2018 GMC Sierra 3500 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
BestComplaint Index
20/100
#13 most-complained of 16 Sierra 3500 years
The 2018 GMC Sierra 3500 has 14 NHTSA complaints and a complaint index of 20, ranking 13th of 16 model years — one of the better years for this model. It carries 6 recalls, with brakes as the top reported problem area.
- Complaints
- 14
- Recalls
- 6
- Crashes / fires
- 0 / 0
- Injuries / deaths
- 0 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- —
Top 2018 GMC Sierra 3500 problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Brakes6 (43%)
- Electrical System4 (29%)
- Steering3 (21%)
- Engine1 (7%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras1 (7%)
- Fuel System1 (7%)
- HVAC1 (7%)
- Transmission & Powertrain1 (7%)
- Visibility & Wipers1 (7%)
What owners report
- Brakes and ABS warning lights illuminate together with loss of braking function, sometimes while towing a trailer at highway speed.
- Brake pedal feel changes on long downhill grades, with owners reporting the brakes fail to slow the truck as expected even when pressed harder.
- HID headlights flicker, dim, or brighten when driven over rough or bumpy road surfaces, reported as early as 1,000 miles.
- Warning lights for stabilitrak, power steering, and trailer brake system appear together with a temporary loss of braking, in some cases even without a trailer attached.
- The engine recall repair for the Duramax diesel engine block heater was reported as taking longer than expected to complete at a dealer.
- A rear window reportedly shattered and produced smoke while the defrost system was running with the truck parked, at 70,000 miles.
2018 GMC Sierra 3500 recalls
6 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 24V756000Oct 10, 2024Airbags2,061 vehicles
Air bags:side/window:curtain:inflator
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500, 2018-2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, 3500, and GMC Sierra 2500, 3500 Crew Cab trucks. The left or right-side roof-rail air bag (RRAB) inflator end cap may detach from the inflator or the inflator sidewall may rupture.
Risk: A separated inflator end cap or inflator rupture can allow compressed gas to escape, resulting in the end cap or other components being propelled into the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury or crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the left and right side RRAB modules, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 8, 2024. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, and GMC Customer Service at 888-988-7267. GM's number for this recall is N242474500.
- NHTSA 23V047000Feb 2, 2023Fuel System22,132 vehicles
Fuel system, diesel:storage:tank assembly
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, 3500, and GMC Sierra 2500, 3500 vehicles equipped with a dual fuel tank option. The rear fuel tank may collapse and prevent the fuel pump from transferring fuel to the front tank, resulting in an engine stall.
Risk: An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the fuel tank and fuel pump module, replacing them as necessary. Dealers will also add a vent hose to the rear tank assembly. Repairs will be performed free of charge. An interim owner notification letter informing owners of the safety risk was mailed on March 15, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed June 21, 2023. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N222368030.
- NHTSA 21V496000Jul 1, 2021Other338,020 vehicles
Equipment:electrical:engine block heater
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, 3500 and 2017-2019 GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 vehicles equipped with a Duramax diesel 6.6 liter engine and an optional engine-block heater cord. An electrical short-circuit may occur in the engine-block heater cable or in the terminals that connect the heater cable to the block heater.
Risk: An electrical short-circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will replace engine block heaters and heater cords. Vehicles that have this feature disabled as a remedy to the safety condition will be contacted and offered replacement block heaters and heater cords under a separate customer satisfaction program, free of charge. GM will provide free replacement block heaters and cords under a separate customer satisfaction campaign. For vehicles previously included in recall 19V-328, the heater cord will be replaced and rerouted, free of charge. Interim owner notifications were mailed on August 13, 2021. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on April 4, 2022. Customers may call GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 212329840.
2018 compared with other Sierra 3500 years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2018 GMC Sierra 3500 a good year?
- Yes, relative to other Sierra 3500 model years. It has a complaint index of 20 and ranks 13th worst out of 16 years tracked, earning a 'Best' verdict compared to other years like 2020, 2022, 2023, and 2024, which rank as 'Avoid.'
- What problems does the 2018 GMC Sierra 3500 have?
- NHTSA lists 14 complaints for the 2018 Sierra 3500, with brakes as the top problem area (43% of complaints), followed by the electrical system (29%) and steering (21%). Median mileage at failure across complaints is 53,800.
- Does the 2018 GMC Sierra 3500 have any recalls?
- Yes, NHTSA lists 6 recalls for this year covering airbags, fuel system, engine block heaters, and seat belt retractors. None of these are do-not-drive recalls.
- How many complaints does NHTSA have for the 2018 Sierra 3500 brakes?
- NHTSA lists 6 brake-related complaints for the 2018 Sierra 3500, making up 43% of all complaints for the year, with a median mileage at failure of 37,034.