2016 GMC Sierra Denali problems & reliability
30 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 GMC Sierra Denali. 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 (5 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 9 | 30% |
| Service Brakes | 8 | 27% |
| Steering | 6 | 20% |
| Engine | 3 | 10% |
| Electrical System | 2 | 7% |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 7% |
| Unknown / Other | 2 | 7% |
| Wheels | 2 | 7% |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 3% |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 15 reported components →Mileage when problems occurred
Among the 29 complaints that included a usable odometer reading, the median reported incident mileage was 48,000 miles (middle 50% between 38,200 and 67,000 miles).
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2016 GMC Sierra Denali. The contact stated while driving 10 MPH, the rear windshield exploded without impact. The contact stated that the rear fogger had been activated independently. There were no injuries sustained. There was water located in the third taillight. The contact noticed there was mold…”
Exterior Lighting · filed Jan 29, 2025
“While driving 70mph on highway sunroof exploded. Screen was in place so glass shards did not enter the cabin. There was not an overpass nor large trucks in the area to be caused by debris or thrown rocks.”
Unknown / Other · filed Mar 11, 2021
“Excessive slop and uncontrollable, unintended steering shifts causing vehicle to unexpectedly and suddenly veer out of lane of travel related to defective lash adjustment steering box”
Steering · filed Mar 9, 2021
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
1,275 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2016 GMC Sierra Denali. 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
PI to help diagnose A/C concern
PIT5099J · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 21, 2026
This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available.
PIT3271Q · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 2026
This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a Technical Assistance Case in CX Connect.
PIP6104 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 9, 2026
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIP4902V · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 9, 2026
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIP4902U · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 8, 2026
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have had multiple repair attempts that are being performed on customer’s vehicles that exhibit vibration conditions…
PIT5214G · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 20, 2025
New Vehicle Monitoring Programs Section in IVH
13598 · Other · issued Sep 9, 2025
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIP4902T · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 14, 2025
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an intermittent no crank, no start, or start stall concern with the security light coming on. Technician may…
PIC5650M · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 7, 2025
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
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 2016 GMC Sierra Denali in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
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 2016 GMC Sierra Denali?
- · 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 48,000 miles. This does not predict when a particular vehicle will develop a problem.