2005 GMC Sierra 1500 Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Caution The 2005 GMC Sierra 1500 carries a Caution verdict, ranked 18th of 21 model years with a complaint index of 15. NHTSA logged 298 complaints and 10 recall campaigns, with Electrical System issues (32% of complaints) the top concern, including several blower motor fires.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 15/100
- #18 of 21 Sierra 1500 years
- Verdict
- Caution
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 298
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 10
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 7
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 11
- Injuries
- 8
- Top issue
- Electrical System
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 15.5
- 14 city / 18 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 8 / 0
Top 2005 GMC Sierra 1500 problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Electrical System95 (32%)
- Brakes92 (31%)
- Engine40 (13%)
- Steering30 (10%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires22 (7%)
- Transmission & Powertrain22 (7%)
- Airbags20 (7%)
- Structure & Body14 (5%)
- Other11 (4%)
- Fuel System10 (3%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Blower motor resistors overheat and melt, sending smoke or fire out from under the passenger dashboard.
- Owners report the cab filling with smoke while driving, sometimes tracing back to a burnt wire bundle at the blower connector.
- Some trucks caught fire in the engine compartment hours after being parked, destroying the vehicle.
- Airbags failed to deploy in low-speed and highway collisions, despite significant front-end damage.
- An unattended vehicle rolled from park into drive when a child moved the column gear shift, leading to a crash.
- One owner reported the engine accelerating unexpectedly when shifting into drive, resulting in a crash.
2005 GMC Sierra 1500 recalls
10 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 06V417000Oct 31, 2006Airbags794 vehicles
Air bags:frontal
Certain vehicles originally built with cloth seats that were equipped with an automatic air bag passenger sensing system and later reupholstered with aftermarket leather seat cover kits are involved. Testing has indicated that the aftermarket leather seat covers can cause the passenger sensing system to malfunction.
Risk: If the passenger sensing system malfunctions, the front air bag on the passenger side may be disabled when it should be enabled, or enabled when it should be disabled. In either case, in the event of a crash that requires air bag deployment, a front passenger's level of injury may be increased.
Remedy: Because a replacement leather seat cover that is compatible with the passenger sensing system is not available, general motors (gm) will repurchase these vehicles in accordance with the terms stated in gm's letter to owners. The recall began on november 6, 2006. Owners should contact gm at 1-877-477-1022 to begin the process of repurchasing their vehicle.
- NHTSA 06V289000Aug 3, 2006Engine38,439 vehicles
Engine and engine cooling
On certain trucks equipped with an 8.1l v8 (rpo l8-VIN g) engine have a condition in which the engine fuel rail pulse damper retainer clip may fracture resulting in inadequate retention of the damper.
Risk: If the damper comes loose, a fuel leak may result. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the engine fuel rail pulse damper retainer clip free of charge. The recall began on august 31, 2006. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 and gmc trucks at 1-866-996-9463.
- NHTSA 05V455000Oct 5, 2005Steering123,592 vehicles
Steering:hydraulic power assist:hose, piping, and connections
Certain passenger vehicles may have been built with a power steering hose that is not to specification. Under extreme steering maneuvers, such as turning the steering wheel fully to the left or right while braking, the hose may fracture and leak fluid.
Risk: If this were to occur, power steering assist would be lost and increased steering effort would be required. On vehicles equipped with hydro-boost power brakes, it could also result in loss of power brake assist and increased braking effort would be required. If the power steering fluid spray were to spray onto hot engine parts, an engine compartment fire could occur.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the power steering hose(s) for two suspect date codes and replace them if required. The recall will begin on october 14, 2005. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, gmc at 1-866-996-9463, buick at 1-866-608-8080, cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, isuzu at 1-800-255-6727, or hummer at 1-800-732-5493.
2005 GMC Sierra 1500 fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 14 MPG
- Highway
- 18 MPG
- Combined
- 15.5 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $4,175
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2005 compared with other Sierra 1500 years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2005 GMC Sierra 1500 reliable?
- Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2005 Sierra 1500 rates Caution, ranking 18th out of 21 model years with a complaint index of 15.
- What problems does the 2005 GMC Sierra 1500 have?
- Electrical System complaints make up 32% of all reports, often involving blower motor wiring that overheats or catches fire, followed by Brakes at 31% and Engine issues at 13%.
- Does the 2005 GMC Sierra 1500 have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns for the 2005 Sierra 1500, covering airbags, engine fuel rail components, steering hoses, brakes, seat belts, and transmission shift interlock software.
- Why is the 2005 Sierra 1500 rated Caution instead of based only on complaints?
- Its verdict is capped to Caution because of 10 recall campaigns requiring a dealer visit, even though the complaint index itself is 15.
- How does the 2005 Sierra 1500 compare to other years?
- Its complaint index of 15 is lower than higher-index years like 2022 (100) and 2021 (85), but its 10 recalls still push it to a Caution verdict rather than Good.