2010 GMC Sierra 2500 (5)

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 350…
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, …
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2007-2011 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 15…

This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.

Before you buy a 2010 GMC Sierra 2500

Questions people ask about the 2010 GMC Sierra 2500

Does the 2010 GMC Sierra 2500 have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 5 of 45 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2010 GMC Sierra 2500 concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (11%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2010 GMC Sierra 2500?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns on the 2010 GMC Sierra 2500. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.

Which GMC Sierra 2500 years are better?

The 2010 has the lowest engine and transmission complaint share of the GMC Sierra 2500 years we track (11%). The other years run higher.

Should I buy a 2010 GMC Sierra 2500?

That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2010 GMC Sierra 2500 shows no elevated engine or transmission pattern in owner complaints, which is a good starting point. It is still one car with its own history, so get an independent pre-purchase inspection and a vehicle history report before you commit.

Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Combined across 3 body styles NHTSA files separately.