2013 GMC Sierra Denali: common problems

Owners of the 2013 GMC Sierra Denali filed 8 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and structure. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 8

What fails most often

1 Air bags 25% of all complaints
2 Structure 25% 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 (25% of all).
Structure: 2 complaints (25% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 8 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

jerking, harsh shifts1 · 13%
stalls while driving1 · 13%
vibration1 · 13%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Air bags	2	0	0
Structure	2	0	0
Other	6	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.

Dash has cracked near airbag creating a potential deployment issue.
Air bags · 2019-06-27 · NHTSA complaint #11222841
The dashboard cracked on its own. Right across the control panel and on the outer edges of the passenger airbag. I have an extended warranty through amtrust (official gm warranty partner) - but they declined to cover the replacement. These cracks are identical to hundreds I see posted from gm truck owners online.
Structure · 2018-07-15 · NHTSA complaint #11111468

When owners complained

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

20172
20182
20193
20211

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 11,899 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 32% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Sierra Denali has 14 complaints (18 years in the data). This year has 8, below average.

What to check before buying

Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2013 GMC Sierra Denali?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, structure. Total complaints: 8. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: jerking, harsh shifts (13%), stalls while driving (13%), vibration (13%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2013 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 2013 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 2013 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.