NHTSA recalls & complaints · 2002–2020

GMC Sierra Denali recalls, complaints and VIN decoding

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 249 owner complaints for the GMC Sierra Denali, covering model years 2002 to 2020. The 2016 model year drew the most complaints (30), and Service Brakes is the component owners name most often.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint flat files, updated September 25, 2026.

Decode your GMC Sierra Denali VIN

See the model year, plant and build details of one vehicle, then the recalls for its exact year.

1 recall campaign on file
249 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
18 model years with data (2002–2020)

most complaints: 2016 (30 for that model year)
top component: Service Brakes (44 complaints)
latest recall 05V127000 (reported Mar 31, 2005)

7 complaints reporting a crash (2.8%)
0 complaints reporting a fire (0.0%)
7 complaints reporting an injury (2.8%)
0 complaints reporting a death (0.0%)

GMC Sierra Denali complaints by model year

18 model years · NHTSA complaints

The 2016 model year has the most complaints: 30 of 249, or 12.0%. Next come 2011 (28) and 2019 (26). The fewest are for 2007, with 1 complaint.

Owner complaints per model yearHighest yearOther years

Show the figures for all 18 model years

GMC Sierra Denali complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death

GMC Sierra Denali complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Model year	Complaints	Reporting a crash	Reporting an injury
2002	13	1	1
2004	11	1	1
2005	4	0	0
2006	5	1	0
2007	1	0	0
2008	18	0	1
2009	7	0	0
2010	10	0	0
2011	28	0	0
2012	10	0	0
2013	8	0	0
2014	14	0	0
2015	22	1	0
2016	30	2	1
2017	14	1	1
2018	17	0	1
2019	26	0	1
2020	11	0	0
All model years	249	7	7

Crash, fire, injury and death columns count complaints that report at least one of them, not people.

Most-reported GMC Sierra Denali components

top 15 · NHTSA categories

Service Brakes is the component named most often, in 44 complaints (17.7% of all 249), followed by Structure (34) and Power Train (28). Another 54 complaints are filed under NHTSA’s “Unknown or Other” category.

Components named most often in GMC Sierra Denali complaints (top 15)

Components named most often in GMC Sierra Denali complaints (top 15)
Component	Complaints	Share of complaints
Unknown or Other	54	21.7%
Service Brakes	44	17.7%
Structure	34	13.7%
Power Train	28	11.2%
Steering	27	10.8%
Air Bags	26	10.4%
Engine	22	8.8%
Electrical System	17	6.8%
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	11	4.4%
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)	10	4.0%
Exterior Lighting	10	4.0%
Wheels	8	3.2%
Engine and Engine Cooling	6	2.4%
Suspension	6	2.4%
Equipment	3	1.2%

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.

GMC Sierra Denali recalls

1 campaign · newest first

Every vehicle recall campaign NHTSA lists under the model name Sierra Denali, newest first. The only campaign, 05V127000, covers model year 2005.

1 recall campaign

GMC Sierra Denali recall campaigns covering each model year
2005: 1 campaign

NHTSA campaign 05V127000
Reported Mar 31, 2005
Seat Belts › Front › Anchorage
Model year 2005
Certain sport utility vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 225, "child restraint anchorage systems" the requirements for location and instructions for properly attaching child restraints. The owner manual in these vehicles indicate the incorrect seat locations with upper and lower tether anchors, and provide incorrect installation instructions for the top tether anchorage.
Consequence:
Improper use of child restraint anchorage could result in personal injury to the seat occupant.
Remedy:
Dealers will mail an owner's manual update that describes the location and proper use of the tether anchors. The recall began on April 15, 2005. Owners may contact GMC at 1-866-996-9463.
Filed by General Motors, LLC

Recall text is shown as NHTSA publishes it; older campaigns, which NHTSA stores in capital letters, are shown in sentence case. NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline, 1-888-327-4236, also answers recall questions.

How to read this recall list

This list shows every safety recall campaign NHTSA has on file for this make, model and model year. It is not specific to one vehicle: a recall often covers only vehicles built in a certain date range or with a certain part, and many of the vehicles it covers will already have been repaired.

What each recall field means

What each recall field means
Field	What it tells you
Campaign number	NHTSA's unique ID for the recall, such as 20V771000. Quote it to a dealer or when searching NHTSA's site.
Component	The system or part involved, for example air bags, brakes or electrical software.
Summary	What the defect or non-compliance is and which vehicles are covered.
Consequence	The safety risk if the problem isn't fixed.
Remedy	What the manufacturer will do, such as a repair, replacement or software update, and whether it is free.

Some recalls carry an NHTSA consumer advisory, “Do Not Drive” or “Park Outside”. Follow it until the repair is done.
A single campaign often covers several models or model years, so the same campaign number can appear in more than one list.
Recalls are shown as NHTSA publishes them. Very recent campaigns may take time to appear.

Does your vehicle have an open recall? Only a VIN check can tell you. Enter the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or on the manufacturer's website. Our VIN recall check guide explains what each option covers.

GMC Sierra Denali questions

5 questions

How many recalls does the GMC Sierra Denali have?

NHTSA lists 1 vehicle recall campaign for the GMC Sierra Denali, covering model years 2002 to 2020. The campaign, 05V127000, was reported on March 31, 2005 and is filed under “Seat belts”.

Which GMC Sierra Denali model year has the most complaints?

The 2016 model year, with 30 of the 249 complaints in NHTSA’s file (12.0%). The next are 2011 (28) and 2019 (26). 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 Denali complaint?

Service Brakes is the component named most often: 44 complaints, or 17.7% of all 249. Structure (34) and Power Train (28) follow. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not confirmed defects, and one complaint can name several components.

Does every recall on this page apply to my GMC Sierra Denali?

Not necessarily. Each campaign lists specific model years, and many cover only vehicles built in a certain period or fitted with a certain part; repairs already carried out aren’t shown. To see whether a recall is open on your vehicle, enter its VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or ask a GMC dealer.

How many GMC Sierra Denali complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?

Of the 249 complaints, 7 report a crash, 0 a fire, 7 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.

8 models · most complaints first

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 codes Look 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.