2021 GMC Sierra 1500 Recalls, Complaints & Specs

7 safety recalls list the 2021 GMC Sierra 1500, and owners have filed 580 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

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7 safety recalls for the 2021 GMC Sierra 1500

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

1. Software (power train) and valves/valve body (power train)

   NHTSA 26V083000 Reported February 12, 2026 1,055 vehicles potentially affected General Motors, LLC

   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.

   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…

2. Hard parts internal/mechanical (engine and engine cooling)

   NHTSA 25V274000 Reported April 24, 2025 597,571 vehicles potentially affected General Motors, LLC

   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…

   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…

3. Valves/valve body (power train) and software (power train)

   NHTSA 24V797000 Reported October 24, 2024 463,295 vehicles potentially affected General Motors, LLC

   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.

   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…

4. Temporary/emergency spare tire (tires)

   NHTSA 21V985000 Reported December 16, 2021 626 vehicles potentially affected General Motors, LLC

   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…

   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…

5. Critical fasteners (seat belts) and seat belts

   NHTSA 20V811000 Reported December 23, 2020 470 vehicles potentially affected General Motors, LLC

   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…

   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…

6. Critical fasteners (seat belts) and seat belts

   NHTSA 20V792000 Reported December 17, 2020 624,216 vehicles potentially affected General Motors, LLC

   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…

   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.…

7. Tires

   NHTSA 20V684000 Reported November 5, 2020 7,516 vehicles potentially affected General Motors LLC

   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.

   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.…

580 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2021 GMC Sierra 1500 have filed 580 complaints with NHTSA; 6 describe a crash and 6 describe a fire. Reports cite 3 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 53,986 miles. Complaints peaked in 2025 with 254 filed that year.

Most-reported components

• Engine309
• Power train141
• Electrical system71
• Engine and engine cooling47
• Unknown or other42
• Fuel/propulsion system37
• Steering34
• Service brakes23

What owners are reporting

“Lifter collapsed at 31970 miles. It was fixed at GMC dealership. It just happened out of no where. No warning signs.”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, October 6, 2026 · Engine

“The contact owns a 2021 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that the transmission was previously replaced. The contact stated that 20,000 miles later, the vehicle started to experience erratic hard sh”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, October 5, 2026 · Power train

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 2021 GMC Sierra (Sierra 2WD, Sierra 4WD, Sierra 4WD AT4, Sierra Cab Chassis 2WD, …). Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Compare GMC Sierra 1500 model years

Recall and complaint counts for every GMC Sierra 1500 model year in NHTSA's database.

Checking a specific 2021 GMC Sierra 1500

Other GMC models

• Acadia5,569 complaints
• Yukon4,989 complaints
• Sierra3,937 complaints
• Terrain3,124 complaints
• Jimmy2,720 complaints
• Envoy2,459 complaints
• Yukon XL2,417 complaints
• Sierra 25001,821 complaints

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.