Lifters and cams fatal failure, requiring extremely pricy replacement of the parts affected or replacement of the entire engine!
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 →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sierra 1500 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
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.
What owners actually said
300 reportsThe failure was a lifter collapsed in my vehicle's motor. I had reduced power and major shuttering due to the issue. If I had been towing a load I would have possibly become a hazard by not maintaining a speed that would have been able to keep up with traffic flow. Also if I had been in an congested traffic area I would have be…
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The failure was a lifter collapsed in my vehicle's motor. I had reduced power and major shuttering due to the issue. If I had been towing a load I would have possibly become a hazard by not maintaining a speed that would have been able to keep up with traffic flow. Also if I had been in an congested traffic area I would have been slower to clear or have major breakdown causing increased backups. It was confirmed by a local shop. There were no warning lights at the time of incident, nor leading up to this incident. Fortunately no accidents or disruptions happened and I had to be towed in to a repair shop.
My 2018 Silverado 1500 has had 3 cylinder 4 misfires over a 9 month period that had to be repaired after warranty. This caused the repair/replacement of the lifters. I have had this happen for a forth time this year January 7 2025 with the same code of "cylinder 4 misfire". That means four of the same issues in one year. I c…
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My 2018 Silverado 1500 has had 3 cylinder 4 misfires over a 9 month period that had to be repaired after warranty. This caused the repair/replacement of the lifters. I have had this happen for a forth time this year January 7 2025 with the same code of "cylinder 4 misfire". That means four of the same issues in one year. I can be driving along smoothly, then suddenly from one light to the next, the check engine light comes on with the misfire to cylinder 4 coming on. It was shared with me the AFM can cause this to happen. On the third time of misfire, I saw a little smoke, then once it was repaired with lifters replaced, no smoke and back to running smoothly. This time the intake cam lobe was scored which voided the warranty. I am now at a crossroad as to what to do now, and have parked the truck for now. It is my understanding the 5.3L engine was considered a solid engine until the AFM was installed. Did I mention this is the first "truck" I have ever owned? I have had a Chevrolet vehicle since I was able to drive, and have never had engine problems of this magnitude. My concern now is that this could cause my engine to lock up while I'm driving around and cause a possible accident. I depend on this truck as my mode of transportation, but now I have to make a decision that impacts me greatly as a senior citizen on a fixed income.
The contact owns a 2018 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH with the rear window defroster activated, there was a burning rubber odor inside the cabin of the vehicle and there was smoke coming from the rear window area. While inspecting the rear window the contact discovered that the rear windo…
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The contact owns a 2018 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH with the rear window defroster activated, there was a burning rubber odor inside the cabin of the vehicle and there was smoke coming from the rear window area. While inspecting the rear window the contact discovered that the rear window connector cover had melted, and the wire connections were a burning amber color, but no flames were present. After disconnecting the electrical connections, approximately 30 seconds later the rear glass panel on the passenger side suddenly shattered. No injuries were reported. The contact’s young daughter was seated in the rear during the failure. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, but the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 60,952.
The contact owns a 2018 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving on the highway at various speeds, the vehicle occasionally shuts off. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road and restarted. The contact was a…
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The contact owns a 2018 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving on the highway at various speeds, the vehicle occasionally shuts off. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road and restarted. The contact was able to continue driving. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer and was diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure was not found. The contact was informed to take the vehicle back to the dealer if the failure returned. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 128,000.
Electrical system turns off power steering while driving Dashboard lights up like a Christmas tree service track service brake stability Had this service back in 2022 August the problems have resurfaced there are no recalls have spent lots of money and still failing Spent almost a year at the dealership fast forward to years la…
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Electrical system turns off power steering while driving Dashboard lights up like a Christmas tree service track service brake stability Had this service back in 2022 August the problems have resurfaced there are no recalls have spent lots of money and still failing Spent almost a year at the dealership fast forward to years later the same problem is occurring I am running out of money
Engine failed before 100,000 miles. Lifter failed leading to a damaged camshaft and replacement of lifters being require. Required 10,000$ in repairs. Failure light appeared suddenly. No issues were known of ahead of incident.
When accelerating (at times) truck will shudder. Sometimes barely noticeable, sometimes violently. Was told by dealership that torque converter is going out and will be $4000 to replace but may not even fix issue. Looking online, appears that MANY (1,000’s) people are having same issue and that there is even a class action lawsu…
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When accelerating (at times) truck will shudder. Sometimes barely noticeable, sometimes violently. Was told by dealership that torque converter is going out and will be $4000 to replace but may not even fix issue. Looking online, appears that MANY (1,000’s) people are having same issue and that there is even a class action lawsuit about this issue. But no investigation by NHSTA yet, even though I can see many many complaints of similar issues
Shaking when accelerating. Sometimes so extreme it feels like you have been hit by another car. Random, inconsistent, and comes out of nowhere
The contact owns a 2018 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine temperature rose to 210 degrees and the vehicle started jerking. The contact stated that the failure also occurred while idling for a while, or while stopped at a traffic light while refueling, and before accelerating. T…
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The contact owns a 2018 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine temperature rose to 210 degrees and the vehicle started jerking. The contact stated that the failure also occurred while idling for a while, or while stopped at a traffic light while refueling, and before accelerating. The failure occurred once the engine temperature rose to 210 degrees. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic at a transmission shop who confirmed there was a failure with the transmission; however, the mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 117,000.
Official recalls
726V325000 · 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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