MODELYEARINDEX

Which GMC Sierra 1500 years to avoid

Across 12 scored model years, the 2014, 2015 and 2021 model years carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

Ownership label · GMC Sierra 1500 Full report
F
Grade 2010–2021
2014 vs model median 2.5×
Model median3× median
Lights & Visibility 207
Steering 56
Electrical 51
Avoid

2014 · 2015

Best

2010 · 2012

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Year Complaint volume vs median Reports Grade
2010
0.19× 37 B
2011
0.44× 97 B
2012
0.39× 67 B
2013
0.41× 90 B
2014
2.47× 553 F
2015
2.19× 521 F
2016
1.03× 226 C
2017
0.99× 237 C
2018
0.77× 198 C
2019
1.58× 383 D
2020
1.00× 231 C
2021
1.97× 466 F
2022 P
3.18× 721 F
2023 P
2.47× 562 F
2024 P
2.05× 449 F
2025 P
0.63× 146 B

P — provisional. These years have not completed 60 months on the road, so their totals are incomplete and they are excluded from the verdict.

What owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2014 F 553 reports · median 33,500 mi

  1. Lights & Visibility 207

    This vehicle has the worse headlights of any vehicle I have owned (I have owned 341). The headlights cut off abruptly at 36 feet in front of the vehicle. You can outdrive the headlights at 5 MPH. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Steering 56

    I have had my truck back the dealership 8 times for the same problem a vibration that you can feel in the seat steering wheel and gas pedal, they have had the factory engineers out three time and looked and worked on… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Electrical 51

    2014 gmc sierra. Consumer writes in regards to vehicle electrical panel froze while driving. Also, the power steering locked up, the headlights did not work properly and the alarm sometimes sounded after the was… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

22 crash · 3 fire · 20 injuries

2015 F 521 reports · median 38,620 mi

  1. Brakes 142

    The contact owns a 2015 gmc sierra. The contact stated that while descending down hill at night, the low beam head light provided poor visibility. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Lights & Visibility 121

    The contact owns 2015 gmc sierra k3500 denali. The contact stated that while driving at night, the headlights failed to provide enough lighting causing the contact's visibility to be diminished. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Drivetrain 40

    I had made a complaint to chapdelaine buick- gmc that my brand new truck did not seem to go into four wheel drive. I was told to bring the truck to the dealership and they would check it for me. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

21 crash · 5 fire · 7 injuries

The best year for the Sierra 1500

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2010 is the best-scoring Sierra 1500 model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 81.9 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

Yearvs medianReportsGrade
2010 0.19× 37 B
2012 0.39× 67 B
2013 0.41× 90 B

Recalls

48 campaigns on record, 1 carrying a Park It or Park Outside warning.

Campaign Component Model years Units affected
16V651000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL 2014–2017 3,640,162
19V645000 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM 2014–2018 3,456,719
21V050000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 2010, 2011 2,641,272
21V054000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 2010–2013 1,778,128
18V586000 STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM 2015 1,015,918
16V209000 SEAT BELTS 2014, 2015 895,232
22V903000 EXTERIOR LIGHTING:LIGHTING CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWARE 2022, 2023 740,108
21V053000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 2010, 2013 692,526
17V414000 STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM 2014 690,685
19V761000 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:WHEEL SPEED SENSOR/TONE RING 2014–2018 652,967
20V792000 SEAT BELTS 2019–2021 624,216
25V274000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:HARD PARTS INTERNAL/MECHANICAL 2021–2024 597,571

+ 36 further campaigns

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2014 were reported at a median of 33,500 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which GMC Sierra 1500 years should you avoid?
2014, 2015, 2021 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any GMC Sierra 1500 model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the GMC Sierra 1500?
2010 is the best-scoring GMC Sierra 1500 model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 81.9 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the GMC Sierra 1500 have?
48 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored GMC Sierra 1500 model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2014 Sierra 1500
Complaints in window
553
Severity-weighted
772.5
Model median (weighted)
313
vs model median
2.47×
Recall campaigns (weighted)
9
Open investigations
1
Score 20 F