YearToAvoid

GMC Best and Worst Years by Model

9 GMC models, 20,932 NHTSA owner complaints and 293 recall campaigns for model years 2010–2025. Pick a model to see which years to avoid and which are the safest bets.

GMC models ranked by owner complaints

Sorted by popularity. Years to avoid / best years come from each model’s own Complaint Index.

ModelYearsComplaintsRecallsYears to avoidBest yearsTop issue
GMC Acadia2010–20253,937312014, 2017, 2018, 20192013, 2020, 2022, 2023Electrical System
GMC Terrain2010–20253,079202010, 2011, 2012, 20132021, 2022, 2023, 2025Engine
GMC Yukon2010–20252,870452015, 2021, 2023, 20242012, 2014, 2019, 2020Engine
GMC Sierra 15002010–20256,907672014, 2022, 2023, 20242010, 2012, 2013, 2018Engine
GMC Canyon2010–20251,075262015, 2016, 2023, 20242010, 2011, 2019, 2020Steering
GMC Yukon XL2010–20251,911352015, 2021, 2022, 20232012, 2013, 2014, 2020Engine
GMC Sierra 25002010–2025768342020, 2022, 2024, 20252010, 2013, 2014, 2018Electrical System
GMC Denali2010–20155002011, 20152010, 2013Electrical System
GMC Sierra 35002010–2025335352020, 2022, 2023, 20242012, 2014, 2018Electrical System

GMC model years with the most complaints

Raw complaint counts (not adjusted for age or sales). Click through for the breakdown.

  1. 2014 GMC Sierra 1500 · 854 complaints · 20 recalls Avoid
  2. 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 · 793 complaints · 15 recalls Caution
  3. 2017 GMC Acadia · 703 complaints · 4 recalls Avoid
  4. 2019 GMC Sierra 1500 · 671 complaints · 10 recalls Caution
  5. 2015 GMC Yukon · 602 complaints · 10 recalls Avoid
  6. 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 · 585 complaints · 6 recalls Avoid
  7. 2021 GMC Sierra 1500 · 570 complaints · 7 recalls Caution
  8. 2023 GMC Sierra 1500 · 479 complaints · 3 recalls Avoid
  9. 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 · 477 complaints · 12 recalls Caution
  10. 2014 GMC Acadia · 462 complaints · 6 recalls Avoid

How we rank GMC years

For each model we compare its own model years using the Complaint Index: complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and “Do Not Drive” recalls reported to NHTSA, adjusted for how long each year has been on the road. The top quarter of a model’s years is marked Avoid, the bottom quarter Best. Because NHTSA publishes no sales data, models are not ranked against each other. Full details in the methodology.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.