CSR

GMC · NHTSA safety record

2012 GMC Sierra

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

29

Complaints

4

Crashes

2

Fires

0

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2012 GMC Sierra have filed 29 safety complaints with NHTSA between March 2012 and June 2021. The most complained-about system is the electrical system, named in 7 of them (24%). The typical failure was reported at 31,450 miles, the median across the 27 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 2 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (2)

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

14V827000 · December 30, 2014

The defect
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado HD, Silverado LD, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra LD, Sierra HD, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the ignition lock actuator may bind, making turning the key difficult or causing the ignition to get stuck in the "Start" position.
The risk
If stuck in the "Start" position, the ignition may suddenly snap back into the "Accessory" position, causing a loss of engine, steering, and braking power, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash. If the vehicle is in a crash, the air bags may not deploy, increasing the risk of occupant injury.
The remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the ignition lock housing, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on February 12, 2015. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), or 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14696 for the original equipment, and 14912 for the service replacement parts.

General Motors LLC · up to 84,192 vehicles across all model years covered

FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL

13V615000 · December 11, 2013

The defect
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Chevrolet Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD vehicles, equipped with 6.6L diesel engines and dual fuel tanks. In the affected vehicles, the transfer pump which moves fuel from the rear tank to the front tank could malfunction and cause the fuel gauge to indicate an inaccurate reading.
The risk
If the fuel gauge indicates an inaccurate reading it may result in the vehicle unexpectedly stalling, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
General Motors will notify owners and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel transfer pump, as necessary, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. The recall began on May 30, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020 and GMC at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 13420.

General Motors LLC · up to 9,733 vehicles across all model years covered

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 29.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 7 24%
STRUCTURE 6 21%
ENGINE 5 17%
AIR BAGS 4 14%
SERVICE BRAKES 3 10%
STEERING 3 10%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 3 10%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 2 7%
POWER TRAIN 2 7%
SUSPENSION 2 7%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 2 7%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 1 3%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2015 at 10.

2012 2015 2021
2012 to 2021

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

STRUCTURE:BODY

fire · 12,000 miles

VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO GMC DEALER FOR HEADLIGHT DEFECT AND WE WERE INFORMED THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO ORDER PARTS. DROVE TRUCK BACK TO SITE AND WHILE TRUCK WAS RUNNING BUT STATIONARY SMOKE WAS OBSERVED COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. WHEN THE HOOD WAS RAISED THE ENTIRE TRUCK BECAME ENGULFED AND COMPLETELY BURNED. *TR

NHTSA complaint 10480914. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE:BODY

fire · 2,000 miles

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN, IT JUST WENT DEAD, NO ENGINE, NO ELECTRIC, NO NOTHING. THE VEHICLE WAS LEFT IN PLACE AND AT SOME POINT, CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNED. A TOTAL LOSS. TO DATE, THE INSURANCE COMPANY HAS NOT PAID ME FOR MY LOSS BUT RATHER HAS GONE TO GREAT LENGTHS TO INVESTIGATE ME PERSONALLY, LOOKING FOR ANY REASON TO NOT PAY. SO, I'VE BEEN MAKING TWO VEHICLE PAYMENTS FOR THE LAST 8 MONTHS. AS A RESULT, I AM STRUGGLING FINANCIALLY. *TR

NHTSA complaint 10575697. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SUSPENSION

crash · 420 miles

JUST PURCHASES NEW 2012 GMC SIERRA 3500 , 400 MILES , HAVE HAD ALIGNMENT / STEERING PROBLEMS WITH A DRIFT TO LEFT AND A WONDERING STEERING WHEEL, ALSO BRAKE AND ABS LIGHTS ON, WENT TO DEALER THEY LOOKED AT IT FOR 2 HRS, AND SAID IT NEEDED A PART ORDERED AND THERE WAS A TSB ON IT, THE TECH SAID IT WOULD BE SAFE TO DRIVE BUT I WOULD NOT HAVE ABS BRAKES, ALSO HE WOULD CHECK ALIGNMENT AGAIN AT TIME WHEN PART CAME IN 4 DAYS EST, BRAKE AND ABS LIGHT REMAINED ON, VEHICLE DROVE FINE THE NEXT DAY UNTIL A ACCIDENT, WENT AROUND CURVEAT 55 MPH, APPLIED BRAKES TO SLOW, BRAKES WENT TO FLOOR UN ABLE TO SLOW AT ALL WENT OFF THE ROAD LOST CONTROL AND CRASHED INTO TREES, BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED , WENT TO

NHTSA complaint 10451590, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

crash · 6,700 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC SIERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE DRIVER FRONT AIR BAG ERRONEOUSLY DEPLOYED AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO A POLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED BUT THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,700. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA complaint 10502079. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS
2012 GMC SIERRA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG SAFETY RECALL. THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME COMPLETING THE RECALL REPAIR.

NHTSA complaint 11419608. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN

65,722 miles

WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEED, TRUCK SHUT OFF EXCEPT FOR THE LIGHTS. LOST POWERS STEERING, BRAKES ETC. ONCE I GOT THE TRUCK PULLED OVER AND STOPPED, ATTEMPTED TO RESTART. WAS UNABLE TO DO SO UNTIL THE 4TH ATTEMPT DURING A 5 MINUTES TIME SPAN. ONCE STARTED, APPEARED TO BE RUNNING FINE EXCEPT FOR THE MIL ON THE DASHBOARD WHICH WAS LIT.

NHTSA complaint 10854466. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

49,000 miles

DASHBOARD IS CRACKED NEAR THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG CLOSE TO THE WINDSHIELD. VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT OR HAD THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. CRACK OCCURRED JUST BEFORE 50,000 MILES.

NHTSA complaint 10852392. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

72,000 miles

DASHBOARD CRACKING ABOVE INSTRUMENT PANEL.

NHTSA complaint 10850606. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

22,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD NEAR THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DASHBOARD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000.

NHTSA complaint 10850234. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE:BODY

67,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC SIERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD NEAR THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WAS FRACTURED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DASHBOARD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT INFORMED THE MANUFACTURER OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD WOULD BE ABLE TO BE REPLACED AT A DISCOUNTED PRICE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,000. UPDATED 09/28/16*LJ *TR

NHTSA complaint 10818603. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the GMC Sierra

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2017 61 0
2015 53 6
2014 101 11
2013 39 3
2011 43 2
2010 34 0

Other 2012 GMC models

Every GMC on this site — 144 vehicles, 425 recall campaigns and 3 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst