2007 GMC Sierra 3500: common problems

Owners of the 2007 GMC Sierra 3500 filed 16 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 16

What fails most often

1 Air bags 44% of all complaints
2 Service brakes 19% of all complaints
3 Electrical system 13% of all complaints
4 Engine 13% of all complaints
5 Powertrain 13% of all complaints
6 Engine and cooling 6% of all complaints
7 Structure 6% of all complaints
8 Suspension 6% 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: 7 complaints (44% of all).
Service brakes: 3 complaints (19% of all).
Electrical system: 2 complaints (13% of all).
Engine: 2 complaints (13% of all).
Powertrain: 2 complaints (13% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 16 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

headlights and tail lights1 · 6%
oil leak or consumption1 · 6%
rollaway, parking brake1 · 6%
rust, corrosion1 · 6%
smoke, burning smell, fire1 · 6%
transmission slipping1 · 6%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Air bags	7	0	0
Service brakes	3	0	0
Electrical system	2	0	0
Engine	2	0	0
Powertrain	2	0	0
Engine and cooling	1	0	0
Structure	1	0	0
Suspension	1	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.

The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V324000 (Air Bags) and would like to be removed from the recall distribution list. The local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted.
Air bags · 2025-07-08 · NHTSA complaint #11671977
The contact was able to pull into a fuel station and engaged the parking brake to stop the vehicle. The contact inspected the vehicle and noticed brake fluid pouring from the brake lines underneath the vehicle. The contact stated that the brake lines were completely rusted through.
Service brakes · 2019-06-03 · NHTSA complaint #11217521
The contact noticed black smoke in his home. He then noticed that the vehicle was engulfed in flames. The fire department was not contacted because the contact was able to contain the fire. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was not towed and remained at the contact's residence.
Engine · 2018-02-08 · NHTSA complaint #11071752
Dash cracks around passenger air bag and over driver display. Should air bags deploy, broken dash pieces cut, thus compromise air bag effectiveness. Also broken dash shards may be projected in the event of deployment creating high velocity, dangerous shrapnel. Vehicle was parked in garage. 2011. Still own the vehicle.
Air bags · 2017-04-12 · NHTSA complaint #10972056
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2007 gmc sierra 3500. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v324000 (air bags) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.
Air bags · 2017-02-01 · NHTSA complaint #10948815
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 gmc sierra 3500. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v438000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the part to do the repairs was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.
Engine · 2015-11-17 · NHTSA complaint #10794314
Vehicle is equipped with factory integrated trailer brake control (itbc). Back in jan., 2011 I got a message in the driver information center (dic): it said "service trailer brake system". Message intermittent at first, and then more frequently , and then message appeared at start-up every time. Dealer fixed problem.
Service brakes · 2014-12-09 · NHTSA complaint #10663110
Transmission cooler line leak could leak out all fluid and cause transmission failure. The consumer was informed the vehicle needed transmission cooler lines, transmission fluid and conditioner at a cost of $ 822.32. The service manager agreed to cut the bill to $411.16.
Powertrain · 2011-12-16 · NHTSA complaint #10440229

When owners complained

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

20081
20091
20102
20111
20141
20151
20164
20172
20181
20191
20251

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 9,040 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 25% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Sierra 3500 has 19 complaints (31 years in the data). This year has 16, about 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.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2007 GMC Sierra 3500?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, service brakes, electrical system. Total complaints: 16. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: headlights and tail lights (6%), oil leak or consumption (6%), rollaway, parking brake (6%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2007 GMC Sierra 3500?

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 2007 GMC Sierra 3500 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 2007 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.