GMC Sierra 1500 2021 recalls, problems, complaints and safety
NHTSA lists 7 safety recalls issued for the GMC Sierra 1500 2021 and 582 complaints filed by owners. It has 44% more complaints than the average GMC Sierra 1500 from 2016–2025 (405 per year).
These are recalls issued for this model and year, not for your specific car. A car may already be repaired or may not be included. Confirm with your VIN on NHTSA.
Own or buying a GMC Sierra 1500 2021? Enter its VIN to see its exact trim and engine, and confirm on NHTSA whether its recalls were repaired.
Recalls issued for the GMC Sierra 1500 2021
Powertrain and transmission
NHTSA campaign 26V083000 · 2026-02-12
What happens
General Motors, LLC is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, 3500, GMC Sierra 2500, 3500, and 2020-2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles that may have been repaired incorrectly under recall 24V797. The transmission control valve may fail and cause the rear wheels to lock up.
Consequence
Rear wheel lock up increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the vehicles and update the transmission control software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 6, 2026. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N252516560. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on February 12, 2026.
The repair is free at any dealer of the brand.
Engine and cooling
NHTSA campaign 25V274000 · 2025-04-24
What happens
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, and Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles equipped with a 6.2L V8 gas engine. The connecting rod and/or crankshaft engine components may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine damage and engine failure.
Consequence
Engine failure increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the engine, and as necessary, repair or replace the engine. For vehicles that pass inspection, dealers will add higher viscosity oil, install 6 oil fill cap, replace the oil filter, and update the owner's manual. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 18, 2025. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N252494000.
The repair is free at any dealer of the brand.
Powertrain and transmission
NHTSA campaign 24V797000 · 2024-10-24
What happens
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2500, 3500, GMC Sierra 1500, 2500, 3500, 2021 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles equipped with diesel engines. The transmission control valve may fail and cause the rear wheels to lock-up.
Consequence
Rear wheel lock-up can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will install new transmission control module software, free of charge. GM will provide a special coverage program to cover the repair of transmissions that are identified by the remedy software as containing a defective control valve. Owner notification letters were mailed December 12, 2024. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, GMC customer service at GMC 1-800-462-8782 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N242454440.
The repair is free at any dealer of the brand.
Tires
NHTSA campaign 21V985000 · 2021-12-16
What happens
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. 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.
Consequence
An ABS system that does not function properly can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
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.
The repair is free at any dealer of the brand.
Seat belts
NHTSA campaign 20V811000 · 2020-12-23
What happens
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV and 2021 GMC Canyon and Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500, Yukon, Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV and Chevrolet Blazer, Camaro, Colorado, Equinox, Silverado 1500, 2500 and 3500, Suburban and Tahoe vehicles. Incorrect bolts may have been used at one or more fastening locations to secure the seat belts to the vehicle. If an incorrect bolt was used, the seat belt may not be properly attached to the vehicle.
Consequence
If a seat belt assembly is not properly attached to the vehicle, the seat belt may not properly restrain an occupant in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the suspect bolts, free of charge. The recall began January 29, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8785, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N202322230.
The repair is free at any dealer of the brand.
Seat belts
NHTSA campaign 20V792000 · 2020-12-17
What happens
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. The seat belt brackets may not be secured to the seat frame in the front-row center seating position.
Consequence
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.
Remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect left-side and right-side front-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.
The repair is free at any dealer of the brand.
Tires
NHTSA campaign 20V684000 · 2020-11-05
What happens
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT5, GMC Acadia and Chevrolet Traverse vehicles and 2020-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles. The vehicles may have been manufactured with Continental tires that were overcured.
Consequence
Overcured tires may experience a carcass break in the sidewall resulting in a sudden air loss or could develop a belt edge separation which could lead to partial or full tread/belt loss. Either condition increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect vehicles and replace tires that have DOT number and production mold number combinations identified by Continental, free of charge. The recall began December 17, 2020. 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 N202319030.
The repair is free at any dealer of the brand.
Complaints from other owners
582 complaints filed with NHTSA by owners of this model.
6 with a crash · 6 with a fire · 3 injuries
Most reported problems on the GMC Sierra 1500 2021
- Engine: 311 (53% of complaints)
- Powertrain and transmission: 141 (24% of complaints)
- Electrical system: 74 (13% of complaints)
- Engine and cooling: 49 (8% of complaints)
- Fuel and propulsion: 37 (6% of complaints)
Complaints are written by owners and NHTSA doesn't verify each one. They're useful to spot trends.
What to check before buying a GMC Sierra 1500 2021
- Confirm by VIN on NHTSA that the recalls on this list were repaired.
- Start it cold, listen for noises, look for oil or coolant leaks and exhaust smoke.
- On the test drive, check for smooth shifts with no jerks, slipping or noises; check the transmission fluid condition.
- Test lights, windows, locks, the screen and dashboard warning lights; have trouble codes scanned.
- Get an inspection from an independent mechanic before paying.
Safety rating (NCAP)
| Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/CC 4WD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| 2021 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/EC 4WD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| 2021 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/RC 4WD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| 2021 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/CC 2WD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
GMC Sierra 1500 recalls by year
- 2016 : 8 recalls · 49 complaints
- 2017 : 6 recalls · 430 complaints
- 2018 : 7 recalls · 304 complaints
- 2019 : 10 recalls · 650 complaints
- 2020 : 12 recalls · 475 complaints
- 2021 : 7 recalls · 582 complaints
- 2022 : 6 recalls · 593 complaints
- 2023 : 3 recalls · 485 complaints
- 2024 : 1 recalls · 367 complaints
- 2025 : 1 recalls · 118 complaints
Frequently asked questions
How many recalls does the GMC Sierra 1500 2021 have?
NHTSA lists 7 safety recalls issued for the GMC Sierra 1500 2021. That doesn't mean every car has them open: confirm with the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The repair is free at the dealer.
What is the most common problem with the GMC Sierra 1500 2021?
In complaints filed with NHTSA, the most mentioned component is: engine (311 of 582 complaints). Complaints aren't verified one by one, but they show trends.
Model-level information from official NHTSA sources. Confirm by VIN on NHTSA. Not a substitute for a mechanical inspection.
Last updated: October 12, 2026. Sources: NHTSA vPIC (decoding), NHTSA Recalls, NHTSA Complaints and NHTSA NCAP (5-Star Safety Ratings).