RoadVitals

2020 GMC Sierra Denali Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
9
Latest Jun 16, 2026
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
2
Reports on file since Oct 8, 2020

What this page shows

Our database holds 9 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2020 GMC Sierra Denali. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–9 of 9

Engine
Filed Jun 16, 2026

The contact owns a 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali. The contact stated that while parking the vehicle, there was an abnormal grinding sound coming from the engine. There was no warning light illuminated. The local dealer was contacted about the failure; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 98,500.

NHTSA ID
11744588
Incident
May 1, 2025
Mileage
98,500 mi
Engine
Filed Nov 18, 2025

The contact owns a 2020 GMC Sierra Denali. The contact stated that while stopped at a traffic light with the brake pedal depressed, the vehicle shut off unexpectedly. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact made several attempts to restart the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to restart. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to the dealer where a diagnostic test was performed. The contact was later informed that the engine had seized due to engine bearing failure, and the contact was provided an estimate for a new engine. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) and linked the recall to the failure. The manufacturer was notified about the failure and the recall, and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired and remained with the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 190,000.

NHTSA ID
11700178
Incident
Nov 10, 2025
Mileage
190,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Nov 9, 2023

The contact owns a 2020 GMC Sierra Denali. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH, the Adaptive Cruise Control feature became inoperable. The contact stated that when the vehicle got too close to another vehicle, the Adaptive Cruise Control feature failed to activate as designed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 6,700. The VIN was unavailable.

NHTSA ID
11554317
Incident
Oct 10, 2022
Mileage
6,700 mi
Electrical
Filed Apr 26, 2023

The contact owns a 2020 GMC Sierra Denali. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH at night, the vehicle stalled and the “Shift to Neutral and Restart Vehicle” message was displayed. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle and was unable to visibly see the roadway. The contact was able to park on the side of the road. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to his residence, and then to the local dealer the next day, where the vehicle was diagnosed with needing the starter to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID
11519126
Incident
Apr 8, 2023
Engine
Filed Nov 23, 2021

The contact's father owns a 2020 GMC Sierra Denali 3500. The contact stated that while his father was driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed with a cylinder #1 misfire. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was then taken to Wackerli Auto Center (1363 N Holmes Ave, Idaho Falls, ID 83401) on numerous occasions and diagnosed with a faulty sensor. The dealer replaced the sensor; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000. The VIN was unavailable.

NHTSA ID
11441449
Incident
Jun 1, 2021
Mileage
20,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Apr 7, 2021

BRAKES SQUEAK. STARTED ABOUT 3000 MILES. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES.

NHTSA ID
11406920
Incident
Aug 15, 2020
Mileage
3,000 mi
Engine
Filed Dec 16, 2020

KNOCKING COMING FROM ENGINE - NOTICEABLE UNNECESSARY NOISE IN WHICH DEALER CAN NOT FIX THE PROBLEM

NHTSA ID
11383781
Incident
Aug 24, 2020
BrakesEngine
Filed Oct 29, 2020

TWO ISSUES BROKEN VALVE SPRING CAUSED ENGINE TO SHUT DOWN, SECOND SERVICE BRAKE, BRAKE FAILURE LIGHT, SERVICE ESC, SERVICE TRAILER BRAKE MESSAGES CAUSING BRAKE FAILURE

NHTSA ID
11367036
Incident
Oct 29, 2020
Mileage
350 mi
Engine
Filed Oct 8, 2020

I NOTICED SEVERAL SPOTS OF OIL ON MY DRIVEWAY, I THEN INSPECTED THE UNDERSIDE OF THE ENGINE (L5P) AND NOTICED OIL DRIPPING FROM SEVERAL BOLTS AND LINES. MY VEHICLE, A 2020 2500HD DENALI DIESEL, HAS ONLY 2,200 MILES ON IT FROM NORMAL HIGHWAY DRIVING.

NHTSA ID
11363419
Incident
Oct 7, 2020
Mileage
2,200 mi

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.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .