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2021 GMC Sierra 3500 Recalls, Complaints & Specs

5 safety recalls list the 2021 GMC Sierra 3500, and owners have filed 20 complaints with NHTSA. At least one recall carries a do-not-drive or park-outside advisory. Check your own VIN below.

5
safety recalls
20
owner complaints to NHTSA
14–26
MPG combined (EPA)

5 safety recalls for the 2021 GMC Sierra 3500

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

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

    NHTSA 24V797000 Reported 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…

  2. Latch (latches/locks/linkages)

    NHTSA 24V060000 Reported 570,434 vehicles potentially affected General Motors, LLC

    General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2024 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, 3500, GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 vehicles equipped with power-unlatching tailgates. The tailgate's electronic gate-release switch may short circuit due to water intrusion, which can result in the tailgate inadvertently unlatching while the vehicle is in park.

    Remedy: Owners are advised to check that the tailgate is closed and latched before driving. Dealers will replace the exterior touchpad switch assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 17, 2024.…

  3. Service brakes, hydraulic: control module Park outside

    NHTSA 21V758000 Reported 3,241 vehicles potentially affected General Motors, LLC

    General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, GMC Sierra 2500, and Sierra 3500 vehicles with electronic brake control modules (EBCM) replaced during vehicle assembly. The bolts that attach the brake pressure modulator valve (BPMV) assembly may not be properly tightened, which could…

    Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from other structures until the recall repair is completed. Dealers will replace the BPMV assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 20,…

  4. Critical fasteners (seat belts) and seat belts

    NHTSA 20V811000 Reported 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…

  5. Critical fasteners (seat belts) and seat belts

    NHTSA 20V792000 Reported 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.…

20 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2021 GMC Sierra 3500 have filed 20 complaints with NHTSA. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 92,402 miles. Complaints peaked in 2025 with 8 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“The contact filed the complaint on behalf of the owner of a 2021 GMC Sierra 3500. The contact stated that while the vehicle owner was driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver noticed that the rear”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, June 12, 2026 · Service brakes

“During takeoff the transmission acted as if it was in neutral while I was crossing traffic luckily, the semi truck that was coming towards me was able to stop. I had the vehicle towed to a shop. After”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, November 24, 2025 · 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.

Combined14–26 mpg
City / Highway13–23 / 16–30
FuelDiesel, Gasoline or E85, Premium, Regular
EPA classSpecial Purpose Vehicle 2WD, Special Purpose Vehicle 4WD, Standard Pickup Trucks 2WD, Standard Pickup Trucks 4WD
Engine4/6/8 cyl, 2.7/3/4.3/5.3/6.2 L
TransmissionAutomatic 10-spd; Automatic 6-spd; Automatic 8-spd

Compare GMC Sierra 3500 model years

Recall and complaint counts for every GMC Sierra 3500 model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1996 GMC Sierra 350001
1997 GMC Sierra 3500110
1998 GMC Sierra 3500212
1999 GMC Sierra 3500119
2000 GMC Sierra 3500226
2001 GMC Sierra 3500236
2002 GMC Sierra 3500220
2003 GMC Sierra 350007
2004 GMC Sierra 3500024
2005 GMC Sierra 3500024
2006 GMC Sierra 3500011
2007 GMC Sierra 3500316
2008 GMC Sierra 3500325
2009 GMC Sierra 350055
2010 GMC Sierra 350052
2011 GMC Sierra 3500520
2012 GMC Sierra 350049
2013 GMC Sierra 3500414
2014 GMC Sierra 350037
2015 GMC Sierra 3500731
2016 GMC Sierra 3500719
2017 GMC Sierra 3500713
2018 GMC Sierra 3500614
2019 GMC Sierra 3500713
2020 GMC Sierra 3500851
2021 GMC Sierra 3500520
2022 GMC Sierra 3500331
2023 GMC Sierra 3500128
2024 GMC Sierra 3500349
2025 GMC Sierra 3500117
2026 GMC Sierra 350024

Checking a specific 2021 GMC Sierra 3500

How do I know if my 2021 GMC Sierra 3500 has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 5 campaigns currently list the 2021 GMC Sierra 3500; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised GMC dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 20V792000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other GMC models

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.