2020 GMC SIERRA 1500 Engine Problems

Motor failed with no warning, motor was replaced at a GM dealer for $12,000. Mechanic stated he believed it was a main bearing failure. Not under warranty.

On [XXX] at around noon I was driving my 2020 GMC Sierra northbound on [XXX] 26 miles north of Moab Utah. My truck died and I attempted to coast to the next passing lane but did not make it. The shoulder was about 3 feet wide and then had a steep drop off. I pulled over as far as I could but the majority of my truck and trailer was still in the only northbound lane. The northbound traffic was forced to cross over the double yellow into the oncoming southbound traffic. The concern was getting rear-ended by northbound traffic behind me or a head-on collision with the northbound traffic veering into southbound traffic. I made several attempts to restart the truck and the dash just goes blank with no attempt from the starter. We waited for a tow-truck and about an hour into this wait Utah Highway Patrol arrived...

Our middle seat belt has stopped working in the back seat- we have not had it replaced yet. No damage was done on it by us, but will not click into the buckle. Driving on the hi-way engine started making awful noises. We pulled over and had the truck towed to Royal Moore GMC in Hillsboro Oregon as we didn't want to cause any more harm to the engine. Royal Moore GMC informed us the engine rod bearing failed on [XXX], leading to breaching of the engine block by the rod. This caused us to replace the entire engine at the cost of over 13,000$ and no vehicle for over 3 months. (Along with engine replaced they told us we had to replace the O2 sensor as the light came on after the engine was replaced). We had to take a hardship loan to get the engine replaced, and had...

I was driving on the frontage road that enters the freeway when then engine suddenly failed and stalled. It lost power and seemed like it was misfiring. All the warning lights on the dashboard came on as this happened but there were no warnings lights, messages, or symptoms before this happened. The sudden loss of power posed a risk to my safety because it could have caused a crash or left me stranded. I had my vehicle towed to the Freeway Chevrolet dealer in Chandler, AZ where they inspected the vehicle and confirmed the engine had a camshaft and lifter failure.

Engine Lifters failure. Problems with Dynamic Fuel Management System

1) Complete Engine Failure. Vehicle is no longer is in possession for inspection but pictures and video can be provided. 2) My Truck stalled at 70 MPH going down the interstate. I was lucky to be driving in the right lane to glide to a complete stop. This could have been way worse, not just for myself but for others. 3) Shortly after the loss of propulsion on the interstate. The engine started knocking very loud and I brought it into Boucher GMC of Brookfield. After about a week, the conclusion was I needed a new Engine. The Bearings, camshaft, rods and other components within the engine were damaged. The dealership said it was because of Bad Oil. 4) Parts were inspected and Dealership provided pictures. Not sure what they did with the junk parts. 5) I initially brought in the vehicle where it was purchased at Kunes of Stoughton...

Shut off in traffic twice

Engine locked up

I have had two engine failures within 2 years of buying a new GMC truck. The first occurred at 24,181 miles whereas i found engine failures is an all to common occurrence with these 5.3 liter engines, failures are wide spread, tons of complaints can be found with a simple internet or youtube search. The second engine failure occurred at 45,517 miles, again with lifer falling apart. Several service bulletins have been issues including reworking vehicles on dealers lots to replace faulty components but in my case i had over 16000 miles so they put the same parts in again and did not touch the other side which then failed two years later at in my case both were attributed collapsed lifter. This is a safety concern, there is no indication this is about to occur. The vehicle loses power, shakes, instrument panel lights up with various different warning lights....

3.0 LM2 Duramax engine failed at 91,000 miles. It needs a new engine and they are available with a 2-3 week wait time. The engine failure has been inspected and confirmed by the dealer. No symptoms or check engine lights were on prior to the failure. Problem first appeared 03/2025.

The contact owns a 2020 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact pushed the vehicle out of the garage. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the spun bearing had failed. The contact was advised that the engine needed to be replaced. The engine was replaced. The contact stated that recently there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired after the most recent failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.

1. Vehicle automatic transmission failed during routine highway driving. Significant drivetrain vibration and limited gear availability. Warning lights included: ESC. - Electronic Stability Control TSC - Traction System Control Emergency Brake Fault light Power Steering assist reduced Flashing Yellow Engine Warning light. 2. White exhaust smoke upon arrival at GMC dealership. GMC technician advised full diagnostic would be required to assess extent of transmission failure and cause of white exhaust smoke. Service technician subsequently communicated that the engine was “failed” and would have to be replaced. Vehicle could not be driven and so full extent of transmission failure could not be assessed UNTIL ENGINE IS REPLACED!?!

Merging onto highway, lost engine power. Cylinder lifter failed, damaged cam shaft, caused damage to coolant system via metal debris, and engine needs to be replaced. 76,000 miles on vehicle, regularly serviced at dealership. I inspected the parts, and was shown the cylinder lifter that had failed and fragmented as well as the galled cam shaft. There were no prior indications of impending failure (no hard shifts, jumping, warning lights, etc). Warning lamps turned on after failure. I asked the mechanic at the GMC Dealership what caused the failure, and wasn't given a definitive answer.

I was about 45 miles or so from home on [XXX]. As I left a business my truck went about 100 feet and the engine stopped working . No warning. Truck was towed to a GM dealer in Wilmington Il. It was determined the cause was due to the wiring from the engine ECM that was run over the top of a very sharp plastic mounting bracket for the ECM. The wire had been cut because of the way this was done at the factory. In addition the fuel pump also needed to be replaced . At the time of this, the truck had 39,140 miles on it. I had no warning this was about to happen. No check engine light went on , etc. Most of my route home is on the highway . Had this not happened on a side street , I would have been involved in...

2020 GMC Sierra "Denali" 6.2L engine with only 64,000 all original well maintained at miles -- NO prior issues no unusual sounds or indications of any issues. Vehicle has had timely maintenance regularly. engine lost power and began shuddering severely. Immediately taken to GM certified dealership upon which charged almost $1600.00 for engine analysis. Diagnosis is cylinder # 5 had lifter collapse which in turn ruined the camshaft. Will have to wait 4 weeks for parts and since GM power train warranty (conveniently) only covers first 60,000 miles the total engine rebuild is out of my pocket. Total price $9,741.11. THIS IS RIDICULOUS AND GM NEEDS TO REPAIR OR REIMBURSE EVERY SINGLE OWNER THAT EXPERIENCES THIS ISSUE IN FULL. I think GM knew about this issues and hopes it will go away but this really pisses me and SHOULD everyone else too.

Second engine failure in 8 months. 1st with 97k miles and last after 15k on a brand new 6.2L engine.

Number 5 cylinder failure. Engined has failed cylinder is scored causing the engine to miss and lock up. The engine which is a 6.2 l87 is now under investigation for a piston failure causing the engine to lockup. The piston and engine issue has been investigated by my local repair shop and I can provide written and bore scope pictures of the failure. Yes the engine light was on the ESC was disabled and needed replaced and the traction control was disabled also the emergency brake was enabled and then failed

The contact owns a 2020 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle lost motive power. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle however, the vehicle failed to restart. The contact stated that several nearby drivers assisted with pushing the vehicle off the roadway. The contact stated that the first failure occurred the day after the vehicle was purchased. In addition, the contact stated that the failure had also occurred three times within one week. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where the vehicle was purchased. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 123,000.

At 59000 miles my lifters were rebuilt on the 6.2 liter engine because of a failure in the 1 and 3 piston. Gm paid for the repairs and then At 79000 miles the motor completely blew resulting in complete failure and seizing the motor and heavy metal chips were reportedly found in oil pan. Gm claimed it was a result of me not doing regular oil changes however I suffer from OCD and I am automotive engineer and my oil was changed early in most cases with my truck. Gm will not take responsibility and at the time they wanted $16k to fix my truck. I was going through a very tumultuous divorce and had to pay atty $34k for that wnd could not pay $16k for a new engine resulting in me having to give my truck back to bank and I have not been able to buy a...

The Lifter failure, bent rod, and basically ruined the the cam shaft, the vehicle has had engine replaced and the current engine is now acting up. once again.

While driving our 2020 Sierra AT4 down the highway at 65 mph, the engine suddenly cut out and started sputtering. Every light came on. We pulled off the highway and had the truck towed. Our highly trusted, family mechanic company diagnosed lifter 5 was twisted and stuck, along with another stuck lifter. The cost to replace the engine was one hundred dollars more than repairing the two lifters. They purchased a new engine through Van Chevrolet and were surprised the cost had recently decreased from $7-8k to $3900, to purchase a rebuilt engine. The engine appeared to be new, with the bolt threads unused. The new engine comes with a 3year 100k mile warranty through the dealership. We called GM, they said since we went to another mechanic they would not speak with us.

The engine, while driving down the road, incurred a failure to the pusher rod in the #5 cylinder. This occurred at 6750 total miles on engine. Engine failure was repaired by a dealership. The failure occurred again at 99,500 miles to the same #5 cylinder causing major engine damage leading to the replacement of the engine. Our safety was put at risk as the truck decelerated and began vibrating. The second failure occurred and the engine shutdown. These incidents occurred without warning, Yes, a dealer was involved in both incidents. Only a dealership has been involved. The warning occurred after the failure.

-Transmission valve body Failure, Wheel lock up, ABS Event, Loud Bang and a Flashing "D" on Driver Information Center (DIC) when Lightly or Moderately Accelerating Forcing an 8-7 or 8-6 Downshift -When all four tires lock up at a high rate of speed, this puts the driver, the passengers, and all others on the road at risk for injury or death. -Yes, the problem has been found in a document by my local dealer that this issue was added to my exact vehicle's service manual on 11/27/24. The document describes in detail the exact scenario I have been involved in multiple times. It is deemed as #21-NA-275. It locks up the tires randomly to the vehicle in mid acceleration at any speed including 80 miles per hour in one instance for me. -Yes, the dealership inspected it and found the issue to correlate with the newly added section to the...

The contact owns a 2020 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the parking brake was independently activated. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle had an oil leak from the oil pan. The contact stated that the oil needed to be added every two days. The contact stated that the alert system warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failure was not duplicated. The contact was informed that the failure could not be duplicated, because no active codes were retrieved. In addition, the contact stated that the frame had corrosion. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for corrosion failure, however, the contact stated that the previous dealer had failed to help. The dealer confirmed the corrosion; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact...

Lifters failed and cam shaft was busted. Standard issues with 6.2L engines. Was traveling down highway and vehicles was shaking violently. Inspection report available. Has been inspected by GM service center. No symptoms or warnings prior to failure.

My engine has had continual random piston misfire issues, I have changed the spark plugs, fuel injectors, and cat converter. The vehicle has "dynamic fuel management" (DFM) where four of the cylinders turn off when the load on the engine is low and turn back on when the load is high. A mechanic reviewed the vehicle and determined that all eight cylinders are turning off while driving due to the DFM. When it misfires there is momentary loss of power that potentially puts others at risk. A dealership performed a repair per a Bulletin but the issue was not fixed. The mechanic indicated this is a software issue with the computer update per the Bulletin. I have installed a DFM disabler to prevent DFM from working, don't have misfires, but this is an engineering issue that GM hasn't/won't address.

The engine failed. There was no warning. The truck literally just cut off in the middle of the road. I never saw any lights or there was no symptoms to lead up to this incident.

The contact owns a 2020 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, the check engine and the traction control warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that a dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that he would receive a callback. The approximate failure mileage was 87,000.

At 125,000 miles, the CEL came on and the code is P0016, which is for the timing chain has stretched and jumped a tooth. The engine was new in 2019 and in 2021, they redesigned the timing chains due to early failure. The oil pump belt is listed for inspection/replacement at 150,000 miles, but the timing chain does not give any interval for replacement and should easily outlast the oil pump belt to at least 250,000 miles. GM knows that there is a timing chain issue with the 3.0 Duramax LM2 engine and it is costing owners between, $7,800 and $10,000 to repair.

Wife and I bought a truck from Serra Chevrolet on May 28 2024. We drove 180 miles and the engine blew up. Had it towed to another dealership in Louisville Kentucky at that point they replaced the engine. When we picked up the truck we had to pay $16,275.08. We contacted Gm and was told that the selling dealership should have taken it off of being certified pre owned but they didn’t. Was told they know to do it to future vehicles and there is no reimbursement . Gm website still has it listed of have a warranty till December 2025. We had 3 weeks of a truck rental at roughly $1,200.00 per week. Had another rental for another. 3 weeks I have paper work from a local dealer stating it still has warranty which would have covered complete expense of engine work We live in Ohio and had to...

The contact owns a 2020 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving 80 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The vehicle regained power within seconds and the contact was able to continue driving. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred. The vehicle had not been taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that there was no recall on the VIN for the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

I have had no issues with my vehicle since I purchased it in July 2022 and keep up with the routine maintenance on it. About 2.5 weeks ago I was driving to work like I normally do and the truck started making a knocking noise and all these sensors lights came on the dash. The alerts were saying to service the parking brake, service ESC, and that steering assist is reduced and to drive with care. The vehicle also started shaking and would not accelerate properly or shift gears. We ended up taking it to the closest GMC dealership and they were in able to diagnose it just by simply hooking it up, they had to fully dismantle the engine in order to diagnose it. They came back and said cylinder number 4 is damaged as well as the lifters and cam shaft. I am no car expert but it...

The contact owns a 2020 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving and decelerating from 65 MPH to 15-20 MPH to make a turn, the engine made an abnormal knocking sound. The contact was able to drive to the residence. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was towed to Pechous Repair to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the engine was blown and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact later became aware of NHTSA Action Number: PE25001 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling); which the contact related to the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 64,298.

On January 8th I was driving when my 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali started to misfire as well as several warning lights blinking. I happen to be a couple miles from the dealership I purchased it at so I drove it straight there. A few days later I was notified it was the lifters that went bad and it would cost $5400 plus tax. This is disturbing since I have only had my truck for a little over 4 years with 68,000 miles on it. After researching the problem it appears that its a common issue and I notices a class action lawsuit for this reason. Since it's not recalled currently I'm stuck covering the invoice. Before the problem happened my truck was driving normal and no warning lights came on. This needs to be investigated so the consumer isn't stuck paying for something that is an obvious GM issue...

Motor seized at 52,000 miles.... replaced motor... at 72K miles, lifters and rods had to be replaced on the 2nd motor. Transmission also failure at 72K, being replaced.

I had Engine Failure in June 2024 with roughly 50,000 miles. I was getting on I75 North in Auburn Hills, MI, when I heard a loud pop. The vehicle began shaking violently with a loss of engine power warning displayed, loss of oil pressure displayed followed by 2 successive limp mode warning. The vehicle would not drive over 25 MPH. Luckily the next exit was only a mile down the road. I was able to drive on the shoulder of the Interstate to get off of the highway. When I parked the vehicle shortly after, I viewed oil spewed all over the engine bay and under the truck. I then waited 4 hours in 95+ heat for a tow truck. The engine was replaced by the dealer with no root cause identified or communicated to me. There were no warning prior to this failure. The vehicle has had over 13...

On [XXX], I was driving my truck on [XXX] through Phoenix, AZ. It was 5 days after I had purchased the vehicle and only had 250 miles on the odometer. I was in the left lane was traveling at approximately 75mph. Within the span of about 20 seconds, several lights on the dash annunciated and several messages including a message about a brake failure and steering assist failure and then the engine suddenly turned off. The steering seemed heavy and the brakes seemed less responsive. I was able to coast to a stop on the side of the road thanks to the help of a couple truckers who blocked traffic across multiple lanes. The truck was towed to the dealer and they told me the entire engine needed to be replaced. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact's son owns a 2020 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle shut off without warning. The contact stated that the vehicle was restarted and resumed normal operation moments after the failure. The contact stated that the failure recently started occurring more frequently. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was provided a case number. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.

DEF Emissions warning and Engine Emissions warning lights suddenly appeared. DEF Emissions warning went on and off multiple times in the two days before bringing to a GMC service location. Informed that the DEF Tank heater failed, a known problem, but that they likely would not have a repair available for over a month and would not be covered by any warranty. The vehicle is now speed limited to unsafe speeds on highways while waiting for the repair.

At 103,000 my 2020 AT4 5.3L V8 had a P0307 code thrown. Cylinder 7 misfire. Driving highway speeds, sudden loud pop and then the service engine light came on and automatic braking engaged, and the idle got extremely rough. Ended up being a bad lifter, bent rod, tore lobe off of the camshaft. Roughly 8,000 for the repair, new cam, new lifters, spark plugs and coil packs. Now only about 3,000 miles later, driving, sped up to pass on the interstate and another misfire, P0306 this time Cylinder 6. Same symptoms check engine light, automatic braking, rough idle. Seems to be another failed lifter and bent rod. Currently awaiting diagnostic for this second misfire issue. When speaking with the tow truck driver and the mechanic both mentioned a significant rise in cases like this. There is definitely something wrong with the design that the manufacturer needs to be help responsible...

The contact owns a 2020 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and being driven, the vehicle was shaking violently. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to Technical Service Bulletin: 22-NA-186. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the motor mount brackets needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was contacted, opened a case, and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

The contact owns a 2020 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was stuck in gear. While driving there was an abnormal burning odor coming from the vehicle. The vehicle failed to start on several occasions. There were sparks from the passenger's side front seat. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with electrical, transmission module, wiring harness, air alternator cooler, and exhaust system failures. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. Additionally, while driving at undisclosed speeds, there was a failure with the vault meter. The OnStar system provided an error with the antilock braking system. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 44,000.

My wiring harness which affects all systems. I was on the Interstate when out of nowhere any and all warning lights came on. The power was cut and rapidly slowed down. I also pulled into traffic and the truck just lost power. The problem was confirmed by dealership. The vehicle was inspected by dealership and wiring harness was the issue. The issues appeared out of nowhere. All the warnings lights came on at once. There has been numerous issues with this part and it’s even recognized by just.

Vehicle has excessive oil consumption. Within 5000k oil change interval, no oil on dip stick around 3000k miles.

1. Valve Lifter Failure 2. While entering the [XXX] freeway and trying to merge into traffic the engine lost power and I had to swerve and brake to avoid an adjacent vehicle, and freeway traffic had to avoid my slowing down to pull over. 3.Yes, Van GMC in Scottsdale, confirmed lifter failure. 4. Yes, GMC Dealership 5. Absolutely no warning given INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

timing chain failure, timing chain components are available for inspection. Costly premature repair/failure. Could leave occupants stranded in unsafe environment which could lead to death. The vehicle has been diagnosed by the dealership and OEM manufacturer has been notified. There was a warning lamp.

I have a 202 GMC Sierra 1500 with a 3.0 Duramax with 95,000 miles. I have hade 2 glow plugs replaced under warranty and took in for a third glow plug. They stated that the there was a software update that could fix it, but I would have to pay for it. The vehicle has a 100,000 mile warranty and the software update is to fix a powertrain item that is covered under the 100,000 mile warranty. This is also an issue with bad software that disables the remote start. Not sure why I have to pay for this software upgrade to to a GM issue from day 1.

Camera always stays on even when i am driving camera still on my dashboard

Diesel exhaust fluid heater short circuits due to poor design. This issue occurs multiple times, including after being repaired. The failure limits the trucks capabilities until it is entirely unusable.

Vehicle engine went out on truck.