2018 Gmc SIERRA 1500 - Ratings, Complaints and Recalls

The 2018 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/RC 4WD has received an impressive overall safety rating of 5 out of 5. This car excels in various crash scenarios, including front and side crashes, with high ratings across the board. It also comes equipped with standard electronic stability control, which enhances the vehicle's handling in difficult driving conditions. Additionally, it offers optional features such as forward collision warning and lane departure warning to further improve safety.

Even though the car has a strong safety rating, it is worth noting that there have been 169 complaints filed about this model. However, GMC has taken steps to address safety concerns through three recalls. Overall, while there have been some issues reported, the combination of excellent safety ratings and available safety features make the 2018 GMC Sierra 1500 a solid choice for drivers looking for a safe and reliable truck.

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Top stats at a glance

Complaint Count

169

Recall Count

3

Investigation Count

0

Safety Rating

5/5

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Safety Features

2018 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/RC 4WD Safety Features

Here are the safety features that come as standard on the 2018 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/RC 4WD

Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

ESC is an advanced safety feature in vehicles designed to help drivers maintain control during challenging driving conditions. By continuously monitoring various factors such as steering angle, vehicle speed, and individual wheel speeds, ESC can detect and reduce the risk of skidding or loss of control. It achieves this by automatically applying brakes to specific wheels to stabilize the vehicle.

Standard
Forward Collision Warning (FCW)

Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is a safety feature in vehicles that helps prevent frontal collisions by alerting the driver of an imminent collision with a vehicle or obstacle ahead. Using sensors such as radar or cameras, FCW monitors the distance and speed of vehicles in front, and if it detects a potential collision, it provides visual and/or auditory warnings to prompt the driver to take evasive action.

Optional
Lane Departure Warning (LDW)

Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is a safety feature in vehicles that alerts drivers when their vehicle unintentionally drifts out of its lane without signaling. Utilizing cameras or sensors to monitor lane markings on the road, LDW detects when the vehicle crosses these lines and triggers visual, auditory, or haptic alerts to notify the driver of potential lane departure.

Optional

2018 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/RC 4WD Safety Ratings

Here we have the crash and rollover ratings for the 2018 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/RC 4WD Where possible we've included the ratings for the oldest and latest models of this car so you can compare how the safety ratings have changed over time.

Frontal Crash Ratings

Combines Driver and Passenger star ratings into a single frontal rating. The frontal barrier test simulates a head-on collision between two similar vehicles, each moving at 35 mph.

Test 2009 Score 2018 Score 2024 Score
Overall Front Crash Rating Not Rated 5 Not Rated
Front Crash Driver Side Rating 5 5 Not Rated
Front Crash Passenger Side Rating 5 5 Not Rated

Side Crash Ratings

Combines Side Barrier and Side Pole Star Ratings into a single side rating.

Test 2009 Score 2018 Score 2024 Score
Overall Side Crash Rating Not Rated 5 5
Side Crash Drivers Side Rating 5 5 5
Side Crash Passenger Side Rating Not Rated Not Rated Not Rated
Combined Side Barrier Pole Rating - Front Not Rated 5 5
Combined Side Barrier Pole Rating - Rear Not Rated Not Rated Not Rated
Overall Side Barrier Rating Not Rated 5 5

Rollover Ratings

The Rollover Resistance test measures the risk of rollover in a single-vehicle, loss-of-control scenario.

Test 2009 Score 2018 Score 2024 Score
Rollover Rating 4 4 4
Rollover Possibility % 0% 0% 0%
Dynamic Tip Result No Tip No Tip
Side Pole Crash Rating Not Rated 4 5

Complaints for the 2018 Gmc SIERRA 1500

This chart show the number of complaints for each car component. A Higher number of complaints could indicate that this car might have a common fault. Something to look out for when purchasing one.

Component Complaints

Choose a component to see what complaints people have made about them.

Complaint:
"i have been experiencing ongoing issues with the transmission of the vehicle i purchased in 2018. despite it being a brand new vehicle with only 10,000 miles, i have had to bring it back to the dealer multiple times for transmission-related problems. we have tried changing the transmission fluid periodically to address the issues with shifting and shuddering, but the problem has persisted throughout my ownership."
Components Involved: POWER TRAIN
Date of incident: 2020-01-02
Complaint:
"i have a 2018 gmc sierra 1500, it is over 5 years. so we all know our warranties are either expired and meaning out of pocket expenses will come. i mainly drive back and forth to work so my vehicle only 43,924 miles to be exact. so tell me why gm allows us to purchase a vehicle with defect oil in the transmission knowing the torque converter will start shuttering causing some of us to purchase a new transmission and if we lucky a transmission flush. so yes i took it to the dealership causing me over $850 to have a diagnosis, computer hook up, and a transmission oil flushed and replaced. i was told this is an 45000 miles issue and it's not considered a safety issue. personally, if i didn't know better i could had gotten rear ended and yes this should be a safety issue. our family would like this issue addressed and be reimbursed for my expenses. thank you!"
Components Involved: POWER TRAIN
Date of incident: 2024-09-11
Complaint:
"transmission shudder at different speeds while driving."
Components Involved: POWER TRAIN
Date of incident: 2023-04-09
Complaint:
"on approximately july 23, 2023, i noticed the vehicle transmission shifting hard from 1st to 2nd gear and then during the following week, this began to occur every time i drove the vehicle. there were no warning indicators appearing on the vehicle for this problem during vehicle operation. then at higher steady speeds, the engine rpms began to suddenly and intermittently surge slightly higher, and the steering wheel would shudder for a few moments. this began to occur more frequently and i became concerned that the transmission would catastrophically fail, causing a crash and/or personal injury. at that point i called a local dealer to make an appointment for a transmission oil change and inspection. the vehicle was taken to a local dealer on august 21, 2023 and they confirmed that there was a problem with the transmission, though at this time final diagnosis is pending. to my knowledge, the vehicle or component has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others since i took it to the dealership on august 21, 2023."
Components Involved: POWER TRAIN
Date of incident: 2024-11-07
Complaint:
"the contact owns a 2018 gmc sierra 1500. the contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to properly accelerate. the vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the transmission was faulty; however, the part needed to fix the vehicle was not available. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not yet notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 27,477."
Components Involved: POWER TRAIN
Date of incident: 2023-02-03
Complaint:
"the contact owns a 2018 gmc sierra 1500. the contact stated while accelerating from a traffic light, the vehicle started hesitating. the contact stated no warning light was illuminated. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. a dealer was not contacted. the manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 99,000."
Components Involved: POWER TRAIN
Date of incident: 2025-01-03
Complaint:
"when the transmission is making changes, there is a shaking noise."
Components Involved: POWER TRAIN
Date of incident: 2023-08-01
Complaint:
"transmission failure - the gm manufactured torque converter on my truck failed to cause the transmission to fail. the internet is rife with stories of the failure of these transmissions on 2018 and 2019 gmc and chevy trucks."
Components Involved: POWER TRAIN
Date of incident: 2024-04-03
Complaint:
"8 speed transmission jerking, the torque convertor has been replaced 1 time already and having same issues as before. this time while in parking lot at store, was pulling into parking space, truck lundge forward during hard downshift hitting cart of person walking in front of truck. no damage and luckly barely hit the cart and not the person. i have also had the truck lunge forward when parking in my garage and hitting the garage wall in front. my truck is back at dealer again after hitting the cart in the parking lot. the 8 speed transmission issue from gm is a safety issue. my truck has already had first torque converter replaced and now having same issue with the new torque convertor"
Components Involved: POWER TRAIN
Date of incident: 2023-01-03
Complaint:
"noticed ongoing vibration sounds like you are running over rumble lines on road."
Components Involved: POWER TRAIN
Date of incident: 2024-11-01

Recalls for the 2018 Gmc SIERRA 1500

Component Recalls

Choose a component to see what recalls people have made about them.

Recall:
"general motors llc (gm) is recalling certain 2015-2017 cadillac escalade, 2014-2018 chevrolet silverado, gmc sierra, 2015-2018 chevrolet suburban, tahoe, gmc yukon vehicles. the amount of vacuum created by the vacuum pump may decrease over time."
Consequence:
As the vacuum level drops, the brake assist decreases, increasing braking effort, extending the distance required to stop the vehicle, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy:

GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Electronic Brake Control Module, free of charge. The recall began October 8, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192268490.

Component(s) Involved: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC > POWER ASSIST > VACUUM
Date of incident: 2019-09-06
Recall:
"general motors llc (gm) is recalling certain 2018 cadillac escalade, chevrolet silverado 1500 and tahoe, gmc sierra 1500 and yukon vehicles equipped with either a 5.3l or 6.2l v8 engine. the output of the mechanical vacuum pump can decrease over time, decreasing the amount of vacuum/power brake assist."
Consequence:
A decrease in brake assist can increase the brake pedal effort and distance required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy:

GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Electronic Brake Control Module, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2020. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-866-522-9559, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438. GM's number for this recall is N202300860.

Component(s) Involved: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC > POWER ASSIST > VACUUM
Date of incident: 2020-10-01

GMC Overall Complaint Ranking

This table shows the ranking of car manufacturers when it comes to most complaints and recalls. The manufacturer with the most complaints is at the top. However this doesn't necassarily mean they should be avoided. Some manufacturers might just have more popular or affordable cars which a lot of people have bought. Which means there's more scope for a complaint to be made. Use the ranking table below as a part your wider research into buying a car.

GMC ranks 8 out of 44 in the complaints ranking table.

Manufacturer Complaint Count Recall Count Ranking
FORD 208,358 3,259 1
CHEVROLET 111,306 2,082 2
TOYOTA 81,019 1,852 3
HONDA 61,937 1,268 4
NISSAN 56,226 930 5
DODGE 45,756 827 6
HYUNDAI 44,150 649 7
GMC 34,441 1,410 8
KIA 29,832 501 9
CHRYSLER 27,698 254 10
TESLA 26,230 730 11
BMW 24,890 1,877 12
VOLKSWAGEN 23,125 829 13
MERCEDES-BENZ 19,066 2,925 14
SUBARU 18,513 703 15
MAZDA 10,599 364 16
PONTIAC 10,430 138 17
CADILLAC 9,434 444 18
AUDI 7,865 1,093 19
BUICK 7,851 279 20
SATURN 7,672 84 21
MERCURY 7,374 135 22
LEXUS 6,373 408 23
LINCOLN 5,897 423 24
ACURA 5,722 382 25
MINI 5,585 366 26
INFINITI 4,000 187 27
MITSUBISHI 3,912 397 28
VOLVO 3,875 727 29
PORSCHE 2,646 1,231 30
SUZUKI 2,272 123 31
FIAT 2,205 80 32
SAAB 1,536 76 33
JAGUAR 1,195 198 34
SMART 528 17 35
GENESIS 436 42 36
ISUZU 249 37 37
ALFA ROMEO 161 37 38
MASERATI 76 46 39
BENTLEY 46 159 40
POLESTAR 42 2 41
LUCID 14 6 42
CODA 4 2 43
MAYBACH 0 0 44

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