The 2012 GMC Sierra 3500 has 5 recalls, the most serious being a Takata passenger-side airbag inflator that can explode and send metal fragments into the cabin, posing a risk of serious injury or death.
The airbag defect affects vehicles sold or registered in high-humidity states and territories, and multiple recall filings cover this same underlying problem across different model years of the truck. On the fuel system side, trucks equipped with dual fuel tanks have a low fuel level sensor in the front tank that can stick, causing the rear tank to pump excess fuel into the front tank. That overfill can pressurize and expand the front tank until it contacts the driveshaft, potentially punching a hole in the tank and creating a fuel leak. There is also a recall covering certain fire extinguishers that may be stored in the vehicle: the extinguisher can fail to discharge properly, leaving the driver without a working tool in a fire.
At a glance
What can fail
The front passenger air bag inflator may explode due to a chemical breakdown of its propellant after prolonged exposure to high heat, humidity, and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with a new one at no cost.
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Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The front passenger air bag inflator may explode due to propellant breakdown after prolonged exposure to high humidity, high heat, and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with a different one at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The front passenger air bag inflator may fail to deploy or deploy incorrectly in a crash.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The fire extinguisher may clog and fail to discharge, or require excessive force to use. In some models, the nozzle may detach forcefully, potentially causing injury and making the extinguisher inoperable.
What the fix does
GM will provide a free replacement fire extinguisher from Kidde. Contact your vehicle manufacturer's customer service to arrange the replacement.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The front tank's low fuel level sensor can stick, causing the rear tank to overfill the front tank beyond its capacity.
What the fix does
The dealer will replace the rear tank fuel pump or update the fuel-level sensor software, and inspect and replace the front tank if needed.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
