2023 GMC Sierra 3500 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
AvoidComplaint Index
80/100
#4 most-complained of 16 Sierra 3500 years
The 2023 GMC Sierra 3500 has a Complaint Index of 80, ranked 4th worst out of 16 model years, and is rated Avoid relative to other Sierra 3500 years. Transmission & Powertrain issues account for 50% of its 28 NHTSA complaints, with a median failure mileage of 33,800.
- Complaints
- 28
- Recalls
- 1
- Crashes / fires
- 5 / 0
- Injuries / deaths
- 1 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- —
Top 2023 GMC Sierra 3500 problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Transmission & Powertrain14 (50%)
- Engine5 (18%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires5 (18%)
- Electrical System4 (14%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras4 (14%)
- Other3 (11%)
- Brakes2 (7%)
- Fuel System2 (7%)
- Lane Departure2 (7%)
- Airbags1 (4%)
What owners report
- Owners report the 10-speed transmission valve body sticking, triggering solenoid fault codes and causing the truck to lose gears or refuse to shift above 3rd.
- Some drivers describe sudden wheel lock-up combined with a shudder while decelerating from highway speeds, followed by reduced engine power and multiple transmission fault codes.
- Hard, jolting downshifts are reported during acceleration around 50 mph, later traced by dealers to transmission valve body failure.
- The tailgate has been reported to open unexpectedly while driving, in one case ejecting cargo and coinciding with a lane-departure system correction that led to a minor collision.
- A master cylinder was reported leaking brake fluid at the seal near the piston, affecting the brake assembly.
- Owners report trailer brake-light and electrical connection faults, along with melted plastic on a rear sliding mirror.
2023 GMC Sierra 3500 recalls
1 NHTSA recall campaign list this model year.
- NHTSA 24V060000Feb 1, 2024Structure & Body570,434 vehicles
Latches/locks/linkages:tailgate:latch
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2024 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, 3500, GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 vehicles equipped with power-unlatching tailgates. The tailgate's electronic gate-release switch may short circuit due to water intrusion, which can result in the tailgate inadvertently unlatching while the vehicle is in park.
Risk: An unlatched tailgate may open while driving and result in a loss of unsecured cargo, creating a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Owners are advised to check that the tailgate is closed and latched before driving. Dealers will replace the exterior touchpad switch assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 17, 2024. 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 N232426400.
2023 compared with other Sierra 3500 years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2023 GMC Sierra 3500 reliable?
- Compared to other Sierra 3500 model years, 2023 ranks 4th worst out of 16 years tracked, with a Complaint Index of 80 and an Avoid verdict. NHTSA lists 28 complaints, half of them tied to transmission and powertrain problems.
- What is the main problem with the 2023 GMC Sierra 3500?
- Transmission & Powertrain complaints make up 50% of all reports, with issues like valve body failure and hard shifting reported at a median mileage of 33,800.
- Does the 2023 GMC Sierra 3500 have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists one recall, campaign 24V060000, covering power-unlatching tailgates where the electronic gate-release switch may short and cause the tailgate to open unexpectedly.
- How does the 2023 Sierra 3500 compare to the 2022 and 2024 model years?
- The 2022 model year has a Complaint Index of 93 and the 2024 model year has 100, both also rated Avoid, making 2023 slightly less problematic than those two but still among the worse years.