2019 GMC Sierra 3500: Problems & Reliability
TOO FEW REPORTS2019 GMC Sierra 3500: TOO FEW REPORTS — 13 owner complaints; top issue: service brakes (4 complaints).
The verdict engine has only 13 complaints for the 2019 — under the 15-complaint floor — so it is not rated yet rather than called clean by silence.
Sources: NHTSA owner complaints (ODI), recall campaigns and manufacturer service bulletins, CarWhere verified buyer prices · Model years 2015–2026 compared · Updated 2026-11-07 · By CarWhere Research · Methodology
13
NHTSA complaints
12
Model years compared
655
Service bulletins
7
Recall campaigns
Most-reported 2019 GMC Sierra 3500 problems
Service brakes is the clear leader, named in 31% of complaints.
| Component | Complaints | Share of 2019 complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 4 | 31% |
| Electrical system | 3 | 23% |
| Unknown or other | 2 | 15% |
| Equipment | 2 | 15% |
| Engine | 2 | 15% |
A complaint can name more than one component, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
2019 GMC Sierra 3500 recalls
7 recall campaigns on federal record for the 2019, reported between Apr 25, 2019 and May 21, 2026.
| NHTSA campaign | Reported | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 26V325000 | May 21, 2026 | Air bags |
| 26V166000 | Mar 19, 2026 | Air bags |
| 25V432000 | Jun 26, 2025 | Air bags |
| 24V756000 | Oct 10, 2024 | Air bags › Side/window › Curtain › Inflator |
| 23V047000 | Feb 2, 2023 | Fuel system, diesel › Storage › Tank assembly |
| 21V496000 | Jul 1, 2021 | Equipment › Electrical › Engine block heater |
| 19V328000 | Apr 25, 2019 | Engine |
2019 GMC Sierra 3500 service bulletins
The manufacturer has filed 655 technical service bulletins with NHTSA for the 2019 — close to the 735 of the median Sierra 3500 year from 2015 to 2026. Coded bulletins most often cover engine & cooling (134), electrical system (123), engine (73). Bulletins are repair instructions for dealer technicians, not recalls.
The 2019 vs. the year before and after
From the 2018 to the 2019, owner complaints held roughly level (14 → 13). The 2020 that followed jumped 3.5× (13 → 45), so the 2019 is the cleaner of the two by count.
| Model year | Verdict | Complaints | Bulletins | Recalls | Avg. buyer-paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Sierra 3500 | TOO FEW REPORTS | 14 | 749 | 6 | — |
| 2019 (this page) | TOO FEW REPORTS | 13 | 655 | 7 | — |
| 2020 Sierra 3500 | AVOID | 45 | 895 | 8 | — |
Prices are averages of CarWhere verified buyer transactions (shown when 3+ deals exist for the year). Full year-by-year table: GMC Sierra 3500 years to avoid.
What to check on a used 2019 GMC Sierra 3500
Service brakes (4 complaints on the 2019): check pedal feel, pulling and grinding, look at rotor and pad wear, and ask when the brake fluid was last changed.
Electrical system (3 complaints on the 2019): test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system, and have the car scanned for stored fault codes.
Engine (2 complaints on the 2019): cold-start it yourself and listen for ticking or knocking; check for oil leaks, low coolant and a lit check-engine light, and ask for oil-change records.
Air bags (1 complaint on the 2019): confirm the air bag warning light goes out after start-up and that every air bag recall was completed on this VIN.
Recalls: confirm all 7 campaigns above were completed on this VIN.
Know what to pay for the right 2019 GMC Sierra 3500 — then negotiate it
Years-to-avoid tells you which year. Search live listings to see the target price and what verified buyers actually paid for it.
- Verified buyer-paid target price for your exact make, model & trim
- DealDrive AI negotiator reads any dealer quote and writes your counteroffer
- Comparable real deals near you, from verified transactions
Found a 2019 GMC Sierra 3500 for sale? See what the seller isn't telling you.
The CarWhere Used Car Report checks salvage records, salvage-auction listings, stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail, and full market history for one VIN — $16.99, one time.
FAQ
Is the 2019 GMC Sierra 3500 reliable?
2019 GMC Sierra 3500: TOO FEW REPORTS — 13 owner complaints; top issue: service brakes (4 complaints). The verdict engine has only 13 complaints for the 2019 — under the 15-complaint floor — so it is not rated yet rather than called clean by silence.
What are the most common 2019 GMC Sierra 3500 problems?
By NHTSA owner complaints, the most-reported areas on the 2019 GMC Sierra 3500 are service brakes (4, 31%), electrical system (3, 23%), unknown or other (2, 15%). The manufacturer has 655 service bulletins on file for this model year.
How many recalls does the 2019 GMC Sierra 3500 have?
7 recall campaigns on federal record for the 2019 GMC Sierra 3500, most recently 26V325000 (May 21, 2026, air bags); 26V166000 (Mar 19, 2026, air bags); 25V432000 (Jun 26, 2025, air bags). Recall completion is VIN-specific, so check the exact car.
How do I check a specific 2019 GMC Sierra 3500 before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report for the exact VIN — recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for this model year, the original window sticker where the manufacturer publishes one, and a market price check from verified buyers. One-time purchase, no subscription.
Sources & method
Complaint, recall and service-bulletin counts for the 2019 GMC Sierra 3500 come from NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation; the verdict is CarWhere’s severity-weighted, time-on-road-adjusted score compared with the model’s own median year. Complaints are owner allegations, not verified defects. Full methodology.