2019 GMC Sierra 1500 problems owners report most
2019 GMC Sierra 1500 problems are documented in public: owners have filed 658 complaints with NHTSA, the earliest in 2018 and the most recent in 2026. Sorting those by the component the filer named puts the engine clearly first, at 313 of the 658 complaints, close to half of everything filed.
A complaint is not a repair bill and not a defect finding. It is one owner telling the regulator something went wrong. What makes the count useful is the concentration: when one component takes 48 per cent of everything filed on a car, the pattern is doing more than chance.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | 313 | 48% |
| POWER TRAIN | 140 | 21% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 115 | 17% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 95 | 14% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 45 | 7% |
| STEERING | 42 | 6% |
Against the 2018 car, this model year has drawn 116 per cent more complaints (658 against 305). The 2018 car was led by its powertrain instead, so the pattern shifted between the two years. A rise is worth more attention than a fall here, because a newer car has had fewer years on the road to accumulate reports.
Of those complaints, 13 describe a crash and 3 describe a fire. Filers reported 12 injuries.
Recalls on the 2019 GMC Sierra 1500
A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator found a safety defect, and the repair is free at a franchised dealer however old the car is. There are 10 recalls on this model year. Your own car may be covered by some, all or none of them, so check the VIN rather than the model.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, XT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, Traverse, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, 2018-2021 Chevrolet Express, GMC Savana, 2019-2020 Chevrolet Blazer, Silverado 1500, GMC Acadia, Sierra 1500, and certain Continental tires sold to the aftermarket for various model year 2018-2021 vehicles. The affected tires were cured for too long during production.
The risk. Over cured tires may develop a break in the sidewall resulting in sudden air loss or a belt edge separation which could lead to a tread/belt loss. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix. GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tires, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 22, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N212329050.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Cadillac CT6, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles. Due to an Electronic Brake Control Module (EBCM) software error, the vehicle's Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and Antilock Brake System (ABS) may become disabled. Furthermore, if this specific error occurs, the vehicle's diagnostics will not illuminate the instrument cluster ESC and ABS malfunction warning lights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 126, "Electronic Stability Control" and 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
The risk. If the driver operates the vehicle unaware that ESC and ABS are not functioning, there is an increased risk of a crash.
The fix. GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the EBCM, free of charge. The recall began February 4, 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, or GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267. GM's number for this recall is N192268090.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 trucks. The battery positive (B+) cable rings may have been manufactured with excessive glue, potentially causing an intermittent electrical connection between the B+ cable and alternator.
The risk. An intermittent electrical connection between the B+ battery cable and the alternator could cause the vehicle to stall, increasing the risk of a crash. The intermittent connection could also lead to electrical arcing, which could generate sufficient heat to damage surrounding material, increasing the risk of a fire.
The fix. GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect for the presence of glue or other contamination at the B+ cable attachment to the alternator and clean the connection and reattach the B+ cable connection, as necessary. If arcing has damaged the cable, nut, or alternator, the dealer will replace the damaged components. All services will be performed free of charge. GM issued owners an interim notification on February 4, 2020. GM issued second notice and the recall began March 9, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267. GM's number for this recall is N192273510.
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500, 2021 Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe and GMC Yukon XL and 2020-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 vehicles. The seat belt brackets may not be secured to the seat frame in the front-row center seating position.
The risk. If a seat-belt bracket is not secured, the seat belt may not properly restrain an occupant in the front-row center seat position, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
The fix. GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect left-side and right-side front-row center seat-belt bracket attachments and reassemble it correctly as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 26, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N202314670.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles. These vehicles received updated software for the Electronic Brake Control Module (EBCM). This software has an error, and as a result, the vehicle's electronic brake assist may be disabled. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 126, "Electronic Stability Control" and 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
The risk. A loss of electronic brake assist can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix. GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the EBCM, free of charge. The recall began February 24, 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267. GM's number for this recall is N192268091.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500, and 2020 Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Sierra 2500, and Sierra 3500 vehicles equipped with carpet floor covering. When the front seat belt pretensioners deploy, hot gas may vent through an opening in the pretensioner bracket, possibly igniting the carpet.
The risk. A vehicle fire could result if materials ignite inside the vehicle.
The fix. GM will notify owners, and dealers will close off the opening in the pretensioner bracket, free of charge. The recall began December 13, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267. GM's number for this recall is N192270600.
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles. The affected tires were cured for too long during production.
The risk. Over cured tires may develop a break in the sidewall resulting in sudden air loss or a belt edge separation which could lead to a tread/belt loss. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix. Dealers inspect and replace the tires as necessary, free of charge, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 25, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212336230.
General Motors (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2021 GMC Sierra 1500 and Silverado 1500 vehicles equipped with certain accessory road tires and a 17" spare tire. The 17" spare tire provided with the vehicle is not compatible for use with the accessory wheels, which can cause the anti-lock brake system (ABS) to not function properly under certain conditions.
The risk. An ABS system that does not function properly can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix. Dealers will provide a new 17" spare tire and wheel assembly that is compatible with the accessory wheels, free of charge. Dealers will also apply a new spare tire information label, and provide owners with an owner's manual insert clarifying which spare tire to use with the accessory road tires and with the 17" original tires. Owner notification letters were mailed February 7, 2022. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-462-8782 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212346510.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 and 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 trucks. One of the driveshaft joints may not have been properly welded, causing the driveshaft to separate while the vehicle is moving.
The risk. If the driveshaft separates, there may be a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of crash.
The fix. GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driveshaft, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin December 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267. GM's number for this recall is N202314870.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Crew Cab and GMC Sierra 1500 Crew Cab vehicles. The passenger-side frontal air bag module may have been damaged during assembly, possibly resulting in the air bag not inflating properly in the event of a crash.
The risk. In the event of a crash, an air bag that does not inflate properly can increase the risk of injury.
The fix. GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger side air bag module, free of charge. The recall began on December 18, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N182198820.
In owners own words
These are complaints filed about the engine, quoted as written. They are one persons account rather than a diagnosis, and they are here because a symptom described by a driver is easier to recognise than a component name.
I am writing to formally document an ongoing and serious issue with our 2019 GMC Sierra 1500 (VIN: [XXX] ), which I strongly believe may be related to the current GM recall involving L87 V8 engines—despite my vehicle not yet being included. Early last year, our family experienced a sudden and frightening loss of power while driving at full speed on a curve, with our children and their car seats secured in the back. The vehicle lost power abruptly, accompanied by a loud ticking noise from the engine. This incident could have easily led to a serious accident and was terrifying for all of us. Si
On XXX at approximately 3:00 p.m., I was driving on the highway in [XXX], at approximately 65 mph when my truck suddenly displayed a warning stating that all oil pressure had been lost and that the engine needed to be shut off immediately. Within roughly seven seconds of seeing and comprehending the warning, I attempted to safely shut down the engine. Before I could do so, the engine seized while the truck was still traveling at highway speed.The engine failure caused an immediate loss of power steering and power-assisted braking, leaving me with limited control as the truck coasted at highway
Subject: Urgent Vehicle Safety Complaint – 2019 GMC Sierra Denali Escalating mechanical and electrical failures — many beginning before 100,000 miles, and continuing as of today, at approximately 110,000 miles. These issues have made the vehicle unreliable and unsafe to drive. Since purchasing the vehicle, I have had it serviced regularly and reported that it was driving rough, jerking into gear, and showing early signs of engine and transmission problems. These issues were noted during multiple multipoint inspection services, yet no lasting solutions were provided. Major issues have included:
Since I purchased my vehicle in 2021, I continued to have issues with my oil pressure light coming on usually about 2000 - 3000 miles past the oil change. When checking oil, I would find that it was low 2 quarts of oil each time. I reported this to the GM Dealer and they did oil consumption tests and determined the oil loss was within GM tolerances. So apparently it is ok to burn a quart of oil every 1000 - 1500 miles. Then fast forward to January 2025, apparently my rear main seal was blown out. Unfortunately by then my Powertrain warranty had expired. So that cost 3,794. Now fast forward to
I had left work and pulled out of the parking lot to head towards the freeway. I had driven about 3 blocks and the truck made an indicator alert noise. My dash panel said reduced power mode or something to that effect. The truck felt as if it lost power. Luckily I was able to pull to the side of the road at which point I put it into park and shut it off. I waited a moment and then tried to restart it. The dash panel said something but it was too fast for me to read before it went away. The engine was cranking but it did not restart. I tried several more times before calling roadside assistance
Just had my 2019 GMC sierra 1500 Denali engine fail. My truck has 75k miles oil changed regularly no codes, issues or dash lights. Recently had it at GMC I Folsom California for a rear window replacement. Full inspection with no issues and nothing found wrong. Sunday 12/7 with my girlfriend and son in the truck about to get on the freeway felt a weird shift as I got on the freeway on-ramp. As I went to accelerate I had my traction control lights come on, lost power, and flashing check engine lights limped the truck off the side of the freeway and exited to a gas station. My truck wasn’t leakin
Every component, by complaint count
The full breakdown of what owners named when they filed. Components below the top ten are grouped out of this table.
| Component | Complaints | Share of all complaints |
|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | 313 | 48% |
| POWER TRAIN | 140 | 21% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 115 | 17% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 95 | 14% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 45 | 7% |
| STEERING | 42 | 6% |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 26 | 4% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 24 | 4% |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 16 | 2% |
| STRUCTURE | 15 | 2% |
How other model years compare
The same nameplate across the years we hold. Complaint counts fall naturally for newer cars because fewer of them have been on the road for long, so read the column as a rough signal rather than a ranking. In this set the 2019 GMC Sierra 1500 has drawn the most complaints and the 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 the fewest.
What to check on the engine
Engine reports range from oil consumption between services to rough running, stalling and a loss of power under acceleration. Oil use is the one owners notice latest, because nothing warns you until the level is already low.
Buying a used 2019 Sierra 1500
Ask for every service record and check the gap between oil changes against the level on the dipstick now. An engine using oil quietly is the most expensive fault on this list and the easiest one to miss on a test drive.
If you already own one
Start a log of oil level between services. A documented consumption rate is what turns a conversation with a dealer from an opinion into a claim, and some manufacturers have covered these repairs well past the warranty.
- Check the oil level and condition yourself before buying.
- Ask for service records covering every oil change.
- Record oil level between services to document consumption.
- Have a compression or leak down test done before a major repair.
Where the 2019 GMC Sierra 1500 problem data comes from
Every figure on this page is counted from complaints and recalls published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, read November 1, 2026. Complaints are filed by owners and are not verified by the agency before publication. We count each complaint once per component it names, so a complaint naming two components appears in both rows.
- NHTSA recalls and complaintsRead November 1, 2026
- NHTSA record for the 2019 GMC Sierra 1500Read November 1, 2026
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