Home · 2012 GMC Sierra 2500 Hd · Complaints

What 59 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 GMC Sierra 2500 Hd

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (59)Crash / fire / injury (8)Airbags (12)Electrical system (11)Body & structure (10)Engine (8)Transmission & drivetrain (6)Fuel system (5)Brakes (4)Speed control (3)Steering (3)Suspension (3)

11 of 59 complaints match · Electrical system · clear filters

Sep 5, 2023Transmission & drivetrainElectrical system

Driving on the expressway around 60 mph when the truck went into limp mode slowing me down to 40 and then would not shift gears Tcm went out gm told me that there is a big problem

NHTSA ODI 11542551

Aug 2, 2023Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemSpeed control

Failed TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE (24256861). While driving in the early morning hours (darkness) taking my child to school, I was navigating through a busy intersection when the vehicle surged and then made a loud metal on metal sound, feeling as if someone had struck me from behind. At that point the power train became inoperable, stranding us and coming very close to being first, struck from behind and then from cross traffic. The vehicle was/has been inspected by a GM technician at Starling Chevrolet, St Cloud, FL and the TCM was found to have failed (trouble code U0101, lost communication with TCM). It has been at the dealership for going on four months awaiting the production of a replacement part(TCM). There was no prior indication that the TCM was about to fail. Upon failure, all lights on the vehicle display flashed and the indicator for the vehicle drive position was lost (P, R, N, D), no longer visible.

NHTSA ODI 11536038

Mar 17, 2016Electrical system

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD NEAR THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DASHBOARD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000.

NHTSA ODI 10850234

Feb 8, 2016Electrical system

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC SIERRA 2500. WHEN USING THE SNOW PLOW, THE HEADLIGHTS DIMMED AND THE HEAT DECREASED AS IF IT WERE TURNED OFF. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VOLTS DECREASED WHEN USING THE PLOW, WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND SENT AN INVESTIGATOR TO DIAGNOSE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,500.

NHTSA ODI 10824851

Dec 16, 2015Electrical systemCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC SIERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER WHICH RESULTED IN A FRONT END COLLISION WITH A GUARDRAIL. WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED, ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE OPERATED AFTER THE CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 75,000.

NHTSA ODI 10810661

Aug 20, 2015Electrical system

WHILE MOVING WITH TRANSMISSION IN DRIVE, THE IGNITION SWITCH CAN BE SWITCHED OFF. BY DOING SO, THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES FAIL TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE STEERING WHEEL WILL LOCK, NOT ALLOWING TO STEER. THERE HAVE BEEN A SAFETY CONCERNS WITH OTHER GM PRODUCTS, WHY NOT THIS MODEL? THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN.

NHTSA ODI 10750195

Jul 2, 2015Electrical system

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. TOOK TRUCK TO LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER FOR REPAIR AND THEY DISCOVERED THE WIRES HAD BEEN CHEWED THROUGH. I READ THAT GM USES PEANUT OIL ON WIRES IN ORDER TO INSTALL THEM EASIER. LOOKS LIKE THIS ATTRACTED A MOUSE, SQUIRREL, CHIPMUNK, OR OTHER CREATURE AND IT CHEWED THE WIRES. LUCKILY IT DID NOT AFFECT THE OPERATION OF THE TRUCK BUT IT COULD HAVE LED TO A SHORT CIRCUIT THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE. I FEEL THIS NEEDS TO BE THOROUGHLY INVESTIGATED. AND GM NEEDS TO CREATE SOME KIND OF ANIMAL REPELLANT TO SPRAY ON THE WIRES AFTER VEHICLE ASSEMBLY.

NHTSA ODI 10731725

Jan 22, 2015Electrical system

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC SIERRA 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WHEN TURNING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,000.

NHTSA ODI 10678363

Jul 10, 2014SteeringElectrical system

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE RIGHT AND LEFT TURN SIGNAL AND SAFETY BELT CHIME STOPPED WORKING. ALSO, THE RADIO MALFUNCTIONED AND THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE RIGHT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 65,274. UPDATED 10/2/14*CN THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE INTERIOR LIGHTS ALSO WENT OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER RECALL. UPDATED 3/9/15 *JS

NHTSA ODI 10609567

Jan 4, 2013Electrical systemBody & structureElectronic Stability Control (esc)Engine

APPARENTLY GM USES PEANUT OIL TO LUBRICATE WIRING SO THEY CAN MORE EASILY INSULATE, ETC (ACCORGING TO THE GM DEALER). THIS ATTRACTS RATS AND MICE WHICH CHEW UP THE WIRING - POTENTIALLY IMPACTING SENSORS AND OTHER ITEMS CONTROLLING CRUISE, STABILITY/TRACTION CONTROL, AND ANY NUMBER OF ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS THAT THE DRIVER MAY BE RELYING UPON FOR SAFETY. I ACTUALLY HAD MAP SENSOR WIRES CHEWED UP THAT DISABLED MY STABILITY/TRACTION SYSTEMS AND INHIBITED ENGINE PERFORMANCE. LUCKILY FOR ME IT HAPPENED IN MY DRIVEWAY RATHER THAN ON THE HIGHWAY. DEALER CLAIMS IT IS NOT WARRANTY ITEM EVEN THOUGH CAUSED BY A PROCESS THAT GM ELECTS TO USE IN BUILDING THE VEHICLE. THIS COULD IMPACT ANY/EVERY VEHICLE THAT GM BUILDS WITH USE OF PEANUT OIL (MAY INDEED BE ALL OF THEIR MODELS). *TR

NHTSA ODI 10491437

Oct 17, 2012Electrical systemLightsBody & structureEngineFire

VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO GMC DEALER FOR HEADLIGHT DEFECT AND WE WERE INFORMED THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO ORDER PARTS. DROVE TRUCK BACK TO SITE AND WHILE TRUCK WAS RUNNING BUT STATIONARY SMOKE WAS OBSERVED COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. WHEN THE HOOD WAS RAISED THE ENTIRE TRUCK BECAME ENGULFED AND COMPLETELY BURNED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10480914

Working with the data? Download all 59 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 19, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2012 GMC Sierra 2500 Hd verdict →