2012 GMC Sierra 3500 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2012 GMC Sierra 3500, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Engine323.1%
- Fuel system323.1%
- Powertrain (other)323.1%
- Electrical215.4%
- Airbags17.7%
- Brakes17.7%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE PULLING MY FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER 12500# AT HIGHWAY SPEED 65 MPH PULLING A GRADE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE DASH. THIS REDUCED AND LIMITED THE SPEED TO 50 MPH AND STEPS THE TRUCK DOWN FROM THERE UNTIL YOU CAN ONLY DO 20 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE. THIS ISSUE HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES IN THREE MONTHS. *TR
THIS STARTED JUST A FEW WEEKS AFTER I PURCHASED THE TRUCK, STILL UNDER WARRANTY. IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP TWICE FOR THIS. IT HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES. WHILE DRIVING THE TRUCK WILL SHUT OFF LIKE YOU TURNED THE KEY OFF. VERY DANGEROUS WHEN DRIVING IN TRAFFIC. HAS BEEN IN SHOP TWICE FOR THIS PROBLEM, GMC HAS FAILED TO FIND OR FIX THE PROBLEM. I TOLD THEM THAT I WOULD NOT PUT MY FAMILY BACK INTO A TRUCK THAT HAS THE POSSIBILITY OF CAUSING A WRECK AND GETTING THEM HURT. FILED A CLAIM [XXX] WITH GMC CUSTOMER SERVICE, TRYING TO GET SOME HELP. NOTHING HAPPENED. THE GMC SERVICE CENTER TOLD ME THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND OR FIX THE PROBLEM, AND THAT I NEEDED TO PICK UP MY TRUCK. I TOLD THEM THAT IF THEY COULD NOT FIND OR FIX THE PROBLEM, I WOULD NOT PUT MY FAMILY BACK INTO AN UNSAFE TRUCK THAT COULD POSSIBLY GET THEM HURT OR KILLED. I TRIED TO HAVE SOMEONE FROM GMC UPPER MANAGEMENT CONTACT ME SO WE COULD COME UP WITH A SOLUTION. BUT NO ONE FROM MANAGEMENT WOULD CONTACT ME. SO I ENDED UP HAVING TO TRADE THIS TRUCK IN FOR A NEW ONE, WHICH COST ME MONEY OUT OF MY POCKET, HIGHER PAYMENTS, LONGER TERMS ETC. DON'T THINK IT WAS RIGHT THAT GMC WOULD NOT STAND BEHIND THERE PRODUCT. WHY IS IT THAT GMC DID NOT HAVE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT A SAFETY ITEM THAT THEY COULD NOT FIX ? I WAS NOT ASKING FOR MONEY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, JUST SWAP IT OUT EVEN FOR A SAFE TRUCK THAT I COULD PUT MY FAMILY IN WITHOUT FEAR OF THEM GETTING HURT. BUT INSTEAD, GMC DECIDED TO FORGET ABOUT THE PROBLEM, AND IT ENDED UP COSTING ME AND MY FAMILY MONEY THAT COULD HAVE BEEN USED FOR OTHER THINGS LIKE FOOD, BILLS, MEDICAL ETC. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
DRIVING FROM GM DEALER FOR TWO MILES CHANGE FUEL FILTER MESSAGE APPEARED AND ENGINE DIED. TOWED TO A DEALER DIAGNOSED AS A HIGH PRESSURE INJECTOR PUMP FAILURE WITH METAL CONTAMINATION TO FUEL SYSTEM. I HAVE FOUND A BULLETIN DATED 2009 FROM EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS. THIS JOINT STATEMENT HAS INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUEL USED IN THE USA THAT I WAS NOT AWARE OF AND MAY HAVE AVOIDED THIS FAILURE. THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR AS I USE MY TRUCK FOR WORK. *TR
WHILE PULLING MY FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER 12500# AT HIGHWAY SPEED 65 MPH PULLING A GRADE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE DASH. THIS REDUCED AND LIMITED THE SPEED TO 50 MPH AND STEPS THE TRUCK DOWN FROM THERE UNTIL YOU CAN ONLY DO 20 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE. THIS ISSUE HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES IN THREE MONTHS. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE VEHICLE WILL NOT SHIFT PROPERLY WHEN TOWING A TRAILER. WHILE GOING UP A HILL, THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT DOWNSHIFT PROPERLY. WHILE GOING DOWNHILL, THE VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTS TO 2ND GEAR WHILE GOING 60 MPH. I HAVE CONTACTED GM SEVERAL TIMES (THEY HAVE IT ON FILE) THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THEY UNDERSTAND BUT SAID THAT THEY CANNOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE IT WAS BRAND NEW. OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, TRANSMISSION SHIFTS HARD TO HIGHER GEAR. THIS STARTED ALL OF A SUDDEN WILL TAKE TO DEALERSHIP. *JS
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
The service brakes lights has come on a d disabled my brake controller. This is a safety issue while towing and completely unacceptable.
TRAVELING AT 60MPH ON TURNPIKE PULLING LONG HEAVY TRAILER IN RAIN AT NIGHT WITH MODERATE TO HEAVY TRAFFIC. SUDDEN SHUTDOWN OF ALL SYSTEMS. ENGINE SHUT OFF AND ALL ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS SHUT DOWN. UNABLE TO RESTART OR GET ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS TO WORK. WORKED VEHICLE TO SHOULDER AND HAD IT TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP. WAITING FOR THEM TO OPEN TO DIAGNOSE AND REPAIR. THIS MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL FAILURE HAD THE POTENTIAL FOR A CATASTROPHIC INCIDENT. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
Our Dash board cracked very badly from the top next to the speaker to the passenger side air bag. We purposely use a dash board cover and never place heavy things on it. This is a safety issue as if getting in an accident wouldn’t be bad enough flying shrapnel would be worse. We just had it fixed at a dealership to the tune of $2500. This is not okay as I see this is a constant problem.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
The service brakes lights has come on a d disabled my brake controller. This is a safety issue while towing and completely unacceptable.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .