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2018 GMC Sierra 1500

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2018 GMC Sierra 1500 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 181.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

121 reports with mileage · 179 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.

  • Power Train. Review the 128 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 65 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 43 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

10 crash reports1 fire reports5 injury reports

What owners actually said

300 reports
Mileage unknown · May 14, 2025
EnginePower Train

GM has discontinued a critical engine belt on the 2018 GMC Sierra 1500 5.3L eAssist. This makes the truck undrivable and unsafe to own, even though the vehicle is still under financing and only 7 years old. There is no available part, and no alternative has been offered by the manufacturer.

NHTSA ODI #11660821

Mileage unknown · May 4, 2025
Electrical System

Apparently, GMC began using soy-based wire coatings approximately 10 years ago. The wiring harness on my vehicle has literally been eaten and destroyed by squirrels causing the entire electrical system to be compromised. Safety features have been especially affected including but not limited to air bags, windows being inoperabl…

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Apparently, GMC began using soy-based wire coatings approximately 10 years ago. The wiring harness on my vehicle has literally been eaten and destroyed by squirrels causing the entire electrical system to be compromised. Safety features have been especially affected including but not limited to air bags, windows being inoperable, door locks being stuck open or closed without a physical key, stabilitrak system arbitrarily shutting off, and windshield wipers working intermittently. Obviously, these are critical systems for the safe operation of this vehicle for the driver, passenger, and members of the public that share the roads. I have had the main harness repaired at a dealership (paid by insurance) but it remains an ongoing safety and financial issue. The dealership identified other portions of the electrical system still need repair and may further compromise safety. Not only were warning lights activated, approximately 10 in-dash messages were displayed warning of malfunction prior to dealership inspection and partial remediation.

NHTSA ODI #11658780

Mileage unknown · May 3, 2025
Air BagsPower TrainUnknown Or OtherCrashInjury

The transmission would purge forward when shifting gears. The shifting was very rough. This vehicle had recently been in accident.

NHTSA ODI #11658709

Mileage unknown · May 1, 2025
Engine

Spun main bearing in motor. Motor blown. It is available for inspection. GM mechanic inspected and quoted for new motor. Vehicle shut down going down interstate at 78 mph. No warning.

NHTSA ODI #11658311

Mileage unknown · May 1, 2025
Electrical SystemEngineSteering

My engine and all electrical components including power steering and power brakes and all dashboard electrical will fail while driving. It is becoming more frequent and has almost caused an accident on numerous occasions to the point of not being able to drive safely on the highway any longer so now I only stay on surface street…

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My engine and all electrical components including power steering and power brakes and all dashboard electrical will fail while driving. It is becoming more frequent and has almost caused an accident on numerous occasions to the point of not being able to drive safely on the highway any longer so now I only stay on surface streets and can't use for any out of town work. I usually do all of my own vehicle maintenance not been able to diagnose the culprit. Unfortunately I'm not able to afford the dealership diagnostic prices but open to any type of inspection.

NHTSA ODI #11658155

Mileage unknown · Apr 29, 2025
EnginePower TrainUnknown Or Other

I have taken it in due to engine mounts 4 different times, transmission replaced and in October 2024 I took it in for issues I was experiencing like I had before my transmission went out. I did not get my truck back until almost Dec 2024 and that was due to there employee backing into the front end of my truck. So after all that…

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I have taken it in due to engine mounts 4 different times, transmission replaced and in October 2024 I took it in for issues I was experiencing like I had before my transmission went out. I did not get my truck back until almost Dec 2024 and that was due to there employee backing into the front end of my truck. So after all that my warranty was up Dec 24 2024 and then on April 16th 2025 I was driving my 2018 GMC Sierra 6.2l 1500 Denali 129,600 miles at approx 30 mph it was late so the streets were empty and we started to hear a knocking or what I thought at the time was a very bad exhaust leak. We parked and then we started to try to make it home very slowly which we did and it was not making to much noise. The next day I called GMC and explained they said bring it in. I towed it there to be safe but it did start and still ran at very slow speed. They called me and said that the lift side rockers/ lifters 1 failed and it was stuck due to a misfire and that the engine would need to be rebuilt and sent me over some very vague break down which looked like a lump sum price. I requested and better break down and got a screen shoot and that when he said that’s the best they can do. There were no engine lights on or warnings nothing at all. It also just got serviced at GMC for an oil change on February 27th 2025 along with some air filters. Today is April 29th and still waiting for the service manage to call and see if they can do anything to help out instead of charging full price. I will Attach pictures of the cost break down if possible. Thank you

NHTSA ODI #11657672

Mileage unknown · Apr 24, 2025
Power Train

Transmission just would not go them all of a sudden it jersey really hard in second gear an start to pick up speed..cold starts it change gear really hard in second gearc often times slipping then going into gear really violently.. need fix asap dealer has service once with the issue, change fluid an stopped a while ago now iss…

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Transmission just would not go them all of a sudden it jersey really hard in second gear an start to pick up speed..cold starts it change gear really hard in second gearc often times slipping then going into gear really violently.. need fix asap dealer has service once with the issue, change fluid an stopped a while ago now issue is back an worst then before.. 44,785 vehicle should not operate this way.4×4 awd trans starts at 6500 to replace an go up to about 13200 to replace

NHTSA ODI #11656466

Mileage unknown · Apr 3, 2025
Electrical SystemForward Collision AvoidanceSteering

While driving my truck and making low speed turns the dashboard (including center console) cuts off, along with my power steering. The truck has also shut off completely making u-turns causing me to almost crash. This also happened while driving around 60mph on the freeway, the entire dashboard went out, loss of steering, and tr…

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While driving my truck and making low speed turns the dashboard (including center console) cuts off, along with my power steering. The truck has also shut off completely making u-turns causing me to almost crash. This also happened while driving around 60mph on the freeway, the entire dashboard went out, loss of steering, and truck shut off, almost causing an accident. When it does happen, it will cut out in 1 second intervals and steering will work again for 2 seconds then cut out again for 1 second, this causing me to stall. There are no check engine lights, or service lights that stay on. However, I will get a message stating: You are memory setting 3 in the system (wording may be different). In some cases the stabilitrak light will come on, the park assist warning stating it shut off comes on dash, and trailer break. I have a full service AUL warranty and had vehicle checked at certified dealership and no codes were recorded. I replaced battery and the problem is still happening. This is unsafe and should be part of the previous recall as my symptoms are the same exact symptoms as the other 2018 recall.

NHTSA ODI #11652605

17,000 miles · Mar 26, 2025
Engine

The contact owns a 2018 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that at start-up there was an abnormal ticking sound coming from the engine. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was informed that the vehicle was out of warranty, and that the VIN…

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The contact owns a 2018 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that at start-up there was an abnormal ticking sound coming from the engine. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was informed that the vehicle was out of warranty, and that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 17,000.

NHTSA ODI #11650789

94,600 miles · Mar 18, 2025
Power Train

The contact owns a 2018 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while attempting to accelerate from a stop, the vehicle failed to accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, and the transmission was repaired under warranty. The contact stated that…

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The contact owns a 2018 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while attempting to accelerate from a stop, the vehicle failed to accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, and the transmission was repaired under warranty. The contact stated that a year after the repair was completed, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was not repaired after the most recent failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 94,600.

NHTSA ODI #11649082

Official recalls

7

26V325000 · Air Bags

May 21, 2026

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500, 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, GMC Sierra 2500, and Sierra 3500 vehicles. The left-side or right-side roof rail air bag (RRAB) inflator end cap may detach from the inflator or the inflator sidewall may rupture.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A detached end cap or inflator rupture can allow compressed gas to escape and project the end cap or fragments of the inflator into the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Dealers will replace both RRAB modules, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 24, 2026. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N262557310. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 21, 2026. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 26V166.

26V166000 · Air Bags

Mar 19, 2026

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500, 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, GMC Sierra 2500, and Sierra 3500 Crew Cab vehicles. The left or right-side roof rail air bag (RRAB) inflator end cap may detach from the inflator or the inflator sidewall may rupture.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A detached end cap or inflator rupture can allow compressed gas to escape and project the end cap or fragments of the inflator into the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the left and right-side RRAB modules, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 16, 2026. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N262549710. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 19, 2026.

25V432000 · Air Bags

Jun 26, 2025

General Motors (GM) is recalling certain 2018 GMC Sierra 1500, 2019 Sierra 2500, 3500, Chevrolet Silverado 3500, and Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Crew Cab vehicles. The left or right-side roof-rail air bag (RRAB) inflator end cap may detach from the inflator or the inflator sidewall may rupture.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A detached end cap or inflator rupture can allow compressed gas to escape and project the end cap or fragments of the inflator into the vehicle, increases the risk of injury or crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the left and right side RRAB modules, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 23, 2025. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N252513060.

24V756000 · Air Bags:side/window:curtain:inflator

Oct 10, 2024

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500, 2018-2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, 3500, and GMC Sierra 2500, 3500 Crew Cab trucks. The left or right-side roof-rail air bag (RRAB) inflator end cap may detach from the inflator or the inflator sidewall may rupture.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A separated inflator end cap or inflator rupture can allow compressed gas to escape, resulting in the end cap or other components being propelled into the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury or crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the left and right side RRAB modules, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 8, 2024. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, and GMC Customer Service at 888-988-7267. GM's number for this recall is N242474500.

20V603000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist:vacuum

Oct 1, 2020

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500 and Yukon vehicles equipped with either a 5.3L or 6.2L V8 engine. The output of the mechanical vacuum pump can decrease over time, decreasing the amount of vacuum/power brake assist.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A decrease in brake assist can increase the brake pedal effort and distance required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Electronic Brake Control Module, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2020. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-866-522-9559, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438. GM's number for this recall is N202300860.

19V761000 · Electronic Stability Control (esc); Service Brakes; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip:wheel Speed Sensor/tone Ring

Oct 24, 2019

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, and GMC Yukon, and 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles equipped with a 5.3-liter engine, a 3.08-ratio rear axle and four-wheel drive. If a wheel-speed sensor fails, while the vehicle is traveling between 41 and 60 mph in four-wheel or automatic mode, the Electronic-Brake Control Module (EBCM) software may activate the driveline-protection system.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Unintended activation of the driveline-protection system will cause unintended braking on the wheel on the opposite side of the failed sensor, causing the vehicle to pull to one side unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the EBCM, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192261050.

Additional source detail variants (3)

Service Brakes

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, and GMC Yukon, and 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles equipped with a 5.3-liter engine, a 3.08-ratio rear axle and four-wheel drive. If a wheel-speed sensor fails, while the vehicle is traveling between 41 and 60 mph in four-wheel or automatic mode, the Electronic-Brake Control Module (EBCM) software may activate the driveline-protection system.

Consequence: Unintended activation of the driveline-protection system will cause unintended braking on the wheel on the opposite side of the failed sensor, causing the vehicle to pull to one side unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the EBCM, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192261050.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip:wheel Speed Sensor/tone Ring

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, and GMC Yukon, and 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles equipped with a 5.3-liter engine, a 3.08-ratio rear axle and four-wheel drive. If a wheel-speed sensor fails, while the vehicle is traveling between 41 and 60 mph in four-wheel or automatic mode, the Electronic-Brake Control Module (EBCM) software may activate the driveline-protection system.

Consequence: Unintended activation of the driveline-protection system will cause unintended braking on the wheel on the opposite side of the failed sensor, causing the vehicle to pull to one side unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the EBCM, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192261050.

Electronic Stability Control (esc)

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, and GMC Yukon, and 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles equipped with a 5.3-liter engine, a 3.08-ratio rear axle and four-wheel drive. If a wheel-speed sensor fails, while the vehicle is traveling between 41 and 60 mph in four-wheel or automatic mode, the Electronic-Brake Control Module (EBCM) software may activate the driveline-protection system.

Consequence: Unintended activation of the driveline-protection system will cause unintended braking on the wheel on the opposite side of the failed sensor, causing the vehicle to pull to one side unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the EBCM, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192261050.

19V645000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist:vacuum

Sep 6, 2019

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Cadillac Escalade, 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, 2015-2018 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon vehicles. The amount of vacuum created by the vacuum pump may decrease over time.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: As the vacuum level drops, the brake assist decreases, increasing braking effort, extending the distance required to stop the vehicle, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Electronic Brake Control Module, free of charge. The recall began October 8, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192268490.

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.