2021 GMC Sierra 1500 complaints

I purchased this vehicle new in 2021. It is an Ultimate Denali trim level with a 6.2 engine. Within the first year, the driver's side head on the engine had a massive failure with only 7,000 miles. I started up the vehicle and was parked idling briefly when several light came on along with a rough idle and some exhaust smoke. I contacted On Star, who could not diagnose the problem. The vehicle was disabled and ended up being towed to the dealer, where it was being repaired for 10 days. The lifters, valves and push rods were replace. The mechanic admitted there was an internal GM problem with the 6.2 engine. I asked for the same repair be made on the passenger side head. The GM dealer refused, knowing of the faulty factory installed parts. The polished tailpipe tips were not replace and were stained by the black exhaust. They are still stained this day. I purchased this vehicle for my retirement to tow my RV. Now, I have been reluctant to travel because of the other head letting go on me somewhere out west, operating under a work load. I know of two other people who purchased new GM vehicles with the 6.2 engine, who experienced the same failure, with around the same mileage on their vehicles.

Engine failed due to a loss of oil pressure. Rod bearing failed which cause metal to be dispersed throughout the engine causing the engine to seize from a sudden loss of oil pressure from oil pump failure. Engine was replaced in June 2024 failure happened in May 2024. While driving a system message came on DIC that stated pull over immediately to prevent engine damage and no oil pressure. I was driving uphill with cars on my right in the #2 lane. Engine shut off before I could pull over resulting in decreased braking power and a lack of steering. I almost hit 2 vehicles trying to pull over to get my family to safety on the right hand shoulder. I couldn’t pull over to the left hand shoulder as there was a guardrail in the way. When I got my vehicle pulled over the only thing that stopped my vehicle from going over the cliff was a bunch of wood chips on the right hand shoulder. From the time the warning lights came on to the time the engine shut off and seized was maybe 5 seconds. It took 31 days to replace the engine and the dealership did an inspection on the engine. There was absolutely no warning there was any problems until the lights came on. My wife and [XXX] and [XXX] were in the vehicle at the time this happened. It was so dangerous where we broke down California Highway Patrol stayed behind my vehicle with its lights on. It was also a fire hazard with the exhaust sitting on the dry bark. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C.

L87 engine problems. I have had failed lifters, on top of transmission issues and a current oil consumption issue where I have to add two quarts of oil (sometimes more) without any indication of low oil. I took my vehicle into the local dealership and the technician asked if I had gotten any low oil indicator and I stated no. He proceeded to tell me it had little to no oil in it. Imagine this at highway speeds and sudden engine seizure.

Transmission has a hard shift when coming out of each gear. 2nd to 1st shifts hard and jolts entire vehicle a head. Feels like a slip or difficulty in shift.

My truck keeps having this same issue since [XXX], always take it to team Gillman second august 26 same reason they replaced the battery but is a manufacturing defect while i am driving stops out of sudden AND THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THEY SUPPOSED TO CALL ME I HAVENT RECEIVE NO CALL IS AT TEAM GILLMAN SAME REASON ONLY HAS 18000 MILES MY NAME IS [XXX] CELL [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the tailgate opened unintendedly. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer informed the contact that the VIN was not included in GM Campaign Number: N232426401. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 57,000.

I received a notice of a recall for a known problem with GMC transmissions. it is very well known that these transmissions lock up and cause problems with braking and can cause the vehicle to slide off the road when the tires lock up. it also causes hard shifting, which I have experienced. GMC said they will not fix the transmission, they instead will add a device to monitor the transmission, so when the transmission locks up and causes an accident, it will let me know that it was the transmissions fault!!! How is this legal? they will let me know that their transmission caused the accident after the fact? why not fix it? typical of government to do nothing about safety... and instead make laws that allow big corporations and government to make money off of peoples deaths!

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and downshifting, the rear wheels locked up with the parking brake warning light flashed on the instrument panel. The vehicle would resume normal operation soon after the failure. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the contact was informed that there was a pending NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V797000 (Power Train) on the vehicle for the failure. The contact was informed that there was a temporary fix on the vehicle to repair the defect. After the temporary fix was performed, the contact experienced the failure twice within a week. The contact received a call that the permanent fix was available; however, soon after the repair was performed, the failure immediately occurred upon leaving the dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the contact was informed that he would receive a callback. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the message that the tailgate was opened was displayed, and the contact became aware that the tailgate had opened. The contact pulled over to the right side of the road to close the tailgate. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V060000 (LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and opened a case and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 41,000.

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V797000 (POWER TRAIN); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the transmission was shifting hard while driving. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 120,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Transmission has a shudder when accelerating and after shifting through all gears (8speed) during cruise mode when going on an incline as in overpass it starts to shudder and seems like it is trying to find the right gear to go into .

The engine blew up at 67,000 mile while driving down the road. Not sure what happened but there was no warning signs at all. The dealership said they couldn’t know for sure what happened but most likely the oil pump went bad. I have spoken with a few people that have had this same problem with the 6.2 liter engine. It needs to be looked into because this could have caused a major accident on the highway.

Front upper control arm ball joint separated from socket.

When accelerating and shifting into drive, the vehicle is experiencing a lag when moving forward. The rear wheels are not latching into the designated gear. When vehicle comes to a complete stop, it will not accelerate and does not want to move. The problem has been reported and there are multiple recalls on similar vehicles of the same make and model. There were no warning symbols or notifications generated at the time of inspection.

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the rear of the vehicle was shuddering and shaking. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The contact stated that over time the failure became more persistent. The contact was concerned because two small children were seated in the rear of the vehicle daily. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V797000 (Power Train); however, the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 61,000.

The electronic tailgate switch is malfunctioning and opening on own. We brought in and paid 2 times to have repaired and now the third time has happened. It’s appears this model is recalled in Canada but not US. Why is that when it’s the same parts used and the HD models have also been recalled. Why is our truck not recalled for this?

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V797000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

On memorial day weekend 2023 my truck ,2021 GMC Sierra AT4 was making a awful noise. I pulled over and vehicle died. had it towed and the warranty covered new engine replacement at 54678 miles(large deposit of metal in the oil pan). June of 2024 again, traveling out of town and pickup making terrible noise and shaking at 76651 miles. Replaced lifters in vehicle. October 11, 2024 took vehicle in for oil change, drove 25 miles and vehicle making terrible noise. Pulled over and pickup died. Had it towed to dealer and they are saying it needs a new engine. ( 87000 miles) they are saying its out of warranty. There seems to be a serious problem with this engine( 6.2) in all the research I am finding. I now have a pickup that I am still making payments on , that I cannot drive.

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, there was an abnormal ticking sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was placed on a trailer and was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the lifter and cam shaft needed to be replaced. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 133,000.

Getting shift to park safety warning, car is in park, and cannot move at all, Cannot start because vehicle does not believe it is in park. Have been stranded multiple times on this error.

My vehicle was issued an OTA ( over the air update ) automatically, and the update failed, leaving the screen in my vehicle inoperable, with a message displayed stating " Update failed return to dealer" My vehicles radio/information system is now inoperable. The blue-tooth calling capability is also inoperable. This is a safety issue due to the fact that I am a resident of Minnesota and we have a law that states it is illegal to use your phone while driving. In addition, I am unable to receive severe weather alerts via the radio and do not have the ability to make phone calls in my vehicle in the event of an emergency since it is illegal to use my phone in MN while driving. This is a serious safety hazard The GMC dealer (Mills GMC in Baxter, MN ) that the vehicle is currently at has stated this is not a warrantable repair, even though my vehicle is under warranty. I have also contacted GM service directly and was told they would be willing to offer me "rewards points" There is an active recall for the same issue for other GM models of the same year. Recall # N202319250 Essentially, GM is pushing updates to vehicles without the owners consent, giving the owner no choice but to bring the vehicle to the dealership for a repair which they are calling "wear and tear" This is highly unethical and is making customers vehicles unsafe.

Per the dealership: Lifter failure, crankshaft failure, metal shavings in the oil. Complete engine failure.

The contact's husband owns a 2021 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while her husband was driving 80 MPH, the vehicle stalled. Additionally, the "Shift to Neutral and Restart" message blinked. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road where the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where the failure was not able to be replicated. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer where it was suspected that the crankshaft bearing had seized, putting pressure on the starter, causing a short. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be taken apart for a proper diagnostic test. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 81,000.

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, there was a whining sound coming from the transmission. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed and determined that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under the Extended Warranty for the failure. The failure mileage was 86,000.

The contact owned a 2021 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was shaking erratically, and the vehicle lost motive power. In addition, the contact stated that an unknown warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a fractured front-end frame. The contact was informed that the front-end frame needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.

The engine locked up on the truck due to bad lifters. It has the 6.2L engine and after talking to several mechanic shops and research online this is a very common issue. GM is having to put lots of new engine in under warranty due to this issue. They need to have a recall to fix a known issue that is costing people thousands of dollars to replace the whole engine in the truck. We was driving down the hey today and with no working at all the truck died and and would not crank back over. We had the truck towed to a repair shop to find out that our truck had the same issue that lots of people are having and now it’s gonna cost us several thousand dollars to have fixed when realistically GM should be paying to fix this problem.

On the evening of 5/6/24, my husband was driving home in our 2021 GMC Sierra 1500 when the truck started to run hard, shaking, and the check engine light came on and was blinking. He pulled onto the side of the road immediately and more messages were coming across the dashboard. The truck was towed to a dealership that same night. Once the dealership assessed what was wrong, we were advised by the dealership who confirmed the lifters failed. The truck is currently still sitting at the dealership as we're waiting for the parts because we've been told multiple times that the parts are on backorder. I understand the truck is available for inspection as its been sitting on the lot since 5/6/24. This is the first time this has happened to the truck, zero prior issues. The truck has great service records and has always been properly maintained. We are currently still under the manufacturer warranty. To date, the dealership is still in possession of the truck for 90 days, and we still do not have any ETA on when the parts will arrive/truck will be fixed.

Radio screen will go blank randomly after turning the truck off the I can here the radio but can not see any screen. After turning the radio of an exiting the truck radio still plays all of the sudden the radio will go off and restarting the truck radio is working again .At any random time the radio will go blank again

While towing a trailer in tow/haul mode on the highway traveling around 60mph, their was a strong downshift clunking sound. About 10 miles later, it happened again, except this time the brakes logged up and truck skid for about a full second and then trailer began fishtailing slightly. Check engine like P2C7A came on. Seems like brakes or transmission momentarily locked up.

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked and turned off, the electronic rear tailgate door erroneously unlatched and opened. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on several occasions. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 58,000.

The transmission/torque converter is causing (bucking, kicking, jerking, slipping, difficulty when taking off, shuddering during driving, fishbite, and chuggle). Its becoming a safety hazard now because its putting me and others at risk for an accident. The vehicle will hesitate to go in which if traffic may be rear ended by another vehicle. During weather/rain the vehicle will lose traction and the rear wheels will spin causing an accident. Problem has been reported to dealership multiple times and the only solution they can provide is keep driving the vehicle. Vehicle has no warning lights at all or any other symptoms of problems prior to when the components started to fail. The issue first happened around February 2024 and remains to be an issue to this present day. I've been the dealership more than 6 times with no solution/fix. I'm concerned for my safety now and need this issue addressed ASAP.

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that the inner tailgate door failed to open while pressing the release button. On several occasions while pressing the release button, the inner door would lower down. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 45,000.

On [XXX] at approximately 3 pm I left my house and was traveling on [XXX] in Fort Mohave Arizona I was only traveling 7 miles. When I looked at the temperature in the cab was 121 degrees a few moments after the display system went black and never turned back on. I arrived at the store 4 minutes after the display shut off with no warning lights or any type of notification on my phone, I had rolled down the windows to get air in the cab to see if that would help cool down if needed. I was in the store 20 minutes. I returned to the truck turned it on and everything was normal, from there I drove back home nothing happened on my drive back the display was working. At 8 30pm I was traveling on [XXX] Driving towards a casino called Avi. I had the driver's side window halfway down when I smelled a faint plastic burn thinking it was coming from the outside because I had the window halfway down. That is when the cab of the GMC filled up with smoke that came in thru the air vents and flames started to show coming from the defrost vents and under the hood while I was driving. I had to stick my head out of the window to see where I could pull over without starting a huge brush fire. As I pulled over and the truck within seconds fully ignited into flames. Enough time to grab my belongings that I was able to save. My life was at risk by this vehicle igniting while I was driving. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The inner tailgate continually releases the upper tailgate, which then opens when the vehicle is driven. When latched, the tailgate immediately opens again. This is reproducible. I gather the switch is shorted closed, leading to the release of the tailgate. This poses a risk to items in the bed of the truck leaving the vehicle unexpectedly while in motion. The truck has not been to the dealer yet, there has been no inspection of the vehicle by any authority. The vehicle displays a warning “inner tailgate open.”

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed and made an abnormal sound. The contact assumed that the sound was coming from the transmission and the vehicle was taken to a dealer. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and suggested that the failure might be a pulley or a rod bearing failure. The contact took the vehicle to another dealer who confirmed a rod bearing failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 46,000.

I am writing to complain about that General Motors has issued a retrofit program for 2022 model vehicles that did not come with safety features due to the microchip shortage. I purchased my vehicle new in 2021 and the vehicle did not have the option of having safety features at the time of purchase. I find not having the safety features in a large vehicle to be a safety concern for those that use the vehicle or around the vehicle. General Motors should add the 2021 model vehicles that also did not have the ability to have those features on them added as a part of their retrofit program.

The wiper blade motor is defective. While driving during a storm the wiper blade motor stopped working on the delayed and low settings. This was a safety issue while driving. I took my vehicle to get looked at a GM Dealer to look at the vehicle. My vehicle is only 3 years old and should not have issues with the wiper blade motor.

I just purchased a used 2021 GMC Sierra after having for a month the SERVICE POWER STEERING came on, I took it in for service and was told the part is on back order. Not to worried if the dealership and GM sold it to me that way. I am going to drive it and hope and pray that nothing bad happens. And if it does i will be getting a Lawyer.

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the front driver's side wheel separated and fell underneath the front end of the vehicle, causing the vehicle to veer towards oncoming traffic. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road, where the vehicle was awaiting to be towed. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V718000 (Suspension); however, the VIN was not included. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 37,470.

The coolant control valve is faulty and needs to be replaced. GMC and the dealership know about the issue (Bulletin No. PIP5791), but are not fixing it in a timely manner. This is a safety concern as the system will automatically reduce engine power, which is a major concern when towing and/or in mountainous terrain.

The component that has failed is the engine coolant flow control valve AC Delco part number 55516369. Unfortunately the part is still installed on the vehicle. It has been taken to a dealer and this is a known issue but no recall has been issued. The check engine comes on sometimes but not always, sometimes the pickup has plenty of power to drive and sometime it will barely pull itself, all in the same trip without shutting the ignition off. The symptoms first started in December of 2023, but were sporadic, now it is nearly everytime the pickup is started. It is extremely dangerous to drive this vehicle when it has a problem. You cannot tell if it will accelerate normally or is you will push the pedal and it does nothing. The part to repair the problem is on backorder and no release date is yet available. We have been waiting for 3 months and still no word on when this will be repaired.

My truck had smoke rolling out at work when I noticed it. Tried to put it out it Burnt my hands ! destroyed the inside I had it towed and insurance investigator said it was do to a brake controller for the trailer. And I took it to get estimate and the service dept said it was do To brake controller my truck was totaled my wallet toast my coat was toast my I phone my deposit my truck i drove daily to work out of and personal. General Motors would not help I called the. First. Then I was frustrated called my insurance they started a claim and low balled me now I lost 2 months of work bills stacked and low ball price on what the offer was) and haven’t gotten one yet. Called gm back they said I had an active claim they woundenr help it’s there defect I lost my job my mind etc on this. Two investigators state the same thing even there service dept. A gm service dept said the same thing. No warning indicators at al I will never buy another truck. The safety issue is people driving around not knowing. The 2500 and 3500 have them. Looked it up the plant that made my truck left the parts for manufacturing outdoors they got wet. It’s on the internet people r gionbg to get hurt. Lucky I was outside when my was on fire. Please help on the matter. Thank u

Tail gate failing from water intrusion. Wont stay up while driving. Already a recall for it in Canada but nothing in the USA where i see others have the same problem

Tailgate drops without warning, lower button on tailgate doesn't work.

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that there was water leaking through the rear sliding window. The dealer was notified of the failure and advised the contact that a fee would be charged for the repair. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 51,000.

I have a 2021 GMC Sierra 1500 with a power 6-point tailgate. The inner tailgate has been spontaneously opening for some reason. It seems the electric lock mechanism trips. This could case the contents of my truck bed to fall out. This issue is a known issue for GMC Sierras and a recall has been issued for the 2500's and 3500's but for some reason not the 1500's even though the tailgate is the exact same. I have an appointment to have the issue serviced at dealership, but since there is no current recall they will not cover the expense.

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 75 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle would slow down as if it was losing motive power. The vehicle was driven to a local dealer where it was diagnosed that the coolant control valve needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to parts not being available. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 32,000.

GMC1500 Sierra pick up truck. Rear tailgate dropped today, 3.15.2024. Weather was rainy, tailgate was up at the start of the trip. Contacted GM Corp and was told this model 1500 was not part of the recall??

Alignment Cam Guide Pins sheared off while driving on highway. Alignment went all over the place and car was drifting side to side. Also, steering wheel spun a quarter turn while car was not turning but still driving on highway. Almost caused me to crash. GMC does not want to acknowledge the issue or allow me to file a warranty claim. Car could not be driven to GM dealership safely and had to be repaired at closest shop

It started year and a half ago involving my tailgate. The buttons to operate by upper and lower tailgate failed to operate on the rear of the truck, but cab button and remote button would open the full tailgate. Returned truck to dealer and they replaced the rear control. It worked for approximate 4 or 5 months the the total tailgate button failed, half tailgate button worked no problem. About 6 mths ago I went to drive to work and hit a bump felt like something bounced but really didn't think of tailgate being open. Drove on interstate for 7 miles at speed of 70 to 75 mph. I had my structural firefighting equip in the bed. Stopped at a drive thru for coffee then drove 5 miles to other side of town to my workplace put truck in reverse and my camera showed the ground, my tailgate was open. Thank goodness nothing fell out of the bed. 2-3 days later left for work, hit bump and felt the rattle in the rear again, stopped and tailgate down, closed tailgate and it opened again immediate after closing. This has occurred numerous times, now the half gate now unmatched along with entire tailgate and opens hitting hitch, scratched paint off. Thought it was me hitting keys in my pocket but continued to occur with key in cab. My mileage warranty passed so I was waiting to get some extra cash to fix the tailgate latches. Have not seen any recalls for GMC sierra 1500 denali, thought I would file a "complaint".