2012 GMC Sierra Denali: common problems

Owners of the 2012 GMC Sierra Denali filed 10 complaints with NHTSA, most often about steering and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 10

What fails most often

1 Steering 40% of all complaints
2 Service brakes 20% of all complaints
3 Structure 20% of all complaints
4 Equipment 10% of all complaints
5 Fuel/propulsion system 10% of all complaints
6 Tires 10% of all complaints
7 Wheels 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.

Steering: 4 complaints (40% of all).
Service brakes: 2 complaints (20% of all).
Structure: 2 complaints (20% of all).
Equipment: 1 complaints (10% of all).
Fuel/propulsion system: 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).

steering or power steering problems3 · 30%
door locks, latches, handles1 · 10%
fuel system, fuel smell1 · 10%
knocking, grinding or other noise1 · 10%
infotainment or screen glitches1 · 10%
vibration1 · 10%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Steering	4	0	0
Service brakes	2	0	0
Structure	2	0	0
Equipment	1	0	0
Fuel/propulsion system	1	0	0
Tires	1	0	0
Wheels	1	0	0
Other	3	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.

(there was not enough room on the shoulder to pull over on my side the road so I tried to turn across the highway where there was an emergency pull out and as I did the truck died sideways right in the middle of the highway, taking up several lanes of traffic, fortunately there was enough incline that I was able to…
Fuel/propulsion system · 2020-01-03 · NHTSA complaint #11296896
Our gmc has experienced 3 exterior door handle failures. We paid to have the 1st broken handle repaired as it was not operable from the outside. This makes for a dangerous evacuation experience in the event of an emergency. We chose a non-dealer repair facility due to the cost of using a dealer.
Structure · 2019-07-25 · NHTSA complaint #11234863
Upon returning and getting back on the road, I noticed my car was pulling bad right and the steering wheel was shaking very badly. I managed to drive it the additional 30 miles back home. When I started the truck the next morning, the steering wheel shake was too bad to continue anywhere but the dealership.
Steering · 2014-12-05 · NHTSA complaint #10662321
The contact mentioned that a rattling sound emitted from the dashboard. The vehicle was taken to a dealer. The technician diagnosed that the dashboard needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 70,000.
Structure · 2014-11-18 · NHTSA complaint #10659017
After exiting interstate lost steering and brakes briefly in parking lot. Pumped brake and both returned after a hissing sound. Recurred a few times in next 6 months or so. Then, in the fall of 2013, lost steering and brakes on I-49/us71b heading south from joplin, missouri.
Steering · 2014-03-06 · NHTSA complaint #10567717
Also, there was a problem with the back-up screen. The picture was extremely dark, and it was hard to make out the images on the screen. The dealer tried to lighten the screen, but to no avail.
Steering · 2013-10-28 · NHTSA complaint #10549145

When owners complained

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

20121
20131
20143
20151
20171
20192
20201

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 Denali has 14 complaints (18 years in the data). This year has 10, below average.

What to check before buying

Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2012 GMC Sierra Denali?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: steering, service brakes, structure. Total complaints: 10. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: steering or power steering problems (30%), door locks, latches, handles (10%), fuel system, fuel smell (10%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2012 GMC Sierra Denali?

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 2012 GMC Sierra Denali 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 2012 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.