2014 GMC Sierra Denali: common problems

Owners of the 2014 GMC Sierra Denali filed 14 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 14

What fails most often

1 Service brakes 29% of all complaints
2 Air bags 14% of all complaints
3 Structure 14% of all complaints
4 Engine 7% of all complaints
5 Exterior lighting 7% of all complaints
6 Fuel/propulsion system 7% of all complaints
7 Powertrain 7% of all complaints
8 Suspension 7% 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: 4 complaints (29% of all).
Air bags: 2 complaints (14% of all).
Structure: 2 complaints (14% of all).
Engine: 1 complaints (7% of all).
Exterior lighting: 1 complaints (7% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 14 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

vibration2 · 14%
A/C or heater1 · 7%
fuel system, fuel smell1 · 7%
headlights and tail lights1 · 7%
rust, corrosion1 · 7%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Service brakes	4	0	0
Air bags	2	0	0
Structure	2	0	0
Engine	1	0	0
Exterior lighting	1	0	0
Fuel/propulsion system	1	0	0
Powertrain	1	0	0
Suspension	1	0	0
Vehicle speed control	1	0	0
Wheels	1	0	0
Other	4	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.

Headlights are extremely dim making it difficult to see at night out in rainy conditions causing a huge safety problem when driving at night. Can barely see when making left or right hand turns as well causing a huge safety issue at night with pedestrians are in a dark crosswalk.
Exterior lighting · 2021-01-05 · NHTSA complaint #11386642
When driving at highway speed or accelerating the back of the truck will violently vibrate.at time it is almost uncontrollable and becomes very hard to steer. I so I have researched this issue and it seems that there are many complaints about this exact issues with 2014 to 2019 chevy and gmc trucks.
Powertrain · 2020-06-22 · NHTSA complaint #11330205
Tl* the contact owns a 2014 gmc sierra denali. The contact stated that while driving she heard a squeaking noise coming from the brakes. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the caliper and brake pads needed to be replaced after having it for a year.
Service brakes · 2020-05-28 · NHTSA complaint #11326342
When at slow speeds, brakes get hard and have to put a lot of pressure to stop the truck.
Service brakes · 2019-06-28 · NHTSA complaint #11223155
If the brakes are pumped 2-3 times the peddle will become really firm and hard to press. When this occurs the truck will not stop. You have to stand on the brake pedal with both feet to get the truck to stop. Pretty unnerving for a 75k mike truck still under drivetrain warranty but not covered.
Service brakes · 2019-03-16 · NHTSA complaint #11187199
I started my truck and noticed a heavy smell of gasoline coming from the hvac vents. I stepped out of the vehicle and noticed a large puddle of (fuel) gasoline on the pavement and a constant drip of (fuel) gasoline coming from the rear of the motor.
Engine · 2018-08-08 · NHTSA complaint #11118585
While detailing my truck on october 30, 2017 I discovered a crack on the dash about an inch and a half long running from the top left of the airbag cover towards the defroster vent .
Air bags · 2017-10-31 · NHTSA complaint #11041659
Chrome wheel corrosion. Critical location around valve stem creating air leak in valve stem. Could create low enough pressure to effect handling in emergency situation.
Wheels · 2017-08-01 · NHTSA complaint #11012225

When owners complained

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

20172
20184
20194
20203
20211

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 9,551 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 26% most complained about).

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

What to check before buying

Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
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.
Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2014 GMC Sierra Denali?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, air bags, structure. Total complaints: 14. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: vibration (14%), A/C or heater (7%), fuel system, fuel smell (7%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2014 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 2014 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 2014 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.