2012 GMC SIERRA 1500 — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
4/5
Safety Rating
143
Owner Complaints
3
Recalls
13
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 2012 GMC SIERRA 1500
The 2012 GMC SIERRA 1500 has received a total of 143 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It earned an overall safety rating of 4 out of 5 stars in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program crash tests. There have been 6 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE. 13 technical service bulletins have been issued by General Motors, LLC for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Air Bags (41 complaints), Unknown Or Other (35 complaints), and Structurebody (17 complaints).
Recalls for the 2012 GMC SIERRA 1500
NHTSA has recorded 6 recalls for the 2012 GMC SIERRA 1500, potentially affecting up to 5,909,828 vehicles.
Recall 21V054000 — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
| 1,778,128 vehicles affected
Defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, SC, TX, PR, AS, GU, the MP, and VI or "Zone A." Additionally GM is...
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 25, 2021. Second notification letters will be...
View full details →Recall 21V054000 — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
| 1,778,128 vehicles affected
Defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, SC, TX, PR, AS, GU, the MP, and VI or "Zone A." Additionally GM is...
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 25, 2021. Second notification letters will be...
View full details →Recall 21V054000 — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
| 1,778,128 vehicles affected
Defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, SC, TX, PR, AS, GU, the MP, and VI or "Zone A." Additionally GM is...
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 25, 2021. Second notification letters will be...
View full details →Recall 21V051000 — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
| 284,645 vehicles affected
Defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2012 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan),...
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 22, 2021. Second notification letters will be...
View full details →Recall 21V051000 — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
| 284,645 vehicles affected
Defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2012 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan),...
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 22, 2021. Second notification letters will be...
View full details →Recall 18V267000 — EQUIPMENT
| 6,154 vehicles affected
Defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Chevrolet Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD, 2009 GMC Topkick 5000, 6000, 7000 and 8000 Series and Isuzu F Series, and 2009-2018 Chevrolet Express, and GMC Savana vehicles, equipped with certain Plastic-Handle Fire Extinguishers or Push Button 'Pindicator' Fire Extinguishers. These extinguishers may become clogged, preventing the extinguisher from discharging as expected...
Consequence: In the event of a fire, if the fire extinguisher does not function properly, it can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, instructing them to contact Kidde to get a replacement fire extinguisher, free of charge. The recall began June 11, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, and Isuzu customer...
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 2012 GMC SIERRA 1500
143 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2012 GMC SIERRA 1500. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 41 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Unknown Or Other | 35 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structurebody | 17 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical System | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Power Train | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic Stability Control Esc | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuelpropulsion System | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structureframe And Members | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Air Bagsfrontal | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical Systeminstrument Panelspeedometerodometer | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical Systempropulsion Systemtraction Battery Thermalmanagementsoftware | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipmentapplianceair Conditioner | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structureinterior Panelsdashboard | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspensionrear | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibilitywiper | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Most Recent Complaints
The contact owns a 2012 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted, especially between second and third gears. The check engine warning light was intermittently illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that the engine felt as though the engine mounts were inoperable. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The vehicle was restarted, and the vehicle resumed normal driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, no cause for the failure was found. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2012 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 111,000, and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 243,000. The Carfax Report indicated that the vehicle was serviced at 149,000 and 179,000 miles, then registered at 149,000 and 179,000 miles on August 8, 2024. The contact had filed a police report with the Dillon Police Department -Special Ops Police Department.
P0521 has been addressed/replaced almost nine (9) times. “Low Oil Pressure-Stop Engine” is another one that is not completely functional. The truck is using oil but we cant find evidence of leakage. Services performed at dealership or certified shop. Troubleshooting was performed, Im told. I cant vouch for the quality of the workmanship. This should not be an issue at this mileage 100,100 ohe hundred thousand miles and oil components going bad is not good. GMC has sold me a truck that needs a new engine component. Please help. Thanks [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
P0521 has been addressed/replaced almost nine (9) times. “Low Oil Pressure-Stop Engine” is another one that is not completely functional. The truck is using oil but we cant find evidence of leakage. Services performed at dealership or certified shop. Troubleshooting was performed, Im told. I cant vouch for the quality of the workmanship. This should not be an issue at this mileage 100,100 ohe hundred thousand miles and oil components going bad is not good. GMC has sold me a truck that needs a new engine component. Please help. Thanks [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
P0521 has been addressed/replaced almost nine (9) times. “Low Oil Pressure-Stop Engine” is another one that is not completely functional. The truck is using oil but we cant find evidence of leakage. Services performed at dealership or certified shop. Troubleshooting was performed, Im told. I cant vouch for the quality of the workmanship. This should not be an issue at this mileage 100,100 ohe hundred thousand miles and oil components going bad is not good. GMC has sold me a truck that needs a new engine component. Please help. Thanks [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Safety Rating for the 2012 GMC SIERRA 1500
The 2012 GMC SIERRA 1500 received an overall safety rating of 4 out of 5 stars from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).
| Test Category | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Rating | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Frontal Crash | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Side Crash | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Rollover | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Safety ratings are based on controlled crash tests conducted by NHTSA. A 5-star rating indicates the highest level of occupant protection.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 2012 GMC SIERRA 1500
General Motors, LLC has issued 13 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 2012 GMC SIERRA 1500. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.
07-08-42-006T — EXTERIOR LIGHTING
This service bulletin provides technicians with information on available BCM calibrations to restore bulb outage detection on vehicles produced by a second stage manufacturer (Upfitter), and/or turn signals flash fast after factory box removed.
PIT5039E — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS:PARKING ASSIST:WARNING
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that the customer or up-fitter may have removed the rear bumper, install a different rear bumper, or add a different box/flat bed/cube box/hitch, etc. to the rear of the truck, which affects the rear park assist operation. Technician can...
19NA255 — EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY
This preliminary informational bulletin provides frame coating repair information to correct a customer concern of wax coating on frame peeling, metal shows corrosion/rusting (U.S. and Canada Only).
PIP4021D — POWER TRAIN
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician that a whine noise heard from the automatic transmission fluid pan hear with the the key on and engine off, or for up to one minute after the vehicle has been shut off should be deemed a normal characteristic.
15114A — EQUIPMENT
Special Coverage. On some vehicles equipped with a 6.6L Duramax Diesel engine (RPO LML, LGH) the malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) may illuminate due to a condition with the glow plugs. When diagnosed, replacement of one of the engines glow plugs may be required. No drivability issues are generally associated with...
PIC-4935-E — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THIS PRELIMINARY INFORMATION COMMUNICATION PROVIDES INFORMATION TO HELP THE DEALERSHIP TECHNICIANS PERFORM A PARASITIC DRAIN TEST FOR THE ONSTAR MODULE. WHEN PERFORMING BATTERY PARASITIC DRAIN TEST, THERE MAY BE SOME CONFUSION AS TO WHAT THE NORMAL POWER CONSUMPTION READING SHOULD BE FROM THE ONSTAR SYSTEM.
PIP5370 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL
THIS PRELIMINARY INFORMATION COMMUNICATION PROVIDES INFORMATION TO THE TECHNICIAN THAT SOME VEHICLE MAY HAVE AN EXHAUST FLUID QUALITY POOR ON THE DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER OR A DIESEL EXHAUST FLUID WARNING LAMP ON OR OTHER EXHAUST FLUID QUALITY RELATED CONCERNS. TECHNICIAN WILL INSPECT THE DIESEL EXHAUST FLUID FOR CONTAMINATION. TECHNICIAN SHOULD...
PI1343A — EQUIPMENT
SUMMARY TO BE PROVIDED ON A FUTURE DATE.
PI1343A — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
SUMMARY TO BE PROVIDED ON A FUTURE DATE.
PIT5059B — UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Roof Beacon Inoperative.
Showing 10 of 13 technical service bulletins.
NHTSA Investigations for the 2012 GMC SIERRA 1500
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the GMC SIERRA 1500
- 2007 GMC SIERRA 1500 — 308 complaints
- 2008 GMC SIERRA 1500 — 437 complaints
- 2009 GMC SIERRA 1500 — 280 complaints
- 2010 GMC SIERRA 1500 — 215 complaints
- 2011 GMC SIERRA 1500 — 359 complaints
- 2012 GMC SIERRA 1500 (current)
- 2013 GMC SIERRA 1500 — 147 complaints
- 2014 GMC SIERRA 1500 — 1,017 complaints
- 2015 GMC SIERRA 1500 — 906 complaints
- 2016 GMC SIERRA 1500 — 435 complaints
- 2017 GMC SIERRA 1500 — 460 complaints
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- GMC ENVOY — 3,269 total complaints
- GMC YUKON XL — 2,820 total complaints
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