NHTSA (USA)Critical
At a glance
What can fail
This page covers 7 recalls and NHTSA crash-test ratings for the 2018 GMC Sierra 1500.
The 2014 to 2018 GMC Sierra 1500 received an overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars in NHTSA crash testing for US-market vehicles. The truck earned 5 stars in both frontal and side crash tests. It received 4 stars in rollover resistance and 4 stars in the side pole crash test. NHTSA applies these ratings across model years until a significant redesign occurs, so this rating covers the entire 2014 to 2018 range.
5/5 Overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating
The 2018 GMC Sierra 1500 has 7 recalls, the most serious involving the roof rail airbags, where the inflator can rupture or an end cap can break free and send metal fragments or pressurized gas into the cabin.
The airbag issue spans multiple filings covering the same underlying defect in the curtain-style roof rail inflators on both the driver and passenger sides. Whether the end cap separates from the inflator body or the inflator wall itself splits open, the result is the same: debris can be propelled toward the occupants at the moment the airbag is supposed to protect them.
Two brake-related recalls also affect the Sierra 1500. The first applies only to trucks equipped with a 5.3-liter engine, a 3.08 rear axle ratio, and four-wheel drive: a driveline protection system can misread a failed sensor and apply braking force to the wrong wheel, causing the truck to lurch sideways without the driver expecting it. The second brake concern involves the vacuum pump that provides power assist to the brake pedal. On affected vehicles with 5.3-liter or 6.2-liter V8 engines, the pump can lose output over time, which means the pedal requires noticeably more force to press and the truck takes longer to stop than the driver anticipates. An earlier version of this vacuum pump recall covered a broader range of model years, and some trucks may fall under both filings for the same underlying pump degradation issue.
At a glance
What can fail
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Driver Assistance
Ratings from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Based on 7 tested variants; worst-case ratings shown.
The roof rail air bag inflator end cap may detach or the inflator sidewall may rupture, preventing the air bag from deploying properly.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace both roof rail air bag modules at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The roof rail air bag inflator may have a loose end cap that could detach, or the inflator itself may rupture.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace both left and right roof rail air bag modules at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The end cap on either the left or right roof-rail air bag inflator may come loose, or the inflator itself may crack and rupture.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace both the left and right roof-rail air bag modules at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The roof-rail air bag inflator's end cap may come loose or the inflator itself may crack, affecting the left or right side of the vehicle.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace both left and right roof-rail air bag modules at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The mechanical vacuum pump's output decreases over time, reducing the vacuum supply that helps power the brakes.
What the fix does
Dealers will reprogram the Electronic Brake Control Module at no charge.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A wheel-speed sensor may fail, causing the brake control computer to incorrectly activate the driveline-protection system while driving 41–60 mph in four-wheel or automatic mode.
What the fix does
Dealers will reprogram the brake control computer at no cost to prevent the system from activating incorrectly.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The vacuum pump produces less vacuum over time, which can reduce braking system performance.
What the fix does
Dealers will reprogram the Electronic Brake Control Module at no cost to restore proper braking function.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.