Home › Cars › GMC › Sierra 1500 › 2012
2012 GMC Sierra 1500 problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2012 GMC Sierra 1500. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 28% of relevant complaints.
Better than 74% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 6 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 24%).
Does the 2012 GMC Sierra 1500 have engine or transmission problems?
Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 12 of 43 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2012 GMC Sierra 1500 concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (28%). For comparison, the 2011 scores 26% and the 2013 scores 19%. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.
Complaints by component
The years either side
Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.
How the 2012 compares with other GMC Sierra 1500 years
Of the 14 GMC Sierra 1500 years with enough complaints to score, the 2012 is the 5th-best on engine and transmission share (28%). The worst is the 2021 (77%), the best the 2013 (19%). By volume, the 2012 drew 49 complaints (12 drivetrain), against 366 for the 2011 and 167 for the 2013.
GMC Sierra 1500 years to avoid and best years →
2010 Sierra 1500 problems · 2011 Sierra 1500 problems · 2012 · 2013 Sierra 1500 problems · 2014 Sierra 1500 problems · 2015 Sierra 1500 problems · 2016 Sierra 1500 problems · 2017 Sierra 1500 problems · 2018 Sierra 1500 problems · 2019 Sierra 1500 problems · 2020 Sierra 1500 problems · 2021 Sierra 1500 problems · 2022 Sierra 1500 problems · 2023 Sierra 1500 problems
The rest of the picture on the 2012 GMC Sierra 1500
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
- Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.
What one owner reported
One of 12 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
2012 GMC Sierra 1500 engine and transmission recalls
No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns on the 2012 GMC Sierra 1500, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.
3 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.
Checking one particular 2012 GMC Sierra 1500? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.
Get a history report from EpicVIN Before you pay: EpicVIN’s $1 offer is a 3-day trial (up to 5 reports) that renews at $49.99 a month unless you cancel. Other plans are listed under “View all our packages” at checkout. We may earn a commission if you buy through this link. It does not change what this page reports.Questions people ask about the 2012 GMC Sierra 1500
Does the 2012 GMC Sierra 1500 have engine or transmission problems?
Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 12 of 43 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2012 GMC Sierra 1500 concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (28%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.
What is the most common problem with the 2012 GMC Sierra 1500?
Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2012 GMC Sierra 1500 is electrical system: 10 of 49 complaints (20%) name it, followed by structure (10) and service brakes (7). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap. Engine, transmission and fuel-system complaints together make up 28% of the relevant total.
Is the 2012 GMC Sierra 1500 reliable?
On the engine and transmission, nothing stands out: 28% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain, below the 33% line where we call a signal elevated. That is better than 74% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 14 GMC Sierra 1500 years we score, it ranks 5th-best. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.
Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2012 GMC Sierra 1500?
No. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns on the 2012 GMC Sierra 1500, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.
Which GMC Sierra 1500 years are better?
Among the GMC Sierra 1500 years we track, the 2013 (19%), the 2010 (22%) and the 2014 (25%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2012 (28%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/gmc-sierra-1500
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.