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2018 GMC Sierra Reliability & Recall Report

Based on 12 NHTSA recalls and 371 owner complaints. All data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — free, no signup required. The counts include both the light-duty (1500) and the heavy-duty (2500/3500) pickups, which NHTSA lists under the same model name.

F
16/100

Very High Reported Activity — 2018 GMC Sierra

The 2018 GMC Sierra shows very high recall and complaint activity in NHTSA data. Counts are raw and are higher for popular models, so see how we score this below. Review the issues and recalls carefully, and have the vehicle inspected before buying.

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12
NHTSA Recalls
12 recalls on record
371
Owner Complaints
Filed with NHTSA
10
Crash Reports
3 fire reports
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NHTSA Recalls — 2018 GMC Sierra (12)

All recalls listed below must be repaired by an authorized GMC dealer at no charge to the owner.

🔧 Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Power Assist: Vacuum
As the vacuum level drops, the brake assist decreases, increasing braking effort, extending the distance required to stop the vehicle, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Electronic Brake Control Module, free of charge. The recall began October 8, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438,…
NHTSA #19V645000
🔧 Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: Wheel Speed Sensor/Tone Ring
Unintended activation of the driveline-protection system will cause unintended braking on the wheel on the opposite side of the failed sensor, causing the vehicle to pull to one side unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the EBCM, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC customer…
NHTSA #19V761000
🔧 Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Power Assist: Vacuum
A decrease in brake assist can increase the brake pedal effort and distance required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Electronic Brake Control Module, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2020. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-866-522-9559,…
NHTSA #20V603000
🔧 Air Bags: Side/Window: Curtain: Inflator
A separated inflator end cap or inflator rupture can allow compressed gas to escape, resulting in the end cap or other components being propelled into the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury or crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the left and right side RRAB modules, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 8, 2024. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, and…
NHTSA #24V756000
🔧 Air Bags
A detached end cap or inflator rupture can allow compressed gas to escape and project the end cap or fragments of the inflator into the vehicle, increases the risk of injury or crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the left and right side RRAB modules, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 23, 2025. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267 or…
NHTSA #25V432000
🔧 Air Bags
A detached end cap or inflator rupture can allow compressed gas to escape and project the end cap or fragments of the inflator into the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the left and right-side RRAB modules, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 16, 2026. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267 or Chevrolet…
NHTSA #26V166000
🔧 Air Bags
A detached end cap or inflator rupture can allow compressed gas to escape and project the end cap or fragments of the inflator into the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace both RRAB modules, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 24, 2026. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267 or Chevrolet customer service at…
NHTSA #26V325000
🔧 Seat Belts: Front: Retractor
The seat belt retractors may not perform as intended during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace both front seat belt retractor assemblies, free of charge. The recall began March 24, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at…
NHTSA #17V567000
🔧 Engine
A short-circuit may damage the engine components and increase the risk of fire.
Remedy: GM will contact owners, dealers will replace the engine block heater, free of charge. Additionally, in Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500 vehicles, dealers will install a new rerouted heater cord….
NHTSA #19V328000
🔧 Equipment: Electrical: Engine Block Heater
An electrical short-circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will replace engine block heaters and heater cords. Vehicles that have this feature disabled as a remedy to the safety condition will be contacted and offered replacement block heaters…
NHTSA #21V496000

Showing 10 of 12 recalls. View all on NHTSA.gov →

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Most Common Problems — 2018 GMC Sierra

Based on 371 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Bars show relative complaint frequency.

Power Train
125
Engine
46
Electrical System
39
Steering
37
Service Brakes
24
Unknown Or Other
20
Exterior Lighting
11
Structure
8
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GMC Sierra — Complaints by Year

A spike means more owner complaints were filed for that model year. The 2018 model year is highlighted.

→ Recently checked GMC Sierra VINs — free recall, safety and specs report for any VIN.

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✅ Best model years: 2012, 2013, 2016 — Lowest complaint rates for this model.

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Frequently Asked Questions — 2018 GMC Sierra

Is the 2018 GMC Sierra reliable?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2018 GMC Sierra has 12 recall campaigns and 371 owner complaints. This model year shows elevated recall or complaint activity — review the details and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.
How many recalls does the 2018 GMC Sierra have?
The 2018 GMC Sierra has 12 NHTSA recalls. Affected systems include: see recall details above. All recalls are repaired free at authorized dealers.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 GMC Sierra?
The most commonly reported problems for the 2018 GMC Sierra are: Power Train, Engine, Electrical System, Steering. See the complaint breakdown above for full details.
Is the 2018 GMC Sierra safe to buy?
The 2018 GMC Sierra has some safety and reliability items to review before buying. Ensure all 12 recalls are completed at a dealer. A pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic is strongly recommended.
What year GMC Sierra should I buy?
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the best years for the GMC Sierra are: 2012, 2013, 2016. These show the lowest complaint rates.
How we score this: The score starts at 100 and subtracts points for the number of NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints filed for this model year, and for complaints that report crashes or fires. Newer model years get a small bonus because they have had less time to collect reports. These are raw counts and are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, so popular models tend to have more recalls and complaints. Complaints are unverified owner reports. This grade is not a prediction about any individual vehicle and is not an inspection: check a specific car’s VIN for open recalls and get an independent pre-purchase inspection.
Data source: All recall and complaint data is sourced directly from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public API. Data is cached and refreshed every 7 days. Recall and complaint counts reflect data available at the time of last cache update. For the most current recall status on a specific vehicle, enter the VIN above or visit NHTSA.gov/recalls.