The 2021 GMC Sierra 2500 has 6 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 1,661,742 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 63 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the power train. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
POWER TRAIN24V7970002024-10-24463,295 affected
Defect
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…
Consequence
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…
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2024 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, 3500, GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 vehicles equipped with power-unlatching tailgates. The tailgate's electronic gate-release switch may short circuit due to water intrusion, which can result in the tailgate inadvertently unlatching while…
Consequence
An unlatched tailgate may open while driving and result in a loss of unsecured cargo, creating a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Owners are advised to check that the tailgate is closed and latched before driving. Dealers will replace the exterior touchpad switch assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 17, 2024. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at…
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC21V7580002021-09-293,241 affected
Defect
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, GMC Sierra 2500, and Sierra 3500 vehicles with electronic brake control modules (EBCM) replaced during vehicle assembly. The bolts that attach the brake pressure modulator valve (BPMV) assembly may not be properly…
Consequence
Water in the BPMV may cause an electrical short circuit and increase the risk of fire.
Remedy
Owners are advised to park outside and away from other structures until the recall repair is completed. Dealers will replace the BPMV assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 20, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at…
TIRES21V5780002021-07-2986 affected
Defect
General Motors, LLC. (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and GMC Sierra 2500 vehicles equipped with a 17" spare tire (RPO ZHQ or ZXT) and either the 20" accessory road tire (RPO REM) or the 18" accessory road tire (RPO Q2V). Operating the spare tire with other 20" or 18" tires can prevent…
Consequence
An ABS system that cannot control the rear wheels independently increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will provide the appropriate spare tire and apply a new spare tire information label, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 18, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212329780.
SEAT BELTS20V8110002020-12-23470 affected
Defect
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV and 2021 GMC Canyon and Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500, Yukon, Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV and Chevrolet Blazer, Camaro, Colorado, Equinox, Silverado 1500, 2500 and 3500, Suburban and Tahoe vehicles. Incorrect bolts may have been used…
Consequence
If a seat belt assembly is not properly attached to the vehicle, the seat belt may not properly restrain an occupant in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the suspect bolts, free of charge. The recall began January 29, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8785, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N202322230.
SEAT BELTS20V7920002020-12-17624,216 affected
Defect
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…
Consequence
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…
Complaints by component
POWER TRAIN
12
1crashes1injuries
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
9
ENGINE
8
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
6
1crashes
SERVICE BRAKES
5
STRUCTURE:BODY
4
1crashes1fires
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
3
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
3
1crashes1fires
AIR BAGS
2
1crashes1fires
BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
1
Total complaints63
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“The contact owns a 2021 gmc sierra 2500. The contact stated that on several occasions, the automatic power side-out step failed to extend as designed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 93,726.”
“Xxx power assist step reversing I have a 2021 gmc sierra 2500hd that the local dealership (ozark mo 65714) is stating has expired and not covered by the warranty. I researched online and as I understand this recall falls under saftey recalls and is to be fixed and doesn't expire? It requires no…”
“We keep getting an error message that shows we need to service def system, it also started to limit my mph and is now locked at 55 mph. Initial check of the def system shows a malfunctioning module. It has been happening over the last year to 18 months. They would reset it or it would sometimes go…”
“While driving on the highway at normal speed, my vehicle was operating completely normally with no warning lights, messages, or prior issues. Without any warning, the vehicle suddenly lost the ability to accelerate and felt as if it had been shifted into neutral. I immediately had to pull over to…”
“80,000 miles, complete engine break down. 12,000 to repair”
“I am reporting repeated failures involving both the transmission and diesel emissions (def) system on my 2021 gmc sierra 2500hd denali equipped with the 6.6l duramax diesel engine and allison 10-speed automatic transmission. While under warranty, the truck required replacement of the…”
“I am reporting repeated failures involving both the transmission and diesel emissions (def) system on my 2021 gmc sierra 2500hd denali equipped with the 6.6l duramax diesel engine and allison 10-speed automatic transmission. While under warranty, the truck required replacement of the…”
“I am reporting repeated failures involving both the transmission and diesel emissions (def) system on my 2021 gmc sierra 2500hd denali equipped with the 6.6l duramax diesel engine and allison 10-speed automatic transmission. While under warranty, the truck required replacement of the…”
Defect investigations
InvestigationPE21010 Opened 2021-04-09 · closed 2023-08-24
Air Bag Malfunction
On April 9, 2021, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE21-010 to investigate instances of air bag malfunction indicator light (MIL) illumination and potential for frontal air bag non-deployment in several vehicles manufactured by General Motors (GM). The vehicles included model year (MY) 2020 through…
InvestigationPE21010 Opened 2021-04-09 · closed 2023-08-24
Air Bag Malfunction
On April 9, 2021, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE21-010 to investigate instances of air bag malfunction indicator light (MIL) illumination and potential for frontal air bag non-deployment in several vehicles manufactured by General Motors (GM). The vehicles included model year (MY) 2020 through…
InvestigationPE21010 Opened 2021-04-09 · closed 2023-08-24
Air Bag Malfunction
On April 9, 2021, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE21-010 to investigate instances of air bag malfunction indicator light (MIL) illumination and potential for frontal air bag non-deployment in several vehicles manufactured by General Motors (GM). The vehicles included model year (MY) 2020 through…
InvestigationPE21010 Opened 2021-04-09 · closed 2023-08-24
Air Bag Malfunction
On April 9, 2021, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE21-010 to investigate instances of air bag malfunction indicator light (MIL) illumination and potential for frontal air bag non-deployment in several vehicles manufactured by General Motors (GM). The vehicles included model year (MY) 2020 through…
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2021 GMC Sierra 2500 as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.