GMC Sierra 2500HD years to avoid— and the best years
8 Sierra 2500HD model years ranked on what NHTSA holds for each one: recalls and owner complaints per year on the road, with critical recalls and standing advisories ahead of everything else. The current model year is left out, as are the 2024, 2025, 2026: too new for a record. This ranks the paperwork, not the car in front of you — a specific car’s history and service record still decide it.
Every Sierra 2500HD model year, ranked
Source: NHTSA recalls, complaints and crash ratings; the arithmetic in each rowCleanest record first. /yr is the count divided by the years that model year has been on sale (2026 minus the model year, at least 1), because raw counts condemn the oldest year on the page for having been around longer.
| Year · rank | Safety Signal | Years on road | Recalls | Complaints | Crash | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 #1 | A | 3 | 1 · 0.3/yr | 32 · 11/yr | not rated | |
| 2016 #2 | F | 10 | 6 · 0.6/yr | 59 · 6/yr | ★★★★☆ | 2 critical |
| 2017 #3 | F | 9 | 6 · 0.7/yr | 37 · 4/yr | ★★★★☆ | 2 critical |
| 2018 #4 | F | 8 | 5 · 0.6/yr | 35 · 4/yr | ★★★★☆ | 3 critical |
| 2019 #5 | F | 7 | 7 · 1/yr | 32 · 5/yr | ★★★★☆ | 5 critical |
| 2020 #6 | F | 6 | 9 · 1.5/yr | 76 · 13/yr | not rated | 5 critical |
| 2022 #7 | D | 4 | 3 · 0.8/yr | 43 · 11/yr | not rated | Advisory |
| 2021 #8 | F | 5 | 6 · 1.2/yr | 51 · 10/yr | not rated | Advisory |
The Sierra 2500HD years to check hardest
last 2 of 8 ranked years2021 GMC Sierra 2500HD
The 2021 Sierra 2500HD: a standing park-outside or do-not-drive advisory, which outranks every other figure here; 6 recalls in 5 years on the road (1.2 a year, 2 critical: power train, service brakes) — also seat belts ×2, latches/locks/linkages; 51 owner complaints to NHTSA, 10 a year (most often transmission and drivetrain (12) and exterior lighting (9)); owners reported 4 crashes, 1 fire, 1 injured; NHTSA investigation PE21010 (closed, air bags).
2022 GMC Sierra 2500HD
The 2022 Sierra 2500HD: a standing park-outside or do-not-drive advisory, which outranks every other figure here; 3 recalls in 4 years on the road (0.8 a year, 2 critical: power train, service brakes) — also latches/locks/linkages; 43 owner complaints to NHTSA, 11 a year (most often electrical (12) and tire (6)); owners reported 1 crash, 2 fires, 3 injured.
The Sierra 2500HD years the record favours
first 2 of 82023 GMC Sierra 2500HD
The 2023 Sierra 2500HD: 1 recall in 3 years on the road (0.3 a year) — latches/locks/linkages; 32 owner complaints to NHTSA, 11 a year (most often transmission and drivetrain (20) and electrical (5)); owners reported 1 crash, 1 injured.
2016 GMC Sierra 2500HD
The 2016 Sierra 2500HD: 6 recalls in 10 years on the road (0.6 a year, 2 critical: service brakes) — also air bags ×4; 59 owner complaints to NHTSA, 6 a year (most often steering (14) and fuel system (12)); owners reported 1 crash, 1 injured; NHTSA overall crash rating 4 of 5 stars.
How this ranking is made
Source: the same rule the nameplate page has used since v0.28- For each model year, NHTSA’s recall campaigns and owner complaints filed against it are counted from the public files, as on its own page.
- Each count is divided by the years the model year has been on sale (2026 − model year, at least 1): a 2016 has had 10 years to collect filings, a 2023 only 3.
- The years are then ordered: a standing park-outside or do-not-drive advisory first, then the number of critical recalls, then recalls per year, then complaints per year; a newer year wins a tie.
- The current model year and any year under 3 on the road are left out — a half-finished record should not win a ranking on a blank sheet.
What it cannot know: whether a given car had its recalls done (NHTSA’s VIN lookup and the maker’s own settle that), its mileage, its trim, or how it was kept. A recall is a repair at the maker’s expense, not a verdict on the design; a complaint is an owner’s unverified report. Every figure above links to the page that lists the filings behind it.
Common questions about Sierra 2500HD years
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsWhat GMC Sierra 2500HD years should I avoid?
On the filed record the 2021, 2022 rank lowest of the 8 Sierra 2500HD model years WhichTrim can rank (2016–2023): the 2021 — a standing advisory, 6 recalls in 5 years (1.2 a year), 2 critical, 51 complaints (10 a year); the 2022 — a standing advisory, 3 recalls in 4 years (0.8 a year), 2 critical, 43 complaints (11 a year). The year pages list every campaign, its severity and whether a repair exists.
What is the best GMC Sierra 2500HD year to buy used?
The 2023 GMC Sierra 2500HD has the cleanest record of the ranked years: Safety Signal A, 0.3 recalls a year on the road and 11 complaints a year. The 2023 Sierra 2500HD: 1 recall in 3 years on the road (0.3 a year) — latches/locks/linkages; 32 owner complaints to NHTSA, 11 a year (most often transmission and drivetrain (20) and electrical (5)); owners reported 1 crash, 1 injured. That ranks paperwork, not condition.
Is the 2021 GMC Sierra 2500HD reliable?
WhichTrim does not score reliability; it counts what was filed. The 2021 Sierra 2500HD: a standing park-outside or do-not-drive advisory, which outranks every other figure here; 6 recalls in 5 years on the road (1.2 a year, 2 critical: power train, service brakes) — also seat belts ×2, latches/locks/linkages; 51 owner complaints to NHTSA, 10 a year (most often transmission and drivetrain (12) and exterior lighting (9)); owners reported 4 crashes, 1 fire, 1 injured; NHTSA investigation PE21010 (closed, air bags). That is the weakest record on this page once the counts are put on a per-year footing. A specific car with its recalls done and a service history can be a sound buy; the record says what to check.
How many recalls does the GMC Sierra 2500HD have?
Across the 8 ranked model years (2016–2023) NHTSA has posted 43 recall campaigns against the GMC Sierra 2500HD, and owners filed 365 complaints. Across every model year on file (2016–2026) the nameplate page carries the full count.
Why divide by years on the road?
Recalls and complaints accumulate with time: a 2016 has had 10 years to collect filings and a 2023 only 3, so raw counts condemn the oldest year every time. Dividing by the years on sale puts them on one footing. A standing advisory and critical recalls still come first, because no rate makes those smaller.