NHTSA lists 10 safety recalls and 662 owner complaints for the 2019 GMC Sierra 1500. It has 1 open investigation that names this model year.
Recalled components: tires, brakes, seat belts, air bags, and 2 more. Most-described problem: engine failure or replacement (151 complaints, 23%). Most-reported area: engine (317 complaints, 48%; median mileage when it happened: 75,500).
More complaints than most Sierra 1500 years
The 2019 drew 148 owner complaints in its first three years, against about 98 for a typical Sierra 1500 year: 1.5 times as many. It is not a year to avoid, which takes at least twice the typical count and at least 50 complaints.
Years to avoid: 2014 and 2023. Based on owner complaints, not adjusted for sales.
Data: NHTSA recall, complaint and investigation filesUpdated
Year to avoid
Includes the Sierra Limited, the previous generation GMC sold alongside the new truck. Excludes the Sierra EV and heavy-duty models.
10 safety recalls for the 2019 GMC Sierra 1500
Grouped by the part recalled, largest group first, newest first within each part. Summaries are NHTSA's own wording. Open a recall for what is wrong, the fix and the full notice.
Risk: An ABS system that does not function properly can increase the risk of a crash.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
The 17" spare tire provided with the vehicle is not compatible for use with the accessory wheels, which can cause the anti-lock brake system (ABS) to not function properly under certain conditions.
Fix: Dealers will provide a new 17" spare tire and wheel assembly that is compatible with the accessory wheels, free of charge. Dealers will also apply a new spare tire information label, and provide owners with an owner's manual insert clarifying which spare tire to use with the accessory road tires and with the 17" original tires. Owner notification letters were mailed February 7, 2022. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-462-8782 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212346510.
626 vehicles.
General Motors (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2021 GMC Sierra 1500 and Silverado 1500 vehicles equipped with certain accessory road tires and a 17" spare tire.
NHTSA listing: SIERRA 1500. GMC campaign N212346510.
Risk: Over cured tires may develop a break in the sidewall resulting in sudden air loss or a belt edge separation which could lead to a tread/belt loss. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
The affected tires were cured for too long during production.
Fix: Dealers inspect and replace the tires as necessary, free of charge, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 25, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212336230.
896 vehicles.
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles.
Risk: Over cured tires may develop a break in the sidewall resulting in sudden air loss or a belt edge separation which could lead to a tread/belt loss. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
The affected tires were cured for too long during production.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tires, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 22, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N212329050.
33,838 vehicles.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, XT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, Traverse, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, 2018-2021 Chevrolet Express, GMC Savana, 2019-2020 Chevrolet Blazer, Silverado 1500, GMC Acadia, Sierra 1500, and certain Continental tires sold to the aftermarket for various model year 2018-2021 vehicles.
NHTSA listing: SIERRA 1500. GMC campaign N212329050.
Risk: A loss of electronic brake assist can increase the risk of a crash.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
These vehicles received updated software for the Electronic Brake Control Module (EBCM). This software has an error, and as a result, the vehicle's electronic brake assist may be disabled. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 126, "Electronic Stability Control" and 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the EBCM, free of charge. The recall began February 24, 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267. GM's number for this recall is N192268091.
Fails federal standard 126 (electronic stability control) · 148,055 vehicles.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles.
NHTSA listing: SIERRA 1500. GMC campaign N192268091.
Risk: If the driver operates the vehicle unaware that ESC and ABS are not functioning, there is an increased risk of a crash.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
Due to an Electronic Brake Control Module (EBCM) software error, the vehicle's Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and Antilock Brake System (ABS) may become disabled. Furthermore, if this specific error occurs, the vehicle's diagnostics will not illuminate the instrument cluster ESC and ABS malfunction warning lights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 126, "Electronic Stability Control" and 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the EBCM, free of charge. The recall began February 4, 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, or GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267. GM's number for this recall is N192268090.
Fails federal standard 126 (electronic stability control) · 463,995 vehicles.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Cadillac CT6, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles.
Risk: If a seat-belt bracket is not secured, the seat belt may not properly restrain an occupant in the front-row center seat position, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
The seat belt brackets may not be secured to the seat frame in the front-row center seating position.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect left-side and right-sidefront-row center seat-belt bracket attachments and reassemble it correctly as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 26, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N202314670.
624,216 vehicles.
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500, 2021 Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe and GMC Yukon XL and 2020-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 vehicles.
Risk: A vehicle fire could result if materials ignite inside the vehicle.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
When the front seat belt pretensioners deploy, hot gas may vent through an opening in the pretensioner bracket, possibly igniting the carpet.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will close off the opening in the pretensioner bracket, free of charge. The recall began December 13, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267. GM's number for this recall is N192270600.
556,399 vehicles.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500, and 2020 Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Sierra 2500, and Sierra 3500 vehicles equipped with carpet floor covering.
NHTSA listing: SIERRA 1500. GMC campaign N192270600.
Risk: In the event of a crash, an air bag that does not inflate properly can increase the risk of injury.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
The passenger-side frontal air bag module may have been damaged during assembly, possibly resulting in the air bag not inflating properly in the event of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger side air bag module, free of charge. The recall began on December 18, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N182198820.
154 vehicles.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Crew Cab and GMC Sierra 1500 Crew Cab vehicles.
NHTSA listing: SIERRA 1500. GMC campaign N182198820.
Risk: An intermittent electrical connection between the B+ battery cable and the alternator could cause the vehicle to stall, increasing the risk of a crash. The intermittent connection could also lead to electrical arcing, which could generate sufficient heat to damage surrounding material, increasing the risk of a fire.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
The battery positive (B+) cable rings may have been manufactured with excessive glue, potentially causing an intermittent electrical connection between the B+ cable and alternator.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect for the presence of glue or other contamination at the B+ cable attachment to the alternator and clean the connection and reattach the B+ cable connection, as necessary. If arcing has damaged the cable, nut, or alternator, the dealer will replace the damaged components. All services will be performed free of charge. GM issued owners an interim notification on February 4, 2020. GM issued second notice and the recall began March 9, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267. GM's number for this recall is N192273510.
350,371 vehicles.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 trucks.
NHTSA listing: SIERRA 1500. GMC campaign N192273510.
Risk: If the driveshaft separates, there may be a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of crash.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
One of the driveshaft joints may not have been properly welded, causing the driveshaft to separate while the vehicle is moving.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driveshaft, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin December 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267. GM's number for this recall is N202314870.
42 vehicles.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 and 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 trucks.
NHTSA listing: SIERRA 1500. GMC campaign N202314870.
Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA investigations
NHTSA has opened 2 investigations that name the 2019 GMC Sierra 1500; 1 is still open. An investigation means NHTSA is reviewing reports of a problem. It is not a finding that the vehicle has a defect.
Loss of motive power due to engine failure
Engineering analysis EA25007Open since Oct 23, 2025
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 1,157 reports of engine bearing failure failures in the L87 6.2L engine produced by General Motors (GM).
NHTSA listing: SIERRA 1500. Components: Engine and cooling; Engine.
Loss of motive power due to engine failure
Preliminary evaluation PE25001Closed Oct 23, 2025 (opened Jan 16, 2025)
On January 16, 2025, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE25001 after receiving complaints and field reports concerning engine failures in MY2019-2024 GM’s full-size truck and SUV… NHTSA's full summary
NHTSA listing: SIERRA 1500. Components: Engine and cooling; Engine.
A preliminary evaluation is NHTSA's first step, to gather information and decide whether to look further. An engineering analysis is a deeper review, usually opened after a preliminary evaluation. NHTSA lists investigations by make, model and model year only, so one can apply to only some versions of a model, such as one engine; its summary says which.
What owners report
Owners have filed 662 complaints with NHTSA about the 2019 Sierra 1500. Below, they are sorted by the problems owners describe and by the areas NHTSA files them under. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Problems owners describe
Engine failure or replacement151 · 23%
Median 101,000 miles at failure, from 27 reports with mileage
Check engine light83 · 13%
Median 13,500 miles at failure, from 34 reports with mileage
Loss of power or limp mode77 · 12%
Shaking, shuddering or vibration60 · 9%
Median 40,400 miles at failure, from 22 reports with mileage
Stalling or shutting off56 · 8%
Brake failure or a soft or hard pedal54 · 8%
Median 5,300 miles at failure, from 40 reports with mileage
Jerking, lurching or harsh shifting49 · 7%
Median 41,000 miles at failure, from 18 reports with mileage
Median 75,500 miles at failure, from 48 reports with mileage
Powertrain141 · 21%
Median 30,500 miles at failure, from 40 reports with mileage
Brakes112 · 17%
Median 7,700 miles at failure, from 74 reports with mileage
Electrical system95 · 14%
Median 8,000 miles at failure, from 39 reports with mileage
Steering42 · 6%
Median 9,700 miles at failure, from 18 reports with mileage
Engine and cooling26 · 4%
Median 100,000 miles at failure, from 25 reports with mileage
Fuel and propulsion system24 · 4%
Unknown or other45 · 7%
A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%. Mileage is shown where at least 15 owners reported it.
GMC Sierra 1500 recalls and complaints by model year
The highlighted bars are the 2019 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2023 Sierra 1500 drew the most (285) and the 2019 drew 148.
Owner complaints
2019: 662 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, GMC Sierra 1500
Model year
Complaints
2010
202
2011
327
2012
136
2013
155
2014
845
2015
774
2016
350
2017
418
2018
305
2019
662
2020
484
2021
603
2022
607
2023
516
2024
384
2025
130
2026
150
Safety recalls
2019: 10 recallsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, GMC Sierra 1500
Model year
Recalls
2010
4
2011
7
2012
4
2013
4
2014
18
2015
14
2016
10
2017
6
2018
7
2019
10
2020
12
2021
7
2022
6
2023
3
2024
1
2025
1
2026
2
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
What are the most common 2019 Sierra 1500 problems?
In the 662 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2019 GMC Sierra 1500, the problems described most are engine failure or replacement (151), the check engine light coming on (83), and loss of power or limp mode (77). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can describe several problems.
Is the 2019 GMC Sierra 1500 safe?
In NHTSA crash tests the 2019 GMC Sierra 1500 earns 4 to 5 stars overall, depending on the version. The table above lists each tested version.
Is NHTSA investigating the 2019 GMC Sierra 1500?
Yes. NHTSA has 1 open investigation that names the 2019 GMC Sierra 1500: loss of motive power due to engine failure (EA25007, opened Oct 23, 2025). It has closed 1 other. An investigation is not a finding that the vehicle has a defect.
How do I check if my Sierra 1500 has an open recall?
Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Safety recall repairs are free at GMC dealers.
Sources and method
NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Nov 12, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Nov 11, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026. Defect petitions, which ask NHTSA to open an investigation, are listed apart and only while open. Audit queries, which check whether a company met its recall and reporting duties rather than whether a vehicle has a problem, are not listed.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
NHTSA model names covered: SIERRA 1500.
Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.