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2005 GMC Sierra 1500

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2005 GMC Sierra 1500 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 181.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

158 reports with mileage · 19 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 67 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes. Review the 33 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

4 crash reports9 fire reports4 injury reports

What owners actually said

177 reports
20,000 miles · Apr 1, 2009
Electrical System

SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING AT 20000 MILES. IT WAS WORKING FINE THEN STARTED TO WORK ONLY OCCASIONALLY AND HAS NOW COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING. WE HAVE NOT HAD IT REPAIRED AS OF YET. IT IS VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE NOT KNOWING WHAT SPEED YOU ARE TRAVELING AT, PLUS CAN RESULT IN TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS CAUSING YOUR INSURANCE TO INCREASE. *T…

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SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING AT 20000 MILES. IT WAS WORKING FINE THEN STARTED TO WORK ONLY OCCASIONALLY AND HAS NOW COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING. WE HAVE NOT HAD IT REPAIRED AS OF YET. IT IS VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE NOT KNOWING WHAT SPEED YOU ARE TRAVELING AT, PLUS CAN RESULT IN TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS CAUSING YOUR INSURANCE TO INCREASE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10263825

76,535 miles · Mar 27, 2009
Power Train

HELLO, MY COMPLAINT IS THAT GM PLACED AN UNDERSIZED TRANSMISSION (4L60E) IN THE POPULAR CREW CAB 1/2 TON TRUCKS AND I AM REQUESTING FOR NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE GM REGARDING THIS ISSUE AND MAKE A RECALL. MY TRUCK IS A 2005 GMC SIERRA SLE Z71 CREW CAB (K1500) WITH ONLY 76K+ MILES AND HAS THE 4L60/65E TRANSMISSION. THIS 4L60E TRAN…

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HELLO, MY COMPLAINT IS THAT GM PLACED AN UNDERSIZED TRANSMISSION (4L60E) IN THE POPULAR CREW CAB 1/2 TON TRUCKS AND I AM REQUESTING FOR NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE GM REGARDING THIS ISSUE AND MAKE A RECALL. MY TRUCK IS A 2005 GMC SIERRA SLE Z71 CREW CAB (K1500) WITH ONLY 76K+ MILES AND HAS THE 4L60/65E TRANSMISSION. THIS 4L60E TRANSMISSION IS ALSO USED IN GM TRUCKS COLORADO & CANYON AND WORKS GOOD FOR THESE SMALLER TRUCKS BUT IN THE LARGER SILVERADO & SIERRA CREW CABS THE TRANSMISSION WEARS OUR THE 3-4 CLUTCH PREMATURELY DUE TO THE WEIGHT OF THE TRUCK. THIS IS A BAD DESIGN AND GM HAS FIXED IT IN THE 2007+ CREW CAB TRUCKS BY USING A 6-SPEED TRANSMISSION INSTEAD OF THE PREVIOUS 4-SPEED. I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND MY TRANSMISSION SLIPPED IN 4TH GEAR. I SHIFTED TO 3RD GEAR AND TRANSMISSION CONTINUED TO SLIP. THIS WAS DURING RUSH HOUR AND I WAS GOING 65 MPH. I HAD TO WAIT FOR TRAFFIC TO CLEAR ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE SO I COULD GET TO THE SHOULDER WHILE I HAD SEVERAL CARS BEHIND ME WAITING. MY TRUCK COULD NO LONGER HOLD SPEEDS ABOVE 50 MPH WITHOUT SLIPPING THE TRANSMISSION. I COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE MY TRUCK COULD NOT ACCELERATE. THIS IS A POTENTIAL HAZARD. I HAD THE TRUCK TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD I NEED A REBUILD AND THE MOST IT WOULD COST ME IS $3K TO FIX. I SAID NO THANKS AND PAID THE $45 DIAGNOSES FEE. I TOLD THEM WHY IF I DO NOT TOW WITH MY TRUCK AND DRIVE PASSIVE TO GET THE BEST MILEAGE AND SOME HOW MY TRANSMISSION NEEDS A REBUILD AT ONLY 76K MILES? THIS SHOULD NOT BE. I HAVE A 10 YEAR OLD CAR WITH 193K MILES AND IT HAS NEVER HAD A TRANSMISSION REBUILD. I HAVE CALLED GM AND THEY SAY THERE IS NO RECALL AND THERE IS NO TRANSMISSION PROBLEM BUT I DISAGREE. I ASKED THE DEALER TO PROVIDE ME WITH HOW MANY TRANSMISSION REBUILDS THEY HAVE DONE AND THEY SAY THEY DO NOT TRACK THIS INFORMATION. THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS BECAUSE THEY DO NOT GIVE GM ANY FEEDBACK ON HOW MANY REPAIRS THEY DO TO CARS OUT OF WARRANTY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10263209

66,000 miles · Feb 16, 2009
Electrical System

AT APPROXIMATELY 66,000 MILES ON MY 2005 GMC SIERRA 1500, THE SPEEDOMETER STARTED READING 70 MPH WHILE THE TRUCK WAS STOPPED, AND ROSE FROM THERE AS IT ACCELERATED. THE CONDITION PERSISTED FOR ABOUT ONE WEEK; EACH TIME THE TRUCK WAS RESTARTED, THE SPEEDOMETER RESET ITSELF TO A LOWER STARTING SPEED, UNTIL IT READ ZERO AGAIN WHEN …

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AT APPROXIMATELY 66,000 MILES ON MY 2005 GMC SIERRA 1500, THE SPEEDOMETER STARTED READING 70 MPH WHILE THE TRUCK WAS STOPPED, AND ROSE FROM THERE AS IT ACCELERATED. THE CONDITION PERSISTED FOR ABOUT ONE WEEK; EACH TIME THE TRUCK WAS RESTARTED, THE SPEEDOMETER RESET ITSELF TO A LOWER STARTING SPEED, UNTIL IT READ ZERO AGAIN WHEN STOPPED. IT IS BEHAVING NORMALLY NOW, BUT THIS SEEMS TO BE A RECURRING ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE, AND GM HAS NOT PROVIDED OTHER OWNERS ANY RELIEF IF THE VEHICLE IS PAST ITS WARRANTY PERIOD. SOMETHING AS BASIC AND NECESSARY TO DRIVING SAFETY AS SPEEDOMETER FUNCTION SHOULD, IN MY OPINION, BE DESIGNED TO LAST THE VEHICLE'S ENTIRE INTENDED LIFESPAN WITHOUT SYSTEMIC FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10258785

132,000 miles · Feb 4, 2009
Electrical System

2005 GMC SIERRA SPEEDOMETER ACTING ERRATIC - VEHICLE IN STOPPED POSITION SAYS GOING 105 KM/H OR 65 MPH ?? INCORRECT READINGS, JUMPY -. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10257395

35,000 miles · Jan 27, 2009
Electrical System

SPEEDOMETER HAS QUIT WORKING PROPERLY. IT SOMETIMES READS INACCURATELY LOW AND SOMETIMES INACCURATELY HIGH. IT WILL USUALLY GO SEVERAL WEEKS WITHOUT EVER WORKING PROPERLY AND THEN WILL WORK FOR A FEW DAYS. IT SOMETIMES NEVER COMES BACK DOWN AFTER PEAKING AT THE MAXIMUM SPEED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10256443

84,000 miles · Jan 22, 2009
Electrical System

I'M CURRENTLY AT 84,000 MILES ON MY 2005 GMC SIERRA, AND WHEN STOPPED WITH THE TRUCK IN PARK MY SPEEDOMETER IS SHOWING 90MPH THEN PROCEEDS UP FROM THERE WHILE DRIVING. I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. I HAVE SEVERAL FRIENDS WITH THE SAME YEAR MODEL VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BY GM. ALL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS. TALKED T…

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I'M CURRENTLY AT 84,000 MILES ON MY 2005 GMC SIERRA, AND WHEN STOPPED WITH THE TRUCK IN PARK MY SPEEDOMETER IS SHOWING 90MPH THEN PROCEEDS UP FROM THERE WHILE DRIVING. I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. I HAVE SEVERAL FRIENDS WITH THE SAME YEAR MODEL VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BY GM. ALL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS. TALKED TO A DEALER ABOUT GETTING IT FIXED THEY TOLD ME IT WAS GOING TO COST 300 FOR THE PART, AND 200 DOLLARS TO HAVE IT PROGRAMMED.... *TR

NHTSA ODI #10255936

70,000 miles · Jan 20, 2009
Electrical System

THERE IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH GMC VEHICLES WHERE THE ODOMETER QUITS WORKING AFTER 70,000 MILES. THERE IS, I BELIEVE, A RECALL ON THE 2003/2004 MODEL YEAR. I HAVE A 2005 GMC PICKUP THAT HAS THE EXACT SAME PART IN IT AS IS ALSO DEFECTIVE. IT GIVES INACCURATE READINGS OR PEGS AT 120 OR 0. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. IF IT WASN'T SO EXP…

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THERE IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH GMC VEHICLES WHERE THE ODOMETER QUITS WORKING AFTER 70,000 MILES. THERE IS, I BELIEVE, A RECALL ON THE 2003/2004 MODEL YEAR. I HAVE A 2005 GMC PICKUP THAT HAS THE EXACT SAME PART IN IT AS IS ALSO DEFECTIVE. IT GIVES INACCURATE READINGS OR PEGS AT 120 OR 0. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. IF IT WASN'T SO EXPENSIVE, I'D FIX IT MYSELF. BUT THIS IS A DEFECTIVE PART PUT IN THE VEHICLE BY GM AND SHOULD BE FIXED BY GM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10255733

70,000 miles · Jan 1, 2009
Electrical System

AFTER 70,000 MILES THE SPEEDOMETER STOPPED FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY. IT WILL READ 120 GOING 70 OR READ 20 GOING 50. SO ITS READING TOO HIGH AND TOO LOW. ALSO IT SEEMS IT IS STARTING TO HAVE OTHER ELECTRICAL ISSUES AS WELL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10253521

85,000 miles · Dec 12, 2008
Engine And Engine Cooling

GMC PICKUP DEVELOPED COOLANT LOSS. TOOK IN AND FOUND THAT HEAD HAD CRACKED. SERVICE BULLETIN REVEALED 50% OF HEADS FOR THAT YEAR CAME FROM ONE MANUFACTURER AND HAD BEEN PRONE TO CRACKING. DISCOVERED MINE INDEED HAD THE SUSPECT HEAD AND DID HAVE THE CRACK AS DESCRIBED. WHY DIDN'T GMC ISSUE A RECALL ON THESE AND SAVE ME $4,0…

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GMC PICKUP DEVELOPED COOLANT LOSS. TOOK IN AND FOUND THAT HEAD HAD CRACKED. SERVICE BULLETIN REVEALED 50% OF HEADS FOR THAT YEAR CAME FROM ONE MANUFACTURER AND HAD BEEN PRONE TO CRACKING. DISCOVERED MINE INDEED HAD THE SUSPECT HEAD AND DID HAVE THE CRACK AS DESCRIBED. WHY DIDN'T GMC ISSUE A RECALL ON THESE AND SAVE ME $4,000? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10251636

31,000 miles · Nov 25, 2008
Electrical System

I HAVE A 2005 GMC SIERRA Z71, ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO I WAS DRIVING IN THE COUNTRY ONLY TO GLANCE DOWN AND SEE 95 MILES PER HOUR, I BRAKED HARD ONLY TO REALIZE I WASN'T GOING THAT FAST. AFTER PULLING OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD I NOTICED MY SPEEDOMETER READ 35 AT A COMPLETE STOP. SINCE THEN IT HAS WORKED SOME DAYS OTHER DAYS IT WIL…

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I HAVE A 2005 GMC SIERRA Z71, ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO I WAS DRIVING IN THE COUNTRY ONLY TO GLANCE DOWN AND SEE 95 MILES PER HOUR, I BRAKED HARD ONLY TO REALIZE I WASN'T GOING THAT FAST. AFTER PULLING OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD I NOTICED MY SPEEDOMETER READ 35 AT A COMPLETE STOP. SINCE THEN IT HAS WORKED SOME DAYS OTHER DAYS IT WILL NOT READ BEYOND 50 MILES PER HOUR OR IT WILL BE SOME BIZARRE READING. I HAVE OWNED THE TRUCK FOR 3YRS 6 MONTHS IT HAS AROUND 31,500 MILES UNDER MILEAGE WARRANTY OF 36,000 MILES BUT 6 MONTHS PAST THE TIME WARRANTY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10249883

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.