Home · 2025 GMC Sierra 2500 Hd · Complaints

What 24 owners told NHTSA about the 2025 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 (24)Crash / fire / injury (2)Steering (7)Brakes (6)Engine (4)Transmission & drivetrain (3)Body & structure (2)Equipment (2)Suspension (2)Fuel system (1)Lights (1)Speed control (1)

Newest first · 24 complaints

Jun 18, 2026SteeringBrakes

Normal driving 40mph brake failure and power steering loss. Towed vehicle to dealership

NHTSA ODI 11744937

May 2, 2026SteeringBrakes

Power steering pump failed when decelerating after 9500 miles. When power steering pump fails, power assisted braking also fails. Upon deceleration, I could not turn the steering wheel at all or stop the vehicle without extreme pressure on the brake pedal. I narrowly avoided impact with a concrete barricade at the entrance to a parking lot. GM issued a technical bulletin (DCS7112) on January 16, 2025 identifying the problem and failure and directing dealerships to replace the pump on inventory vehicles. No mention was made to repair or notify owners of the potential problem.

NHTSA ODI 11735271

Apr 22, 2026Lights

Reverse lamps are not bright. Camera does not brighten area either. Very unsafe to reverse in the dark. Have to touch the brake pedal to be able to see while backing. Also have tried the LEDs in the mirrors while backing- although the LEDs are bright- lights to see while backing are insufficient on the stop lamps.

NHTSA ODI 11733163

Apr 14, 2026Body & structure

The contact owns a 2025 GMC Sierra 2500. The contact stated that the front driver’s side door handle failed to operate as needed, and the contact was unable to exit the vehicle through the driver’s side door. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, and a new handle was ordered. The part was replaced under warranty. Soon after the repair, the liftgate failed to open or close as needed and became inoperable. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer for the liftgate to be serviced under warranty. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle remained with the dealer unrepaired. The failure mileage was approximately 300.

NHTSA ODI 11731146

Mar 5, 2026SteeringBrakes

On highway taking an exit. The brake pedal sank and did not engage at normal pressure, I had to push the brake all the way down for it to engage. Concurrently the steering wheel locked up where I could not turn the wheel at all. I drove straight through the exit ramp to the entrance ramp, luckily no one was entering the highway at the same time. I very well could have hurt some one else or myself. The steering wheel finally engaged where I had full power steering again and I was able to remove my truck off the highway and cautiously drove to a parking lot to get it towed. I have not tried to drive sense incident as it is at the dealer for service. The GMC Dealer has not inspected the vehicle yet, they are backed up with other services. There were no warning lamps at the time nor before the incident. Symptons see bellow. I have had issues with the brakes and it has been to the dealer 4 times including this incident, Service issue #1 at 21,501 miles -Breaks were pulsating, squealing and rough and it was shaking the steering column - The smell of burning breaks was present after drives -Solution they sanded down the hot spots on both rotors and pads for the front brakes Temporarily fixed the breaking and steering column shaking ( it did not solve the burning break smell problem. Service issue #2 at 28,142 miles Breaks were pulsating, squeaking, and steering column shaking - The smell of burning breaks was still present after drives. solution new front brake pads and rotors. Service issue #3 at 39,893 miles Rear brakes locked up while taking a turn on to a street Breaks were pulsating Squeaking and steering column shaking Smell of burning breaks is still present after drives solution machine front brake rotors. could not reproduce brake locking issue Final issue as mentioned above #4 @43,426 miles I cant help but think the constant break issues were warning signs.

NHTSA ODI 11722177

Mar 3, 2026Transmission & drivetrain

The transfer case leaked out all the fluid while driving over a period of time and damaged internal parts before the first oil change. This has happened 2 times now, and is currently leaking again with less than 10k miles.

NHTSA ODI 11721851

Feb 13, 2026EngineFuel system

Component / System Failure The exhaust system, specifically the exhaust manifolds and previously the EGR system components, appear to have failed or malfunctioned, allowing exhaust gases to enter the passenger cabin. The dealer initially replaced the EGR cooler diverter on December 23, 2025. However, the condition persisted. On February 3, 2026, cracked exhaust manifolds were identified by the dealership, and a major front-end teardown was advised to complete the repair. The vehicle is currently available for inspection upon request. ⸻ How Safety Was Put at Risk The malfunction allowed exhaust gases, including carbon monoxide, to enter the passenger cabin during vehicle operation. Carbon monoxide readings inside the cabin reached up to 50 parts per million (ppm) while driving. Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas that can cause: •Headaches •Dizziness •Impaired concentration •Nausea •Vision disturbances Because carbon monoxide is odorless and colorless, this presents a significant safety risk, particularly at highway speeds where driver alertness is critical. The exposure occurred while operating the vehicle in normal driving conditions. This created a potential risk of driver impairment and increased risk of collision. ⸻ Has the Problem Been Reproduced or Confirmed? Yes. The vehicle was presented to the dealership three times for the same exhaust intrusion concern: •December 16, 2025 •December 29, 2025 •February 3, 2026 During the February 3 visit, the dealership confirmed cracked exhaust manifolds requiring major disassembly for repair. The carbon monoxide readings were observed during vehicle operation. The exhaust odor and intrusion symptoms were consistently present following the first attempted repair. ⸻ Has the Vehicle Been Inspected by Manufacturer or Others? The vehicle has been inspected by the authorized dealership on multiple occasions. Two manufacturer customer care cases were opened.

NHTSA ODI 11717926

Jan 29, 2026Engine

Burning an unusual amount of oil. Have seen several instances of blue smoke in the exhaust. Have had to add over a quart of oil twice in less than 6500 miles.

NHTSA ODI 11714116

Jan 10, 2026SuspensionCrash

Had a minor wreck was to be two weeks to then it had to have a new frame they said it coun't be repair if a minor wreck can do this much damage there is a problem with subpar frames that any sudden stops or turns

NHTSA ODI 11710058

Dec 5, 2025Equipment

The contact owns a 2025 GMC Sierra 2500. The contact researched online and became aware that there was a recent recall under NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V815000 (Equipment) for the Owner's Manual. The contact stated that the vehicle was sold without the Owner's Manual. The contact stated that the manufacturer was called and was advised that the recall was only related to the 2026 Chevrolet Silverado models and the vehicle was not the same year, make or model. The contact was attempting to retain a physical copy of the Owner’s Manual and thought that it was a safety issue since there was a safety recall. The contact had not experienced a failure.

NHTSA ODI 11703311

Nov 7, 2025Transmission & drivetrain

transmission locked up 8 times from 1,050 miles to current 3,885 miles. It has happens each time around 40 mph. Each time it’s like hitting the brakes. The 8th time it locked really hard like slamming on the brakes. I’m worried with winter months what will happen on snow/ice covered roads. Called dealership and was told GM refuses to do anything until it completely fails. It seems they know what the problem is but refuse to fix till the truck stops moving during complete failure. No warning lamps and dealer ship says they can’t replicate it.

NHTSA ODI 11698271

Oct 26, 2025Steering

i experience a steering wheel shimmy between the speeds of 70- 75 miles an hour

NHTSA ODI 11695701

Oct 23, 2025Body & structureCrash

The accident occurred when the tailgate opened without warning or any buttons being pushed while towing a boat trailer. The tailgate become bound between the truck and trailer. The tailgate was damaged and limited my ability to turn the truck. My truck is normally parked in a garage and doesn’t sit in the weather. This truck is my 3rd vehicle so it doesn’t really get driven unless it is pulling a trailer, I tow with it all the time but very rarely use the bed or tailgate. Monday June 16 – Drove from Gallatin, Tn – Eddyville, Ky – Paducah, Ky the weather was constantly heavy rain and wind. Tuesday June 17 – Drove from Paducah, Ky to Defeated, TN more of the same bad storm. There were 3 of us and no one opened the tailgate, we hooked up to my boat and drove less than a quarter mile to the boat ramp, when we arrived, the tailgate had opened and the stairs on the boat had impacted the small part of the tailgate during a right turn. Prior to leaving the driveway and after hooking up the boat I had to back up slightly and remove pressure to remove the chock block from the boat trailer tires. (I would have noticed that the tailgate was open) this happened with no warning, put me and my passengers at risk and did over $1000 dollars in property damage. I was expecting GM to replace the parts that were faulty and the small part of the tailgate that was damaged. I returned twice to Larry Stovesand GMC and had them access the switch. They have refused to supply paperwork from those visits and have become dismissive and deceptive. The contact there is Craig Morgan cmorgan@lsbuickgmc.com

NHTSA ODI 11695282

Oct 8, 2025Equipment

See attached document for complaint.

NHTSA ODI 11692152

Oct 7, 2025Engine

We were towing a fifth wheel camper with our truck on an interstate highway in Pennsylvania when our serpentine belt burst suddenly and without warning. Our truck is a 2025 model with only 10,000 miles driven. We lost all power steering and power brakes of both the truck and the camper and the motor shut off while we were driving at 65 mph. My husband struggled to gain control of the truck and camper which was severely fishtailing and was eventually able to get over to the shoulder and stop the vehicles. We were towed to a GMC dealership where a factory technician happened to be on site providing an in-service for the dealership's service team. He inspected our truck and we were told that he said that GMC is aware of catastrophic failures in these serpentine belts. We were also told that he took photos and was sending a report to the GMC factory regarding our situation. When the serpentine belt blew, it damaged fan blades, shroud, oxygen sensors and our air conditioner belt (which fell off 200 miles later). We had absolutely no warning of the sudden catastrophic failure of the serpentine belt and came close to losing our lives. Our biggest concern is that the serpentine belt was replaced with the exact same model of belt that failed. What does it take for a company to recall a known defective belt? A fatality? We were very fortunate to have walked away without injury or losing our lives. We have written a letter to GMC but they have not contacted us as of yet.

NHTSA ODI 11691951

Sep 5, 2025Brakes

The contact owns a 2025 GMC Sierra 2500. The contact stated that while depressing the brake pedal to come to a complete stop, the brakes made a loud whistling and squealing sound. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, Bellamy Strickland Chevrolet GMC (145 Industrial Blvd, McDonough, GA 30253); who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The dealer informed the contact that it was a known issue with no fix for the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to a second dealer, who was also unable to diagnose the vehicle. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The mileage was approximately 5,000.

NHTSA ODI 11685255

Aug 30, 2025Steering

While towing a less than 2000 lb trailer I had total loss of power steering when speeds dropped below about 5 mph. I got off interstate and was turning right at the end of exit ramp and I could barely turn the vehicle. At the next stop sign it did the same thing. I stopped turned off the vehicle and restarted it and it continued this for the next few miles. Then just as suddenly as it started it stopped doing this and worked fine the rest of my trip.

NHTSA ODI 11684049

Aug 21, 2025Brakes

We noticed that the brakes were really soft. We literally had to push on the brakes with excessive force. We took it to Lynch - West Bend, WI for a service call and was told that nothing was wrong with it. After leaving the dealership we did our own research (the hubby is a certified master technician himself). Come to find out through GM, contacts through TBM brakes and Duramax Forum.com "brake pedal effort" we found the issue and a solution and we fixed it ourselves. This truck is brand spanking new and the dealership threw their hands in the air with a safety issue and let us drive out of the parking lot. Imagine driving away after being told no issue to end up in an accident due to failed brakes. Who's to blame for that? Certainly not the customer. It was only when the new car sales manager took the truck for a drive, he agreed that there was a problem. - too late we took it home and fixed it ourselves. This problem needs to be looked into seeing its a known issue!

NHTSA ODI 11682108

Jun 19, 2025Suspension

The passenger side rear wheel went into a pothole while making a right turn on a city street. This resulted in the right rear leaf spring breaking at the forward mounting point. This caused thr rear axle to swivel impacting the rear of the wheel well. The ESC malfunction indicator and impact sensor malfunction llights illuminated appropriately 2-3 miles later after I was in a highway. This is a significant safety concern as I was at an increased speed in heavy traffic by the time the lights illuminated. This not only puts the vehicle occupants at risk, this is potentially a significant risk to other motorist. There were no noticeable indications of damage besides pulling until I was at appropriately 55mph on the highway. The vehicle is currently at a dealership for repair.

NHTSA ODI 11667918

Jun 10, 2025Steering

The contact owns a 2025 GMC Sierra 2500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, after driving over a small pothole on the road, the alignment was dramatically altered, causing the vehicle to slightly veer out of the intended lane even though the steering wheel was centered. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The contact stated that he previously owned another vehicle of the same year, make, and model that had experienced the same failure and a case was filed with the manufacturer for the vehicle, resulting in a buyback. The failure mileage was 2,000.

NHTSA ODI 11666150

May 30, 2025SteeringBrakes

Experienced loss of power steering, loss of brakes

NHTSA ODI 11664044

May 23, 2025Transmission & drivetrain

Transmission fluid overheating, which is a known issue in other GM models with 6.6L diesel with 12 speed allison transmission. Confirmed by warning message received on dashboard and transmission fluid temperature gauge. This occurred within 3 weeks of purchase. Dealer confirmed “Valve” needs to be replaced. Part is on back order with no arrival eta. Service advisor indicates the truck is not safe to drive and remains in the service department.

NHTSA ODI 11662707

May 9, 2025

The truck is not even 2 weeks old and driving down the road at less than 50mph the sunroof exploded. Nothing fell on the sunroof and no other vehicles were near the truck at the time the sunroof busted.

NHTSA ODI 11659885

Jan 7, 2025Speed controlEngine

The contact owns a 2025 GMC Sierra 2500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. The check engine warning light was illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that the RPM was fluctuating while driving. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to the warranty. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 600.

NHTSA ODI 11634563

Working with the data? Download all 24 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 2025 GMC Sierra 2500 Hd verdict →