2012 GMC Sierra 1500 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
BestComplaint Index
0/100
#16 most-complained of 16 Sierra 1500 years
The 2012 GMC Sierra 1500 ranks best (rank 1 of 16 model years) with a complaint index of 0 and 146 complaints logged. Airbags (32% of complaints) and Structure & Body (21%) are the top problem areas, with 5 recalls on record.
- Complaints
- 146
- Recalls
- 5
- Crashes / fires
- 8 / 2
- Injuries / deaths
- 1 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 4 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- —
Top 2012 GMC Sierra 1500 problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Airbags46 (32%)
- Other44 (30%)
- Structure & Body30 (21%)
- Engine16 (11%)
- Brakes15 (10%)
- Electrical System15 (10%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires11 (8%)
- Steering10 (7%)
- Transmission & Powertrain8 (5%)
- Fuel System4 (3%)
What owners report
- Front passenger airbags have deployed unexpectedly during normal driving, sometimes causing a crash.
- Steering has drifted or wandered to one side, with owners also noting ABS and brake warning lights coming on at low mileage.
- Some trucks have caught fire in the engine compartment or after an unexplained total loss of power, in a few cases while parked or shortly after driving.
- Owners report the antilock brake system slipping or failing to stop the truck at very low speed, leading to collisions.
- A steering shaft has been reported disengaging from the axle at higher mileage, causing loss of steering control.
- Sudden loss of engine power and electrical warning lights have been reported, in one case leading to a front-end collision.
2012 GMC Sierra 1500 recalls
5 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 21V051000Feb 5, 2021Airbags284,645 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2012 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 22, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 11, 2021. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328770.
- NHTSA 21V054000Feb 5, 2021Airbags1,778,128 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, SC, TX, PR, AS, GU, the MP, and VI or "Zone A." Additionally GM is recalling certain 2011-2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, Yukon XL and 2011-2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AZ, AR, DE, DC, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MO, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NC, OH, OK, PA, TN, VA, and WV or "Zone B." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2010-2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL and 2010-2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AK, CO, CT, ID, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MT, NH, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI, and WY or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 25, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed to 40 VIN owners on May 11, 2021. A second owner notification letter was mailed to all other owners on January 24, 2022. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328800.
- NHTSA 18V267000Apr 26, 2018Other6,154 vehicles
Equipment
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Chevrolet Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD, 2009 GMC Topkick 5000, 6000, 7000 and 8000 Series and Isuzu F Series, and 2009-2018 Chevrolet Express, and GMC Savana vehicles, equipped with certain Plastic-Handle Fire Extinguishers or Push Button 'Pindicator' Fire Extinguishers. These extinguishers may become clogged, preventing the extinguisher from discharging as expected or requiring excessive force to activate the extinguisher. Additionally, in certain models, the nozzle may detach from the valve assembly with enough force that it could cause injury and also render the product inoperable. For a full list of the affected fire extinguisher models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2017/RMISC-17E062-5427.pdf
Risk: In the event of a fire, if the fire extinguisher does not function properly, it can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, instructing them to contact Kidde to get a replacement fire extinguisher, free of charge. The recall began June 11, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, and Isuzu customer service at 1-866-441-9638. GM's number for this recall is 18146.
2012 compared with other Sierra 1500 years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2012 GMC Sierra 1500 reliable?
- Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2012 model ranks best among the 16 model years covered, with a complaint index of 0 and 146 total complaints.
- What problems does the 2012 GMC Sierra 1500 have?
- The largest share of complaints involves airbags (32%, 46 complaints) and structure & body issues (21%, 30 complaints), including reports of unexpected airbag deployment and engine-compartment fires.
- Does the 2012 GMC Sierra 1500 have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 5 recalls for the 2012 Sierra 1500, covering airbags, electrical system (ignition lock housing), fuel system, and a fire extinguisher replacement, none marked do-not-drive.
- How does the 2012 Sierra 1500 compare to other years?
- The 2012 model has a complaint index of 0, the lowest of all 16 years, while years like 2014, 2022, 2023, and 2024 rank as Avoid with complaint indexes of 80, 93, 87, and 100 respectively.
- At what mileage do problems typically show up on the 2012 Sierra 1500?
- Median mileage at failure across complaints is 55,000 miles, though the engine problem area shows a lower median of 23,500 miles.