GMC Years to Avoid by Model
GMC years to avoid: the 2008 Acadia (857 complaints), 2022 Sierra 1500 (531 complaints) and 2023 Yukon (207 complaints) lead the list. 7 of the 8 GMC models we track have at least one avoid-rated year; the cleanest records include the 2014 Yukon and 2012 Sierra 1500. Based on 18,127 NHTSA owner complaints, rated model year by model year.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints, recall campaigns & service bulletins · Updated 2026-11-07 · By CarWhere Research · Methodology
GMC years to avoid, model by model
| Model | Years to avoid | Best years | NHTSA complaints |
|---|---|---|---|
| GMC Yukon | 2008201520162021202220232024 | 2012201420182019 | 3,637 (2008–2025) |
| GMC Sierra 2500 | 2015201720202024 | — | 1,137 (2008–2025) |
| GMC Yukon XL | 202120222023 | — | 1,274 (2008–2025) |
| GMC Sierra 1500 | 2015201920202021202220232024 | 2009201220132016 | 6,179 (2008–2025) |
| GMC Savana | None rated avoid | — | 108 (2008–2025) |
| GMC Acadia | 20082009201020142017201820192021 | — | 5,102 (2008–2025) |
| GMC Terrain | 201620172018 | 20242025 | 0 (2016–2027) |
| GMC Sierra 3500 | 201720202024 | — | 690 (2008–2025) |
Verdicts are each model’s own, rated against that model’s history (see the methodology); counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
The worst year for each GMC model
2008 GMC Acadia: 857 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021 · Full Acadia breakdown →
2022 GMC Sierra 1500: 531 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2015, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 · Full Sierra 1500 breakdown →
2023 GMC Yukon: 207 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2008, 2015, 2016, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 · Full Yukon breakdown →
2023 GMC Yukon XL: 184 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2021, 2022 and 2023 · Full Yukon XL breakdown →
2024 GMC Sierra 2500: 96 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2015, 2017, 2020 and 2024 · Full Sierra 2500 breakdown →
2024 GMC Sierra 3500: 47 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2017, 2020 and 2024 · Full Sierra 3500 breakdown →
2018 GMC Terrain: 0 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2016, 2017 and 2018 · Full Terrain breakdown →
Looking for the years to buy instead?
Frequently asked questions
What GMC years should you avoid?
By model: Yukon 2008, 2015, 2016, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024; Sierra 2500 2015, 2017, 2020 and 2024; Yukon XL 2021, 2022 and 2023; Sierra 1500 2015, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024; Acadia 2008, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021; Terrain 2016, 2017 and 2018; Sierra 3500 2017, 2020 and 2024. Each verdict matches that model's own years-to-avoid page, built from NHTSA owner-complaint and recall records.
What are the best GMC years to buy?
The cleanest federal records by model: Yukon 2012, 2014, 2018 and 2019; Sierra 1500 2009, 2012, 2013 and 2016; Terrain 2024 and 2025.
Which GMC model has the most years to avoid?
The GMC Acadia, with 8 avoid-rated model years (2008, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021) across 18 years on record (2008–2025).
How are GMC years to avoid rated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity, converted to a rate per year on the road, compared with the rest of that model's own history and adjusted for recalls. Models not yet scored that way are ranked by combined NHTSA complaint and manufacturer service-bulletin volume. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
Where does the GMC data come from?
Federal records: 18,127 NHTSA owner complaints across 8 GMC models, plus NHTSA recall campaigns and manufacturer service bulletins filed with NHTSA. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.