2017 GMC Sierra Denali

Routine

Owners filed 14 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the unknown or other. No safety recall has been issued.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Unknown or Other3
000
Power Train2
000
Engine2
000
Wheels1
000
Suspension1
000
Power Train › Automatic Transmission1
000
Exterior Lighting › Tail Lights1
000
Equipment1
000
Engine and Engine Cooling1
000
Air Bags1
101

What owners reported

Newest filings
Engine
Filed Mar 30, 2026209,000 milesGA

The contact owns a 2017 GMC Sierra 2500 Denali. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the knock sensor had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 209,000.

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Mar 9, 2026103,000 milesKS

The contact owns a 2017 GMC Sierra Denali. The contact stated that while driving on the highway at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked, failed to accelerate, and stalled. The vehicle was unable to shift into third gear. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was drivable and was taken to the dealer. The vehicle was diagnosed with a wiring harness failure on the transmission. The vehicle was repaired based on the diagnostic test but failed to fix the vehicle. The vehicle was parked at the residence and was undrivable. The failure mileage was approximately 103,000.

Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Nov 10, 2025105,000 milesWI

The contact owns a 2017 GMC Sierra Denali. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was shuddering and vibrating. The contact pulled over and opened the hood with the engine running. The contact stated that there was an abnormal ticking sound coming from the engine. The vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the fuel injectors needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the vehicle was still running rough. The contact was advised by the mechanic that the fuel injectors needed to be reprogrammed, and the vehicle was taken to a dealer. The dealer reprogrammed the fuel injectors, but the vehicle was still running rough. The dealer had not opened the engine up to diagnose the failure; however, the dealer thought that there might be a failure with connecting rods. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.

Air BagsCrash1 injured
Filed Feb 29, 202432,000 milesOK

The contact owned a 2017 GMC Sierra Denali. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, he briefly fell asleep. As a result, the vehicle left the roadway and collided with the exit median, coming to a complete stop after careening into a side ditch. The air bags did not deploy, and the seat belt failed to properly retrain, resulting in head and neck injuries. No warning lights were illuminated. A police report was filed, and injuries were reported. The contact was transported to an area hospital by EMT and treated for various lacerations to his head and arms and an unstable fracture of the C7 in his lower neck, later requiring surgery. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and deemed a total loss by the contact's insurance provider due to a bent chassis. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and they inspected the vehicle, concluding that the impact was not sufficient to trigger air bag deployment, estimating that the vehicle was traveling between 1 and 4 MPH and that the air bags were functioning properly. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 32,000.

Equipment
Filed Mar 9, 2022TX

The contact owns a 2017 GMC Sierra Denali. The contact was notified by her state inspection office that her vehicle was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V496000 (Equipment). The dealer was notified about the recall and informed her that parts for the recall repair were not yet available. The manufacturer had been notified of the recall and contacted several dealers in her area; however, the dealers also did not have part available for the recall. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

Exterior Lighting › Tail Lights
Filed Apr 14, 2021TX

2017 GMC DENALI. CONSUMER WRITES REGARDING AN INOPERATIVE PASSENGER TAIL LIGHT. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE AFTER REMOVING THE FIXTURE, HE DISCOVERED THERE WAS NO BULB. THE ONLY WAY TO REPAIR THE FAILURE WAS TO REMOVE THE ENTIRE FIXTURE. *JS

Unknown or Other
Filed Mar 7, 202151,800 milesKY

MY AIR CONDITIONING STOPPED WORKING AT ONLY 51,800MI AND JUST OVER 3 YEARS OLD ON MY 2017 GMC SIERRA 1500 DENALI. MY MECHANIC SAID MY AC CONDENSER IS LEAKING AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. HE SAID IT IS A WIDELY KNOWN ISSUE BUT NOT A RECALL.

Suspension
Filed Mar 4, 202184,000 milesTN

FRONT STRUTS WITH ELECTRONIC CONTROL WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING.

Wheels
Filed Nov 27, 2020ME

MY BRIDGESTONE TIRES HAVE DRY ROTTED ALL 4 TIRE MANUFACTURING DATE IS 2017 SAME AS MY TRUCK NEW I HAVE 28 THOUSAND MILES ON THE TRUCK TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY TOOK PICTURES OF ALL TIRES AND TOLD ME THEY WERE VERY BAD THE TIRES SHOW LITTLE WEAR ON THE TIRES ALL OF THE DRY ROT IN ON THE SIDEWALLS ONLY THE DEALERSHIP SAID THERE HAS BEEN PROBLEMS WITH THESE TIRES AND TOLD ME TO CALL GM AND SEE IF THEY WOULD DO SOMETHING AS THEY WOULD NOT I DID CALL GM AND ALL THEY WOULD OFFER UP WOULD BE $100 DEALERSHIP VOUCHER GREAT JASON DOYLE TOOK PICTURES OF THE TIRES HE WORKS AT BILL DODGE 2 SAUNDERS WAY WESTBROOK MAINE HIS PHONE 207-857-4944

Power Train
Filed Oct 13, 202013,200 milesOK

WHILE DRIVING MY GMC SIERRA DENALI THE TRANSMISSION SHUDDERS REALLY BAD. I HAVE A 2017 WITH JUST 13,200 MILES ON IT. I WAS PULLING MY BASS BOAT AND THE SHURDDER WAS SO BAD MY DASH WAS SHAKING AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS ALSO .I HAVE HAD THE FLUID CHANGED AT THE DEALERSHIP AND IT SHIFTED FINE AND DID NOT SHUDDER UNTIL IT REACHED AROUND 1000 MILES AFTER FLUID CHANGE AND IT IS DOING IT WORSE NOW THAN BEFORE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER CLOSE TO ME AND THEY INFORMED ME TODAY THEY WERE GOING TO DO NOTHING AND THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT BACK TO THE DEALER I BOUGHT IT FROM! THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE! I UNDERSTAND FROM ALL I HAVE BEEN READING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM GM STILL IS BUILDING AND SELLING TRUCKS WITH THE 8 SPEED TRANS IN THEM AND STILL HAVING PROBLEMS. REALLY? I GUESS I WILL KEEP DRIVING MINE AND I HOPE THE TRANSMISSION JUST COMES APART THEN THEY WILL GIVE ME ANOTHER TRANSMISSION DOING THE SAME THING! JUST GREAT GM!

Unknown or Other
Filed Sep 25, 2020NC

AFTER BEING STOPPED LIKE AT A STOPLIGHT, THEN WHEN IT'S TIME TO ACCELERATE, THE TRUCK HAS A HARD JERK TO IT, AND IT DOESN'T WANT TO DOWN SHIFT. PLUS WHEN RIDING DOWN THE ROAD, THE TRUCK WILL LO JUST SUDDENLY JERK SO BAD THAT IT FEELS LIKE SOMEONE RAN INTO THE BACK OF THE TRUCK. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A LONG TIME, AND I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP 4 TIMES AND THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T FIX IT. I EVEN RODE WITH THEM, AND IT DID IT. THEY STILL DIDN'T WANT TO FIX IT.

Power Train
Filed Jul 1, 202042,300 milesAZ

HARSH DOWNSHIFT INTERMITTENT BETWEEN 20 AND 30 MPH. BINDING/CLUNKING AT LOW SPEEDS WHEN DOWNSHIFTING INTO FIRST OR UP SHIFTING INTO 2. TRANSMISSION SHUDDER WHEN ACCELERATING IN FIRST GEAR. VEHICLE LUNGES FORWARD INTERMITTENTLY AT LOW SPEEDS WHEN SHIFTING.

Unknown or Other
Filed May 26, 202060,000 milesOH

ABOVE 35MPH I BEGIN TO GET AN EXTREME SHAKE AND VIBRATION. IT GETS MORE AND MORE PRONOUNCED AS I DRIVE. AT 65MPH IS NEARLY UNBEARABLE, AND SHAKES AND VIBRATES VIOLENTLY. IT GIVES ME HEADACHES, AND I CAN FEEL IT IN MY ARMS AS I DRIVE. I FIRST NOTICED IT ABOUT 100 MILES AFTER BUYING THE TRUCK. IT NOW HAPPENS DAILY. *TR

Engine
Filed Aug 22, 2017300 milesOR

NOTICED VIVID AND PERSISTENT ENGINE VIBRATION SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE - WITH NO ASSOCIATED CHECK ENGINE CODE. VIBRATION HAPPENS AT ALL ENGINE AND AMBIENT TEMPERATURES (ESPECIALLY BELOW 50 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT), AT ALL ALTITUDES, REGARDLESS IF IN PARK, NEUTRAL, OR DRIVE. VIBRATION IS SO NOTICEABLE, YOU CAN WATCH THE WAVES VIBRATE THROUGH A CLASS OF WATER WHEN PLACED ON THE DASHBOARD. TAKEN TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS AND BOTH HAVE STATED THE VIBRATION EXPERIENCED IS PER NORMAL DESIGN FOR 6.2L ENGINE. HARD TO BELIEVE GM WOULD DESIGN A $65K+ VEHICLE THAT PURPOSELY VIBRATES/SHAKES. ESCALATED THROUGH GM CORPORATE (SR# 8-3108393XXX), TO WHICH THEY CONFIRMED TRUCK IS RUNNING AS DESIGNED. SINCE THE ENGINE WAS NOT THROWING A CODE, NO FURTHER INVESTMENT/RESOLUTION WAS NEEDED ON THEIR END. THEIR SOLUTION TO ME...SELL THE TRUCK IF NOT HAPPY. OF COURSE THEY DID NOT SAY THAT, BUT THAT'S THE WAY I INTERPRETED THEIR RESPONSE TO MEAN. BUYER BEWARE.

14 of 14 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2016
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
202011000Routine
201926000Routine
201817000Routine
2017 — this page14000Routine
201630000Routine
201522000Routine
201414000Routine
20138000Routine
201210000Routine
201128000Routine
201010000Routine
20097000Routine
200818000Routine
20071000Routine
20065100Routine
20054200Routine
200411100Routine
200213100Routine

Compare every Sierra Denali year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.