2018 GMC Sierra 1500

I own a 2018 GMC Sierra 1500 V8 5.3 liter which is at 46, 433 miles. Over the past few weeks I have noticed the transmission having difficulty shifting in first gear and lurching, and making shuddering noises, and as well making a constant ticking noise. After an experienced mechanic had put a diagnostic system onto my truck, his system diagnosed a Transmission Lifter Failure, specifically 2 out of the 8 lifters. A few days later (9-04-26) I took my truck to a certified GMC servicing business (Patriot Chevrolet of Hopkinsville KY 270-886-1207) and had a transmission servicing done. I had told the Customer Service representative Amanda Williams about the ticking and that I thought 2 lifters going bad in the transmission were the source of it. 3 hours later the servicing was done which cost $ 474.43. She did not know if the ticking had stopped or not. I started my engine to head home and the ticking was still happening. Nothing had changed. I got home, parked and have not started the engine since to minimize any further damage. I have become aware that this year, make and model has become infamous for the engine/transmission design and parts failure which has been at the center of thousands of class action lawsuits. I have owned this vehicle since inheriting it from my late father for 2 months before he developed dementia and suffered a broken hip. I have religiously had the oil changed every three months regardless of the mileage, and this is a sealed transmission which cannot be worked on by someone but a certified GMC mechanic, which wasn't a worry because the truck's manual says doesn't need to be worked on unless there seem to be problems. Which is what I did on 9-4-26, hoping that a servicing would fix the issue. During the 5 years that I have owned this truck, I never received ANY sort of notice from GMC that might've hinted at possible Transmission Failures, though GMC has been totally aware of. Sudden power loss dangerous and unfairly expensive to drivers.

ENGINE FAILURE, 5/3/22, 23,987 MILES, ALL LIFTERS WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY, ENGINE FAILURE, 7/6/26, 46004 MILES, TOOK TRUCK IN FOR OIL CHANGE AND WHEN RETURNED HAD A TICKING NOISE. DEALERSHIP NOTIFIED ME THAT CAMSHAFT ISSUES AND METAL DETECTED IN OIL. ENGINE NEEDS REPLACED. 6.2 V8 2018. TURPIN MOTORS, GENESEO, IL HAS DONE ALL SERIVCE ON TRUCK. NO WARNING LIGHTS OR CODES. VEHICLE IS IN MY GARAGE AND AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. I OPENED CASE WITH GM #105652237. DEALERSHIP OPENED CASE ON GM PORTAL ALSO. RESPONSE FROM GM IS THAT TRUCK IS OUT OF WARRANTY

Vehicle Details: 2018 GMC Sierra 1500 Z72 4x4, 5.3L V8 EcoTec3 engine, VIN: [XXX] Mileage at time of incident: 220,000 miles Location: [e.g., Little Rock, Arkansas area or specific road/highway – please provide if desired] What happened: The 5.3L V8 engine’s hydraulic roller lifters failed. One or more lifters collapsed, stuck, or lost proper oil pressure/operation. This led to improper valvetrain function, causing loud ticking/knocking noises, cylinder misfires, significant loss of engine power and performance, and internal engine damage (such as camshaft lobe wear or related components). Component or system that failed or malfunctioned: Hydraulic valve lifters (camshaft followers) in the engine valvetrain, associated with the Active Fuel Management (AFM) system. The failed lifter(s) and related components are available for inspection upon request. How safety was put at risk: The engine malfunction resulted in sudden or progressive power loss and misfiring while driving. This reduced the vehicle’s ability to accelerate or maintain speed, especially in traffic or on highways, creating a hazardous situation that put my safety and the safety of other road users at risk of collision or breakdown. No accident or injuries occurred , or other symptoms prior to the failure with details recall, e.g., ticking noise timeline, misfires Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? “Yes, confirmed by shop inspection” Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? [Yes] Additional notes: Repair estimate is approximately $20,000 (likely due to extent of internal damage requiring major engine work or replacement). This failure aligns with a well-documented issue in GM 5.3L engines equipped with AFM. Vehicle status parked INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Incident description: On three occasion I have had the same catastrophic Engine failure putting myself and my family along with the general public in harms way. Starting March of 2022 while driving at approximately 60 MPH on the West Shore Expressway my truck experienced a sudden and total loss of motor power. My engine stalled out and I lost my ability to safety steer and stop my vehicle. This all happened during rush hour while driving in the left lane of traffic. This sudden loss of power forced me to maneuver the vehicle to the right shoulder of the expressway across the right lane of traffic. As there was no shoulder to pull over on the left side of the highway. This created an immediate crash risk for myself and other drivers. Upon inspection at the authorized GMC dealership where I purchased the truck new, a certified mechanic determined that the engine experienced a complete failure requiring replacement or rebuilding of the engine. I paid to have the engine rebuilt at the dealership. The second instance was similar to the above incident. Once again I paid for the repair. The third instance was more dangerous as when my trucks engine failed it almost caused an accident. As of today my truck is still sitting in the dealership for over 6 months and no one from the dealership or manufacturer will give me an answer on what has to be done now. This patter of sudden repeated engine failure clearly indicates a systemic safety defect that extends beyond normal wear and tear. I urge the NHTSA to open a defect investigation into the 2018 GMC Sierra 1500 engine systems.

The contact owns a 2018 GMC Sierra 1500. While starting the vehicle, it was shaking violently, with reduced power. The vehicle was restarted and worked as designed. Upon research, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Action Number: PE25001 (Engine and Engine and Cooling). The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined there was metal in the engine, and there was a misfire coming from cylinder #2. The mechanic recommended that the engine be replaced. There were loose wires from the ECM, and the failure halted after the mechanic secured the wires. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.

I OWN A 2018 GMC SIERRA DENALI ULTIMATE, The truck has the 6.2 engine which had the lifter issue as stated with the current situation. At the time, the truck had 37,000 miles when the issues started. I purchased the truck from Andy Mohr with 8806 miles on it in November of 2019. I worked overseas for the DOD so that’s why the miles are low. After I got it fixed, ($4500 dollars at Hare Chevrolet) I experienced the transmission shake while driving home from work with my children in it. The transmission was shaking so bad the whole cab was rocking.That repair was $3,300. Now, the truck has piston slap and rod issues and currently at Hare Chevrolet for service. I was told I need a full rebuild ($12,000 dollars or a new engine $14000 dollars). As a retired Air Force veteran, I didn’t expect issues like this, especially when I baby the truck and it currently has 40,530 miles. I had regular oil changes and service, yet now stuck with a high class truck that has serious issues that seem to be ignored by GM and Andy Mohr GMC. Andy Mohr sold me an extended warranty at time of purchase but I paid for a year and a half that wasn’t usable. If I had that warranty I would be covered now.But besides that, it’s a Denali, I shouldn’t be having a new engine at 40,530 miles. I am happy that there is an investigation but it needs to be widened because my truck was right before the new model rollout but I am having the same issues. If needed, I have all my receipts and information and will provide the service rep at Hare. The reason why its at Hare vs Andy Mohr is due to me catching them not fully servicing my truck and joy riding my Camaro ZL1 after an oil change before I went home for a funeral.

The lifters in my engine collapsed. This caused a push rod to be bent and the cam shaft to be damaged causing thousands to fix. While I was driving. I could feel the engine malfunction causing my speed to significantly decrease. The vehicle was fixed through an independent mechanic. Mechanic stated that the active fuel management system is the cause for the lifter collapse. There was no warning before the failure

I have 125,000 miles on my truck. I was traveling with my grandkids in the back seat. We were going through a four way stop. My truck started tapping like a lifter issue. The next thing I know is the truck engine light started flashing and car started to shake. Then, my truck lost all power and a big cloud of blue smoke came out of the tail pipe. The truck could not be driven any further. The symptoms: engine tapping, low oil, engine light flashing, shaking, lost all movement, and a cloud of smoke We had to tow my truck to the dealer and they are still accessing the issue. All symptoms are identical to the current recall of the GMC engines.