Model year 2020 · Standard Pickup Trucks 2WD, Standard Pickup Trucks 4WD, Special Purpose Vehicle 2WD, Special Purpose Vehicle 4WD

2020 GMC Sierra: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings

EPA rates the 2020 GMC Sierra at 15–26 mpg combined across 26 versions. NHTSA lists 12 safety recalls and 494 owner complaints for this model year. Its best NHTSA overall crash-test rating is 5 out of 5 stars.

Safety recalls

EPA combined mpg

15–26

NHTSA overall rating

5/5

Recall file dated Oct 27, 2026 · EPA file dated Sep 29, 2026 · updated Oct 27, 2026, 7:34 AM EDT

NHTSA lists this vehicle as SIERRA 1500, SIERRA DENALI.

Check your own car: enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls for that exact vehicle, and contact a GMC dealer to schedule the repair — safety recall repairs are free. The list below covers the whole model year, so not every recall applies to every car.

2020 GMC Sierra recalls

NHTSA's recall file lists 12 safety recalls for the 2020 GMC Sierra, newest first.

Power train: Automatic transmission: Control module: Software and 1 more component

NHTSA 26V083000 Reported Feb 12, 2026

Filed by: General Motors, LLC (manufacturer recall no. N252516560)
Components: Power train: Automatic transmission: Control module: Software; Power train: Automatic transmission: Fluid/lubricant: Valves/valve body
Units affected: 1,055 (estimate)
Problem: General Motors, LLC is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, 3500, GMC Sierra 2500, 3500, and 2020-2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles that may have been repaired incorrectly under recall 24V797. The transmission control valve may fail and cause the rear wheels to lock up.
Risk: Rear wheel lock up increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the vehicles and update the transmission control software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 6, 2026. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N252516560. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on February 12, 2026.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Power train: Automatic transmission: Fluid/lubricant: Valves/valve body and 1 more component

NHTSA 24V797000 Reported Oct 24, 2024

Filed by: General Motors, LLC (manufacturer recall no. N242454440)
Components: Power train: Automatic transmission: Fluid/lubricant: Valves/valve body; Power train: Automatic transmission: Control module: Software
Units affected: 463,295 (estimate)
Problem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2500, 3500, GMC Sierra 1500, 2500, 3500, 2021 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles equipped with diesel engines. The transmission control valve may fail and cause the rear wheels to lock-up.
Risk: Rear wheel lock-up can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will install new transmission control module software, free of charge. GM will provide a special coverage program to cover the repair of transmissions that are identified by the remedy software as containing a defective control valve. Owner notification letters were mailed December 12, 2024. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, GMC customer service at GMC 1-800-462-8782 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N242454440.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Tires: Temporary/emergency spare tire

NHTSA 21V985000 Reported Dec 16, 2021

Filed by: General Motors, LLC (manufacturer recall no. N212346510)
Units affected: 626 (estimate)
Problem: General Motors (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2021 GMC Sierra 1500 and Silverado 1500 vehicles equipped with certain accessory road tires and a 17" spare tire. The 17" spare tire provided with the vehicle is not compatible for use with the accessory wheels, which can cause the anti-lock brake system (ABS) to not function properly under certain conditions.
Risk: An ABS system that does not function properly can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will provide a new 17" spare tire and wheel assembly that is compatible with the accessory wheels, free of charge. Dealers will also apply a new spare tire information label, and provide owners with an owner's manual insert clarifying which spare tire to use with the accessory road tires and with the 17" original tires. Owner notification letters were mailed February 7, 2022. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-462-8782 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212346510.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Tires

NHTSA 21V115000 Reported Feb 25, 2021

Filed by: General Motors, LLC (manufacturer recall no. N212329050)
Units affected: 33,838 (estimate)
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, XT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, Traverse, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, 2018-2021 Chevrolet Express, GMC Savana, 2019-2020 Chevrolet Blazer, Silverado 1500, GMC Acadia, Sierra 1500, and certain Continental tires sold to the aftermarket for various model year 2018-2021 vehicles. The affected tires were cured for too long during production.
Risk: Over cured tires may develop a break in the sidewall resulting in sudden air loss or a belt edge separation which could lead to a tread/belt loss. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tires, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 22, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N212329050.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Seat belts: Critical fasteners and 1 more component

NHTSA 20V792000 Reported Dec 17, 2020

Filed by: General Motors, LLC (manufacturer recall no. N202314670)
Components: Seat belts: Critical fasteners; Seat belts
Units affected: 624,216 (estimate)
Problem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500, 2021 Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe and GMC Yukon XL and 2020-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 vehicles. The seat belt brackets may not be secured to the seat frame in the front-row center seating position.
Risk: If a seat-belt bracket is not secured, the seat belt may not properly restrain an occupant in the front-row center seat position, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect left-side and right-side front-row center seat-belt bracket attachments and reassemble it correctly as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 26, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N202314670.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Tires

NHTSA 20V684000 Reported Nov 5, 2020

Filed by: General Motors, LLC (manufacturer recall no. N202319030)
Units affected: 7,516 (estimate)
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT5, GMC Acadia and Chevrolet Traverse vehicles and 2020-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles. The vehicles may have been manufactured with Continental tires that were overcured.
Risk: Overcured tires may experience a carcass break in the sidewall resulting in a sudden air loss or could develop a belt edge separation which could lead to partial or full tread/belt loss. Either condition increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect vehicles and replace tires that have DOT number and production mold number combinations identified by Continental, free of charge. The recall began December 17, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202319030.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Power train: Driveline: Driveshaft

NHTSA 20V650000 Reported Oct 22, 2020

Filed by: General Motors, LLC (manufacturer recall no. N202314870)
Units affected: 42 (estimate)
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 and 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 trucks. One of the driveshaft joints may not have been properly welded, causing the driveshaft to separate while the vehicle is moving.
Risk: If the driveshaft separates, there may be a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driveshaft, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin December 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267. GM's number for this recall is N202314870.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Air bags: Side/window: Curtain: Inflator

NHTSA 20V446000 Reported Jul 30, 2020

Filed by: General Motors, LLC (manufacturer recall no. N202305380)
Units affected: 769 (estimate)
Problem: General Motors, LLC. (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT5 and XT6, Chevrolet Blazer, Silverado 1500, 2500 and 3500 and Traverse and GMC Acadia and Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500 vehicles. The diffuser component of the Roof-Rail Air Bag (RRAB) inflator may not have been properly crimped to the inflator and could separate from the inflator during air bag deployment.
Risk: If the diffuser separates from the inflator during deployment, RRAB performance may be degraded, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the suspect RRAB modules, free of charge. The recall began September 3, 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, or Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is N202305380.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Service brakes, hydraulic: Foundation components: Disc: Caliper

NHTSA 20V116000 Reported Feb 27, 2020

Filed by: General Motors, LLC (manufacturer recall no. N202294420)
Units affected: 20,352 (estimate)
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles. The bolts used to attach the front and/or rear brake calipers may have not been heat treated and may break under load.
Risk: Broken caliper bolts can reduce brake performance or interfere with wheel rotation and increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake caliper bolts, free of charge. The recall began March 23, 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-866-522-9559. GM's number for this recall is N202294420.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Electrical system: 12v/24v/48v battery: Cables

NHTSA 19V888000 Reported Dec 12, 2019

Filed by: General Motors, LLC (manufacturer recall no. N192273510)
Units affected: 350,371 (estimate)
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 trucks. 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.
Risk: An intermittent electrical connection between the B+ battery cable and the alternator could cause the vehicle to stall, increasing the risk of a crash. The intermittent connection could also lead to electrical arcing, which could generate sufficient heat to damage surrounding material, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect for the presence of glue or other contamination at the B+ cable attachment to the alternator and clean the connection and reattach the B+ cable connection, as necessary. If arcing has damaged the cable, nut, or alternator, the dealer will replace the damaged components. All services will be performed free of charge. GM issued owners an interim notification on February 4, 2020. GM issued second notice and the recall began March 9, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267. GM's number for this recall is N192273510.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Fuel system, gasoline: Delivery: Fuel pump

NHTSA 19V837000 Reported Nov 21, 2019

Filed by: General Motors, LLC (manufacturer recall no. N192283991)
Units affected: 502 (estimate)
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Camaro, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. The fuel pump may be missing a pressure regulator, allowing for over-pressurization of the fuel system.
Risk: Over-pressurization can crack the fuel pump and cause leaks, increasing the risk of a fire in the presence of an ignition source.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began December 18, 2019. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267. GM's number for this recall is N192283991.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Seat belts: Pretensioner

NHTSA 19V814000 Reported Nov 14, 2019

Filed by: General Motors, LLC (manufacturer recall no. N192270600)
Units affected: 556,399 (estimate)
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500, and 2020 Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Sierra 2500, and Sierra 3500 vehicles equipped with carpet floor covering. When the front seat belt pretensioners deploy, hot gas may vent through an opening in the pretensioner bracket, possibly igniting the carpet.
Risk: A vehicle fire could result if materials ignite inside the vehicle.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will close off the opening in the pretensioner bracket, free of charge. The recall began December 13, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267. GM's number for this recall is N192270600.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Recall summaries are written by NHTSA from manufacturers' defect reports. Dates are when NHTSA received the report.

2020 GMC Sierra fuel economy by version

EPA city/highway/combined estimates for each engine, transmission and drive combination. Annual fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year (55% city, 45% highway) at EPA's current fuel-price assumptions; your cost will vary.

2020 GMC Sierra EPA fuel economy
Version	Engine	Transmission	Drive	Fuel	City/Hwy/Comb	Fuel cost/yr	CO2 g/mi
Sierra 2WD	2.7L 4-cyl turbo	Automatic 8-spd	Rear-Wheel Drive	Regular	19/22/20 mpg	$3,350	421
Sierra 2WD	2.7L 4-cyl turbo	Automatic 8-spd	Rear-Wheel Drive	Regular	20/23/21 mpg	$3,200	421
Sierra 2WD	3.0L 6-cyl turbo diesel	Automatic 10-spd	Rear-Wheel Drive	Diesel	23/30/26 mpg	$3,700	392
Sierra 2WD	4.3L 6-cyl	Automatic 6-spd	Rear-Wheel Drive	Regular	16/21/17 mpg	$3,950	523
Sierra 2WD	5.3L 8-cyl	Automatic 8-spd	Rear-Wheel Drive	Regular	17/23/19 mpg	$3,550	463
Sierra 2WD	5.3L 8-cyl	Automatic 6-spd	Rear-Wheel Drive	Regular	15/21/17 mpg	$3,950	524
Sierra 2WD	5.3L 8-cyl ffv	Automatic 6-spd	Rear-Wheel Drive	Gasoline or E85 / E85	15/19/16 mpg	$4,200	545
Sierra 2WD	5.3L 8-cyl	Automatic 8-spd	Rear-Wheel Drive	Regular	17/24/20 mpg	$3,350	448
Sierra 4WD	2.7L 4-cyl turbo	Automatic 8-spd	4-Wheel Drive	Regular	19/22/20 mpg	$3,350	442
Sierra 4WD	2.7L 4-cyl turbo	Automatic 8-spd	4-Wheel Drive	Regular	19/22/20 mpg	$3,350	442
Sierra 4WD	3.0L 6-cyl turbo diesel	Automatic 10-spd	4-Wheel Drive	Diesel	22/26/24 mpg	$4,000	427
Sierra 4WD	4.3L 6-cyl	Automatic 6-spd	4-Wheel Drive	Regular	15/20/17 mpg	$3,950	532
Sierra 4WD	5.3L 8-cyl	Automatic 8-spd	4-Wheel Drive	Regular	16/22/18 mpg	$3,700	490
Sierra 4WD	5.3L 8-cyl	Automatic 10-spd	4-Wheel Drive	Regular	16/22/19 mpg	$3,550	479
Sierra 4WD	5.3L 8-cyl	Automatic 6-spd	4-Wheel Drive	Regular	15/20/17 mpg	$3,950	530
Sierra 4WD	5.3L 8-cyl ffv	Automatic 6-spd	4-Wheel Drive	Gasoline or E85 / E85	14/19/16 mpg	$4,200	549
Sierra 4WD	6.2L 8-cyl	Automatic 10-spd	4-Wheel Drive	Premium	15/20/17 mpg	$4,850	525
Sierra 4WD AT4	3.0L 6-cyl turbo diesel	Automatic 10-spd	4-Wheel Drive	Diesel	22/26/24 mpg	$4,000	427
Sierra 4WD AT4	5.3L 8-cyl	Automatic 8-spd	4-Wheel Drive	Regular	16/21/18 mpg	$3,700	486
Sierra 4WD AT4	5.3L 8-cyl	Automatic 10-spd	4-Wheel Drive	Regular	16/21/18 mpg	$3,700	494
Sierra 4WD AT4	5.3L 8-cyl	Automatic 6-spd	4-Wheel Drive	Regular	14/18/16 mpg	$4,200	556
Sierra 4WD AT4	6.2L 8-cyl	Automatic 10-spd	4-Wheel Drive	Premium	15/19/17 mpg	$4,850	515
Sierra Cab Chassis 2WD	4.3L 6-cyl	Automatic 6-spd	Rear-Wheel Drive	Regular	15/19/17 mpg	$3,950	523
Sierra Cab Chassis 2WD	5.3L 8-cyl	Automatic 6-spd	Rear-Wheel Drive	Regular	14/18/15 mpg	$4,450	582
Sierra Cab Chassis 4WD	4.3L 6-cyl	Automatic 6-spd	4-Wheel Drive	Regular	14/16/15 mpg	$4,450	594
Sierra Cab Chassis 4WD	5.3L 8-cyl	Automatic 6-spd	4-Wheel Drive	Regular	14/17/15 mpg	$4,450	593

Source: FuelEconomy.gov (U.S. DOE and EPA), file dated Sep 29, 2026. Each version links to its FuelEconomy.gov record.

EPA estimates come from standardized lab tests so cars can be compared fairly; real-world mileage depends on speed, weather, load, tires and driving style.

2020 GMC Sierra crash-test ratings

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the tested versions. More stars mean a lower chance of serious injury in that type of crash. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

2020 GMC Sierra NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Tested vehicle	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk	Forward collision warning
2020 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/CC 2WD	4 stars	4 stars	5 stars	4 stars	19.1%	Optional
2020 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/CC 4WD	4 stars	4 stars	5 stars	4 stars	19.8%	Optional
2020 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/EC 2WD	5 stars	4 stars	5 stars	4 stars	19.1%	Optional
2020 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/EC 4WD	5 stars	4 stars	5 stars	4 stars	19.8%	Optional
2020 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/RC 2WD	5 stars	4 stars	5 stars	4 stars	19.1%	No
2020 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/RC 4WD	5 stars	4 stars	5 stars	4 stars	19.8%	No

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program), checked Oct 26, 2026.

Star ratings compare vehicles of similar size and weight; a frontal rating for a large pickup is not directly comparable with one for a small car.

2020 GMC Sierra owner complaints

Owners have filed 494 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 GMC Sierra, most recently on Oct 23, 2026. 12 mention a crash, 5 a fire, 13 injured people and 0 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.

Most-cited components in 2020 GMC Sierra complaints
Component named in complaints	Mentions
Engine	250
Power train	98
Electrical system	78
Service brakes	51
Unknown or other	45
Steering	37
Fuel/propulsion system	27
Suspension	18
Engine and engine cooling	17
Structure: Body	12

Source: NHTSA consumer complaint files (complaints received since January 1, 2015). One complaint can name several components.

Had a safety problem with your vehicle? You can report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem.

Other GMC Sierra model years

GMC Sierra by model year
Year	Combined	Recalls	Complaints	Overall rating
2026 Sierra	15–25 mpg · 64–68 MPGe	5	152	5/5
2025 Sierra	15–26 mpg · 64 MPGe	2	132	5/5
2024 Sierra	15–25 mpg	4	380	5/5
2023 Sierra	15–26 mpg	3	497	5/5
2022 Sierra	14–26 mpg	6	598	5/5
2021 Sierra	14–26 mpg	7	596	5/5
2019 Sierra	15–21 mpg	10	684	5/5
2018 Sierra	17–20 mpg	7	322	5/5
2017 Sierra	17–20 mpg	6	431	5/5
2016 Sierra	17–20 mpg	10	379	5/5
2015 Sierra	17–20 mpg	15	792	5/5

All GMC Sierra years compared · Decode a VIN

Other 2020 GMC models

2020 GMC Acadia 2020 GMC Canyon 2020 GMC Terrain 2020 GMC Yukon

Sources

Recalls: NHTSA recall flat file (FLAT_RCL_POST_2010), dated Oct 27, 2026, plus a live check of api.nhtsa.gov in your browser.
Complaints: NHTSA consumer complaint flat files (COMPLAINTS_RECEIVED), counts only — we do not republish complaint text.
Crash tests: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings API.
Fuel economy: FuelEconomy.gov vehicles file (U.S. DOE and EPA), dated Sep 29, 2026.
NHTSA, EPA and DOE do not endorse OpenVIN. Vehicle names identify vehicles only; OpenVIN is not affiliated with GMC.