RoadVitals

2005 GMC Sierra Engine Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Engine reportsComplaints 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.
17
Latest Aug 12, 2015
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
15%
of 117 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2005 GMC Sierra submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 17 reports on file name it.

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

Owner reports naming engine

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Engine
Filed Aug 12, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 GMC SIERRA. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY INCREASED IN SPEED TO APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DISPLAY PANEL READ "REDUCED POWER MODE" AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE THROTTLE BODY WIRE HARNESS, THE THROTTLE ACCELERATOR CONTROL MODULE, AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ASSEMBLY WERE REPAIRED. THE REPAIR FAILED TO REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 270,000.

NHTSA ID
10748147
Incident
Feb 6, 2014
Mileage
270,000 mi
Engine
Filed Dec 6, 2014

ENGINE HAS LOSE OF ENGINE COOLANT OVER TIME WITH NO EVIDENCE OF LEAKS FOUND. WE BROUGHT THE TRUCK TO A GM DEALER WHICH TOLD US THIS WAS A KNOWN DEFECT ISSUE. THEY PROVIDED US WITH BULLETIN # 06-06-01-019B DOCUMENT ID 1986750 WHICH CLEARLY STATE THIS WAS DEFECT IN THE CASTING OF THE CASTECH HEADS. THE COST WITH PARTS AND LABOR IS $3,100.00 DOLLARS. CLEARLY, GM SHOULD COVER THIS COST SINCE THIS OBVIOUSLY IS A KNOWN DEFECT. SEARCHING THE INTERNET YOU CAN SEE A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE WITH LITTLE OR NO HELP FROM GM. *TR

NHTSA ID
10662540
Incident
Dec 5, 2014
Mileage
114,000 mi
Engine
Filed May 24, 2014

CRANK VEHICLE TURN CORNER , MESSAGE ENGINE POWER REDUCED, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED, TURN AROUND RETURN 200 FEET TO HOME, CHECK ALL FLUIDS CONNECTIONS TURN OFF IGNITION, UNABLE TO START ENGINE, LET SIT, UNABLE TO START ENGINE, DRIVE WIFE TO WORK OTHER VEHICLE, RECHECK ALL FLUIDS CONNECTIONS, REFILL COOLANT, CRANK ENGINE, COOLANT DISCHARGE ON OVERFLOW LINE ON COLD ENGINE, KILL ENGINE WOULD NOT START, GO TO AUTOZONE GET EXTRA COOLANT AND NEW GAS CAP. RETURN COOLANT LEVEL OK. INSTALL NEW GAS CAP, ENGINE HARD TO CRANK LIKE VAPOR LOCK OR NO FUEL TO ENGINE. CRANK ENGINE, LET RUN, KILL ENGINE. UNABLE TO CRANK, RETURN TO WORK, RETURN IN 3 HOURS, REINSTALL OLD GAS CAP, CHECK FLUID LEVELS, OK. CRANK ENGINE LET RUN FOR 5 MINUTES, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STILL ON, WAIT ONE HOUR, CRANK ENGINE BACK TO NORMAL CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OFF, ENGINE RUN OK, DRIVE SHORT TEST DRIVE. UNABLE TO OPERATE VEHICLE SAFELY FOR 6-8 HOUR PERIOD, UNSURE IF VAPOR LOCK, BAD FUEL, FUEL FILTER, BAD PLUGS, COIL ON PLUGS, LOOSE PLUG WIRE, ETC. NEVER HAD ANY ENGINE PROBLEMS IN THE PAST. ONLY INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER FAILURE, AND STEERING CLICK KNOCK THAT WAS FIXED BY DEALER. RESEARCH PROBLEM ON INTERNET, IT APPEARS THIS IS A THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR FAILURE THAT GMC HAS IDENTIFIED AS A SAFETY PROBLEM AND MADE A SPECIAL EXTENDED COVERAGE FOR 2008 TO CURRENT YEAR VEHICLES OR TEN YEARS OR 120000 MILES. FROMRESEARCH ON COMPUTER, IT APPEARS TENS OF THOUSANDS OF COMMENTS REGARDING THIS LOSS OF POWER AND ENGINE STOP. I AM OLDER MAN AND REACTED WITH CAUTION AND WAS NEAR MY HOME. HAD I BEEN ON A BUSY STREET OR HIGHWAY A CRASH OR INJURY WOULD MOST CERTAINLY OCCURRED WITH THIS DISABLED VEHICLE THE CAUSE. I HAD NEVER IMAGINED THIS WOULD HAPPEN TO ME NOR HAD I HEARD OF IT FROM ANY MEDIA SOURCE OR DEALER MEMOS. I AM HESITANT TO DRIVE ANY DISTANCE OR ON CERTAIN HIGH TRAFFIC ROADS DUE TO THIS PROBLEM RECURRING. *TR

NHTSA ID
10593888
Incident
May 23, 2014
Mileage
59,640 mi
ElectricalEngine
Filed Apr 1, 2014

MY VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY. I WAS WALKING DOWN THE DRIVEWAY AND THOUGHT THE CAR WAS BEING STOLEN AS IT WAS STARTING. THERE WAS NO ONE IN THE CAR. THE CAR DID START SEVERAL TIMES ON ITS OWN SO I DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY CABLE AND HAD IT SERVICED IMMEDIATELY. HOW LONG IT HAD BEEN DOING THIS I DO NOT KNOW. I DO KNOW IT HAD NOT BEEN DOING THIS ON THE PREVIOUS DAY AS I WALK BE THERE EVERY DAY AT LEAST 2 TIMES. *TR

NHTSA ID
10576141
Incident
Feb 27, 2014
Mileage
68,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jan 24, 2014

TRUCK WAS MAKING A "KNOCKING" NOISE UPON START. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP MECHANIC AND INFORMED, BASED ON THE NOISE AND WHERE IT'S COMING FROM, IT'S MOST LIKELY A CRACKED CYLINDER AND INFORMED THIS IS "COMMON." REALLY?? WILL COST THOUSANDS TO REPAIR ... WHICH I DON'T HAVE. FRUSTRATING TO SAY THE LEAST. IT HAS LOW MILES, SERVICED REGULARLY. IF THIS IS "COMMON" WHY WON'T GMC STEP UP AND TAKE CARE OF IT?? *TR

NHTSA ID
10561402
Incident
Dec 27, 2013
Mileage
97,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jan 17, 2014

TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR NEW BRAKES AND COOLANT LEAK. NO COMPLAINT ABOUT BRAKES, BUT COMPLAINT ABOUT COOLANT LEAK. COOLANT LEAK ISSUE IS CONNECTED TO GM TSB 06-06-01-019B AND AFFECTS CASTECH 706 CYLINDER HEADS. THE COOLANT IS LEAKING INTO THE HEADS BECAUSE OF A KNOWN POROSITY ISSUE. MY ENGINE WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED IF THE PROBLEM IS NOT ADDRESSED BECAUSE OF GLYCOL CONTAMINATION. GM DEALER SAID TO JUST "KEEP AN EYE" ON IT. A SECOND, INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, DID CONFIRM THE COOLANT LEAK IS NOT EXTERNAL AND MY ENGINE WILL FAIL IF THE HEADS ARE NOT REPLACED. THIS APPEARS TO BE A KNOWN ISSUE WITH GM FOR MANUFACTURE YEARS 2001-2006 ON THE VEHICLES WITH THE 5.3L ENGINE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10560337
Incident
Jan 14, 2014
Mileage
100,872 mi
Engine
Filed Dec 4, 2013

FAULTY CASTECH HEADS ARE LEAKING COOLANT INTO ENGINE OIL. GM IS AWARE THAT THE 5.3L V8 ENGINES HAVE FAULTY HEADS, AND THEY REFUSE TO PLACE A RECALL TO FIX THE PROBLEM. IT IS NOT RIGHT TO NOT STAND BEHIND YOUR PRODUCT. THE REPAIR COSTS ARE IN THE $5000 RANGE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10554861
Incident
Dec 4, 2013
Mileage
147,526 mi
Engine
Filed Jul 30, 2012

EXHAUST IN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. SERVICE MAN INFORMED ME OF BROKEN BOLTS AND THAT I MUST REPLACE BOTH MANIFOLDS BEFORE NEXT INSPECTION. *TR

NHTSA ID
10468287
Incident
Jul 2, 2012
Mileage
63,520 mi
Engine
Filed Nov 9, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 GMC SIERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS WITHIN THE EVAPORATION SYSTEM AND THAT THE EVAPORATION VENT AND FILTER NEEDED TO BE CHANGED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 110,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120,000.

NHTSA ID
10365093
Incident
May 13, 2010
Mileage
110,000 mi
Engine
Filed Sep 8, 2006

SINCE WE PURCHASED THE 2005 GMC SIERRA WE HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE RADIATOR HOSE BURSTING WITHIN THE FIRST FEW MONTHS AND HAVING TO HAVE IT TOWED. SINCE THEN WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL OVERHEATING PROBLEMS. THE DEALER CONSTANTLY SAYS THEY CAN NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. WE INSISTED THEY CHANGE THE THERMOSTAT ON ONE OF OUR TIMES THERE = THEY REPLACED THAT AND A HOSE. WE CAME HOME AND ANTI-FREEZE WAS LEAKING. WE THOUGHT IT MAY BE THEY OVERFILLED IT. THEN IT KEPT LEAKING AND THE TRUCK OVERHEATED AGAIN 4TH OR 5TH TIME. THIS WAS JUST DRIVING HOME FROM ABOUT 10 MILES. WE HAD IT TOWED IN AGAIN AND AGAIN WERE TOLD THEY CAN FIND NOTHING WRONG!!! WE WANT ANSWERS TO THIS PROBLEM. THIS TRUCK IS USED FOR OUR BUSINESS AND IN A YEAR HAVE HAD TO HAVE A NEW VEHICLE TOWED IN 3-4 TIMES AND DRIVEN IN. WE WANT ANSWERS. WE SUGGESTED THEY CHANGE THE WATER PUMP AFTER TALKING TO ANOTHER MECHANIC AND THEY SAID THEY HAD PROBLEMS WITH THAT IN A DIFFERENT YEAR TRUCK, BUT HAVE SINCE FIXED IT. SO INSTEAD THEY SEND YOU HOME AND DO NOTHING. *JB

NHTSA ID
10167712
Incident
Sep 8, 2006
Mileage
7,838 mi
Engine
Filed Feb 17, 2006

OVERHEATING OF 2005 GMC DURAMAX DIESEL ENGINE WHILE PULLING SMALL 5TH WHEEL IN MOUNTAINS OF COLORADO. THIS CAUSED ME TO HAVE TO SLOW DOWN TO THE POINT WHERE I WAS A HAZARD TO MYSELF AND OTHERS ON THE HIGHWAYS BECAUSE OF MY VEHICLE CAUSING A TRAFFIC OBSTRUCTION. *JB

NHTSA ID
10150482
Incident
Jul 20, 2005
Mileage
6,200 mi
Body & structureEngineFuel system+3 more
Filed Feb 15, 2006

2005 GMC SIERRA SLT VIN [XXX] I DROVE THE TRUCK 237 MILES HOME AND NOTICED IT WAS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY. I CALLED GMC TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEMS. THE TRUCK HAS BINDING IN THE FRONT AXLES, BRAKES, OR DIFFERENTIAL. THIS CAUSES THE TRUCK TO UNDERSTEER HEAVILY AS THE TRUCK WORKS TO TURN THE FRONT WHEELS OVER THE ROAD SURFACE. THIS ALSO MAKES THE TRUCK DIFFICULT TO STEER, U TURNS ARE ESPECIALLY A PROBLEM, THE TRUCK HAS SLUGGISH ACCELERATION AND STAYS LONGER IN THE LOWER GEARS. THE REAR TIRES ARE PRONE TO LOSE TRACTION DUE TO THE INCREASED ROLLING RESISTANCE FROM THE FRONT WHEELS, BRAKING PERFORMANCE IS COMPROMISED, THE TRUCK WILL SWAY BACK AND FORTH AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AS THE ROLLING RESISTANCE OF THE FRONT WHEELS VARIES FROM SIDE TO SIDE. THE TRUCK TENDS TO PULL TO THE LEFT, AND THE SUSPENSION IS ALWAYS PRELOADED FROM THE ADDITIONAL STRESS. THE ENGINE LABORS TO MAINTAIN SPEED ON LEVEL GROUND WITH THE VEHICLE UNLOADED. ON OCCASION THE FRONT WHEELS WILL HOP OFF THE PAVEMENT AS IT IS EASIER FOR THEM TO COMPRESS THE SUSPENSION/TORSION BARS THAN BE TURNED OVER THE ROAD. IT IS DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN A STRAIGHT LINE WITH THE TRUCK SINCE THE FRONT WHEELS TEND TO FOLLOW THE CONTOURS OF THE ROAD. THE FRONT WHEEL ASSEMBLIES MAKE A LOW FREQUENCY SOUND WHEN DRIVING. THE TRANSMISSION, ENGINE, AND DRIVETRAIN COMPONENTS ARE ALWAYS LOADED AND DRIVING ON SNOW OR ICE WOULD BE TREACHEROUS SINCE THE FRONT WHEELS WOULD STOP TURNING ON THE LOW FRICTION SURFACE. DRIVING IN THE RAIN IS BAD ENOUGH AND THE REAR WHEELS TEND TO BREAK LOOSE. THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEHAVED STRANGELY, STUTTERING ON OCCASION AS IT TRIED TO FIND THE PROPER GEAR, IT HAS SLIPPED OR FREEWHEELED AS I WENT TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP. THE WRONG OIL FILTER WAS INSTALLED, THE AIR CLEANER IS LOOSE AND RATTLES IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE POWER STEERING PROVIDES LITTLE OR NO ASSIST AND REQUIRES MORE EFFORT THAN I HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED FROM A VEHICLE THAT IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE POWER STEERING. *NM UPDATED 07/17/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF

NHTSA ID
10150358
Incident
Jun 9, 2005
Mileage
6 mi
EngineTransmission
Filed Jan 9, 2006

EXTREME OVERHEATING OF 3500 DURAMAX WHILE TOWING. LOSS OF POWER AND OVERHEATING OF TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE. NUMEROUS CONTACTS WITH GENERAL MOTORS AND ATTORNEY GENERAL IN MICHIGAN. GM ACKNOWLEDGES THERE IS A PROBLEM BUT DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS THEREFORE NO FIX FOR THE PROBLEM. ARE CONTINUING TO FIND A FIX. WE TOW A 5TH WHEEL IN THE COLO. MOUNTAINS AND THIS COULD LEAD TO VERY SERIOUS PROBLEMS IF THE ENGINE SHOULD BLOW AND WE WOULD HAVE LOSS OF STEERING AND BRAKING. *JB

NHTSA ID
10147212
Incident
Jul 4, 2005
Mileage
500 mi
Engine
Filed Nov 18, 2005

VEHICLE HAS A VERY ROUGH IDLE AFTER WARMING UP. WHEN STOPPED FOR A LIGHT THE VEHICLE STUMBLES SO BAD IT CAUSES THE CAB TO SHAKE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY DOWNLOADED THE COMPUTER AND COULD FIND NO DEFECTS. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS NORMAL FOR THIS YEAR GROUP WITH THE 5.3L ENGINE. *NM

NHTSA ID
10143086
Incident
Nov 9, 2005
Mileage
100 mi
Engine
Filed Sep 19, 2005

05 DURAMAX IS RUNNING VERY WARM AND OVERHEATING WHILE TOWING. FOUR TIMES WE HAVE TOWED AND ALL FOUR TIMES THE TRUCK RAN WARM THE LAST TIME THE HEADS UP DISPLAY SAID ENGINE OVER HEATING. THIS TRUCK IS RATED TO TOW 16,000 + POUNDS AND I'M TOWING AROUND 15,500 AND IT CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT OVERHEATING THE COOLANT AND TRANSMISSION. *JB

NHTSA ID
10136982
Incident
Jun 15, 2005
Mileage
2,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jul 19, 2005

ENGINE OVERHEAT, REQUIRING PULLING OFF TO SHOULDER, NO A/C FOR OCCUPANTS OF VEHICLE INCLUDING TWO SMALL CHILDREN

NHTSA ID
10129387
Incident
Jun 25, 2005
Mileage
7,500 mi
EngineTransmission
Filed May 16, 2005

DT: THE ENGINE HAS DIED, ONCE WHILE DRIVING AND ONCE AT A STOP SIGN. THE TRANSMISSION WAS JUMPING AND WAS PUT IN NEUTRAL TO STEER TO ANOTHER LANE. THE OTHER TIME THERE WAS NO SIGN OF A PROBLEM BEFORE ENGINE STALLED OUT. THERE HAS BEEN MANY TIMES THIS HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP DUE TO TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. HAVE BEEN WITH GM A FEW TIMES AND THEY CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THEY WOULD SEND A REPRESENTATIVE TO CHECK OUT THE TRUCK. THEY NEVER SENT ONE, AS OF TODAY, GM SAID THAT THEY DIDN'T DO THAT. CONSUMER WANTED A BUY BACK. CONSUMER TALKED TO BBB TODAY, THEY SAID THAT THE CONSUMER MIGHT BE GETTING A CALL FROM GM. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE IN THE SHOP 3 TIMES, ALL DUE TO TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE RELATED PROBLEMS. DEALER HAS TRIED TO FIX PROBLEM 3 DIFFERENT TIMES, BUT THAT IS NOT WORKING AND HAS MADE CONDITION WORSE THAN BEFORE. *TT

NHTSA ID
10121076
Incident
Feb 15, 2005
Mileage
500 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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

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Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .