2020 GMC Sierra 2500 problems & reliability
74 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2020 GMC Sierra 2500, alongside 9 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Sep 22, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several components.
1 complaint report injuries (1 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train → | 22 | 30% |
| Unknown / Other | 16 | 22% |
| Electrical System → | 13 | 18% |
| Service Brakes → | 12 | 16% |
| Engine → | 10 | 14% |
| Steering | 6 | 8% |
| Structure | 5 | 7% |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 4 | 5% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 4% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 22 reported components →Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Among the 23 complaints that included a usable odometer reading, the median reported incident mileage was 31,800 miles (middle 50% between 5,650 and 107,000 miles).
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“When I try to start my truck it comes up as service trailer brake control module and it has caused my truck battery to drain so I cant even crank my truck up.”
Electrical System · filed Sep 5, 2026
“The contact owns a 2020 GMC Sierra 2500. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated, and the message "Reduced Power" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the turbo actuator and wastegate position sensor A-circuit were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The…”
Engine and Engine Cooling · filed Jun 30, 2026
“While driving down a highway doing between 45 and 55 mph the transmission suddenly and completely faulted causing the truck to come to a complete stop. Just enough power to get to the shoulder luckily. The transmission had basically completely blown out, fluid everywhere. The insurance company did not find any…”
Power Train · filed Mar 10, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Air Bag Malfunction
Preliminary Evaluation PE21010 · opened Apr 9, 2021 · closed Aug 24, 2023
Technical service bulletins
1,390 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2020 GMC Sierra 2500. The 10 most recent:
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIP4902W · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 4, 2026
This document assists GM dealer technicians with diagnosing torque converter concerns to ensure torque converter replacement is necessary. The torque converter part number will be placed on order restriction, and the…
PIP6127A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 27, 2026
This Preliminary information communicates an issue where an aftermarket autostop device or rear taillights is causing a dead battery.
PIT6031B · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 7, 2026
This PI provides information to repair the door water deflector which is not sealed properly allows water into the door jam/sill area.
PIT5680B · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 23, 2026
PI to help diagnose A/C concern
PIT5099J · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 21, 2026
This PI provides diagnostic tips for diagnosing electric trailer brakes issues.
PIT5509N · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 21, 2026
This PI was created to help avoid unnecessary front camera module replacements
PIT6473F · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 17, 2026
The purpose of this PI is to inform dealer technicians of a normal cab pressure relief valve noise to avoid unnecessary part replacement
PIT6532 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 6, 2026
This Preliminary information communicates information on a hydraulic rush type noise from the power steering gear. This noise is a characteristic of the new Active Hydraulic Assist System RPO NV8 and no repairs should…
PIT5544J · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 24, 2026
This PI provides diagnostic steps for dealer technicians to verify the condition and ensure that part replacement is necessary
PIT6523 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 10, 2026
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2020 GMC Sierra 2500 has 9 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2020 GMC Sierra 2500?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Among complaints with usable mileage, the median reported incident mileage was 31,800 miles. This does not predict when a particular vehicle will develop a problem.