Car · GMC problems

2020 GMC Sierra 1500 problems

483 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2020 GMC Sierra 1500. The most reported area is engine and engine cooling (54% of them). NHTSA also lists 599 service bulletins and 12 recall campaigns.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 13. Deaths: 0.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 483 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Engine and engine cooling259 · 54%
• Power train (transmission and drive)99 · 20%
• Electrical system81 · 17%
• Service brakes53 · 11%
• Other or unknown45 · 9%
• Steering38 · 8%
• Fuel system27 · 6%
• Suspension18 · 4%

16 smaller areas not shown (90 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 599 repair bulletins from GMC for the 2020 GMC Sierra 1500. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. PIP6127BReceived October 14, 2026

   This document assists GM dealer technicians with diagnosing torque converter concerns to ensure torque converter replacement is necessary.

2. PIT5698FReceived September 30, 2026

   This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it.

3. PIP5700HReceived September 29, 2026

   This PI communicates the proper part numbers for transmission connectors and internal harness to prevent confusion when ordering.

4. PIT6031BReceived August 14, 2026

   An issue where an aftermarket autostop device or rear taillights is causing a dead battery.

5. PIT5680BReceived July 30, 2026

   This PI provides information to repair the door water deflector which is not sealed properly allows water into the door jam/sill area.

6. PIT5099JReceived July 29, 2026

   PI to help diagnose A/C concern.

7. PIT5509NReceived July 29, 2026

   This PI provides diagnostic tips for diagnosing electric trailer brakes issues.

8. PIT5767BReceived July 21, 2026

   This PI provides a diagnostic tip on poor a/c performance due to a condenser issue and instructions to replace the ac condenser.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 12 recall campaigns for the 2020 GMC Sierra 1500. Recall repairs are free at a GMC dealer. The 3 to look at first:

1. 26V083000February 13, 2026

   Power train

   The transmission control valve may fail and cause the rear wheels to lock up.

2. 20V650000October 22, 2020

   Power train

   One of the driveshaft joints may not have been properly welded, causing the driveshaft to separate while the vehicle is moving.

3. 19V888000December 12, 2019

   Electrical system

   The battery positive (B+) cable rings may have been manufactured with excessive glue, potentially causing an intermittent electrical connection between the B+ cable and alternator.

See all 12 recalls for the 2020 GMC Sierra 1500, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your Sierra 1500 will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Engine and engine cooling 259 complaints · 54%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Power train (transmission and drive) 99 complaints · 20%

• Transmission fluid service$140 to $480
• Transmission solenoid replacement$290 to $1,200
• Torque converter replacement$880 to $2,475
• Clutch replacement (manual transmission)$1,000 to $2,050

Electrical system 81 complaints · 17%

• Battery replacement$150 to $470
• Alternator replacement$360 to $930
• Starter replacement$280 to $740
• Battery cable replacement$100 to $340

Service brakes 53 complaints · 11%

• Brake pad replacement (front)$190 to $400
• Brake rotors and pads (front)$320 to $790
• Brake pad replacement (rear)$180 to $420
• Brake caliper replacement (one wheel)$240 to $590
• Brake fluid flush$75 to $180

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Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

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Look up this VIN

Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

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2020 GMC Sierra 1500: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2020 GMC Sierra 1500?

Of the 483 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2020 GMC Sierra 1500, 259 (54%) name engine and engine cooling, and 99 (20%) name power train (transmission and drive). A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 12 of the 483 complaints as involving a crash and 5 as involving a fire. They also reported 13 injuries and 0 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 have?

NHTSA lists 12 recall campaigns for the 2020 GMC Sierra 1500. Recall repairs are free at a GMC dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 599 repair bulletins for the 2020 GMC Sierra 1500.

More

• 2024 Sierra 1500 problems
• 2023 Sierra 1500 problems
• 2022 Sierra 1500 problems
• 2021 Sierra 1500 problems
• 2019 Sierra 1500 problems
• 2018 Sierra 1500 problems
• 2017 Sierra 1500 problems
• 2016 Sierra 1500 problems
• 2015 Sierra 1500 problems
• 2014 Sierra 1500 problems
• 2011 Sierra 1500 problems
• 2020 recalls
• All GMC recalls
• GMC problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.