ResearchVehicle GuidesGMCSierra

GMC Sierra Reliability by Year

Every Sierra model year from 2004 to 2025, scored on reported failures weighted against how many were sold — and ranked against every other Pickup Truck of the same year.

The short answer

Best model year
2012
#3 of 13 that year
Year to avoid
2014
#10 of 10 that year
Latest scored
2025
#13 of 21

Across 22 scored model years the Sierra needs fixing more often than its class, but when it does, repairs cost about what you would expect. The spread between years is what matters: 2012 is its strongest, 2014 its weakest.

Every model year, scored

Longer bar is better. Rank is against every Pickup Truck sold that same model year.

YearRelative standingClass rankPctl
2004#8 /1653th
2005#4 /1680th
2006#3 /1989th
2007#3 /1788th
2008#5 /1775th
2009#9 /1750th
2010#3 /1586th
2011#11 /1423th
2012#3 /1383thBest year
2013#7 /1245th
2014#10 /100thAvoid
2015#7 /925th
2016#5 /950th
2017#6 /1044th
2018#6 /1150th
2019#10 /1218th
2020#10 /1218th
2021#10 /1325th
2022#10 /1950th
2023#9 /1853th
2024#16 /2229th
2025#13 /2140th

The line has moved around across 22 model years, with its weakest stretch in 2014–2015. Recent years have been slipping. This 2025 car falls in a weak stretch.

What tends to break

All 12 systems, measured against the class average for each model year.

Every Sierra model year is scored across 12 separate systems — engine, transmission, brakes, electrical, steering and suspension, structure, interior, and five more. Each system is compared against how often that same system fails on the average Pickup Truck of the same year, so a common failure is judged against how common it is everywhere else.

Across the last three model years (2023–2025), the trouble concentrates in one place: structure & body. That system draws issue reports more often than the same system on the average Pickup Truck of its year — which changes what you should be inspecting before you buy.

🔒 System-by-system breakdown
All 12 systems scored for the Sierra year you are looking at — which ones fail more often than the class, by how much, and on how many reports.
Start 7-Day Free Trial

How it compares to the class

All 21 Pickup Trucks from 2025, plotted by how often they need fixes and what those fixes cost.

🔒 The whole class, plotted
Where the Sierra lands against every other 2025 Pickup Truck — and which rivals beat it.
Start 7-Day Free Trial

Common questions

What is the best year for a used GMC Sierra?

2012 is the strongest Sierra model year on record, ranking #3 of 13 Pickup Trucks that year.

Which GMC Sierra years should I avoid?

2014 is the weakest year in the model's history, ranking #10 of 10.

Is the latest Sierra reliable?

The 2025 Sierra ranks #13 of 21 Pickup Trucks — the lower half of its class.

Where does this data come from?

Failure reports filed with NHTSA — submitted by vehicle owners and repair shops alike — weighted against US sales volumes so a high-volume model is not penalised for selling well, then benchmarked within segment and model year.

See the full picture for your Sierra

All 12 systems scored, the whole class plotted, and a downloadable Full Model Report for any year — 6,000+ vehicles in the dashboard.

Start 7-Day Free Trial
How this was built. Scores derive from failure reports filed with NHTSA — submitted by vehicle owners and repair shops alike — weighted against US sales volumes and benchmarked within segment and model year. We measure two separate things: Fix Frequency — how often a vehicle needs fixing — and Fix Severity — how costly those fixes are. These figures describe a model line, not the specific vehicle in front of you; trim, mileage and service history still decide an individual car.