2005 GMC SIERRA 3500 Recalls, Complaints & Safety

The contact owns a 2005 GMC Sierra 3500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to come to a stop while the brake pedal was depressed. The contact stated that the brake pedal felt loose. The ABS warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to bring the vehicle to a complete stop and the contact became aware of a brake fluid leak coming from under the hood, and that both front and rear brake lines were rusted. An appointment with the dealer was scheduled to inspect the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.

I HAVE HAD THE LOWER STEERING ARM REPLACED THREE TIMES DUE TO A BAD BUSHING. ONCE UNDER WARRANTY & TWICE I HAD TO PAY FOR IT WHICH IS OVER $300.00 EACH TIME. THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON PROBLEM WITH THE CHEVROLET & GMC TRUCKS. THIS IS ONLY NOTICEABLE WHILE IN MOTION.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 GMC SIERRA 3500. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AT 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO RESPOND WITHOUT WARNING. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE ADDITIONAL TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000. ...UPDATED 11/15/17 *BF *TR

ENGINE EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS BREAK OFF ON 2 DIFFERENT GM 1 TON TRUCKS. BAD/ FAILED VEHICLE EMISSIONS AND A HUGE REPAIR BILL FOR BOTH TRUCKS. 85,000 MILES ON BOTH VEHICLES.

DRIVING 75MPH IN HEAVY HIGHWAY TRAFFIC THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE TRUCK LOST POWER AND SLOWED TO 40 MPH IN ABOUT 200 YARDS. WE ALMOST GOT HIT BY ALL THE TRAFFIC BEHIND AND AROUND US AS THIS HAPPEN WITHOUT ANY WARNING. WE GOT TO THE SIDE OF THE HWY AND I HAVE A SCANNER AND FOUND 2 CODES P0207 AND P2146. I GOT OUT AND CHECKED THE WIRING TO THE #7 INJECTOR AND DID NOT FIND ANYTHING. PLUGGED IT BACK IN CLEARED CODES ,ENGINE RAN FINE SO START DOWN THE ROAD AGAIN. AFTER 5 MILES IT DID IT AGAIN. IT TOOK ME 5 HOURS TO GO 90 MILES TO GET TO THE NEXT CITY. AT THE HOTEL I FOUND THAT GM HAS A TECH BULLETIN FOR THESE FAULTS AND IT WAS PUBLISHED IN 2008 AT LEAST. SO I WENT TO A DEALER AND WAS TOLD THEY WOULD CHARGE ME FOR THIS REPAIR. I WANT TO KNOW WHY GM DID NOT NOTIFY ME OF THIS KNOWN DEFECT IN 2008 SO I COULD HAVE THE TRUCK REPAIRED IN 2008? THIS DEFECT CAUSES THE TRUCK TO LOOSE SO MUCH POWER THAT IT WILL SLOW IN TRAFFIC WHICH COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. WHY WOULD THIS NOT BE A RECALL THAT GM SHOULD PAY FOR ? GM TB NUMBER IS 05-06-04-047C WHICH TELLS YOU WHAT HAPPENS TO THE TRUCK WHEN THIS DEFECT HAPPENS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 GMC SIERRA 3500. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND THE SERVICE BRAKING SYSTEM WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT OBSERVED THAT THE BRAKE LINE WAS RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 GMC SIERRA 3500. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE SPEEDOMETER BECAME INOPERABLE AND AN ABNORMAL NOISE EMITTED FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,250.

GOING SOUTH ON I77, CRUISE SET ON 70 MPH, NOTICED SLIGHT VIBRATION AND CONTINUED ABOUT 4 MILES WHEN THE LEFT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. TAPED THE BRAKE, GOT OFF ON BURM ASAP AND TURNED ON HAZARD LIGHTS. HAD TO CONTINUE FOR ANOTHER MILE OR SO I COULD CLEAR THE INTERSTATE. HAD TO HAVE ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE TO CHANGE THE TIRE. MICHELIN REFUSED TO WARRANTY THIS TIRE AND IT HAD ONLY BEEN ON MY TRUCK FOR 4 MONTHS. THE DEALER TOLD ME IT WAS A 2009 MODEL TIRE. *TR

STOPPING IN DRIVEWAY. BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR WITHOUT RESISTANCE. AFTER VEHICLE STOPPED OBSERVED FLUID LEAK UNDER FRONT DRIVER SIDE AFT OF FRONT TIRE. INSPECTED ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND OBSERVED SEVERELY CORRODED BRAKE LIVES AND BRAKE FLUID IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. BRAKE LINE APPARENTLY CORRODED AND RUPTURED RESULTING IN BRAKE FAILURE. *TR

MY 2005 GMC SIERRA 3500 CREWCAB WITH LESS THAN 77,000 MILES ON IT EXPERIENCED A RUPTURED BRAKELINE. AS I COMMENCED GOING OUT MY DRIVEWAY THE BRAKE PEDAL FELT MUSHY THEN WENT TO THE FLOOR. THANK-GOODNESS THIS HAPPENED IN MY DRIVEWAY OPPOSED TO OUT ON THE ROAD! BRAKE LINE WAS RUSTED AND ROTTED THROUGH CAUSING A RUPTURE IN THE LINE AND BRAKE FAILURE. THIS VEHICLE IS NOT ROUTINELY DRIVEN BUT USED FOR HAULING A HORSE TRAILER, TRIPS OR SERVER WEATHER WINTER DRIVING; THUS THE LOW MILEAGE FOR IT'S AGE. CANNOT HAUL A THING WITHOUT BRAKES AS THE UNDERSIZED BRAKING SYSTEM ON THIS TRUCK BARELY STOPS ITSELF UNDER NORMAL BRAKING CONDITIONS. IT IS KEPT CLEAN, DRY AND STORED IN AN OPEN FRONT BUILDING. SINCE MY INCIDENT A FRIEND OF MINE WITH A VERY SIMILAR TRUCK (MAYBE A YEAR OR 2 NEWER) EXPERIENCED THE SAME SCENARIO. FORTUNATELY, THEIRS HAPPENED AS THEY WERE BACKING UP TO PARK AT A CAMPGROUND AND NOT OUT ON THE ROAD EITHER. *LN UPDATED 1/8/2103 *JS

BRAKE LINES ROTTED ON WAY TO GARAGE . *TR

UPON TRYING TO STOP, WHEN ALMOST AT A COMPLETE STOP, THE BRAKES FADE AND PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR. *TT

PARTS OF THE CLUSTER, TACHOMETER, FUEL GAUGE, OIL PRESSURE, AMP GAUGE HAVE FAILED ONE AFTER THE OTHER. ALTHOUGH 04 MODEL WAS COVERED UNDER A RECALL, THE SAME EXACT CLUSTER WAS USED IN THE 05 GMC AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE AND NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. SEVERAL GMC OWNERS HAVE THIS SAME ISSUE. *KB

STEERING HYDRULIC ASSIST CONNECTIONS AT BOOSTER CONSTANTLY LEAK FROM DAY ONE. THEY HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND STILL LEAK. WHICH IN TURN CAUSE A DECREASE IN BRAKE PRESSURE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 GMC SIERRA 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEATER AND DEFROST FAILED NUMEROUS TIMES, THE HEATER WIRING HARNESS WAS REPLACED FIVE TIMES, BUT THE FAILURE WASNT CORRECTED. THE DEALERSHIP WASN'T ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE EXACT LOCATION OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WILL NOT ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR, BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WARRANTY EXPIRED. THE VEHICLE WASN'T REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE MILEAGE WAS 38,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 41,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 GMC SIERRA 3500. WHILE BRAKING FROM SPEEDS OF 10 MPH, THE PEDAL FELL INTO THE FLOORBOARD AND THE BRAKES WOULD NOT ENGAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURE HAD OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY SINCE THE DATE OF PURCHASE. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES BUT THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NEED TO BE FURTHER INSPECTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 39,198.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2005 GMC 3500 TRUCK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OUTSIDE HIS HOME WITH THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. WHILE INSIDE THE HOME, HE HEARD AN UNUSUALLY LOUD EXPLOSION. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED AND THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED ACCORDINGLY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD FURTHER INVESTIGATE FAILURE AND HAVE FAILED TO DO SO. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO LOCATE A RECALL FOR HER YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL DESCRIBING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE FIRE BUT WAS UNAWARE IF HER VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000. ACCORDING TO THE FIRE REPORT, THE FIRE WAS MOST LIKELY CAUSED BY A POWER STEERING FLUID LEAK IN THE LEFT FRONT ENGINE COMPARTMENT AT THE POWER STEERING FLUID LINES OR LINE CONNECTION. UPDATED 05/17/10. *JB

Fire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2005 GMC 3500 TRUCK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OUTSIDE HIS HOME WITH THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. WHILE INSIDE THE HOME, HE HEARD AN UNUSUALLY LOUD EXPLOSION. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED AND THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED ACCORDINGLY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD FURTHER INVESTIGATE FAILURE AND HAVE FAILED TO DO SO. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO LOCATE A RECALL FOR HER YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL DESCRIBING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE FIRE BUT WAS UNAWARE IF HER VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000. ACCORDING TO THE FIRE REPORT, THE FIRE WAS MOST LIKELY CAUSED BY A POWER STEERING FLUID LEAK IN THE LEFT FRONT ENGINE COMPARTMENT AT THE POWER STEERING FLUID LINES OR LINE CONNECTION. UPDATED 05/17/10. *JB

Fire

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 GMC SIERRA 3500. WHENEVER THE PARKING BRAKE WAS ENGAGED WITH THE GEAR SHIFTER PLACED IN THE "NEUTRAL" POSITION; THE PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED FOR THE MALFUNCTION. THE CONTACT HAD CONCERN OF THE POTENTIAL SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 81,000.

SPEEDOMETER WAS OFF A LOT!! 74 MPH WHILE SITTING STILL, 130+ MPH WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL ROAD SPEEDS. I DID NOT KNOW HOW FAST I WAS TRAVELING. SCHOOL ZONES ETC. NEVER KNOW IF I WAS SPEEDING OR NOT. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE ON VACATION IN CALIFORNIA. SOMETIMES IT WAS NORMAL, BUT IT GOT WORSE. IT FIRST HAPPENED AT ABOUT 65,000 MILES. I CONTACTED MY DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT MAY BE UNDER WARRANTY, AS MANY HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM. THEY SAID MY 2005 GMC DID NOT FALL UNDER A WARRANTY. I HAD TO PAY $356.70 PLUS TAX TO HAVE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER REPLACED. I ASKED FOR THE OLD PARTS, BUT WAS TOLD GM NEEDED IT BACK SO THEY COULD REBUILD IT FOR THE NEXT FAILURE!! IT SEEMS GM IS COVERING CERTAIN SERIAL NUMBER VEHICLES BUILT PRIOR TO MINE. 2003 AND 2004 MODEL YEARS, BUT MINE IS A 2005 AND ITS NOT COVERED! WHY? I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A PROBLEM, AND I HAVE OWNED 11 GM MADE VEHICLES AND NEVER HAD A SPEEDOMETER GO BAD. HOPEFULLY YOU CAN GET THEM TO COVER THIS. *TR

TOOK MY TRUCK IN FOR STATE SAFETY INSPECTION. I WAS TOLD THAT MY RIGHT FRONT HUB & BEARING ASSEMBLY HAD EXCESSIVE PLAY. I NOW HAVE 69,587 MILES, AT 32,000 MILES THE SAME PROBLEM AROSE WITH THE LEFT FRONT HUB & BEARING ASSEMBLY WHICH WAS COVERED BY WARRANTY UNDER GM'S 36,000 MILE 3 YEARS WARRANTY. THIS DEFECTIVE HUB & BEARING ASSEMBLY JUST COST ME $553.81. THIS PART CANNOT BE LUBRICATED OR ADJUSTED. I HAD SOME SWAY WHEN TOWING MY TRAVEL TRAILER AND THOUGHT IT WAS THE ROADWAY, BUT NOW I KNOW IT WAS A DEFECTIVE PART. WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED NEXT? THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY FALLING OFF? OR CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR OVER 45 YEARS AND NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A PROBLEM. TWO FRONT HUBS WEARING OUT IN SUCH A SHORT TIME. IF THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT NEEDED LUBRICATION OR ADJUSTMENTS I COULD UNDERSTAND. BUT NOTHING AN OWNER CAN DO. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ITEM THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. BY THE WAY I STILL HAVE THE ORIGINAL BRAKES AT 69,000 MILES BUT HAD TWO HUB BEARING ASSEMBLES GO BAD!! *TR

EXITED THE INTERSTATE AND WHILE ROUNDING A CORNER WHEN I STARTED BRAKING AT LOW RPM THE STEERING LOCKED UP AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS JUMPING UNDER MY FOOT. FINALLY GOT VEHICLE STOPPED BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUED AS I MADE MY WAY HOME. *TR

TL* - THE CONTACT CALLED REGARDING THE 2005 GMC SIERRA. THE PASSENGER'S FRONT TIRE WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER AT 6000 MILES BECAUSE THERE WAS NO TREAD LEFT ON THE TIRE. THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT TIRE HAD WORN UNEVENLY, AND THE PASSENGER'S FRONT TIRE WAS STARTING TO WEAR OUT AS WELL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE IS 9,691. THE DEALER STATED THE REASON FOR THE PREMATURE WEAR WAS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ALIGNED ACCORDING TO GMC SPECS. GMC OFFERED TO GIVE THE CONTACT $500 TOWARDS THE PURCHASE OF NEW TIRES, BUT THE CONTACT REFUSED THE OFFER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 9,691.*AK

GMC 3500 CREW CAB DUALLY WITH THE 6.6 DURAMAX DIESEL AND ALLISON AUTOMATIC CAN TO PERFORM ITS DESIGNED JOB WITH OUT OVER HEATING. TRUCK IS RATED FOR 23,500 GCWR AND A 16000 TOWING CAPACITY. HOWEVER IT STRUGGLES TO PULL 7000 POUNDS AND ENGINE TEMPERATURE GOT OVER 230, AND TRANSMISSION TEMPERATURE OVER 210. THE COOLING FAN STRUGGLES TO CONTROL THE HEAT AND RUNS CONSTANTLY, THE NOISE IS UNBEARABLE. IF ONE WERE TO ATTEMPT TO PULL MY RV UP A MOUNTAIN GRADE IN THE SUMMER I WOULD BE LEFT STRANDED ON THE ROAD OR IN TRAFFIC. *NM

I HAVE A GMC PICKUP TRUCK WITH A DIESEL ENGINE THAT HAS A CHRONIC OVERHEATING ISSUE. I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH SUCH AN ISSUE, AS THERE ARE LITERALLY HUNDREDS, MAYBE EVEN THOUSANDS WITH THIS PROBLEM. THIS ISSUE IS EXCLUSIVE TO GM DIESEL PICKUPS WITH THE 6.6 LITER DURAMAX DIESEL ENGINE MODEL YEAR 2004.5 AND 2005. I HAVE HAD MY TRUCK FOR ONLY 2 MONTHS AND AM TAKING IT TO THE DEALER FOR THE SECOND TIME. I HAVE READ THAT GM HAS HAD TO BUY BACK SEVERAL OF THESE VEHICLES. WHILE SOME DEALERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE RECOGNIZING THE PROBLEM AND TELLING CUSTOMERS THAT GM IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, MANY ARE DENYING ANY DOCUMENTED SERVICE BULLETINS OR THAT A PROBLEM EVEN EXISTS. THIS PROBLEM IS PREDOMINANT WHEN TOWING AND HAULING, WHICH IS WHAT THESE VEHICLES ARE DESIGNED FOR. I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE SPECIFICALLY TO TOW A TRAVEL TRAILER WITH. I CAN'T DO THAT WITHOUT HAVING AN ENGINE OVERHEATING ISSUE. THE POTENTIAL DANGER OF TOWING A TRAILER AND YOUR VEHICLE OVERHEATING IS QUITE OBVIOUS. MY DEALER TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM FOUND WHEN THEY TESTED MY VEHICLE. THEY COULD NOT SIMULATE THE SITUATION CAUSING AN OVERHEAT. THE BEST THEY COULD DO WAS GET THE TRUCK TO HEAT UP TO 230 DEGREES, WHICH BY THE WAY IS ABOUT 15 DEGREES OVER NORMAL OPERATING TEMPS. I AM TAKING MY VEHICLE BACK TO MY DEALER FOR ANOTHER CHECK. DO I HAVE TO BE STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD POTENTIALLY ENDANGERING MY LIFE AND THE LIVES OF SEVERAL MOTORISTS BEFORE GENERAL MOTORS DOES SOMETHING? *NM