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2018 GMC Sierra Denali
Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.
17 owner complaints · 0 recalls · data verified July 20, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Zero recalls, rare for a car this age.
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →#5 of 474Among the 2018 models with a matured record, the 2018 GMC Sierra Denali ranks #5, scoring higher than 98% of them. See the 2018 ranking →
Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
NHTSA hasn’t published a crash-test rating for this model year. That’s common for lower-volume or older models. It doesn’t mean the car is unsafe, just that this program hasn’t tested it.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2018 GMC Sierra Denali, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Engine (5)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Engine
29%5 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY ABOUT 65MPH IT MADE A LOUD CLUNK AND I TOOK IT IN TO SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THEY TOLD ME I WOULD HAVE TO PAY ABOUT $400.00 TO DRAIN THE TRANSM…”
Body & structure
24%4 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“HOOD VENT FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING NORMAL SPEEDS ON THE HIGHWAY AND HIT THE CAR BEHIND ME. I FEEL THAT THE CHEAP PLASTIC IS DEFECTIVE AND COULD CAUSE A PROBLEM WITH THE …”
Brakes
24%4 complaints
“CERTAIN 2018 GMC SIERRA 1500 DENALIS WERE ISSUED A RECALL FOR THE "ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL MODULE". FOR MY VIN, IT DOESN'T SHOW THAT THAT ISSUE NEEDS TO BE FIXED (I J…”
Steering
18%3 complaints
“WHILE DRIVING HIGHWAY SPEED (75MPH) THE STEERING WENT OUT AS I WAS TRYING TO GO THRU A CURVE., I HAD TO USE BOTH HANDS AND FORCE THE WHEEL TO TURN TO EXIT HIGHWAY. LUC…”
Check it against this car’s mileage
Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.
Too few owners named a mileage on this model to place issues against an odometer yet.
Read all 17 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 1 crash/fire/injury reports →
Recalls (0)
No recall campaigns on file for this model year.
Questions to ask the seller
Questions worth asking the seller of this GMC before you buy, drawn from its public record:
- Owners of this model report engine problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any engine symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
- How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
- Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?
Before you hand over money
Check the VIN for open recalls
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2018 GMC SIERRA DENALI beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2018? See how every Sierra Denali model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2018 GMC Sierra Denali against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.