NHTSA recalls & complaints · 2001–2005
GMC Sierra 1500 HD complaints and VIN decoding
NHTSA lists 48 owner complaints for the GMC Sierra 1500 HD from model years 2001 to 2005, and no vehicle recall campaigns filed under this model name. The 2003 model year drew the most complaints (16), and Service Brakes is the component owners name most often.
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint flat files, updated September 25, 2026.
See the model year, plant and build details of one vehicle, then the recalls for its exact year.
- 48 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
- 5 model years with data (2001–2005)
- most complaints: 2003 (16 for that model year)
- top component: Service Brakes (21 complaints)
- 1 complaint reporting a crash (2.1%)
- 2 complaints reporting a fire (4.2%)
- 0 complaints reporting an injury (0.0%)
- 0 complaints reporting a death (0.0%)
The 2003 model year has the most complaints: 16 of 48, or 33.3%. Next come 2005 (11) and 2001 (9). The fewest are for 2004, with 3 complaints.
| Model year | Complaints | Reporting a crash | Reporting a fire | Reporting an injury | Reporting a death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2005 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| All model years | 48 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Crash, fire, injury and death columns count complaints that report at least one of them, not people.
Service Brakes is the component named most often, in 21 complaints (43.8% of all 48), followed by Electrical System (7) and Service Brakes, Hydraulic (6).
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes | 21 | 43.8% |
| Electrical System | 7 | 14.6% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 6 | 12.5% |
| Engine | 4 | 8.3% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 | 8.3% |
| Power Train | 3 | 6.3% |
| Visibility | 3 | 6.3% |
| Steering | 2 | 4.2% |
| Structure | 2 | 4.2% |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 4.2% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 2.1% |
| Equipment | 1 | 2.1% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 1 | 2.1% |
One complaint can name several components, so the shares add up to more than 100%. Component names are NHTSA’s top-level categories.
What NHTSA owner complaints mean
These figures count complaints that vehicle owners and other members of the public have submitted to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. NHTSA uses complaints, together with other data, to spot safety issues that may warrant an investigation and to check whether existing recalls go far enough.
- They are reports, not findings. Each complaint is the submitter's own account. Its presence in the database does not mean NHTSA has confirmed a defect.
- Counts are not defect rates. The data doesn't say how many vehicles were sold, so a raw count can't tell you what share of vehicles had a problem.
- Popular models collect more complaints. A model sold in large numbers will usually gather more complaints than a rare one, simply because more people own it.
- One complaint can name several components. Totals by component can therefore add up to more than the number of complaints.
- Coverage starts in 1995. NHTSA's complaint file contains complaints received since January 1, 1995.
Use complaint patterns as a prompt for questions: whether a recall covers the issue, whether the vehicle you are considering has had the fix, and what a mechanic finds on inspection. For confirmed safety defects, see the recall list for this model.
Are there any recalls for the GMC Sierra 1500 HD?
NHTSA lists no vehicle recall campaigns filed under the model name Sierra 1500 HD. NHTSA sometimes files versions of a model under other names, so check the brand’s other models too, and use NHTSA’s VIN lookup (opens in a new tab) for any particular vehicle.
Which GMC Sierra 1500 HD model year has the most complaints?
The 2003 model year, with 16 of the 48 complaints in NHTSA’s file (33.3%). The next are 2005 (11) and 2001 (9). Complaint counts also reflect how many vehicles of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road, so they are not a reliability ranking.
What is the most common GMC Sierra 1500 HD complaint?
Service Brakes is the component named most often: 21 complaints, or 43.8% of all 48. Electrical System (7) and Service Brakes, Hydraulic (6) follow. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not confirmed defects, and one complaint can name several components.
How many GMC Sierra 1500 HD complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?
Of the 48 complaints, 1 report a crash, 2 a fire, 0 at least one injury and 0 at least one death. These figures count complaints, not people, and each complaint is the submitter’s own unverified account.
The GMC models with the most NHTSA complaints, and the GMC VIN decoder with every GMC model page, WMI code and VIN note.
- GMC Sierra 1500 1995–2026 · 60 recalls · 8,852 complaints
- GMC Acadia 2007–2026 · 38 recalls · 5,557 complaints
- GMC Yukon 1995–2026 · 74 recalls · 4,874 complaints
- GMC Sierra 1995–2017 · 52 recalls · 3,585 complaints
- GMC Terrain 2010–2026 · 22 recalls · 3,110 complaints
- GMC Envoy 1995–2009 · 27 recalls · 2,459 complaints
- GMC Yukon XL 1999–2026 · 54 recalls · 2,403 complaints
- GMC Jimmy 1995–2004 · 18 recalls · 1,869 complaints
All GMC models and WMI codesLook up recalls by year
Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files, updated September 25, 2026. Recall campaigns are vehicle (V) campaigns listed for this model name; complaints are counted once per NHTSA ODI number and model year.