GMC Sierra 1500 Transmission Problems by Year
By CarWhere Research · Updated
Yes. Owners have filed 1,142 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2009–2025 GMC Sierra 1500. For the GMC Sierra (all variants), that's 0.54 transmission complaints per 1,000 sold across the 2015–2022 cohorts, 1.9× the median of the 53 models we can rate. The worst years are 2017, 2021 and 2018.
Transmission complaints
1,142
Filed with NHTSA, 2009–2025 models
Per 1,000 sold
0.54
2015–2022 cohorts, GMC Sierra
Share of all complaints
17.4%
of 6,577 complaints for this model
Transmission recalls
3
NHTSA campaigns, all years
GMC Sierra 1500 transmission complaints by model year
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA whose component list includes Power Train (transmission, transfer case and driveline), and per 1,000 vehicles sold where a published U.S. sales figure exists. Worst years are highlighted.
| Model year | Transmission complaints | Per 1,000 sold | Share of all complaints | Crash / fire / injury | Transmission recalls | Transmission TSBs* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 9 | — | 3.2% | 0 | — | 68 |
| 2010 | 5 | — | 2.3% | 0 | — | 87 |
| 2011 | 32 | — | 8.7% | 1 | — | 80 |
| 2012 | 8 | — | 5.3% | 0 | — | 99 |
| 2013 | 8 | — | 4.8% | 0 | — | 115 |
| 2014 | 78 | — | 9.1% | 3 | — | 240 |
| 2015 | 112 | 0.6 | 13.8% | 2 | — | 184 |
| 2016 | 11 | 0.06 | 25% | 1 | — | 168 |
| 2017WORST | 142 | 0.9 | 33.4% | 4 | — | 130 |
| 2018WORST | 125 | 0.59 | 42.7% | 5 | — | 126 |
| 2019 | 124 | 0.55 | 20.6% | 2 | 20V650000 | 235 |
| 2020 | 86 | 0.5 | 19.7% | 1 | 26V08300024V79700020V650000 | 189 |
| 2021WORST | 126 | 0.58 | 24.6% | 0 | 26V08300024V797000 | 188 |
| 2022 | 116 | 0.53 | 19.1% | 4 | 26V08300024V797000 | 175 |
| 2023 | 79 | — | 19.3% | 2 | — | 134 |
| 2024 | 61 | — | 19.6% | 1 | — | 76 |
| 2025 | 20 | — | 22.2% | 1 | — | 24 |
- Per 1,000 sold = complaints ÷ published U.S. calendar-year sales × 1,000. Calendar-year sales stand in for the model-year cohort. A dash means no published figure or fewer than 5,000 sold, too small to divide by.
- Sales for the GMC Sierra cover every variant, so the per-1,000 column counts complaints for all of those variants, not just the GMC Sierra 1500. The complaint column is the GMC Sierra 1500 alone.
- Older model years have had more time on the road to collect complaints, so compare neighboring years, not 2010 against 2024.
- Crash / fire / injury = complaints where the owner reported a crash, a fire or an injury.
- *Technical service bulletins in the year's leading TSB categories that name the transmission.
Common GMC Sierra 1500 transmission problems owners describe
We searched the narratives of all 1,142 transmission complaints for symptom keywords. One complaint can mention several, so the shares don't add up to 100%.
GMC Sierra 1500 years to avoid for the transmission
2017 GMC Sierra 1500
142 transmission complaints (33.4% of the year's 425), 0.9 per 1,000 sold. Most often described: jerking, lurching or harsh shifts.
2021 GMC Sierra 1500
126 transmission complaints (24.6% of the year's 513), 0.58 per 1,000 sold. Most often described: jerking, lurching or harsh shifts. Covered by transmission recalls 26V083000, 24V797000.
2018 GMC Sierra 1500
125 transmission complaints (42.7% of the year's 293), 0.59 per 1,000 sold. Most often described: jerking, lurching or harsh shifts.
Worst years are those with at least 10 transmission complaints and at least 1.5 times the model's median year. For every year's overall verdict, including other systems, see the GMC Sierra 1500 years to avoid.
GMC Sierra 1500 transmission recalls
NHTSA recall campaigns filed under Power Train for any GMC Sierra 1500 model year. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check a specific car by VIN on NHTSA's site.
- 26V083000 · 2026-02-12 · 2020–2022 models
The transmission control valve may fail and cause the rear wheels to lock up.
- 24V797000 · 2024-10-24 · 2020–2022 models
The transmission control valve may fail and cause the rear wheels to lock-up.
- 20V650000 · 2020-10-22 · 2019–2020 models
One of the driveshaft joints may not have been properly welded, causing the driveshaft to separate while the vehicle is moving.
Which transmission does the GMC Sierra 1500 use?
- GM 8-speed automatic — 2015–2018
- GM 10-speed automatic — 2019–present (select engines)
Years are as listed for that transmission's applications. Some apply to certain engines only.
Related research
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 have transmission problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 142 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2017 GMC Sierra 1500, 33.4% of all 425 complaints for that year, or 0.9 per 1,000 sold (GMC Sierra, all variants). The most common description is "jerking, lurching or harsh shifts" (56 complaints). 4 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Does the 2021 GMC Sierra 1500 have transmission problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 126 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2021 GMC Sierra 1500, 24.6% of all 513 complaints for that year, or 0.58 per 1,000 sold (GMC Sierra, all variants). The most common description is "jerking, lurching or harsh shifts" (25 complaints). 2 transmission-related recalls cover it: 26V083000, 24V797000.
Does the 2018 GMC Sierra 1500 have transmission problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 125 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2018 GMC Sierra 1500, 42.7% of all 293 complaints for that year, or 0.59 per 1,000 sold (GMC Sierra, all variants). The most common description is "jerking, lurching or harsh shifts" (43 complaints). 5 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Which GMC Sierra 1500 years have the most transmission complaints?
2017 (142), 2021 (126) and 2018 (125), by owner complaints filed with NHTSA that name the transmission. Raw counts favor older and higher-selling years, so compare the per-1,000-sold column too.
What are the most common GMC Sierra 1500 transmission problems?
In the 1,142 transmission complaints, owners most often describe jerking, lurching or harsh shifts (24.3%), shudder or vibration (16%) and transmission repaired or replaced (12.5%). One complaint can mention several symptoms.
Is this a transmission failure rate?
No. These are complaints owners chose to file with NHTSA. Many failures are never reported, and one complaint is not a confirmed defect. Dividing by sales shows how often owners complain relative to how many were sold, which makes models of different sizes comparable.
How we count
Counts are unique owner complaints (by NHTSA ODI number) filed with NHTSA for each GMC Sierra 1500 model year, from NHTSA's public complaints data fetched July 2026 to November 2026. A complaint counts as a transmission complaint when NHTSA's component list for it includes Power Train (transmission, transfer case and driveline).
Per 1,000 sold divides complaints by published U.S. calendar-year sales for that year. A year needs at least 5,000 sales to get a rate, and a model needs at least 3 such years for its overall rate. The comparison median covers every model with at least 50 transmission complaints that clears those floors.
These are complaint rates, not failure rates. Owners report some problems more than others, and a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
Sources
- NHTSA complaints by vehicle (owner complaints API) — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Report a vehicle safety problem — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration