23 recalls covering model years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2026. To check whether your vehicle is affected, look up your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls — a recall may apply only to some vehicles of a given year.
This covers more trucks with the same roof airbag problem as an earlier recall. The airbags mounted in the roof rails above the side windows have a gas canister whose end cap can detach, or whose sidewall can split open. If that happens, the compressed gas escapes and can launch the cap or metal fragments into the cab, where they can injure the people inside. Dealers will replace both roof rail airbag modules at no cost to you.
Your truck has airbags built into the roof rails above the side windows. On these trucks, the end cap on the airbag's gas canister can come off, or the wall of the canister can split open. Either way, the compressed gas inside escapes and can throw the cap or pieces of metal into the cabin where people are sitting. That can seriously hurt someone. GM's fix is to replace the roof airbag units on both the left and right sides.
These trucks have two fuel tanks, and a pump is supposed to move fuel from the rear tank to the front one. That pump may not move enough fuel forward. If the front tank runs low even though there is still gas in the rear tank, the engine can stall — cutting power while you are driving, possibly in traffic. The repair is an engine computer software update, done at a dealer or sent to the truck wirelessly.
The radio in these vehicles was not set to the right status at the factory, so it never downloaded the electronic owner's manual that is meant to live on the dashboard screen. Nothing mechanical is wrong with the vehicle. The concern is that without the manual, owners may not find instructions for using the vehicle safely — including airbag and seating information — and could be hurt in a crash as a result. A dealer resets the radio so the manual downloads automatically.
These trucks were repaired under an earlier transmission recall, but that repair may not have been done correctly. A valve inside the automatic transmission can fail, and when it does the rear wheels can lock up while you are driving. Locked rear wheels can make the truck slide or spin and you could crash. The dealer will inspect your truck and install corrected transmission software at no charge. Owner letters went out on March 6, 2026.
The roof-rail airbags run along the ceiling above the doors. The metal canister that fills these airbags with gas can come apart: an end cap can detach, or the side of the canister can split open. If that happens, pressurized gas escapes and can throw the end cap or pieces of metal into the cabin toward the people inside. Dealers replace both the left and right roof airbag units at no cost to you.
These heavy-duty pickups have a tailgate that opens with an electric button. Water can get into that button's switch and cause a short circuit, which can make the tailgate unlatch on its own while the truck is parked. If the tailgate then swings open, anything loose in the bed can fall out onto the road and create a hazard for you and other drivers. Dealers replace the outside touchpad switch assemblies, and GM says to check the tailgate before driving.
A part inside the automatic transmission, called the control valve, can fail on these diesel-powered pickups and large SUVs. If it breaks, the rear wheels can suddenly lock up while you are driving, which can make the vehicle skid or spin. Your dealer will load new transmission computer software free of charge. That software also checks for a bad control valve, and GM has a special coverage program to pay for repairing transmissions found to have one.
The airbags that drop down from the roof along the side windows are inflated by a metal canister of compressed gas. On these trucks, the end cap can detach from that canister, or the canister wall can split open. If that happens, gas escapes suddenly and can throw the cap or other pieces into the cabin, injuring people inside or causing the driver to crash. The dealer will replace both the left and right roof airbag units at no cost to you.
These heavy-duty Chevrolet and GMC pickups have a button on the outside of the tailgate that releases it electrically. Water can get into that switch and short it out, which can make the tailgate unlatch on its own while the truck is sitting in park. If the tailgate then swings open while you drive, anything loose in the bed can fall out onto the road behind you. The dealer will replace the outside touchpad switch free of charge.
On these heavy duty Silverado and Sierra pickups, the shaft inside the steering gear can break and separate from the steering arm. If that happens, turning the steering wheel stops moving the front wheels and you lose steering control of the truck entirely. There is no warning beforehand, and it could happen at any speed. Dealers will inspect the steering gear and replace it if it is not right, at no cost. This is among the most serious kinds of defect.
Some heavy-duty Silverado and Sierra pickups ordered with the two-fuel-tank option can have a problem with the rear tank. The rear tank may cave in, which stops the fuel pump from moving diesel fuel up to the front tank. If fuel stops reaching the engine, the engine can shut off while you are driving. Dealers will look at the rear tank and the fuel pump, replace either one if needed, and add a vent hose to the rear tank.
These trucks had part of the electronic brake control unit replaced while they were being built on the assembly line. The bolts holding the brake pressure unit together may not have been tightened enough, so the two halves may not seal properly. Water can then get inside, cause an electrical short, and start a fire. A dealer will replace the brake pressure unit assembly free of charge. Owner letters were mailed October 20, 2021.
⚠ NHTSA advises: park outside and away from structures (fire risk).
These Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 heavy-duty trucks have a Duramax 6.6-liter diesel engine and an optional engine block heater, the plug-in warmer used in cold weather. The heater cord or the terminals that connect it to the heater can short out electrically, and that can start a fire. Dealers will replace the block heater and the cord for free. Trucks whose heater was already disabled will be offered free replacement parts.
Seat belts are bolted to the vehicle body and to the seats. On these vehicles, the wrong bolts may have been used at one or more of those spots, so a belt may not be attached securely. If a belt pulls loose in a crash, it may not hold the person wearing it, which can mean more serious injuries. Dealers will find and replace any wrong bolts at no charge.
The front-row center seat belt has a bracket that bolts it to the seat frame. On these trucks and SUVs, that bracket may not have been fastened properly at the factory. If it comes loose, the belt may not hold a person in place during a crash, so someone sitting in the middle front seat could be hurt worse than they should be. Dealers will check both sides and put it together correctly for free.
The roof-rail airbags run along the edge of the ceiling above the side windows and are meant to protect your head in a side crash or rollover. On these vehicles, a piece that directs gas into the airbag may not have been crimped onto the inflator tightly enough and can come off when the airbag deploys. If that happens, the airbag may not protect you as well in a crash. Dealers replace the affected airbag units at no cost.
These trucks received a replacement hood, either under the earlier recall 20V-142 or during other service such as collision repair. The wire loop on the hood that the latch grabs onto may not have been hardened properly, so it can crack and break. If it breaks, the hood can swing open while you are driving and block your view of the road. A dealer will replace the whole hood at no charge.
The hood on these trucks is held shut by a metal loop that the latch grabs onto. On the affected trucks that metal was not hardened properly during manufacturing, so the loop can snap. If it breaks, the hood can fly open while you are driving and block your view of the road. A dealer will replace the whole hood assembly, including the part and the labor, free of charge.
Certain Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups with carpet floor covering have a problem with the front seat belt tensioners — the devices that yank the belt tight in a crash using a small charge of gas. Hot gas can escape through an opening in the tensioner's metal bracket and set the carpet on fire. That could start a fire inside the truck. Dealers will close off the opening in the bracket free of charge.
These diesel pickups have an optional engine block heater — the plug-in warmer that makes cold starts easier. The heater cord, or the terminals where the cord connects to the heater, can short out and fail. A short circuit can damage engine parts and can start a fire. Dealers replace the engine block heater at no cost, and on Silverado and Sierra 2500 and 3500 trucks they also install a new cord routed a different way. Repairs began in December 2019.
These trucks have two gas tanks. The sensor that measures the fuel level in the front tank can stick and read low, so the rear tank keeps pumping gas forward until the front tank is overfull. The pressure can swell the tank until it rubs against the spinning driveshaft and wears a hole in it. Leaking gasoline near anything hot can start a fire. Dealers replace the rear tank's fuel pump, check the front tank, and replace it if needed.
The front seat belts in these trucks were built with the wrong part inside the reel that lets the belt pull out and pull back in. Because of that, the front belts may not behave the way they are designed to during a crash, so you or your front passenger could be injured more seriously than you should be. The trucks also do not meet the federal safety standard for seat belts. A dealer will replace both front seat belt reels for free.
Complaints owners have filed with NHTSA about the GMC Sierra 3500. These are unverified reports; better-selling years collect more.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2020 | 45 | 4 | 2 | 4 |
| 2021 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | 31 | 3 | 0 | 5 |
| 2023 | 28 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| 2024 | 44 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2026 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Recalls and complaint record for one model year at a time: