2012 GMC Sierra 1500 reliability record
Every consumer complaint and recall the U.S. government (NHTSA) has on file for the 2012 GMC Sierra 1500 — the repair risk behind the ownership cost.
- NHTSA complaints
- 146
- 44 in the last 5 years
- Top problem area
- AIR BAGS
- 41 complaints
- Recalls on record
- 3
- see below
- Reported harm
- 7 reported crashes · 1 injury
How this record compares
raw NHTSA counts, not defect ratesComplaint rank
#3,257
of 4,194 vehicle records
Vs GMC median
-102
median 248 across 165 GMC records
Vs 2010-2014
-146
median 292 complaints in 613 records
Top component share
28%
Air Bags: 41 complaints
What owners report fails — 2012 GMC Sierra 1500
- AIR BAGS 41
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER 36
- STRUCTURE:BODY 17
- POWER TRAIN 6
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 6
3 recalls on record for the 2012 GMC Sierra 1500
- NHTSA 21V054000 · 2021 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious i
- NHTSA 21V051000 · 2021 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious i
- NHTSA 18V267000 · 2018 · EQUIPMENT In the event of a fire, if the fire extinguisher does not function properly, it can increase the risk of injury.
Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 2012 GMC Sierra 1500
A vehicle's complaint record hints at the repair and maintenance budget you'll need. Add your state, purchase price, and mileage to the TCO calculator for the full picture.
Open TCO calculatorThese are unverified consumer reports and manufacturer recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — not validated defect rates, and not adjusted for how many 2012 GMC Sierra 1500 units were produced or sold. High-volume and older vehicles naturally accumulate more complaints. Use this as one research signal, not a verdict on any individual vehicle. Data as of 2026. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain).
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2012 GMC Sierra 1500 reliable?
NHTSA has 146 consumer complaints on record for the 2012 GMC Sierra 1500 and 3 recalls. The most-reported problem area is air bags (41 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 2012 GMC Sierra 1500 units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 GMC Sierra 1500?
Owners most often report problems with: air bags (41), unknown or other (36), structure:body (17), power train (6). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
How much does it cost to own a 2012 GMC Sierra 1500?
Ownership cost depends on your state taxes, insurance, fuel, and the maintenance the vehicle's reliability record implies. Use the CarOutlay 5-year TCO calculator to estimate the full cost including the repair risk this complaint record suggests.