2020 Gmc SIERRA 1500 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
458 owner complaints analyzed
12 distinct recall campaigns
31,500 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2020 model year. Data snapshot: . 122 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 227 of 458 complaints (49.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 83 | 18.1% |
| Braking behavior | 80 | 17.5% |
| Steering behavior | 53 | 11.6% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 32 | 7.0% |
| Engine operation | 31 | 6.8% |
| Fuel system concerns | 14 | 3.1% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine | 227 |
| Power Train | 92 |
| Electrical System | 75 |
| Service Brakes | 49 |
| Unknown Or Other | 43 |
| Steering | 36 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 25 |
| Suspension | 18 |
Engine: 227; Power Train: 92; Electrical System: 75; Service Brakes: 49; Unknown Or Other: 43; Steering: 36; Fuel/Propulsion System: 25; Suspension: 18
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 58 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 17 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 11 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 18 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 15 |
| 150,000 and above | 3 |
Under 25,000: 58; 25,000 to 49,999: 17; 50,000 to 74,999: 11; 75,000 to 99,999: 18; 100,000 to 149,999: 15; 150,000 and above: 3
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (58). 336 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 39 |
| 2021 | 35 |
| 2022 | 23 |
| 2023 | 22 |
| 2024 | 40 |
| 2025 | 188 |
| 2026 | 110 |
2019: 1; 2020: 39; 2021: 35; 2022: 23; 2023: 22; 2024: 40; 2025: 188; 2026: 110
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 83 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 80 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 53 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11328737 · 2020-06-14 (June 14, 2020)
HIGHWAY DRIVING ENGINE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING, RECEIVED CODES ON SERVICE ESC AND SERVICE PARKING BRAKE. TRUCK SEEMED TO LOOSE POWER TRANSMISSION STARTED SHIFTING VERY HARD, CRUSE DISENGAGED,LANE KEEP ASSIST STOPPED WORKING , BRAKES AND STEERING SEEMED TO ACT DIFFERENT . WHEN IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF LOUD NOISES FROM UNDER TRUCK SOUNDED LIKE BRAKES RELEASING WITH LOUD CLUNKING NOISE.
Owner-reported narrative. 1,950 miles reported. Look up ODI 11328737 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11348905 · 2020-08-12 (August 12, 2020)
AT 550 MILES HAD TO TOW TO DEALER. THEY SAID NEEDED TO REPROGRAM TRANSMISSION. NOW AT 4000 MILES, WENT TO START AND VEHICLE WILL NOT DO ANYTHING. NO POWER. IT IS BEING TOWED TO DEALER AGAIN. PRETTY MUCH BOUGHT A LEMON AS IT LOOKS NOW.
Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11348905 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11301704 · 2020-01-24 (January 24, 2020)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 52 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT WAS VERY FIRM. THE PARK BRAKE WAS ACTIVATED BUT FAILED TO EFFECTIVELY STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS COASTED TO A PARKING LOT AND WAS PUT IN PARK. THE BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE LIGHT, THE ABS AND SEVERAL OTHER WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE BAKER BUICK GMC OF CHARLESTON DEALER, LOCATED AT 1621 SAVANNAH HWY, CHARLESTON, SC 29407) WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS KEPT FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE MANUFACTURER …
Owner-reported narrative. 7,020 miles reported. Look up ODI 11301704 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11309169 · 2020-02-14 (February 14, 2020)
VEHICLE WAS PARKED. ENTERED VEHICLE AND TURNED ON VEHICLE USING INTERIOR START BUTTON. VEHICLE WAS PUT IN REVERSE AND WAS BAKING WHEN ALL BREAK PRESSURE DISAPPEARED AND VEHICLE WAS ROLLING BACKWARD AND CAME TO A STOP BEFORE STRIKING ANOTHER VEHICLE AND CHILD. VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN PARK AND ESC FAILURE, TRAILER BRAKE FAILURE, TRACTION CONTROL FAILURE, POWER STEERING FAILURE AND DO NOT DRIVE ABOVE 62 MHP ALARMED ON THE DASH. VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF AND ON 3 TIMES AND RESET FINALLY REGAINED SOME BREAK PRESSURE BUT CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME N. VEHICLE W…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,950 miles reported. Look up ODI 11309169 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11310853 · 2020-02-23 (February 23, 2020)
I WAS GOING ABOUT 15 MILES PER HOUR WHEN SUDDENLY ALL THESE ERROR CODES STARTED POPPING UP, FIRST "ESC MALFUNCTION" THEN TRAILER BRAKE MALFUNCTION,STABILITRAK, STEERING ASSIST REDUCED, BRAKE SYSTEM FAIL, LIGHS JUST POP UP I DO FEEL LIKE THE TRUCK LOOSES SOME POWER FEELS MORE SLUGGISH, I TOOK IT TO DEALERSHIP, THEY RECALIBRATED THE BREAK SYSTEM AND STUFF, IT FIXED THE ISSUE TEMPORARILY, BUT THE LIGHTS KEEP COMING BACK, SOMETIMES I TURN THE TRUCK ON IN THE MORNING AND LIGHTS ARE GONE, THEN LATER ON I GET ALL THE ERROR CODES AGAIN WHILE DRIVING IT…
Owner-reported narrative. 300 miles reported. Look up ODI 11310853 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11308116 · 2020-02-10 (February 10, 2020)
BRAND NEW TRUCK. STUCK AT THE GYM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT TRUCK WONT START. THE INTERIOR LIGHTS, HEAD LIGHTS, AND RADIO WONT SHUT OFF. VEHICLE WONT START. I'M ASSUMING THE BATTERY WAS DRAINED BECAUSE INTERIOR LIGHTS, EXTERIOR LIGHTS, RADIO, WONT SHUT OFF. HAS TO BE SOME KIND OF ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION. WAITING ON GM ROADSIDE.
Owner-reported narrative. 144 miles reported. Look up ODI 11308116 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11309738 · 2020-02-17 (February 17, 2020)
SMELL OF SMOKE STRONG IN THE CAB AND OUTSIDE HOOD OF TRUCK. ALSO HAVE SEEN SMOKE COMING FROM HOOD OF TRUCK. SMELLS LIKE BURNING ELECTRICAL OR PLASTIC
Owner-reported narrative. 168 miles reported. Look up ODI 11309738 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11310256 · 2020-02-19 (February 19, 2020)
2020 GMC 6.2 L V8 1500 4W SIERRA DENALI. BOUGHT YESTERDAY NEW FROM DEALERSHIP. TODAY, NOT EVEN 120 MILES AND BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED. I STARTED TRUCK WITH GMC APP. GOT IN CAR WITH MY FAMILY AND AS I PULLED OUT OF PARKING STALL PUSHING ON BRAKES MET EXTREME RESISTANCE AND SLUGGISHLY CAME TO A STOP. I PUT TRUCK IN PARK. SHUT OFF AND TURNED BACK ON. BRAKES STILL NOT FUNCTIONING. 'BRAKES' 'ABS' AND ICONS FOR TRACTION CONTROL AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS WERE ON. AGAIN ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE. DRIVING 20 MPH WOULD TAKE GREATER THAN 50 YARDS TO…
Owner-reported narrative. 120 miles reported. Look up ODI 11310256 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11388120 · 2021-01-14 (January 14, 2021)
WITHIN 3 MONTHS (<4000 MILES) FROM PURCHASE VEHICLE BEGAN SPUTTERING WITH HESITATION, AND TICKING NOISE FROM ENGINE WHILE IN MOTION FOLLOWED BY MULTIPLE ALERTS POSTING ON DRIVER DISPLAY. VEHICLE DISPLAYS LOSS OF POWER, AND STRUGGLES TO KEEP UP WITH TRAFFIC. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHING FOLLOWED BY CONSTANTLY STAYING ON, SERVICE ESC SYSTEM ACTIVATED, SERVICE PARKING BRAKE, AND STEERING ASSIST REDUCED DRIVE WITH CAUTION LIGHTS ALL ACTIVATED DURING THIS EPISODE. DEALER WORKED ON VEHICLE ENGINE ( AND COMPLETED ON OR AROUND 1/08/2021), AND REPLACE…
Owner-reported narrative. 3,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 11388120 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11469521 · 2022-06-16 (June 16, 2022)
I investigated and Unintended Acceleration crash that occurred on 8-9-2021. The vehicle had just left a body shop where it had repairs to the left front of the vehicle near the ECM. The driver reported the vehicle would not slow down. He face timed a witness and showed her his foot was on the brake and not the accelerator pedal collaborating his statement. The 2020 GMC accelerated to 93 miles per hour crashing into the back of a Cadillac Escalade. Upon impact the fuel tank of the Cadillac exploded igniting both vehicles on fire and burning a fe…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11469521 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11486180 · 2022-09-24 (September 24, 2022)
The vehicle shut off while driving. It turns over fine but will not crank. Later cranks but again will shut off and not start. This could get me killed on the interstate. It is pulling trouble code P129F fuel pump power control module. This is a 2020 GMC Sierra AT4 with a 6.2 motor with 80,000 miles on it.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11486180 at NHTSA ↗