Problems · NHTSA complaints

1999 GMC Sierra 1500 problems

Owners filed 158 complaints about the 1999 GMC Sierra 1500 with NHTSA between Sep 1999 and Sep 2021. The most-cited component is service brakes, hydraulic (70).

Complaints
158
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
9
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
4
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Service brakes, hydraulic70
  2. Service brakes30
  3. Seats10
  4. Structure9
  5. Electrical system8
  6. Suspension7
  7. Engine and engine cooling6
  8. Fuel system, gasoline5
  9. Steering4
  10. Parking brake3
  11. Seat belts3
  12. Tires3
  13. Service brakes, air3
  14. Air bags2

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 29, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19991
20003
20014
20023
20035
20043
20052
200612
200711
20086
20096
201028
201119
201213
20137
20145
20154
201610
201710
20184
20191
20200
20211

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Service brakes, hydraulic

70 reports6 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 GMC SIERRA 1500. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE BRAKES FAILED AS THE BRAKE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT THE BRAKE LINES FAILED AND WERE RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. UPDATED 09/15/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THAT 2 DAMAGED LINESWITH UNION WERE REPAIRED. ALL LINES NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. UPDATED 1/15/2014 *JS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 9, 2014Service brakes, hydraulic, Service brakesODI 10597026

Service brakes

30 reports2 crashes
“ABS Brakes cut out leaving you with little to no brakes. No warning light appears. This continues on and off over time. Then that ABS warning light came on. When the warning light was on, brakes worked just not ABS. Light would go out and back to the original issue. Took it in to dealership when the light remained on. They reset the light and told me every thing was fine. And charged me $$$. ABS Brake warning light can right back on. Had the manager drive it. Told me it was fine, brakes worked well. The ABS warning would go in and out. Removed the ABS fuse, so I could depend on being able to stop, without having to worry about the ABS cutting in and out for a few years. Watched for recalls, nothing appeared. Noticed on blogs, others were having the same issue. Took it to a great mechanic! Who verified there were no leaks in the brake lines, replaced one line that had been known to have issues on this type of truck and verified there were no air bubbles on the lines. Still same issue, then replaced the computer system for the ABS. No codes ever came up on the computer system that I can recall. Had more issues with the ABS. Would go to stop, (generally on a hill)…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 25, 2021Unknown or other, Service brakesODI 11434316

Seats

10 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE COMING TO A STOP, THE LATCH THAT HELD THE DRIVER SEAT IN PLACE FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT WOULD SLIDE FORWARD AND BACK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81,316.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 1, 2016SeatsODI 10871915

Structure

9 reports
“I PURCHASED THIS TRUCK A FEW MONTHS AGO. WITHIN A WEEK I HAD A CO WORKER POINT OUT THE BED WAS LEANING TOWARD THE CAB. A FEW WEEKS LATER WE GOT UNDER THE TRUCK TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON. WE NOTICED ALOT OF RUST. I LOOKED ON LINE TO SEE HOW TO FIX IT AND FOUND ALOT OF PEOPLE WERE DEALING WITH THE SAME ISSUE. I DECIDED TO GET SOME SHEET METAL AND WELD IT TO THE FRAME. I THEN ASKED MY BOSS WHO OWNS A WELDER IF HE COULD HELP ME WITH IT. HE SAID THERE WASN'T ANYTHING LEFT TO WELD TO. THEN THE TRUCK STARTED NOT GOING INTO PARK. AND TO START IT YOU'D HAVE TO START IT IN NEUTRAL AND IT WOULD NOT STAY IN PARK, IT WOULD ROLL AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE NO LONGER WORKED. I THEN HAD MY PARENTS TO TAKE THE TRUCK TO A BODY SHOP TO SEE IF THEY COULD REPAIR IT. BOTH BODY SHOPS SAID IT WAS NOT REPAIRABLE THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTED OUT AND NEEDED REPLACED. ONE SHOP SAID THAT THE PARKING ISSUE COULD BE FROM THE FRAME BENDING, BUT DID NOT KNOW WITHOUT GETTING INTO THAT. THEY ALSO TOLD THEM THAT THE TRUCK WAS UNSAFE TO BE ON THE ROAD. I FINANCED THIS TRUCK FOR $5500 AND NOW I'M PAYING PAYMENTS ON A TRUCK I CAN'T EVEN USE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 31, 2018StructureODI 11114941

Electrical system

8 reports
“WHILE DRIVING ON A STREET IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, WE FOUND THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH COULD BE MOVED TO THE "OFF" OR "ACCESSORY" POSITION WHILE DRIVING. NOTICED THAT STEERING, BRAKES, AND OTHER COMPONENTS BECAME DISABLED. LUCKILY WE WERE ABLE TO SAFELY MOVE THE VEHICLE TO THE ROADSIDE AND ASSESS THE SITUATION. A PROBLEM LIKE THIS COULD RESULT IN CATASTROPHIC SYSTEM FAILURE IN THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS, AND COULD CAUSE POSSIBLE DEATH IF WE WEREN'T AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE INFORM OTHER VEHICLE OWNERS OF THIS POSSIBLE DANGEROUS ISSUE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 26, 2017Electrical systemODI 11001376

Suspension

7 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE MADE AN ABNORMAL GRINDING SOUND FROM THE REAR END AFTER HITTING A POTHOLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL WAS REPLACED FOUR TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 186,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 9, 2017SuspensionODI 10959740
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 29, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.