2017 GMC Sierra 1500 problems, complaints & recalls
Updated from NHTSA data · How we count
Owners have filed 293 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 GMC Sierra 1500, most often about transmission & drivetrain. There are 6 recalls for this model year.
- Complaints
- 293
- Recalls
- 6
- Crashes
- 8
- Fires
- 3
- Injuries
- 6
- Median mileage
- 62,500 mi at time of problem
Key facts
- Transmission & Drivetrain is the most-reported problem area, named in 100 of 293 complaints (34%).
- Brakes (87) and engine (56) follow.
- Half of the complaints that list mileage happened before 62,500 mi.
- Owners reported 8 crashes, 3 fires and 6 injuries.
- The 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 has 6 recalls on file.
- It ranks 9th of 22 GMC Sierra 1500 model years by our severity-weighted complaint score (1st = worst).
- That is 33% more complaints than the 2016 model year (220).
2017 GMC Sierra 1500 problems by category
- Transmission & Drivetrain · 2 crashes100 complaints
- Brakes · 6 crashes87 complaints
- 56 complaints
- Electrical System · 1 crash51 complaints
- Other / Unknown30 complaints
- Steering · 2 crashes20 complaints
- Driver Assistance & Safety Tech · 1 crash9 complaints
- Visibility & Wipers9 complaints
- Fuel, Hybrid & EV Propulsion · 1 crash7 complaints
- Lighting6 complaints
- Acceleration & Cruise Control6 complaints
- Body & Structure · 1 crash6 complaints
- Suspension4 complaints
- Airbags · 1 crash3 complaints
- Seats & Seat Belts2 complaints
- Wheels & Tires2 complaints
A complaint can mention more than one problem area, so categories add up to more than the total.
Most-reported components
| Component (as filed with NHTSA) | Complaints |
|---|---|
| Power train | 98 |
| Service brakes | 80 |
| Engine | 55 |
| Electrical system | 48 |
| Unknown or other | 30 |
| Steering | 20 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 7 |
| Visibility/wiper | 7 |
When problems happen (mileage)
2017 GMC Sierra 1500 recalls (6)
- AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN:INFLATOR
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500/3500, GMC Sierra 2500/3500 vehicles, and 2016-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles. The left-side or right-side roof rail air bag (RRAB) inflator end cap may detach from the inflator or the inflator sidewall may rupture.
Risk: A detached end cap or inflator rupture can allow compressed gas to escape and project the end cap or fragments of the inflator into the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace both RRAB modules, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed November 9, 2026. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N262569920. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on September 24, 2026.
- ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) · SERVICE BRAKES · SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:WHEEL SPEED SENSOR/TONE RING
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, and GMC Yukon, and 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles equipped with a 5.3-liter engine, a 3.08-ratio rear axle and four-wheel drive. If a wheel-speed sensor fails, while the vehicle is traveling between 41 and 60 mph in four-wheel or automatic mode, the Electronic-Brake Control Module (EBCM) software may activate the driveline-protection system.
Risk: Unintended activation of the driveline-protection system will cause unintended braking on the wheel on the opposite side of the failed sensor, causing the vehicle to pull to one side unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the EBCM, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192261050.
- SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Cadillac Escalade, 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, 2015-2018 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon vehicles. The amount of vacuum created by the vacuum pump may decrease over time.
Risk: As the vacuum level drops, the brake assist decreases, increasing braking effort, extending the distance required to stop the vehicle, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Electronic Brake Control Module, free of charge. The recall began October 8, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192268490.
- CHILD SEAT:TETHER: CONNECTOR/CLIP
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 trucks. The owner's manual for the affected vehicles may be missing instructions on how to use the tether anchorage and child restraint anchorage systems. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 225, "Child Restraint Anchorage Systems."
Risk: If the instructions are missing from the owner's manual, the child seat may be installed incorrectly and not be properly secured, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will provide a corrected insert for the owners manual, free of charge. The recall began on September 25, 2017. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), or 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 17307.
- AIR BAGS:FRONTAL · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE · SEAT BELTS:PRETENSIONER
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse and Chevrolet Spark EV, Caprice PPV and SS vehicles, 2014-2017 Buick Encore and Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles, 2015-2016 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Trax, Suburban and Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Yukon and Yukon XL vehicles, and 2015-2017 GMC Sierra HD 2500 and 3500 vehicles. While being previously remedied for recall 16V-651, the affected vehicles may not have received the complete software update necessary to remedy the recall condition. Without the update, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.
Risk: A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2017. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 17287.
- AIR BAGS:FRONTAL · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE · SEAT BELTS:PRETENSIONER
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD, 3500 HD, Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Sierra 2500 HD and 3500 HD, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Cadillac Escalade ESV vehicles and 2014-2017 Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500, Trax, Caprice Police Pursuit Vehicle, GMC Sierra 1500, Buick Encore, and 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse, Chevrolet Spark EV and SS vehicles. In the affected vehicles, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.
Risk: A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 13, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 16007.
NHTSA 5-Star safety ratings
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 Hybrid PU/CC RWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/CC 4WD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/CC RWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/EC 4WD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/EC RWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/RC 4WD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/RC RWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
Recent 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 complaints
Excerpts of the newest owner complaints, lightly cleaned of personal details. Complaints are unverified owner reports.
- Filed Sep 18, 2026140,000 miMSTransmission & Drivetrain
The contact owns a 2017 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH to 50 MPH, the vehicle shuddered and made a shuddering sound while shifting between gears. Additionally, the contact stated that the engine lifters and camshaft were previously replaced. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The traction control warning light was…
NHTSA complaint #11765271 · source - Filed Sep 11, 2026OREngineTransmission & Drivetrain
The catastrophic power failure with no warning on my 2017 GMC Sierra, at 87450 miles completely contaminated the engine oil cooling lines with metallic debris and fractured structural mounts. The servicing dealership replaced the transmission but is refusing to remediate the engine line contamination without out-of pocket payment. The vehicle cannot be safely operated without causing terminal engine failure on the highway, creating a imminent mechanical and traffic safety…
NHTSA complaint #11763735 · source - Filed Aug 28, 2026LAEngine
I had an engine rebuilt completed on my L86 2017 GMC 6.2. After the repair, the engine failed due to the crank shaft on the engine being oversized which is the same problem that GM is having with the L87 engines. When the crank was ordered from the dealer for my L86, the only part number for the crank that was available was the new part number that was being used in the L87. Seems the same cranks were used in both engines and this recall on the L87 should be extended to…
NHTSA complaint #11760208 · source - Filed Jul 29, 2026TXAcceleration & Cruise Control
When I accelerate the vehicle, the gears shifts every 10mph when it shouldn’t. It does it all the way up to 60mph. It has been an on going problem since we got the truck
NHTSA complaint #11753626 · source - Filed May 13, 2026MNElectrical SystemVisibility & Wipers
Truck was started using auto start and I drove roughly a mile down the road smelt burning and looked in the back seat, I saw smoke and promptly pulled to the side of the road shut the vehicle off then I heard a loud pop and saw the back drivers side window shattered.
NHTSA complaint #11737629 · source - Filed May 4, 2026MIWheels & Tires
Dear Sir, I currently own a 2017 GMC Denali that had a potentially catastrophic failure with one of the alloy wheels that are on my vehicle. Mileage about 110,000 I recently went to have new tires installed on my vehicles when the tire shop manager came from the work area and said that he could not put a new tire on my one wheels. The reason the tire store could not put a tire on that wheel is because two of the spokes on the alloy wheel were broken. There were three spokes…
NHTSA complaint #11735522 · source - Filed Apr 19, 2026CTEngine
I drive this vehicle on higher speed roads to work everyday. Roads also used by large tractor trailers and like larger vehicles. I was told by dealer that I had broken exhaust manifold studs at a previous oil change. While driving the truck it seemed to lose power for a short time but I was in traffic and assumed the loss of power at that time was related to a possible exhaust leak.I scheduled a appointment to have the repairs addressed. When I picked up the vehicle I was…
NHTSA complaint #11732205 · source - Filed Mar 31, 202699,700 miNCTowedEngine
The contact owns a 2017 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal tapping sound coming from the vehicle. The check engine warning light and an unknown warning light were illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had occurred while traveling out of state. The dealer was made aware of the failure, and the contact was informed that the repair was not covered under recall. The vehicle was towed to an independent…
NHTSA complaint #11728246 · source
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Other 2017 GMC models
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation public data, as of Oct 10, 2026. Complaints are submitted by owners and are not verified by NHTSA or by us; a complaint does not prove a defect exists. View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov Methodology