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GMC Sierra 3500: Years to Avoid and Best Years (Engine & Transmission)
GMC Sierra 3500 problems by model year, from 637 owner complaints filed with NHTSA (sold as the Sierra 3500HD). For each year: the share of complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system, how many there were, and the recalls.
Worst years to avoid: 2023 (63%, 17 drivetrain complaints), 2020 (61%, 27 drivetrain complaints) and 2017 (47%, 33 drivetrain complaints). 9 of the 11 GMC Sierra 3500 years we score have an elevated engine, transmission or fuel-system complaint share; 2 of them are at the very high level (60% or more), where every model year we track has a documented failure behind it.
Best years on this measure: 2010 (15%) and 2022 (32%). 2010 and 2022 rest on fewer than 60 complaints, so treat them as provisional. A low share means owners complained about other things more than the drivetrain, not that nothing ever fails.
The sharpest change between consecutive years is from 2022 (32%) to 2023 (63%), up 31 points. The complaint pattern shifts at that year, so check which year the car in front of you is.
By raw volume, the 2017 drew the most drivetrain complaints (33 of 179 across the scored years). Volume also tracks how many were sold and how long they have been on the road, which is why the share, not the count, sets the verdict.
2021 has fewer than 25 complaints on record so far, too few to score. Newer cars have had less time to collect complaints.
Engine and transmission complaint share, 2010–2023
Share of relevant owner complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system. 33% is elevated, 40% high, 60% very high. A dash means too few complaints to score.
Every GMC Sierra 3500 year
| Model year | Signal | Drivetrain share | Drivetrain complaints | All complaints | Rank (1 = worst) | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 Sierra 3500 | no elevated signal | 15% | 4 | 36 | 11/11 | 5 |
| 2011 Sierra 3500 | elevated | 39% | 17 | 63 | 8/11 | 5 |
| 2012 Sierra 3500 | elevated | 39% | 13 | 38 | 7/11 | 4 |
| 2013 Sierra 3500 | high | 43% | 17 | 53 | 4/11 | 4 |
| 2014 Sierra 3500 | high | 41% | 17 | 108 | 5/11 | 3 |
| 2015 Sierra 3500 | elevated | 36% | 16 | 89 | 9/11 | 7 |
| 2016 Sierra 3500 | high | 41% | 9 | 25 | 6/11 | 7 |
| 2017 Sierra 3500 | high | 47% | 33 | 74 | 3/11 | 7 |
| 2018 Sierra 3500 | too few to score | – | 2 | 14 | – | 6 |
| 2019 Sierra 3500 | too few to score | – | 4 | 13 | – | 7 |
| 2020 Sierra 3500 | very high | 61% | 27 | 45 | 2/11 | 8 |
| 2021 Sierra 3500 | too few to score | – | 9 | 20 | – | 5 |
| 2022 Sierra 3500 | no elevated signal | 32% | 9 | 31 | 10/11 | 3 |
| 2023 Sierra 3500 | very high | 63% | 17 | 28 | 1/11 | 1 |
What owners complain about most, all years
Categories as NHTSA files them, summed across the GMC Sierra 3500 years with data. A complaint can name more than one component, so the shares overlap. Red is engine, transmission or fuel.
GMC Sierra 3500 engine and transmission recalls: timeline
NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns on the GMC Sierra 3500 involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 28 across the years we track. Each model-year page has the details. Whether a particular car still has a recall open depends on its VIN.
| Date | Campaign | Component | Model years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2017 | 17V664000 | fuel system, gasoline: storage: auxillary tank | 2011–2015 |
| Feb 2019 | 19V088000 | fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly | 2016–2017 |
| Apr 2019 | 19V328000 | engine | 2017 |
| Jul 2021 | 21V496000 | equipment: electrical: engine block heater | 2017 |
| Feb 2023 | 23V047000 | fuel system, diesel: storage: tank assembly | 2017 |
| Oct 2024 | 24V797000 | power train: automatic transmission: control module: software | 2020–2022 |
| Feb 2026 | 26V083000 | power train: automatic transmission: control module: software | 2020 |
21 other recalls (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
| Date | Campaign | Component | Model years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2014 | 14V407000 | electrical system | 2010–2011 |
| Feb 2016 | 16V069000 | service brakes, hydraulic: pedals and linkages | 2015–2016 |
| Sep 2016 | 16V651000 | air bags: frontal | 2015–2017 |
| Jul 2017 | 17V437000 | air bags: frontal | 2015–2017 |
| Sep 2017 | 17V567000 | seat belts: front: retractor | 2017 |
| Apr 2018 | 18V267000 | equipment | 2010–2014 |
| Aug 2018 | 18V578000 | service brakes, hydraulic: pedals and linkages | 2015–2016 |
| Nov 2019 | 19V814000 | seat belts: pretensioner | 2020 |
| Mar 2020 | 20V142000 | latches/locks/linkages: hood: latch | 2020 |
| Jun 2020 | 20V324000 | structure: body: hood | 2020 |
| Jul 2020 | 20V446000 | air bags: side/window: curtain: inflator | 2020 |
| Nov 2020 | 20V736000 | air bags: side/window: curtain: inflator | 2015 |
| Dec 2020 | 20V792000 | seat belts | 2020 |
| Feb 2021 | 21V050000 | air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module | 2010–2011 |
| Feb 2021 | 21V051000 | air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module | 2012 |
| Feb 2021 | 21V053000 | air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module | 2010–2013 |
| Feb 2021 | 21V054000 | air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module | 2010–2014 |
| Jul 2021 | 21V504000 | air bags: side/window: curtain: inflator | 2015–2016 |
| Sep 2021 | 21V758000 | service brakes, hydraulic: power assist: electric: control module | 2022 |
| Feb 2024 | 24V060000 | latches/locks/linkages: tailgate: latch | 2020, 2022, 2023 |
| Sep 2026 | 26V611000 | air bags: side/window: curtain: inflator | 2016 |
What the free pages leave out on the GMC Sierra 3500
- The mileage where it happens, for the model year you are looking at.
- What the repair costs, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives: similar cars with a better record.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive.
- Open recalls on the actual car, by VIN.
Questions people ask about the GMC Sierra 3500
What are the worst years for the GMC Sierra 3500?
On engine and transmission complaints, the worst GMC Sierra 3500 years are the 2023 (63% of relevant complaints, very high), the 2020 (61% of relevant complaints, very high) and the 2017 (47% of relevant complaints, high). 9 of 11 scored years are elevated in all.
What are the best years for the GMC Sierra 3500?
On engine and transmission complaints, the best GMC Sierra 3500 years are the 2010 (15%) and the 2022 (32%). That describes the model year; any one car still needs an inspection.
Does the GMC Sierra 3500 have transmission problems?
In some years. Across the 11 scored years, 179 of 422 relevant NHTSA complaints (42%) concern the engine, transmission or fuel system; the largest drivetrain category is power train. The years with an elevated share are 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2020 and 2023.
Is the GMC Sierra 3500 reliable?
On the engine and transmission it depends on the year: 9 of 11 GMC Sierra 3500 years we score have an elevated complaint share and 2 do not. Pooled across those years, 42% of relevant complaints are about the drivetrain, against a 33% line for an elevated signal. Complaint data does not measure overall reliability, so pick the year first, then inspect the car.
Are there transmission or engine recalls on the GMC Sierra 3500?
Yes. NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns involving the engine, transmission or fuel system across the GMC Sierra 3500 years we track, out of 28 in total: 23V047000 (Feb 2023, 2017), 24V797000 (Oct 2024, 2020–2022), 26V083000 (Feb 2026, 2020), and earlier ones. Whether a car still has one open depends on its VIN.
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.
Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across model years, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Model years with fewer than 25 complaints are not scored.