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1994 GMC Sierra

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Sierra years

Owner complaints for the 1994 GMC Sierra are substantially higher than the model-year median of 53.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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

Limited mileage data: 27 of 190 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

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.

  • Visibility. Review the 115 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Seats. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports2 fire reports4 injury reports

Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints

13 reports
Clear category filter
54,000 miles · Oct 4, 2005
Service Brakes, HydraulicCrash

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 GMC SIERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN STOPPING DISTANCE WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AT LOWER SPEEDS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CONDITION WERE WORSE WHEN THE ROADS WERE WET. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE 4- WHEEL DRIVE MODE THE ABS SYSTEM W AUTOMATICALLY SHUT OFF, AND THE VEH…

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DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 GMC SIERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN STOPPING DISTANCE WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AT LOWER SPEEDS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CONDITION WERE WORSE WHEN THE ROADS WERE WET. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE 4- WHEEL DRIVE MODE THE ABS SYSTEM W AUTOMATICALLY SHUT OFF, AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. ALSO, WHEN THE VEHICLE IN THE 2-WHEEL DRIVE MODE A PROBLEM WOULD ALWAYS OCCURRED WHEN BRAKING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING HE TRIED TO STOP TO AVOID HITTING A DEER, BUT COULD NOT EVEN THOUGH BOTH FEET WERE APPLIED TO THE BRAKE. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR A DIFFERENT MODEL YEAR, BUT THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED ALTHOUGH IT EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEMS. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE FRONT ROTORS, BACK BRAKE DRUMS, ALL OF THE BRAKE LININGS, AND THE FRONT BRAKE CALIPERS. THE DEALERSHIP SUGGESTED THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE BRAKES. THE CONSUMER HAS NOT CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PREVIOUS OWNERS TOLD HIM THAT THERE HAVE BEEN PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. *SC . *AK

NHTSA ODI #10138491

Mileage unknown · Aug 28, 2005
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

RUSTED STEEL BRAKE LINE GOING FROM FRONT OF VEHICLE TO REAR BRAKES. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10134448

Mileage unknown · Dec 10, 2003
Service Brakes, HydraulicVisibilityCrash

THE CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE USING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION THE WIPERS OPERATED POORLY DUE TO A WIPER MOTOR DEFECT. *AK THE BRAKES FAILED TWICE. *SCC *JB

NHTSA ODI #10039736

Mileage unknown · Oct 10, 2000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

BRAKE HOSES WERE SHREDDING OFF INSIDE AND TEMPORARILY BLOCKING THE BRAKE FLUID WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THIS PROBLEM CAUSED THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE TO PULL TO THE LEFT WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES. NLM

NHTSA ODI #555929

Mileage unknown · Jul 17, 2000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

INTERMITTENTLY WHILE BRAKING VEHICLE PULLS TO LEFT WHICH MAY CAUSE A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. *AK *ML

NHTSA ODI #865475

Mileage unknown · Oct 29, 1999
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THE PEDAL PULSATES AND THE VEHICLE DOES NOT STOP. OWNER HAS TO APPLY EXCESSIVE PREASURE IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #852172

Mileage unknown · Dec 18, 1998
Electrical SystemFuel System, GasolinePower Train

WINDSHIELD WIPERS DON'T WORK PROPERLY, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE WHEN DRIVING IN THE RAIN. ALSO, WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK SOMETIMES AND SOMETIMES DON'T WORK. AFTER THE DEALER REPAIRED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T START UP BECAUSE THE DRIVER SIDE BATTERY SHORTED OUT AND THE VEHICLE DIED O…

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WINDSHIELD WIPERS DON'T WORK PROPERLY, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE WHEN DRIVING IN THE RAIN. ALSO, WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK SOMETIMES AND SOMETIMES DON'T WORK. AFTER THE DEALER REPAIRED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T START UP BECAUSE THE DRIVER SIDE BATTERY SHORTED OUT AND THE VEHICLE DIED OUT, CAUSING THE STARTER TO OVERHEAT AND BURN OUT WHICH RESULTED IN THE RIGHT SIDE PASSEGER'S BATTERY TO SHORT OUT AND THEN DIE OUT.THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP EVERY THREE MONTHS FOR REPAIR SERVICE, AND THE CONSUMER JUST GOT THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE SHOP. *AK OWNER HAS ABS BRAKES, HE STATES THAT HIS BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR. WHEN DRIVING IN DAMP OR WET WEATHER CONDITIONS THE REAR BRAKES LOCK UP, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SKID TO A STOP. FUEL INJECTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 8 TIMES. RIGHT FRONT AXLE CONTINUES TO BREAK AND THE ACTUATOR HAS BEEN REPLACED FIVE TIMES ALREADY. WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ENGINE MISSES AT INTERMITTENT TIMES, RUNS ROUGH, AT TIMES, AT TIMES WILL SHUT DOWN, HAD VEHICLE INTO DEALERSHIP 3-4 TIMES AND STILL NOT FIXED: ENGIN. BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FAILED, SPEEDOMETER IS INACCURATE,REAR SHOCK WAS BLOWN,CLUTCH WAS REPLACED,FUEL INJECTION PUMP WAS REPLACED, ABS LIGHT WAS COMING ON,FULE FILTER WAS REPLACED. * SB

NHTSA ODI #832487

Mileage unknown · Oct 23, 1998
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WAS DRIVING ABOUT 15 MPH WHEN THE CONSUMER WENT TO APPLY THE BRAKES, COULD HEAR THE AIR COMING FROM THE BRAKES AND THE BRAKES LOCKED UP. THE CONSUMER LET THE VEHICLE GO AND THE VEHICLE CAME TO STOP. *AK

NHTSA ODI #829396

Mileage unknown · Jun 3, 1998
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER FAILED SEVERAL TIMES.

NHTSA ODI #536207

Mileage unknown · Feb 13, 1998
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

FRONT BRAKE PADS FAILED.

NHTSA ODI #530510

Official recalls

3

98V150001 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer

Jul 1, 1998

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, 2 AND 4-WHEEL DRIVE. SOLDER JOINTS NEAR THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR CAN CRACK CAUSING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN INOPERATIVE WIPERS, REDUCING A DRIVER'S VISIBILITY, AND INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BOARD AND COVER.

95V241000 · Seat Belts:front

Dec 13, 1995

IF BOTH THE LAP-BELT AND SHOULDER-BELT ENERGY MANAGEMENT LOOPS ON THE FRONT SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES RELEASE AT OR NEAR THE SAME TIME, ACCELERATION FORCES CAN CAUSE THE BUCKLE RELEASE MECHANISM TO ACTIVATE AND ALLOW THE BUCKLE TO SEPARATE FROM THE LATCH.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE BUCKLE RELEASED, THE SYSTEM WOULD FAIL TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE OCCUPANT RESTRAINT PROTECTION.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE STITCHING THAT CREATES THE ENERGY MANAGEMENT LOOP IN THE SHOULDER BELT(S).

95V242000 · Seat Belts:front

Dec 13, 1995

THESE VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH FRONT SEAT BELT SYSTEMS WITH NO ENERGY MANAGEMENT LOOPS AND MAY NOT MEET THE HEAD INJURY CRITERIA REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE OCCUPANTS OF THESE SEATS MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE RETRACTOR PORTION OF THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY(S) WITH ONE HAVING THE NEWLY DESIGNED ENERGY-MANAGEMENT TWIN-LOOP SYSTEM.

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.