2017 GMC Sierra 1500 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
550 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2017 GMC Sierra 1500, alongside 5 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 45/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Transmission & drivetrain leads the reports, typically around 29,750 miles.
Below average
Where 2017 sits among all Sierra 1500 years
What owners report
“Transmission has been skipping since 35000 miles, it does it when driving more than 35 mph.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2017 Sierra 1500
“When pressing the brakes a few time at a low speed Iose brake power. There is already a recall out for this model but not my vin. This is my recall issue Brake Assist Decreased Due to Vacuum Loss”— owner report to NHTSA, 2017 Sierra 1500
“On screen display for backup camera. When putting the vehicle in reverse, the on screen display is so bright that you can't see out the windows, the rearview mirrors or the surrounding area. This display does not dim with the rest of the lights. This causes a severe safety hazard when trying to…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2017 Sierra 1500
“Check engine light and traction control light on. Vehicle undriveable. Took to dealer code P0304 lifters need to be replaced”— owner report to NHTSA, 2017 Sierra 1500
“I was driving and my Trailer brake system warning started going off. I ha e never towed anything so not sure why this is happening.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2017 Sierra 1500
“The steering wheel is very hard to turn i am still using like that the truck has 40500 miles, it feels more difficult to turn at low speeds when turning on a street, driving on the freeway is not difficult to control the steering wheel.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2017 Sierra 1500
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 230 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 39,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 19,906 and 69,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (5)
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, and GMC Yukon, and 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles equipped with a 5.3-liter engine, a 3.08-ratio rear axle and four-wheel drive. If a…
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the EBCM, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC customer…
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Cadillac Escalade, 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, 2015-2018 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon vehicles. The amount of vacuum created by the vacuum pump may decrease over time.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Electronic Brake Control Module, free of charge. The recall began October 8, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at…
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 trucks. The owner's manual for the affected vehicles may be missing instructions on how to use the tether anchorage and child restraint anchorage systems. As…
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will provide a corrected insert for the owners manual, free of charge. The recall began on September 25, 2017. Owners may contact GM customer service at…
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse and Chevrolet Spark EV, Caprice PPV and SS vehicles, 2014-2017 Buick Encore and Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles, 2015-2016 Cadillac Escalade and…
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge.…
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD, 3500 HD, Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Sierra 2500 HD and 3500 HD, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Cadillac Escalade ESV vehicles and 2014-2017 Chevrolet…
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge.…
Technical service bulletins
1,794 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and electrical — are on file for the 2017 GMC Sierra 1500. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2017 Sierra 1500 TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 reliable?
The 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 drew 550 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 45/100, scored against the model's worst year (2014).
What are the most common 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 problems?
The top reported problems for the 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 are transmission & drivetrain (140 complaints), brakes & stability (127), and electrical (71).
At what mileage do 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 problems show up?
Owners most often report 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 problems around 39,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 19,906 and 69,000 miles.
Does the 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 have recalls?
5 recall campaigns apply to the 2017 GMC Sierra 1500. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.