YearToAvoid

2005 GMC Sierra 1500 Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA has 22 owner complaints about transmission problems in the 2005 GMC Sierra 1500, 7% of all 298 complaints for this model year. That is #14 highest transmission complaint count among 21 Sierra 1500 model years. These complaints report 1 crash, 2 fires, and 1 injury. Median mileage at failure: 43,550 miles.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
22
7% of 298
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
2
Injuries reported
1
Median mileage
43,550 mi
Related recalls
1

When 2005 GMC Sierra 1500 transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Apr 6, 2005, latest Dec 11, 2017.

2005 GMC Sierra 1500 transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per month2Apr 2005Aug 2005Apr 2006Dec 2007Mar 2009May 2014May 2016
22 complaints filed with NHTSA from Apr 2005 to Dec 2017; peak Jun 2008 (2).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2005 GMC Sierra 1500

  1. NHTSA 05V055000Feb 14, 2005Transmission & Powertrain7,194 vehicles

    Power train:manual transmission:shift pattern indicator

    Certain sport utility vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission, fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 102, "transmission shift lever sequence, starter interlock and transmission braking effect." under certain vehicle starting conditions, the shift lever position indicator located in the instrument panel cluster may not illuminate. If the shift lever position indicator does not illuminate, the driver may not know which gear the vehicle is in.

    Risk: The vehicle may move in an unintended direction resulting in possible injury to others outside of the vehicle.

    Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the instrument panel cluster free of charge. The recall began on february 14, 2005. Owners may contact cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, and gmc at 1-866-996-9463.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Sierra 1500 model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 200522 (7%)
  2. 200616 (8%)
  3. 200710 (3%)
  4. 20088 (2%)
  5. 20099 (3%)
  6. 20105 (2%)
  7. 201132 (9%)
  8. 20128 (5%)
  9. 20138 (5%)
  10. 201480 (9%)
  11. 2015109 (14%)
  12. 201692 (24%)
  13. 2017144 (34%)
  14. 2018132 (41%)
  15. 2019140 (21%)
  16. 202096 (20%)
  17. 2021136 (24%)
  18. 2022108 (18%)
  19. 202391 (19%)
  20. 202468 (19%)
  21. 202525 (22%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2005 GMC Sierra 1500 have transmission problems?
NHTSA has 22 owner complaints about the transmission in the 2005 GMC Sierra 1500, 7% of all complaints for this model year, including 1 that report a crash. Median mileage at failure is 43,550 miles.
Which GMC Sierra 1500 year has the most transmission complaints?
The 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 has the most transmission complaints (144), compared with 22 for the 2005.
Is there a transmission recall for the 2005 GMC Sierra 1500?
Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign for the 2005 GMC Sierra 1500 concerns the transmission: 05V055000.

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.