1999 GMC Sierra 1500: common problems

Owners of the 1999 GMC Sierra 1500 filed 158 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and seats. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 158
involving a crash: 9

What fails most often

1 Service brakes 64% of all complaints
2 Seats 6% of all complaints
3 Structure 6% of all complaints
4 Electrical system 5% of all complaints
5 Suspension 4% of all complaints
6 Engine and cooling 4% of all complaints
7 Fuel system 3% of all complaints
8 Steering 3% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Service brakes: 101 complaints (64% of all), 8 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Seats: 10 complaints (6% of all).
Structure: 9 complaints (6% of all).
Electrical system: 8 complaints (5% of all).
Suspension: 7 complaints (4% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 158 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

rust, corrosion61 · 39%
brake failure26 · 16%
warning lights, check engine12 · 8%
fuel system, fuel smell6 · 4%
rollaway, parking brake5 · 3%
knocking, grinding or other noise4 · 3%
smoke, burning smell, fire4 · 3%
seat belts3 · 2%
A/C or heater2 · 1%
jerking, harsh shifts2 · 1%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Service brakes	101	8
Seats	10	0
Structure	9	0
Electrical system	8	0
Suspension	7	0
Engine and cooling	6	0
Fuel system	5	0
Steering	4	0
Parking brake	3	0
Seat belts	3	0
Tires	3	0
Air bags	2	1
Fuel/propulsion system	2	1
Powertrain	2	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

Tl* the contact owns a 1999 gmc sierra 1500. While driving on a country road that was rocky and bumpy, the contact lost control of the vehicle. As a result, the contact drove into a ditch and crashed into a tree.
Air bags · crash · 2018-08-15 · NHTSA complaint #11120084
Always replace oem lines with powder coated aftermarket or stainless "only" inspect "all lines & hardware & clips to frame ect for corrosion". Brake failer occured while towing another auto with trailer attached no warning.
Service brakes · crash · 2017-08-15 · NHTSA complaint #11015346
I had complete loss of brakes, pedal to the floor. I used low gear and park brake to minimize damage but still made contact. It is currently at patriot buick gmc in williamsburg va for repair where I bought it new.
Service brakes · crash · 2016-07-24 · NHTSA complaint #10888028
1999 gmc sierra, two cars infront turning left, went to apply brakes and pedal went to floor, no brakes. Ended up crashing into the car in front of me, which in turn hit the car turning. As I was making sure no one was hurt, I noticed that my truck was leaking brake fluid all over the road.
Service brakes · crash · 2011-07-21 · NHTSA complaint #10414035
We noticed alot of rust. I looked on line to see how to fix it and found alot of people were dealing with the same issue. I decided to get some sheet metal and weld it to the frame. I then asked my boss who owns a welder if he could help me with it. He said there wasn't anything left to weld to.
Structure · 2018-07-31 · NHTSA complaint #11114941
While driving on a street in my neighborhood, we found that the ignition switch could be moved to the "off" or "accessory" position while driving. Noticed that steering, brakes, and other components became disabled. Luckily we were able to safely move the vehicle to the roadside and assess the situation.
Electrical system · 2017-06-26 · NHTSA complaint #11001376
The contact stated that the vehicle made an abnormal grinding sound from the rear end after hitting a pothole. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the rear differential was defective and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred.
Suspension · 2017-03-09 · NHTSA complaint #10959740
Frame cross member behind the cab is rusted through. I have owned vehicles in "salt" states and not had the frame rust out. This should not be considered a "wear item". This can lead to a failure whereby the fuel tank falls down leading to a high risk of fire.
Structure · 2016-10-26 · NHTSA complaint #10918981

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

19991
20003
20014
20023
20035
20043
20052
200612
200711
20086
20096
201028
201119
201213
20137
20145
20154
201610
201710
20184
20191
20211

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 2,523 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 7% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Sierra 1500 has 267 complaints (34 years in the data). This year has 158, below average.

What to check before buying

Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Seats. Occupant sensor, power adjustment, seat mounts.
Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1999 GMC Sierra 1500?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, seats, structure. Total complaints: 158. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: rust, corrosion (39%), brake failure (16%), warning lights, check engine (8%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1999 GMC Sierra 1500?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 1999 GMC Sierra 1500 from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 1999 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.