2010 GMC Sierra 2500: common problems

Owners of the 2010 GMC Sierra 2500 filed 10 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 10

What fails most often

1 Air bags 20% of all complaints
2 Service brakes 20% of all complaints
3 Engine 10% of all complaints
4 Steering 10% of all complaints

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

Air bags: 2 complaints (20% of all).
Service brakes: 2 complaints (20% of all).
Engine: 1 complaints (10% of all).
Steering: 1 complaints (10% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 10 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

vibration2 · 20%
brake failure1 · 10%
smoke, burning smell, fire1 · 10%
steering or power steering problems1 · 10%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Air bags	2	0	0
Service brakes	2	0	0
Engine	1	0	0
Steering	1	0	0
Other	5	0	0

What owners report

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

Takata recall. The contact owns a 2010 GMC Sierra 2500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V050000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who confirmed that the part was not available.
Air bags · 2021-08-16 · NHTSA complaint #11429310
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2010 gmc sierra 2500. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 16v381000 (air bags). The parts to do the repair were unavailable.
Air bags · 2017-12-20 · NHTSA complaint #11055658
Exhaust manifold bolt, driver side, against fire wall, broke off under normal driving. It is my understanding that there has been a big problem with this. Gmc should be made to repair this at their cost, the est. Repair cost from a dealer is $1,400 - $1,700. This is a bunch of bs.
Engine · 2014-04-14 · NHTSA complaint #10579590
The contact also mentioned that the brakes failed to engage. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was determined that the stabilitrac system had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted about the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.
Service brakes · 2013-06-12 · NHTSA complaint #10519477
The contact was braking from a speed of 5 mph and towing a trailer when the brakes did not engage and the power steering failed. The contact was able to stop the vehicle using the trailer brakes. The dealer advised that the power steering and brakes were connected and the power steering lines needed tightening.
Service brakes · 2010-07-29 · NHTSA complaint #10346107

When owners complained

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

20102
20131
20141
20173
20182
20211

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 10,921 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 30% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Sierra 2500 has 59 complaints (31 years in the data). This year has 10, below average.

What to check before buying

Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2010 GMC Sierra 2500?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, service brakes, engine. Total complaints: 10. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: vibration (20%), brake failure (10%), smoke, burning smell, fire (10%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2010 GMC Sierra 2500?

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 2010 GMC Sierra 2500 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 2010 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 2026-11-05.