2017 GMC Sierra 1500 Complaints

VISIBILITY/WIPER — Filed 01/02/2026

While using the rear defrost my daughter smelled burning. Moments after the smell the rear window exploded. This is a sliding three part window and it shattered on the passenger side. My daughter was hit by the exploding glass.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 12/31/2025

Started car via remote start. When I went out to the car I noticed smoke in the cab. I then observed the rear power slide window to be smoking and further discovered the rear defroster wires the be smoldering creating considerable smoke. The tempered glass then began to spider and completely cracked. There is a former recall on the rear slide window involving fire hazards and the wiring components. It should also be noted that our 9 month old’s car seat is directly below the window and defroster wiring were the smoldering took place. No warnings lamps were observed prior to the incident.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — Filed 06/16/2025

strong smell of gasoline nauseating, Attempted to start vehicle intense spraying of gasoline all around gas tank vehicle started – dripping profusely around gas tank over chassis frame, Rear driver side of vehicle 16 June 2025

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VISIBILITY/WIPER — Filed 12/23/2024

My rear defrosters shorted out causing a small fire and causing the window to explode. The recall for this issue has already been performed on this vehicle...

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 01/29/2024

In January 2024, I parked my truck in my garage and shortly after I smelled an electrical burning smell in our house. When I opened the garage, it had smoke throughout the garage and a very strong odor of electrical burning smell. I moved my vehicle outside and tried to find the source, but it was too strong to narrow it down, and the garage smelled like burnt electrical for days. I took the truck to a service shop and they could not find anything wrong at the time. Today, May 2024, I was having trouble getting my trailer lights working. Upon further inspection, I discovered the 7-way interface wiring harness on my vehicle had electrically shorted out and melted a hole in the plastic housing and left melted plastic on the truck frame. The tag on the wiring harness states TAG #138359 7-WAY INTERFACE HARNESS W/O 134971. I believe this electrical short/fire should be part of the NHSTA Recall 18E-014. That recall states those are aftermarket harnesses, but the harness on the vehicle in this complaint is original to the vehicle and was installed by the manufacturer. I plan to take the vehicle back to the dealer to have the harness replaced, but I am expecting pushback since the NHSTA recall states this is only aftermarket harnesses.

VISIBILITY — Filed 04/27/2024

The contact owns a 2017 GMC Sierra. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed with the defroster activated, a smoke odor was detected inside the vehicle. The contact's wife checked the rearview mirror and saw flames coming from the rear windshield. The contact's wife pulled over and heard a loud explosion from the rear windshield shattering before turning off the vehicle. The flames from the rear windshield were extinguished on their own after the vehicle was turned off. There were no injuries sustained. The vehicle was restarted, and the contact's wife deactivated the defroster before driving to work. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was determined that the rear windshield needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.

AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS — Filed 07/31/2023

The contact owned a 2017 GMC Sierra Denali. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, he briefly fell asleep. As a result, the vehicle left the roadway and collided with the exit median, coming to a complete stop after careening into a side ditch. The air bags did not deploy, and the seat belt failed to properly retrain, resulting in head and neck injuries. No warning lights were illuminated. A police report was filed, and injuries were reported. The contact was transported to an area hospital by EMT and treated for various lacerations to his head and arms and an unstable fracture of the C7 in his lower neck, later requiring surgery. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and deemed a total loss by the contact's insurance provider due to a bent chassis. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and they inspected the vehicle, concluding that the impact was not sufficient to trigger air bag deployment, estimating that the vehicle was traveling between 1 and 4 MPH and that the air bags were functioning properly. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 32,000.

STEERING,STRUCTURE,SERVICE BRAKES — Filed 12/26/2022

Back up sensors not working. Truck also not having a vin number even though it was bought from the the Chevy dealership. Also was told the electrical system is not working properly

SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — Filed 01/22/2023

I was pulling in to a parking spot and pressed the brakes and the truck didn’t stop and I hit the sign. When I looked at the dash there was a “service brake assist “ warning on.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC — Filed 09/16/2022

The contact owns a 2017 GMC Sierra LD. The contact stated that on two separate occasions while driving at approximately 50 MPH, the front passenger side wheel locked inadvertently. As a result, another vehicle crashed into the attached trailer which caused the trailer to jackknife. The driver alert warning light illuminated. The air bags failed to deploy. No medical attention was required. No injuries were sustained. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact then stated that on a separate occasion while driving at normal speed, the front passenger side wheel inadvertently locked without warning. As a result, the strut detached from the control arm which caused the attached trailer to detach and crashed into the vehicle that caused the vehicle to crash into a ditch. the rear passenger side air bags deployed however, the front driver and passenger side air bags failed to deploy. No injuries were sustained. No medical attention was required. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the contact’s residence and then towed to a collision center. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact referenced an unknown NHTSA recall related to the Service Brakes, Hydraulic as a possible cause. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 51,117.

STRUCTURE — Filed 03/01/2022

This complaint is about the automatic extending/retracting foot steps on my GMC Sierra. The step is supposed to extend outwards when the door is opened and retract back under the truck when the door is closed. Instead, when the door is opened the step extends and at random will retract back inwards. Aside from being annoying this is actually dangerous as the other day i was exiting my truck with one foot on the step and the other reaching down to the ground when the step started retracting. The foot on the step was pulled under the truck and got stuck in the step. This threw me off balance and the other foot hit the ground at an angle and twisted my ankle. I called a local gmc dealership about it and they said they have seen a lot of trucks come in lately with the same issue and would have to replace the entire step for $1800. I brought it to an independent shop and they cleaned and greased the hinges so it happens less often now but it is still a problem. There are no warning lights or messages on the vehicle. It will also extend and retract at random when the truck is parked and off. This began happening around March of this year.

TIRES — Filed 07/06/2022

The contact owns a 2017 GMC Sierra equipped with Goodyear, Tire Line: Wrangler SRA, Tire Size: 275/55/R30, DOT Number not available: The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, the passenger’s side front tires experienced blowout. The contact was able to pull over safely and replace the tire. The failure reoccurred and the front driver side tire blowout causing the contact to sideswipe another vehicle and crashing into a building. The airbags deployed but no injury and a police report were filed. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer had been notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — Filed 07/20/2019

. THE ENGINE MOUNTED MECHANICAL VACUUM PUMP MAY DECREASE OVER TIME DECREASING THE AMOUNT OF VACUUM/ POWER BRAKE ASSIST, CAUSING VEHICLE NOT TO STOP. SAME AS MY 2016 GMC. I HAD TO ALSO HAVE THE ( EVAP CONTROL VALVE REPLACED). TRANSMISSION SURGES AND ON THE DOWN SHIFT ITS KNOCKING COMING TYO A STOP. .IN MY REAR ENDING A PARKED VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THE BRAKES PULSATING AND NOT STOPING SCARED ME. .DEALERSHIP. .DEALERSHIP .NO

AIR BAGS — Filed 12/22/2021

I was hit broad side, by driver running red light. He was doing over 50 MPH I was hit left side forward of left door. My steering wheel airbag did not deploy fully. The crash caused only the steering wheel bag to deploy but it only came out maybe half way, it smoldered so bad I panicked seeing all the smoke and had to crawl out of my truck after kicking open the passenger door because the nose of the truck is racked to the right the passenger door would not open. Other car had full airbag deployed, all curtains and steering wheel

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — Filed 05/02/2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY STALL AS THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD DRAW BLANK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD RESUME TO NORMAL DRIVING WITHIN FIVE SECONDS OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT HE HAD INJURED HIS LEFT WRIST WHILE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL AS THE VEHICLE STALLED. LANDERS BUICK GMC(78 GOODMAN RD E, SOUTHAVEN, MS 38671) WAS MADE AWARE OF THE DEFECT BUT HAVE YET OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT HAD LINKED THAT FAILURE TO THE FORWARD COLLISION WARNING SYSTEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES — Filed 01/21/2021

I WAS DRIVING 50MPH AND WAS BEHIND A SEMI AS I STARTED TO PASS HIM I NOTICED AN ONCOMING CAR AND DECIDED THERE WASNT ENOUGH TIME TO PASS SO I STARTED TO PUSH THE BRAKE PEDAL TO SLOW DOWN AND GET BACK BEHIND THE SEMI AND THE BRAKES LOCKED UP WHICH PRODUCED AN UNCONTROLLABLE SPIN IN WHICH I DID A 180 DEGREE SPIN AND ENDED UP GOING INTO THE DITCH BACKWARDS AND TIPPED OVER ON MY SIDE NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED EITHER.

SERVICE BRAKES — Filed 09/16/2020

I WAS DRIVING ON I-4 TOWARDS ORLANDO AT 70MPH FOLLOWING A SAFE DISTANCE TRAFFIC WAS COMING TO STOP AND I WENT TO BRAKE AND THE BRAKES WOULDNT WORK PROPERLY AND CAUSE ME TO PULL VEHCILE TO ONE SIDE CAUSING ME TO CRASH SAW LIFE FLASH BEFORE EYES . THANKFUL TO BE ALIVE , COMES TO FIND OUT THERE WAS A RECALL ON IT

SERVICE BRAKES — Filed 03/13/2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED 2017 GMC SIERRA LD. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V645000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) AT LOCAL DEALER DON JOHNSON MOTORS CHEVROLET BUICK GMC (734 WEST AVE, RICE LAKE, WI 54868), HOWEVER, THE FAILURE REOCCURRED. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH TRAFFIC HAS STOPPED. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED HOWEVER THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP,CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE AND GUARDRAIL.THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW ARD, AFTER ELEVEN DAYS IT WAS TOWED TO LOCAL DEALER PALM CHEVROLET (2300 SW COLLEGE RD, OCALA, FL 34471) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VACUUM PUMP, SENOR ,AND A BELT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AS OF YET. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TRADED FOR A 2018 CHEVY IMPALA.THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF THE FAILURE AND A CASE WAS OPENED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 38,000. *BF *AS

SERVICE BRAKES — Filed 02/10/2020

MY 2017 GMC SIERRA DENALI HAD ALREADY BEEN THE SUBJECT OF THE RECALL RELATING TO THE BRAKE ISSUE. SHORTLY AFTER THEY PERFORMED THIS RECALL WORK THE BRAKES BEGAN FAILING AT LOW SPEED. WHEN DRIVING BELOW 5 MPH, THE PEDAL WHICH SUDDENLY FALL AND THE ABS WOULD TRIGGER. DURING THIS TIME, THE CAR WOULD CONTINUE MOVING WITH THE ABS FULLY VIBRATING. THANKFULLY, MY TRAILER HITCH ABSORB THE REAR IMPACT AGAINST A WALL. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. I THEN TOOK THE TRUCK IN FOR SERVICE AND THEY REPORTED THAT THERE HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT FAILURE RATE OF THE VACUUM ASSIST. THE DEALER REPLACE THE VACUUM PUMP AND VACUUM LINES. I'M EXTREMELY CONCERNED THAT THIS WOULD HAPPEN TO SOMEONE ELSE NEAR AN INTERSECTION, NOT JUST SLOWLY BACKING INTO PARKING SPACES. I HAVE CONTACTED GMC BY EMAIL BUT STILL HAVE RECEIVED NO RESPONSE OR ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF MY COMMUNICATIONS.

STEERING — Filed 11/01/2019

THE STEERING WHEEL IS VERY HARD TO TURN I AM STILL USING LIKE THAT THE TRUCK HAS 40500 MILES, IT FEELS MORE DIFFICULT TO TURN AT LOW SPEEDS WHEN TURNING ON A STREET, DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY IS NOT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE STEERING WHEEL.

SERVICE BRAKES — Filed 09/22/2019

A FEW TIMES MY BRAKES WHILE GOING SLOW WOULD GET VERY TIGHT AND NOT WORK. WELL TODAY AFTER CHURCH I WAS LEAVING THE PARKING LOT. AS THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME MOVED FORWARD, SO DID I. WHEN I TRIED TO STOP I COULDNT. MY BRAKES GOT HARD AND WENT TO THE FLOOR AND I RAN RIGHT INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME

SERVICE BRAKES — Filed 07/12/2019

AS I WAS BACKING UP I APPLIED MY BRAKES AND FOR SOME REASON NOTHING HAPPENED WHICH RESULTED IN MY HITTING MY WIFE'S CAR AND DAMAGING HER DRIVERS SIDE QUARTER PANEL. WHEN I ASKED GMC ABOUT THE ISSUE THEY SAID IT WAS JUST AN ERROR ON MY PART. NOW I FIND OUT THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON THE BRAKING SYSTEM THAT THE PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES MAY BE AFFECTED. WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DAMAGE TO HER CAR?

SERVICE BRAKES — Filed 12/13/2018

FAULTY BRAKE VACUUM PUMP LEADING TO REDUCED BRAKING FORCE UNDER REPEATED USE OR IN A PANNIC SITUATION LEADING TO A COLLISION. I HIT A DEER BECAUSE I WAS UNABLE STOP OR SUFFICIENTLY SLOW DOWN TO AVOID HITTING IT. I NOTICED REDUCED BRAKING FORCE AND A HARD BRAKE PEDAL. I HAVE READ OF SEVERAL REPORTS ON THE INTERNET INVOLVING THIS ISSUE

POWER TRAIN — Filed 02/08/2019

VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON ICY DRIVEWAY (5 DEGREE ANGLE). IN PARK. VEHICLE WAS FOUND AT THE BOTTOM OF DRIVEWAY AGAINST A TREE. THE WHEELS WERE TURNING AND NOT SKIDDING AS PROVEN BY TREADS IN THE SNOW. I BELIEVE ONE OF THE REAR TIRES MAY HAVE SLIPPED AND SOMEHOW THE OPPOSITE DISENGAGED AND ALLOWED IT TO CONTINUE BACKWARDS. THIS HAPPENED WITH MY 2002 GMC SIERRA. THE EXPLANATION I WAS GIVEN IS THE DIFFERENTIAL SENSES A SLIP AND THE OTHER SIDE ENGAGES ALLOWING IT TO TURN BUT IF THERE IS A SLOPE THE VEHICLE WEIGHT ALLOWS IT TO KEEP ROLLING DOWN HILL. IF SOMEONE IS BEHIND THE VEHICLE THEY COULD BE INJURED OR PINNED BETWEEN ANOTHER OBJECT. YOU CAN PARK ONE ON AN ICY DRIVE AND NUDGE IT AND IT WILL BEGIN ROLLING BACKWARDS. THERE SHOULD BE A PRONOUNCED WARNING OF THIS OR AN ENGINEERING SOLUTION

SERVICE BRAKES — Filed 01/21/2019

BREAKS HAVE OUT AT 36.5K MILES. VACUUM TO BREAK LINE MESSED UP. WAS IN BUSY TRAFFIC GOING 50-60MPH. TRAFFIC SLOWED DOWN BUT TRUCK WOULD NOT BREAK. VERY VERY SCARY SITUATION. GMC DEALERSHIP KNEW EXACTLY WHAT THE ISSUE WAS OVER THE PHONE. TOOK IT TO THEM AND CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY BY 500 MILES. 800$ OUT OF POCKET AND TOOK THEM 10 SECONDS TO IDENTIFY ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP. SEEMS LIKE THEY KNOW THE ISSUE VERY WELL