2023 GMC Sierra
Gas Diesel Pickup truck
The 2023 GMC Sierra is sold in the U.S. as a gas and diesel pickup truck with 24 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Sierra 2WD, is EPA-rated at 26 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of C. Owners have filed 517 complaints, most often about engine. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.
Specs & fuel economy (EPA)
| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sierra 2WD | Gas | RWD | 2.7L 4-cyl turbo | 19 | 22 | 20 | $3,100 |
| Sierra 2WD | Gas | RWD | 2.7L 4-cyl turbo | 19 | 21 | 20 | $3,100 |
| Sierra 4WD | Gas | 4WD | 2.7L 4-cyl turbo | 18 | 20 | 19 | $3,300 |
| Sierra 4WD | Gas | 4WD | 2.7L 4-cyl turbo | 18 | 20 | 19 | $3,300 |
| Sierra 2WD | Gas | RWD | 5.3L 8-cyl | 16 | 20 | 18 | $3,450 |
| Sierra 2WD | Gas | RWD | 5.3L 8-cyl | 16 | 21 | 18 | $3,450 |
| Sierra 2WD | Gas | RWD | 5.3L 8-cyl | 16 | 20 | 18 | $3,450 |
| Sierra 2WD | Gas | RWD | 5.3L 8-cyl | 16 | 21 | 18 | $3,450 |
| Sierra 4WD | Gas | 4WD | 5.3L 8-cyl | 15 | 19 | 17 | $3,650 |
| Sierra 4WD | Gas | 4WD | 5.3L 8-cyl | 16 | 20 | 17 | $3,650 |
| Sierra 4WD | Gas | 4WD | 5.3L 8-cyl | 16 | 20 | 17 | $3,650 |
| Sierra 4WD | Gas | 4WD | 5.3L 8-cyl | 15 | 19 | 17 | $3,650 |
| Sierra 4WD | Gas | 4WD | 6.2L 8-cyl | 15 | 19 | 17 | $4,550 |
| Sierra Mud Terrain Tires 4WD | Gas | 4WD | 5.3L 8-cyl | 15 | 19 | 17 | $3,650 |
| Sierra Mud Terrain Tires 4WD | Gas | 4WD | 2.7L 4-cyl turbo | 17 | 18 | 17 | $3,650 |
| Sierra Cab Chassis 2WD | Gas | RWD | 5.3L 8-cyl | 15 | 18 | 16 | $3,900 |
| Sierra Cab Chassis 4WD | Gas | 4WD | 5.3L 8-cyl | 15 | 17 | 16 | $3,900 |
| Sierra Mud Terrain Tires 4WD | Gas | 4WD | 5.3L 8-cyl | 15 | 18 | 16 | $3,900 |
| Sierra Mud Terrain Tires 4WD | Gas | 4WD | 5.3L 8-cyl | 15 | 19 | 16 | $3,900 |
| Sierra 4WD AT4X | Gas | 4WD | 6.2L 8-cyl | 14 | 17 | 15 | $5,150 |
| Sierra Mud Terrain Tires 4WD | Gas | 4WD | 6.2L 8-cyl | 14 | 17 | 15 | $5,150 |
| Sierra 2WD | Diesel | RWD | 3.0L 6-cyl turbo | 24 | 29 | 26 | $3,450 |
| Sierra 4WD | Diesel | 4WD | 3.0L 6-cyl turbo | 22 | 27 | 24 | $3,750 |
| Sierra Mud Terrain Tires 4WD | Diesel | 4WD | 3.0L 6-cyl turbo | 21 | 23 | 22 | $4,050 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year and EPA reference fuel/electricity prices. Source: fueleconomy.gov vehicle records.
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Recalls (4)
Engine And Engine Cooling
highProblem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, and Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles equipped with a 6.2L V8 gas engine. The connecting rod and/or crankshaft engine components may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine damage and engine failure.
Risk: Engine failure increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the engine, and as necessary, repair or replace the engine. For vehicles that pass inspection, dealers will add higher viscosity oil, install 6 oil fill cap, replace the oil filter, and update the owner's manual. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 18, 2025. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
minorProblem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500, 2023-2024 Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade, and Escalade ESV vehicles. The electronic brake control module software may fail to display a warning light when a loss of brake fluid occurs. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Vehicle Safety Standard number 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
Risk: Without a warning light, the vehicle may be driven with low brake fluid, which can reduce braking performance and increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: The Electronic Brake Control Module (eBCM) software will be updated through an over-the-air (OTA) update or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 25, 2024. Owners can contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N242447990.
Latches/Locks/Linkages
highProblem: 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 the vehicle is in park.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N232426400.
Exterior Lighting
minorProblem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Cadillac CT4 and CT5; 2021-2023 Buick Envision; and 2022-2023 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. The daytime running lights (DRLs) may not deactivate when the headlights are on. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: DRLs that do not deactivate as intended may result in a glare, reducing visibility, and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: The body control module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 23, 2023. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N222386380. This recall expands previous recall number 22V-827.
NHTSA investigations
Engine — Loss of motive power due to engine failure post recall remedy (open)
On January 16, 2026, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Recall Query RQ26001. This investigation was opened to assess the remedy effectiveness of Recall 25V-274. ODI has received complaints alleging engine failure in vehicles after the recall remedy had been completed, whether that remedy involved an oil viscosity change or a complete engine replacement. General Motors (GM) issued Recall 25V-274 to address concerns of engine failure in the L87 engines produced between March 1, 2021 and May 31, 2024. GM cited the root cause as a supplier manufacturing and quality issue. GM’s recall remedy for Recall 25V-274 consisted of two different repairs, either an oil viscosity change o
Opened Aug 20, 2026 · action EA26005
Engine — Loss of motive power due to engine failure post recall remedy (closed)
On January 16, 2026, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Recall Query RQ26001. This investigation was opened to assess the remedy effectiveness of Recall 25V-274. ODI has received complaints alleging engine failure in vehicles after the recall remedy had been completed, whether that remedy involved an oil viscosity change or a complete engine replacement. General Motors (GM) issued Recall 25V-274 to address concerns of engine failure in the L87 engines produced between March 1, 2021 and May 31, 2024. GM cited the root cause as a supplier manufacturing and quality issue. GM’s recall remedy for Recall 25V-274 consisted of two different repairs, either an oil viscosity change o
Opened Jan 16, 2026 · closed Aug 20, 2026 · action RQ26001
Engine — Loss of motive power due to engine failure (open)
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 1,157 reports of engine bearing failure failures in the L87 6.2L engine produced by General Motors (GM). Of the 1,157 reports received, 173 are outside of the scope of recall 25V-274. These engines are installed in Model Years (MY) 2019–2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500, and 2021-2024MY Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe, GMC Yukon/Yukon XL, and Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV vehicles. The subject engine failures were investigated as part of a Preliminary Evaluation (PE25001). GM determined that these engine failures were due to multiple supplier manufacturing and quality issues. GM issued recall 25V-274 to address the supp
Opened Oct 23, 2025 · action EA25007
Engine — Loss of motive power due to engine failure (closed)
On January 16, 2025, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE25001 after receiving complaints and field reports concerning engine failures in MY2019-2024 GM’s full-size truck and SUV T1XX platform equipped with the L87 6.2L V8 engine. These complainants alleged engine bearing failures resulting in knocking and growling noises from the engine’s bottom end and in some cases more severe consequences such as broken connecting rods leading to engine damage, or engine failure. If the engine fails during vehicle operation, the vehicle will lose propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. On April 24, 2025, GM issued recall 25V-274 to address the concern with L8
Opened Jan 16, 2025 · closed Oct 23, 2025 · action PE25001
Owner complaints
517 complaints filed
11 involved a crash, 2 a fire, 4 injuries, 0 deaths reported by owners.
Filed by year — 2023: 33 · 2024: 60 · 2025: 235 · 2026: 189
Most-cited components
- Engine — 207
- Power Train — 123
- Structure — 76
- Electrical System — 67
- Unknown Or Other — 53
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PU/CC 4WD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 20% |
| PU/CC RWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 19% |
| PU/EC 4WD | not rated | not rated | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 20% |
| PU/EC RWD | not rated | not rated | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 19% |
| PU/RC 4WD | not rated | not rated | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 20% |
| PU/RC RWD | not rated | not rated | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 19% |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking.
Compare the 2023 Sierra with
Other Sierra model years
2026 Sierra
6 recalls · 120 complaints
D2025 Sierra
4 recalls · 161 complaints
F2024 Sierra
8 recalls · 501 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
F2018 Sierra
12 recalls · 366 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 45782, 45783, 45804, 45814, 45777, 45778, 45780, 45781, 45800, 45805, 45806, 45808). Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.