2016 GMC Sierra Denali
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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Vehicles › GMC › Sierra Denali › 2016
These records cover every 2016 GMC Sierra Denali. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Owner complaints
30 complaints2 involved a crash5 injuries
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Exterior lighting › Tail lights · Visibility · Visibility › Defroster/defogger/hvac system
The contact owns a 2016 GMC Sierra Denali. The contact stated while driving 10 MPH, the rear windshield exploded without impact. The contact stated that the rear fogger had been activated independently. There were no injuries sustained. There was water located in the third taillight. The contact…
The contact owns a 2016 GMC Sierra Denali. The contact stated while driving 10 MPH, the rear windshield exploded without impact. The contact stated that the rear fogger had been activated independently. There were no injuries sustained. There was water located in the third taillight. The contact noticed there was mold and mildew in the taillight. The contact was seeking assistance from the insurance company. The contact called the local dealer and was informed that there were no recalls on the VIN related to the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
- Structure › Body · Unknown or other
While driving 70mph on highway sunroof exploded. screen was in place so glass shards did not enter the cabin. there was not an overpass nor large trucks in the area to be caused by debris or thrown rocks.
- Steering
Excessive slop and uncontrollable, unintended steering shifts causing vehicle to unexpectedly and suddenly veer out of lane of travel related to defective lash adjustment steering box
- Electronic stability control (esc) · Power train · Service brakes
Apparently, the 8 speed automatic transmission has issues with wiring harness and hard shifting which the manufacturer has 18 service bulletins out on yet still will not recall and fix problems. Also the brake system IS faulty and unsafe it loses pressure and even braking at various speeds. after…
Apparently, the 8 speed automatic transmission has issues with wiring harness and hard shifting which the manufacturer has 18 service bulletins out on yet still will not recall and fix problems. Also the brake system IS faulty and unsafe it loses pressure and even braking at various speeds. after taking it to the dealership they can not figure out why and say it IS various parts and should be recalled but it IS not as of yet. Gm knows of these issues and the 1000s of dollars customers have to pay for these repairs. This IS wrong and needs to be rectified.
- Engine · Power train · Steering
Since I've owned this vehicle I have had transmission problems. Once it went from 70 to 20 on the highway.. It kicks or jerks at any speed... Especially going slow.. The shifting IS horrible!!! The feeling of it losing power again like it did could cause serious damage to the transmission and…
Since I've owned this vehicle I have had transmission problems. Once it went from 70 to 20 on the highway.. It kicks or jerks at any speed... Especially going slow.. The shifting IS horrible!!! The feeling of it losing power again like it did could cause serious damage to the transmission and unselfish and passengers.. I don't trust it on the highway!!! I keep a monitor connected to my truck at all times.. The dates coincide with the paperwork!! Ongoing tranny issues all the time!! I paid way to much for this lemon!! Engine vibrates around 80.. And if you don't use your blinker.. They truck fights you to change lanes.. It pulls you back!!
- Seat belts · Steering
1) rear driver side seatbelt would not retract when unbuckled. seatbelt had to be manually fed back in so that the belt didn't dangle or get shut in the door. repaired at dealership on june 18, 2020 at roughly 55-56,000 miles. 2) truck IS currently shaking when driving and has tendencies to…
1) rear driver side seatbelt would not retract when unbuckled. seatbelt had to be manually fed back in so that the belt didn't dangle or get shut in the door. repaired at dealership on june 18, 2020 at roughly 55-56,000 miles. 2) truck IS currently shaking when driving and has tendencies to shake violently at times. I'm currently just shy of 59,000 miles on the truck and has been noticeable within the last 1,000 miles. researching it appears it has a common name of "chevy shake."
- Wheels
Hit post at parking speed an wheel split into two sections
- Electrical system
I have diesel 3500 1fuel tank the fuel gauge doesn't always come on and if does it may take several miles before it begins to work. Or sometimes it may just quit. Then other time it may work just fine. There seems to be a problem. The problem did not start till I turned about 40,000 I have about…
I have diesel 3500 1fuel tank the fuel gauge doesn't always come on and if does it may take several miles before it begins to work. Or sometimes it may just quit. Then other time it may work just fine. There seems to be a problem. The problem did not start till I turned about 40,000 I have about 42,000 now. If it works today then if it set for an few day it may not when it start till you drive several miles. Then it may work for several day then it may stop you never know when it going to stop. Do you have a answer for this problem. I know there a problem with dual tanks but have single tank.
- Visibility/wiper
TL* the contact owns a 2016 GMC sierra denali. The contact stated after placing the vehicle into reverse, within approximate 2 feet the vehicle made an abnormal loud noise. The contact looked into the backup camera and noticed smoke. The contact exited the vehicle he notice shattered glass. The…
TL* the contact owns a 2016 GMC sierra denali. The contact stated after placing the vehicle into reverse, within approximate 2 feet the vehicle made an abnormal loud noise. The contact looked into the backup camera and noticed smoke. The contact exited the vehicle he notice shattered glass. The rear passenger window was fractured. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or a local mechanic for a diagnosis or repairs. The manufacturer was not made aware of this issue. The approximate failure mileage was 94,000.
- Power train
Truck lurched uncontrolled for several feet when placed in reverse gear.
- Exterior lighting
Passenger side tail light led lights failed. Light began to dim and flutter in multiple locations in led strip, eventually totally failing in brake light and turn signal.
- Steering
Purchased the 2016 duramax denali with less than 39,000 miles after my previous GMC truck turned out to be a safety hazard and a money pit. Sales rep had me drive the vehicle around the block and the vehicle was what I wanted. After driving the truck at highway speed I started noticing the vehicle…
Purchased the 2016 duramax denali with less than 39,000 miles after my previous GMC truck turned out to be a safety hazard and a money pit. Sales rep had me drive the vehicle around the block and the vehicle was what I wanted. After driving the truck at highway speed I started noticing the vehicle drifting all over, I had to turn the lane departure warning system off because you cant keep it in the lane. Going into a construction zone I almost was pushed into the barrier because of the draft off of a semi. With speed limits up to 85 here in texas I cant believe somebody has not been killed yet. I am taking it to GMC cavender of buick in san antonio wednesday. This IS a very serious issue.
- Power train
The truck has a horrible vibration from around 45 mph and up. Have test drove other 2016 GMC sierras with same issue. Have taken it back to the dodge dealership we bought it from and they said it should be a recall
- Service brakes
TL* the contact owns a 2016 GMC sierra denali. The contact stated that while the vehicle was being reversed at under 5 mph, the brake pedal was depressed but failed to operate as intended. The contact crashed into a tree which caused damage to the passenger's side door, fender and side mirror.…
TL* the contact owns a 2016 GMC sierra denali. The contact stated that while the vehicle was being reversed at under 5 mph, the brake pedal was depressed but failed to operate as intended. The contact crashed into a tree which caused damage to the passenger's side door, fender and side mirror. There was no injuries. The vehicle was taken to van buren buick GMC located at 2257 jericho turnpike, garden city park, ny 11040, (516) 535-9508, to be diagnosed which was still pending. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 78,000.
- Power train · Service brakes
Brake failure issue at low speed. this happened in two separate occurrences in parking lots. the brake pedal became very still and required grabbing the steering wheel and using it to pull myself down harder on the brake pedal to get the vehicle to stop. this resulted in greatly increased…
Brake failure issue at low speed. this happened in two separate occurrences in parking lots. the brake pedal became very still and required grabbing the steering wheel and using it to pull myself down harder on the brake pedal to get the vehicle to stop. this resulted in greatly increased stopping distance. fortunately no vehicles or people were in my path during these occurrences. gm has since repaired my vehicle. I have since received a notice that they are repairing this issue only after the owner has a brake failure problem. this IS extremely unsafe and IS unacceptable. owners need a solution and do not need to worry that this issue will arise again. if I hit a person or a vehicle, will gm pay for medical bills, vehicle repairs, legal fees? this truck as well as my last 2009 chevrolet silverado had issues with the drive train that gm classified as normal. these trucks should not have drive shaft clunk when stopping at a traffic light. these vehicles have major mechanical concerns and their quality IS trash!
- Service brakes
The brakes did not work at slow speed going forward or in reverse
- Suspension
The seals on the front end suspension shocks - seals are broken on both front sets grease IS leaking out of them and causing a rough ride with noise when you go over bump
- Steering
Steering wheel sloppy 1-2 inches of play while driving
- Electrical system
A few minutes after starting truck with remote starter (defroster on), a portion of the rear window shattered. Seems like several people had the same problem, apparently caused by the defroster overheating the glass.
- Service brakes
At 44,972 miles I began to experience loss of braking at slow speeds (10-15 mph) on multiple occasions. the brake pedal lost its spongy feel and felt hard and dead. no matter how much pressure I applied to the brake pedal, my truck continued to roll forward. it was a scary feeling to lose…
At 44,972 miles I began to experience loss of braking at slow speeds (10-15 mph) on multiple occasions. the brake pedal lost its spongy feel and felt hard and dead. no matter how much pressure I applied to the brake pedal, my truck continued to roll forward. it was a scary feeling to lose control of the vehicle especially because I had my 10 year old daughter in my truck the first time it happened. I had to depress my emergency brake to bring the vehicle to a stop. I pulled the truck over and turned off and on the ignition and the brake pedal regained its spongy, normal pressure and feel. The brakes felt normal for about a week or so and I felt maybe it was an isolated incident until the same problem occurred when I was driving home from work in city stop and go traffic. I was driving about 5-10 mph trying to come to a stop behind the car in front of me when the truck continued to roll forward. I barely had enough time to depress the emergency brake to stop and came very close to hitting the car in front of me. it would have been at very low speed, but nonetheless a collision. I took the truck to the dealer to have the problem checked out and ended up having to replace the vacuum pump assembly for $656.50, parts and labor. I definitely feel this IS a valid safety issue that deserves investigating and doing either a safety notice to vehicle owners that could be effected or a recall. had I known about the potential issue I would have been better able to deal with it. it really shook me up the first time it happened. I didn't feel safe driving the truck even 10 feet afterwards.
- Service brakes
At 38,200 miles, the truck experienced a loss of break pressure while in a parking garage traveling at low speed causing the vehicle to narrowly miss hitting a concrete upright. after realizing there was a break issue, vehicle was able to be carefully moved from the parking garage by coasting on…
At 38,200 miles, the truck experienced a loss of break pressure while in a parking garage traveling at low speed causing the vehicle to narrowly miss hitting a concrete upright. after realizing there was a break issue, vehicle was able to be carefully moved from the parking garage by coasting on the break. after restarting the vehicle, the first depress of the break seemed to give full pressure, but each subsequent depress gave less and less pressure. vehicle had to be towed to nearest dealership and IS currently awaiting diagnostic. problem appears to be part of ongoing investigation into brake vacuum pump failure (nhtsa action number: pe18012).
- Steering
The vehicle has excessive steering play. it IS dangerous to drive in icy conditions and can be noticed driving the vehicle straight under all driving conditions on dry or icy pavement. I took it to the dealer and they performed service bulletin work at my expense to fix the problem. the service…
The vehicle has excessive steering play. it IS dangerous to drive in icy conditions and can be noticed driving the vehicle straight under all driving conditions on dry or icy pavement. I took it to the dealer and they performed service bulletin work at my expense to fix the problem. the service bulletin and rework involved tightening the steering box backlash screw. The problem was not fixed and still exists. this IS a known problem, but my vehicle was not included on the recall list to fix the issue. in order to fix the issue, the pitman arm shaft needs to be replaced with an updated version gm pn 84240812 if the steering play cannot be adjusted out. this IS the case with my vehicle and the part was not replaced.
- Service brakes
On several occasions I have had difficulty with the braking system. The braking system becomes unresponsive after pumping the brakes a few times. on several occasions I've had the brake peddle pushed to the floor in an attempt to stop the vehicle. This seems to happen mostly at slow speeds, a good example IS when you are in a traffic jam and are primarily using the brakes to edge forward and stop.
- Power train · Wheels
8 speed transmission bucks, hesitates, lurches forward, clunks, while startung acceleration or coming to a stop. I try to keep a big gap between my truck and cars in front of me at stop signs because it randomly lurches forward and I almost have bumped cars in front of me. I have had the truck into…
8 speed transmission bucks, hesitates, lurches forward, clunks, while startung acceleration or coming to a stop. I try to keep a big gap between my truck and cars in front of me at stop signs because it randomly lurches forward and I almost have bumped cars in front of me. I have had the truck into the dealer so manu times to fix the vibration issues as well, they said 3 tires that came in the brand new truck were defective so I had to replace them all and the shake IS still there, the balanced, rebalanced, road force balance and nothing works. Last time at the dealer said it IS probably the tires, he said dont rotate them again and when they wear out he will put me in a 'better' tire. I am past my warranty so the dealer says any costs are my responsibilitt, if the nhtsa could please step in to assist us to make gm fic theae vehicles which are a safety hazard.
- Power train
Truck shifts really hard and IS unpredictable. I almost drove through my garage door the other day shifting to drive from reverse. Truck will lunge forward or delay in shifting. There have been a few times I've had to slam on the brakes before I backed into something. I have brought it in 3-4 times for the issue and GMC won't remedy the problem.
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 11011989This service bulletin provides information on the harmful effects of ethylene glycol in transmission fluid.
- 11011900This diagnostic tip bulletin provides additional information on how to diagnose a possible valve, lifter or camshaft issue.
- 11011805This Preliminary information communicates a GM part number forreflective high temperature heat or insulating tape when repairing wiring harnesses.
- 11011709This bulletin advises the dealers to maintain the vehicle stock on hand by doing a full inspection on the vehicles before being sold (prepping) to the customer.
- 11011205This informational bulletin explains Unscheduled Supplemental Services and the importance of GM Simplified Maintenance Schedules.
- 11011119This Preliminary information communicates to dealers GM is working on a solution for outdated Apps
- 11010576This service bulletin provides information on All hazmat parts being returned to the Warranty Parts Center (WPC) must be shipped using Central Transport. Hazardous materials should never be sent by air transportation to the WPC.
- 11010545This service bulletin provides information on key code security rules and information on GM keycode look-up applications (U.S).
- 11010544This service bulletin explains how to measure for oil consumption and possible reasons for loss of oil.
- 11010495This bulletin provides information on Warranty Administration Required Operating Procedures - 8 Points (U.S. Only).
- 11010491This warranty administration bulletin provides policy information for GM courtesy transportation and roadside assistance programs.
- 11010490This service bulletin provides guidelines and diagnostic/repair information to technicians regarding vehicle engine oil consumption.
- 11010488This Warranty Administration bulletin provides information on the Global Warranty Management (GWM) Warranty Parts Center (WPC) Parts Return Program.
- 11010421This warranty administration bulletin provides policy information on the requirements for 12V battery testing and warranty replacements.
- 11009764This service bulletin provides information on Concerns or Questions Regarding Installation of Dealer Installed Accessories.
- 11009756This bulletin provides information on Policies Applicable to All U.S. Dealers for Engine and Transmission Assembly Replacement Under Warranty, Policy or Customer Enthusiasm and information on Submission of Warranty Transaction in Global Warranty Management.
- 11009532This service bulletin provides information for maintenance cleaning of the fuel injectors and gasoline detergent additive.
- 11009531This service bulletin provides information for maintenance cleaning of the fuel injectors and gasoline detergent additive.
- 11009088This service bulletin provides information on some vehicles that may rock or move slightly forward or rearward while in Park at start up after cold soak. This condition may be accompanied by a clunk noise. This is a slight movement that is more often seen visually, rather than felt, when viewed from the outside and using the auto-start feature, if equipped.
- 11009039This warranty administration bulletin provides policy information, proper labor operation selection and causal part identification for warranty transactions (U.S. Only).
- 11009037This service bulletin provides information on Enhancing Field Product Reports with Digital Pictures.
- 11008956This service bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on When and How to Submit a Field Product Report (FPR) (U.S. and Canada Dealers Only).
- 11008906This service bulletin provides graphics, information and guidelines for engine component wear to assist service personnel as a guideline to perform necessary engine repairs and prevent unnecessary engine replacement.
- 11008898The bulletin provides direction on how to locate the Temporary Service Part (TSP) form in GlobalConnect.
- 11007936This service bulletin provides information to dealership personnel on diagnosis and replacement of shock absorber and strut due to fluid leak.
- 11007935This service bulletin provides information to dealership personnel on diagnosis and replacement of shock absorber and strut due to fluid leak.
- 11007721This service bulletin provides information on AGM batteries that require less frequent charging in storage.
- 11007208This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about changing the tire and wheel size on vehicles. General Motors will only support a tire calibration for tires that have been sized, tested and designed for the vehicle in question and its applications. Technician should not use the information that is provided by the antilock braking system tire size selection.
- 11007155This informational bulletin advises the technician that the engine and related parts will be debited if found that the tech did not properly prepare the engine block from dirt and debris in bolt holes or if found that the block was damaged by the tech.
- 11007121This bulletin provides information on Engine Concerns that could result from lack of scheduled maintenance, improper service or aftermarket calibrations.
- 11007116This bulletin provides information on identifying Non-GM Engine Calibrations for Gasoline Engines using the Tech 2 or GDS 2.
- 11007115This service bulletin provides information on Internal Engine Noise or Damage After Oil Filter Replacement.
- 11007095This bulletin provides information on the TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline Licensed Brands and the TOP TIER Diesel Fuel Licensed Brands that are recommended for use in all GM vehicles and the TOP TIER FUELS website URL.
- 11007091This service bulletin provides guidelines and diagnostic/repair information to technicians regarding vehicle engine oil consumption.
- 11006682This service bulletin provides information on a guide to help reduce repeat visits for the same customer concern.
- 11006670This service bulletin advises about the possible issues that may occur when using a scotch brite pad or highly abrasive disk on gasket sealing surfaces or reused parts.
- 11006644This Warranty Administration service bulletin provides information for dealers/Service advisors on when and how to submit a Pre-Repair Authorization (PRA).
- 11006621Vehicle Wide Programming (VWP) is a new process to update software on GM Vehicles. It provides the ability via a single selection within Techline Connect to first identify which modules need updating and then proceed to updating affected modules (with some exceptions). The updating of modules is completed in parallel instead of the technician needing to update one module at a time. This allows a more streamlined approach for dealers and customers.
- 11006511This PI provides information on Rear and Side Tempered Glass Spots (Quench Marks) and that they are a normal characteristic.
- 11006421GM is receiving damaged (cracked or broken) transmission cores returned to the reman facilities. The damage is being caused either in the removal process by the technician, or inadequate packaging or shipping. This bulletin advises the dealers to be more careful not to damage the transmissions during removal and to package the core properly for return.
Every GMC Sierra Denali model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.