YearToAvoid

2013 GMC Sierra 1500 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Best

Complaint Index

7/100

#15 most-complained of 16 Sierra 1500 years

The 2013 GMC Sierra 1500 has a complaint index of 7, the second-lowest among 16 model years, and ranks 15th worst (meaning near-best). NHTSA lists 162 complaints and 6 recalls, with airbags as the top problem area at 27% of complaints.

Complaints
162
Recalls
6
Crashes / fires
6 / 2
Injuries / deaths
10 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
—

Top 2013 GMC Sierra 1500 problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Other51 (31%)
  2. Airbags44 (27%)
  3. Structure & Body33 (20%)
  4. Electrical System15 (9%)
  5. Suspension, Wheels & Tires14 (9%)
  6. Engine13 (8%)
  7. Brakes8 (5%)
  8. Transmission & Powertrain8 (5%)
  9. Steering5 (3%)
  10. Fuel System3 (2%)

What owners report

  • Airbags failed to deploy in multiple crash reports, including a rollover after swerving off the road at a median mileage of 55,500 for that problem area.
  • One owner reported the airbags did not deploy after hitting trees and boulders at about 47 mph.
  • A rear-end collision at highway speed reportedly failed to trigger airbag deployment and left the vehicle spun into a curb.
  • Brake fluid leaked at the rear wheel and reportedly caused a fire, with owners describing repeated rotor and brake replacements.
  • Owners described a stabilitrak warning light and tone appearing with no standard traction-related trigger, unresolved despite dealer visits.
  • One owner reported unintended acceleration from 50 mph to 70 mph before manually braking to stop the truck.
2013 GMC Sierra 1500 complaints: complaints filed per quarter162012 Q42014 Q32016 Q22017 Q42019 Q22021 Q22023 Q12024 Q4
201 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2012 Q4 to 2025 Q4; peak 2016 Q3 (16).

2013 GMC Sierra 1500 recalls

6 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 21V053000Feb 5, 2021Airbags692,526 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles 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." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2010 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2009 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C."

    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 24, 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 N212328790.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

See all 6 recalls for the 2013 GMC Sierra 1500 →

2013 compared with other Sierra 1500 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2011Good273557—
2012Best01465—
2013Best71626—
2014Avoid8085420 !—
2015Caution6079315—

All GMC Sierra 1500 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2013 GMC Sierra 1500 a good year?
Yes, relative to other Sierra 1500 years. NHTSA data shows a complaint index of 7, ranked 15th worst out of 16 model years, and it is labeled 'Best' compared to other years like 2014 and 2022, which carry 'Avoid' verdicts.
What are the main problems with the 2013 GMC Sierra 1500?
Airbags are the top problem area, making up 27% of complaints, followed by structure and body issues at 20%. Electrical system complaints came in at a median mileage of 18,300.
Does the 2013 GMC Sierra 1500 have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 6 recalls for the 2013 Sierra 1500, covering airbags, fuel system, transmission and powertrain, and other components. None are do-not-drive recalls.
How does the 2013 Sierra 1500 compare to the 2014 model?
The 2013 model has a much lower complaint index of 7 versus 80 for 2014, and fewer complaints, 162 versus 854, and fewer recalls, 6 versus 20.

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.