Home › Cars › GMC › Sierra 2500 › 2018
2018 GMC Sierra 2500 problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
40% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2018 GMC Sierra 2500 are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.
Better than 53% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 5 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 34%).
Does the 2018 GMC Sierra 2500 have engine problems?
Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 12 of 30 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2018 GMC Sierra 2500 concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (40%), and the largest group is filed under engine (8). For comparison, the 2017 scores 46% and the 2019 scores 38%. On a test drive, check for stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light. 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 2018 compares with other GMC Sierra 2500 years
Of the 14 GMC Sierra 2500 years with enough complaints to score, the 2018 is the 5th-worst on engine and transmission share (40%). The worst is the 2023 (66%), the best the 2010 (11%). By volume, the 2018 drew 35 complaints (12 drivetrain), against 98 for the 2017 and 32 for the 2019.
GMC Sierra 2500 years to avoid and best years →
2010 Sierra 2500 problems · 2011 Sierra 2500 problems · 2012 Sierra 2500 problems · 2013 Sierra 2500 problems · 2014 Sierra 2500 problems · 2015 Sierra 2500 problems · 2016 Sierra 2500 problems · 2017 Sierra 2500 problems · 2018 · 2019 Sierra 2500 problems · 2020 Sierra 2500 problems · 2021 Sierra 2500 problems · 2022 Sierra 2500 problems · 2023 Sierra 2500 problems
The rest of the picture on the 2018 GMC Sierra 2500
- What the repair costs. Typical engine repair ranges, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives. Similar cars and nearby years with a better record.
- 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.
2018 GMC Sierra 2500 engine recalls
Yes. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns on the 2018 GMC Sierra 2500 involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 5 in total. 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.
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…
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…
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…
2 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 2018 GMC Sierra 2500? 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 2018 GMC Sierra 2500
Does the 2018 GMC Sierra 2500 have engine problems?
Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 12 of 30 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2018 GMC Sierra 2500 concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (40%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the engine and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.
What is the most common problem with the 2018 GMC Sierra 2500?
Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2018 GMC Sierra 2500 is engine: 8 of 35 complaints (23%) name it, followed by electrical system (7) and fuel/propulsion system (5). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap.
Is the 2018 GMC Sierra 2500 reliable?
On the engine and transmission, owner complaints point to a weak spot: 40% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain (high signal). That is better than 53% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 14 GMC Sierra 2500 years we score, it ranks 5th-worst. 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 2018 GMC Sierra 2500?
Yes. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns on the 2018 GMC Sierra 2500 involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 5 in total: 23V047000 (fuel system, diesel: storage: tank assembly), 21V496000 (equipment: electrical: engine block heater), 19V328000 (engine). Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.
Which GMC Sierra 2500 years are better?
Among the GMC Sierra 2500 years we track, the 2010 (11%), the 2016 (28%) and the 2022 (30%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2018 (40%). 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-2500
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.