2020 GMC Sierra 1500
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 468 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 7th highest complaint count among 26 Sierra 1500 model years with reports.
Of the 2020 reports, 12 involved a crash and 5 involved a fire. 13 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Power train, automatic transmission, control module, softwareFeb 12, 2026
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.
Rear wheel lock up increases the risk of a crash.
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.
Campaign 26V083000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, automatic transmission, control module, softwareOct 24, 2024
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.
Rear wheel lock-up can increase the risk of a crash.
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.
Campaign 24V797000 on NHTSA.gov
Tires, temporary/emergency spare tireDec 16, 2021
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.
An ABS system that does not function properly can increase the risk of a crash.
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.
Campaign 21V985000 on NHTSA.gov
TiresFeb 25, 2021
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. The affected tires were cured for too long during production.
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.
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.
Campaign 21V115000 on NHTSA.gov
Seat beltsDec 17, 2020
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.
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.
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.
Campaign 20V792000 on NHTSA.gov
TiresNov 5, 2020
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.
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.
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.
Campaign 20V684000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, driveline, driveshaftOct 22, 2020
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 and 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 trucks. One of the driveshaft joints may not have been properly welded, causing the driveshaft to separate while the vehicle is moving.
If the driveshaft separates, there may be a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of crash.
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.
Campaign 20V650000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, side/window, curtain, inflatorJul 30, 2020
General Motors, LLC. (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT5 and XT6, Chevrolet Blazer, Silverado 1500, 2500 and 3500 and Traverse and GMC Acadia and Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500 vehicles. The diffuser component of the Roof-Rail Air Bag (RRAB) inflator may not have been properly crimped to the inflator and could separate from the inflator during air bag deployment.
If the diffuser separates from the inflator during deployment, RRAB performance may be degraded, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the suspect RRAB modules, free of charge. The recall began September 3, 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, or Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is N202305380.
Campaign 20V446000 on NHTSA.gov
Service brakes, hydraulic, foundation components, disc, caliperFeb 27, 2020
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles. The bolts used to attach the front and/or rear brake calipers may have not been heat treated and may break under load.
Broken caliper bolts can reduce brake performance or interfere with wheel rotation and increase the risk of a crash.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake caliper bolts, free of charge. The recall began March 23, 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-866-522-9559. GM's number for this recall is N202294420.
Campaign 20V116000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical system, 12v/24v/48v battery, cablesDec 12, 2019
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 trucks. 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.
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.
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.
Campaign 19V888000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, delivery, fuel pumpNov 21, 2019
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Camaro, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. The fuel pump may be missing a pressure regulator, allowing for over-pressurization of the fuel system.
Over-pressurization can crack the fuel pump and cause leaks, increasing the risk of a fire in the presence of an ignition source.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began December 18, 2019. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267. GM's number for this recall is N192283991.
Campaign 19V837000 on NHTSA.gov
Seat belts, pretensionerNov 14, 2019
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. When the front seat belt pretensioners deploy, hot gas may vent through an opening in the pretensioner bracket, possibly igniting the carpet.
A vehicle fire could result if materials ignite inside the vehicle.
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.
Campaign 19V814000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
468 reports, newest first.
Power train, Feb 7, 2026
My 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 experienced a premature transmission failure consistent with GM’s known 8-speed transmission defect. My safety and the safety of others were put at risk if/when the transmission occurs a temporary lockup which can/will cause the vehicle to stall on the highway, and potentially create a minor/major automobile incident if vehicle stalls. The vehicle was taken to dealership Capital Chevrolet Montgomery, AL where dealership technician diagnosed/confirmed the issue along with pictures of internal transmission failed components as well as recommended resolution for fix. The vehicle has been inspected by my out-of-pocket expense extended warranty company Endurance Warranty Services sub-contracted repair claims adjuster. No warning lamps, vehicle messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure were noticeable; the vehicle had multiple diagnostic scans prior to original sale and after sale to present no issues or trouble scans. the first issue appeared or was noticeable 12/08/2025. GM has refused action by asserting warranty expiration despite widespread knowledge of this defect. The vehicle has been out of service since December 8, 2025.
Engine, Feb 6, 2026
I purchased my 2020 gmc sierra 1500 6.2L in September 2024 with 80,000 miles. 9 months later the lifters gave out. Had them replaced and 6 months later, the lifters again were bad and was knocking. They are now replacing the lifters and cam. I am so disappointed that this is happening. I hear that the 2019 and 2020 was not included in this recall! Why not!! If it’s still doing the same thing and it is the same engine, why isn’t my truck in this recall? I would like to know why? If it is doing the same thing as the recall, shouldn’t it be covered by this recall? Best, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine and engine cooling, Feb 6, 2026
The contact owns a 2020 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine made an abnormal popping and crackling sound. The traction control, check engine, and several other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The message "Service Emergency Brake" was displayed. The engine later made knocking sounds, and the vehicle vibrated while driving. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the year and VIN were not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 138,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Feb 2, 2026
The contact owns a 2020 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and hauling a boat, the vehicle shook violently and made a loud banging sound. The vehicle failed to accelerate above 40 MPH. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, and it was determined that there was a misfire in cylinder #6, and that the engine required further inspection. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Action Number: EA25007 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Jan 23, 2026
Back window leaks down onto electrical compents and causes mold behind rear seat, plus staining mold on headliner
Engine, Jan 20, 2026
When driving at about 30 mph the truck randomly shut off and would not start or try to start. I was later told the engine crankshaft rod bearings seized.
Engine, Jan 20, 2026
While accelerating on the highway the truck started to vibrate along with a loud tick, CEL came on for misfire and traction control, hard shifting to where I could park at a safe area to wait for a tow. Kids in the car with me 90 plus degree day on the side of the highway.
Engine, Jan 20, 2026
Truck started to vibrate and loud tick sound, CEL for misfire and traction control. Hard shifting until I could pull to a safe area to call for a tow. Around 76k miles on the truck when it happened.
Engine, Jan 20, 2026
The contact owns a 2020 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine seized. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact disabled the stop-to-start feature, and the failure ceased. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the contact was informed that the repair was not covered under recall. In addition, the contact was informed that the vehicle needed to remain with the dealer for two weeks while performing diagnostic tests on the vehicle. The contact was unable to be without a vehicle for two weeks. The vehicle was the only means of transportation. The contact stated that the failure was a known failure with the vehicle and that the manufacturer needed to repair the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The contact was informed that the repair was not covered under the recall. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to the dealer for a diagnostic test. The failure mileage was approximately 123,000.
Engine, Jan 20, 2026
The bearings in my engine failed while on the road! The dealer says I need a full engine replacement for $16,000. There were no warnings or indication there was a problem. The vehicle has been maintained perfectly since it’s purchase.
Other or unspecified, Jan 19, 2026
Transmission 10l80 stuck solenoid truck has hesitation delayed shifting. And will not shift after certain gears.
Engine, Jan 16, 2026
Sudden engine issue. Knocking, power loss, brake and steering warnings. Severely damaged engine. Mechanic says 2 cylinders are irreparably damaged and entire engine must be replaced
Engine, Jan 15, 2026
Driving to the lake on the highway towing a trailer, a loud tapping noise started followed by vibration. Engine seems to have lost power during acceleration.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Jan 14, 2026
My 2020 gmc sierra has had poor gas mileage problems i have taken it to gm a few times with them not able to dind anything wrong through diagnostic. A couple years later my horrible gas mileage came back and service ecs and stabilitrack message came back on and disappeared. I spoke to another shop and they advised me its the dfm lifter issues that everyone has been talking about. So the shop performed the well know fix and has fix the issue. A month after now the valve body gave me a p2817 code showing that the solenoid is stuck in the off and was also advised that this is a know issue being addressed. Currently the truck is in the shop. When is enough enough with all the issues across the nation whwn is gm going to make it right
Engine, Jan 9, 2026
MY 2020 GMC SIERRA DENALI EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE in June of 2024. Dealer repair was in excess of $7,700.00. They stated they knew this was going to happen at about the 70,000 mile mark as they have fixed many in that same time. Repair resulted in rod replacement and cam shaft damage and replacement.
Power train, Jan 9, 2026
The contact owns a 2020 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked violently. The driver stated that the vehicle failed to respond as intended while depressing the accelerator or brake pedal. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The driver was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle stopped jerking while driving but failed to exceed 30 MPH. The driver pulled into a parking lot and parked the vehicle. The contact was made aware of the failure and went to the parking lot. The vehicle was restarted and jerked abnormally. Additionally, while shifted into reverse(R), the vehicle failed to function as intended. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and two DTC were retrieved for unknown transmission software failure, and it was determined an unknown part in the transmission had failed. The dealer informed the contact that an unstated recall was closed. The vehicle remained at the dealer unrepaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, a claim was filed, and the contact was informed that the recall was closed. The failure mileage was approximately 146,000.
Power train, Jan 8, 2026
I was driving my vehicle on the highway when the transmission suddenly gave out with no warning whatsoever. When I say gave out, I mean, it just completely stopped working and was unable to go into any gear. I was luckily able to coast over to the median without an accident occurring, but it was not without much concern or worry as traffic moving on the highway is 70 miles an hour plus and quite full of vehicles .I consider myself lucky that I have extensive driving experience and was able to conduct myself calmly under the circumstances. It was a bit tricky, getting situated though under those circumstances. There was no advanced warning in anyway. no engine lights, no sounds ,nothing. This is a well maintained vehicle. All my service is done by the dealership, and I have never been given any indication that there was something wrong. However,After this happened, I have been researching and found that many of these vehicles with this transmission continue to have this problem. This is not normal wear and tear or normal mechanical failure. I have owned many vehicles and never felt as unsafe as I did in that moment, or had a vehicles transmission fail so abruptly.For me, and the research I have done, I can only hypothesize the materials and engineering involved with this transmission are inherently inferior, completely faulty, and a safety risk/hazard to anyone who owns or operates the vehicle. I consider myself lucky to walk away unscathed, other than the economic price that it is going to incur on my finances for repairs.I would hope that it doesn’t take something serious to happen before someone takes action and conducts a recall of this product. From what I have read and what I have experienced, this is truly an unfortunate accident waiting to happen and it appears nothing is being done. I truly hope that you could take a little more look into this matter. Thank you for your time and energy. I have already contacted the manufacturer and felt ignored.
Power train, Engine, Jan 6, 2026
My 2020 GMC Sierra with a 5.3L engine and 78,272 miles on the vehicle, experienced damaged lifters which also resulted in a damaged cam shaft. The total repair bill was $9,208.86. While in the GMC dealership for repair, there were 2 other trucks - same model, same year, same engine - in for the same repair. When searching on-line, I found the recall for the GMC 6.2L engine for similar issues. It is my opinion that the 5.3L engine is experiencing the same types of issues. I have driven GMC trucks for almost 40 years and have never experienced these types of issues. I have been told by several people that it is related to the Dynamic Fuel Management system and to fix the problem to disable the system to keep the truck in V8 mode. There are several solutions on line to make this happen. I am no engineer and only provide this as background information. From my perspective, it is clear that GM has a problem (whatever the root cause) with their 5.3L engines.
Engine, Jan 2, 2026
We were driving down the interstate at about 75 mph when a message came up that said to shift to neutral and push the start button. My husband did and it continued to drive perfectly fine, but about 6 miles down the road it did the same thing again except when he pushed the start button it did not start. I cannot begin to tell you the cause as to why it would’ve been doing that as I have never had any other issues with it.
Engine, Jan 1, 2026
Bought the truck less than four months ago and as of yesterday it consumed a substantial quantity of oil and later refill. However today it made a noticeable noise until it shut off permanently. Dealer did not disclose this
Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Dec 26, 2025
I started to notice changes in performance around 75k miles. Seemed like performance was subpar compared to what was the norm. Seemed to lose some power. Minimal at first, more so just recently around 90k. Oil consumption was starting to accelerate at each oil change at 75k, 80k, 85k, 90k. To the point around 85k and 90k that I would not go over even 1 mile from the 5k threshold without changing the oil. Around 90k I could tell it was not getting any better, deficiencies were accelerating it seemed. At 91k miles I started to hear clicking noises and loss of power, starts were getting rough, bouncing at idle. I stopped driving it, only driving it to the dealership where I brought for a look at it. Will be driving it again for them to do a deeper diagnostic. Many misfires at cylinder 5. PO305 the issue. Showed up around 91k miles on 12/17/25 Now investigation into my model. I see online.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Dec 19, 2025
The contact owns a 2020 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle lost automotive power with the check engine warning light illuminated and the message "Vehicle Might Lose Power" displayed. The vehicle remained at the residence, and the contact used a self-diagnostic tool to retrieve a fault code related to the coolant valve D. The contact determined that the coolant valve D needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic; however, the contact was unaware of the part that needed to be fixed in the vehicle. The vehicle was repaired. The contact researched and was made aware of an unknown NHTSA Campaign Number; however, the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 31,000.
Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Dec 18, 2025
Fuel management system caused a lifter to fail (stuck) which resulted in camshaft damage at 77,611 miles. GM refused to cover the repair, although there is a pending class action lawsuit against GM for this very issue. Truck was repaired at a GM dealership - Sunrise Collierville, TN. Repair costs was approximately $7,000. This occurred during a 2.5 hour road trip which put lives at risk. The truck began to vibrate, and the check engine light came on. There was no other warning before the failure occurred. No police or insurance were involved. This occurred on 9/27/25. It took the dealership 32 days to diagnose and repair the issue. Thanks.
Power train, Dec 15, 2025
While driving on the interstate at 70 mph, the transmission began to shudder. It continued the duration of the trip of 90 mins. Following day, the transmission is continuing to shudder and is now shifting hard.
Electrical system, Visibility/wiper, Dec 13, 2025
The morning of December 12th, 2025 I used my vehicle to transport my daughter approximately 5 miles round trip from our home to drop her off at daycare and then I returned home. I used my front and rear defrost elements to expedite removal of heavy condensation which had formed on all windows overnight. This was approximately 7 AM. I parked my truck in the driveway and went inside until approximately 11:45 AM when I went to leave in my truck and noticed the rear sliding window had shattered. The window shattered and distributed tempered glass fragments all over the inside of the cab. Only approximately 10% of the window remained intact. I then reviewed the security camera footage from my driveway and discovered that the window failed entirely on its own with nothing hitting/striking/touching the window, nor any humans or animals in the vicinity. I attempted to take the vehicle to a GMC service department this morning (Dec 13) but due to their demand to keep the vehicle for 2-3 days to investigate yet unable to provide a loaner vehicle, I was unable to leave the vehicle in their possession and returned home. I plan to continue to contact GMC dealership service departments in hope I can find one which can provide a loaner vehicle, as I will need transportation to and from work in the coming days. I do have video footage of the incident although I am unable to add it below.