2018 GMC Sierra
Hybrid Gas Pickup truck
The 2018 GMC Sierra is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid and gas pickup truck with 14 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Sierra 15 Hybrid 2WD, is EPA-rated at 20 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 12 recall campaigns for this model year, 3 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of F. Owners have filed 366 complaints, most often about power train. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.
Specs & fuel economy (EPA)
| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sierra 15 Hybrid 2WD | Hybrid | RWD | 5.3L 8-cyl + 86V Li-Ion | 18 | 24 | 20 | $3,100 |
| Sierra 15 Hybrid 4WD | Hybrid | 4WD | 5.3L 8-cyl + 86V Li-Ion | 16 | 21 | 18 | $3,450 |
| Sierra C15 2WD | Gas | RWD | 4.3L 6-cyl | 18 | 24 | 20 | $3,100 |
| Sierra C15 2WD | Gas | RWD | 5.3L 8-cyl | 16 | 23 | 19 | $3,300 |
| Sierra C15 2WD | Gas | RWD | 5.3L 8-cyl | 16 | 23 | 19 | $3,300 |
| Sierra K15 4WD | Gas | 4WD | 4.3L 6-cyl | 17 | 22 | 19 | $3,300 |
| Sierra C15 2WD | Gas | RWD | 5.3L 8-cyl | 16 | 22 | 18 | $3,450 |
| Sierra K15 4WD | Gas | 4WD | 5.3L 8-cyl | 16 | 22 | 18 | $3,450 |
| Sierra K15 4WD | Gas | 4WD | 5.3L 8-cyl | 16 | 22 | 18 | $3,450 |
| Sierra C15 2WD | Gas | RWD | 6.2L 8-cyl | 15 | 21 | 17 | $4,550 |
| Sierra C15 Cab Chassis 2WD | Gas | RWD | 5.3L 8-cyl | 15 | 20 | 17 | $3,650 |
| Sierra K15 4WD | Gas | 4WD | 6.2L 8-cyl | 15 | 20 | 17 | $4,550 |
| Sierra K15 4WD | Gas | 4WD | 5.3L 8-cyl | 15 | 20 | 17 | $3,650 |
| Sierra K15 Cab Chassis 4WD | Gas | 4WD | 5.3L 8-cyl | 15 | 19 | 17 | $3,650 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year and EPA reference fuel/electricity prices. Source: fueleconomy.gov vehicle records.
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Recalls (12)
Air Bags
highProblem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500, 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, GMC Sierra 2500, and Sierra 3500 vehicles. The left-side or right-side roof rail air bag (RRAB) inflator end cap may detach from the inflator or the inflator sidewall may rupture.
Risk: A detached end cap or inflator rupture can allow compressed gas to escape and project the end cap or fragments of the inflator into the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace both RRAB modules, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 24, 2026. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N262557310. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 21, 2026. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 26V166.
Air Bags
highProblem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500, 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, GMC Sierra 2500, and Sierra 3500 Crew Cab vehicles. The left or right-side roof rail air bag (RRAB) inflator end cap may detach from the inflator or the inflator sidewall may rupture.
Risk: A detached end cap or inflator rupture can allow compressed gas to escape and project the end cap or fragments of the inflator into the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the left and right-side RRAB modules, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 16, 2026. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N262549710. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 19, 2026.
Air Bags
highProblem: General Motors (GM) is recalling certain 2018 GMC Sierra 1500, 2019 Sierra 2500, 3500, Chevrolet Silverado 3500, and Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Crew Cab vehicles. The left or right-side roof-rail air bag (RRAB) inflator end cap may detach from the inflator or the inflator sidewall may rupture.
Risk: A detached end cap or inflator rupture can allow compressed gas to escape and project the end cap or fragments of the inflator into the vehicle, increases the risk of injury or crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the left and right side RRAB modules, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 23, 2025. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N252513060.
Air Bags
highProblem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500, 2018-2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, 3500, and GMC Sierra 2500, 3500 Crew Cab trucks. The left or right-side roof-rail air bag (RRAB) inflator end cap may detach from the inflator or the inflator sidewall may rupture.
Risk: A separated inflator end cap or inflator rupture can allow compressed gas to escape, resulting in the end cap or other components being propelled into the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury or crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the left and right side RRAB modules, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 8, 2024. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, and GMC Customer Service at 888-988-7267. GM's number for this recall is N242474500.
Fuel System, Diesel
highProblem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, 3500, and GMC Sierra 2500, 3500 vehicles equipped with a dual fuel tank option. The rear fuel tank may collapse and prevent the fuel pump from transferring fuel to the front tank, resulting in an engine stall.
Risk: An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the fuel tank and fuel pump module, replacing them as necessary. Dealers will also add a vent hose to the rear tank assembly. Repairs will be performed free of charge. An interim owner notification letter informing owners of the safety risk was mailed on March 15, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed June 21, 2023. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N222368030
Equipment
criticalProblem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, 3500 and 2017-2019 GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 vehicles equipped with a Duramax diesel 6.6 liter engine and an optional engine-block heater cord. An electrical short-circuit may occur in the engine-block heater cable or in the terminals that connect the heater cable to the block heater.
Risk: An electrical short-circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace engine block heaters and heater cords. Vehicles that have this feature disabled as a remedy to the safety condition will be contacted and offered replacement block heaters and heater cords under a separate customer satisfaction program, free of charge. GM will provide free replacement block heaters and cords under a separate customer satisfaction campaign. For vehicles previously included in recall 19V-328, the heater cord will be replaced and rerouted, free of charge. In
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
highProblem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500 and Yukon vehicles equipped with either a 5.3L or 6.2L V8 engine. The output of the mechanical vacuum pump can decrease over time, decreasing the amount of vacuum/power brake assist.
Risk: A decrease in brake assist can increase the brake pedal effort and distance required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Electronic Brake Control Module, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2020. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-866-522-9559, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438. GM's number for this recall is N202300860.
Electronic Stability Control (Esc)
highProblem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, and GMC Yukon, and 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles equipped with a 5.3-liter engine, a 3.08-ratio rear axle and four-wheel drive. If a wheel-speed sensor fails, while the vehicle is traveling between 41 and 60 mph in four-wheel or automatic mode, the Electronic-Brake Control Module (EBCM) software may activate the driveline-protection system.
Risk: Unintended activation of the driveline-protection system will cause unintended braking on the wheel on the opposite side of the failed sensor, causing the vehicle to pull to one side unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the EBCM, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192261050.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
highProblem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Cadillac Escalade, 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, 2015-2018 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon vehicles. The amount of vacuum created by the vacuum pump may decrease over time.
Risk: As the vacuum level drops, the brake assist decreases, increasing braking effort, extending the distance required to stop the vehicle, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Electronic Brake Control Module, free of charge. The recall began October 8, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192268490.
Engine
criticalProblem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 4500, 5500 and 6500 vehicles and 2017-2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500 vehicles and GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 vehicles equipped with Duramax 6.6 liter diesel engines and an optional engine-block heater. The engine block heater cord or the terminals that connect the heater cord to the block heater may short circuit and fail.
Risk: A short-circuit may damage the engine components and increase the risk of fire.
Fix: GM will contact owners, dealers will replace the engine block heater, free of charge. Additionally, in Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500 vehicles, dealers will install a new rerouted heater cord. The recall began December 11, 2019. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-586-596-1733. GM's number for this recall is N182206310.
Fuel System, Gasoline
criticalProblem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 GMC Sierra 3500 and Chevrolet Silverado 3500 trucks equipped with gasoline engines and dual fuel tanks. The fuel-level sensor in the front tank may stick in a low-level position, allowing the rear tank to overfill the front tank.
Risk: If the front tank overfills, the excess pressure may cause the front tank to expand and contact the driveshaft, possibly resulting in a hole in the tank. The hole will leak fuel, which in the presence of an ignition source, can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: GM has notified owners, and dealers will replace the rear-tank fuel-pump module, inspect the front tank and, if necessary, replace the front tank, free of charge. The recall began July 30, 2019. GM's number for this recall is N182204190.
Seat Belts
highProblem: General Motors (GM) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 trucks. The front seat belt retractor assemblies were built with the incorrect torsion bar. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 209, "Seat Belt Assemblies."
Risk: The seat belt retractors may not perform as intended during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace both front seat belt retractor assemblies, free of charge. The recall began March 24, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's numbers for this recall are 17368, 17375, and 17376.
Owner complaints
366 complaints filed
10 involved a crash, 3 a fire, 6 injuries, 0 deaths reported by owners.
Filed by year — 2018: 24 · 2019: 40 · 2020: 43 · 2021: 32 · 2022: 53 · 2023: 35 · 2024: 44 · 2025: 67 · 2026: 28
Most-cited components
- Power Train — 129
- Engine — 79
- Electrical System — 52
- Service Brakes — 50
- Steering — 36
Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.
Crash ratings
| Configuration | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HYBRID PU/CC RWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 18% |
| PU/CC 4WD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 17% |
| PU/CC RWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 18% |
| PU/EC 4WD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 18% |
| PU/EC RWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 17% |
| PU/RC 4WD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 17% |
| PU/RC RWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 18% |
| PU/CC 4WD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | 20% |
| PU/CC RWD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | 21% |
| PU/EC 4WD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | 20% |
| PU/EC RWD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | 20% |
| PU/RC 4WD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | 20% |
| PU/RC RWD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | 20% |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.
Compare the 2018 Sierra with
Other Sierra model years
2026 Sierra
6 recalls · 120 complaints
D2025 Sierra
4 recalls · 161 complaints
F2024 Sierra
8 recalls · 501 complaints
C2023 Sierra
4 recalls · 517 complaints
F2022 Sierra
8 recalls · 646 complaints
F2021 Sierra
10 recalls · 624 complaints
F2020 Sierra
16 recalls · 592 complaints
F2019 Sierra
17 recalls · 705 complaints
F2017 Sierra
10 recalls · 477 complaints
F2016 Sierra
12 recalls · 454 complaints
Sources & method
Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records (ids 38944, 38948, 38945, 38986, 38987, 38949, 38985, 39360, 39404, 38988, 38996, 38991). Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.