Table 1 shows one common engine and engine cooling related problems of the 2026 GMC Sierra 1500.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling problems |
The contact owns a 2026 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving 40 mph, the vehicle independently engaged into limp mode. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified on the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 10,000.
6. 2 engine blew up 3000 miles.
I bought the truck brand new from gregg young in atlantic, IA. While an hour into the drive home, the truck began shuttering as if the transmission was having problems finding the gear. I immediately made an appt with their parent dealership of gregg young in plattsmouth, ne. They had the truck for a week and couldn’t duplicate the transmission issues after I reported several occurrences and symptoms, they also didn’t provide a service invoice of the work performed while I found was unusual. As I was driving the truck home from repairs it started hesitating and having difficulty finding gears. I didn’t think much of it since the dealer claimed there was nothing wrong. This past weekend while going 65 mph down the freeway the transmission started shuttering as well as the truck and the tires began to lock up to the point of almost losing control, there was also metal on metal noises. I had to pull over and luckily driving real slow I made it home. The gregg young dealership were I bought it will take no responsibility and provided falsification since no service was provided nor upon checking app gps there was no indications it left the dealership while in there possession for a week, will contact GMC in the am since this has now become a safety issue and there was metal on metal contact noises and the serious risk of a crash.
Complete engine failure at 1838 miles. Need complete engine replacement. Estimated time unknown for replacement parts.
The motor on my 2026 GMC sierra stalled 2 weeks ago with a p0016(crankshaft position sensor issue). Was able to clear code and limp home. Vehicle did stall on a busy road and stop abruptly. Scheduled service and was advised to drive it in. Was experiencing irregular idle when warmed up, and a slight hesitation in the pedal. Service advisor started the vehicle and claimed no codes, and everything appear ok. Later in the afternoon the service advisor called to inform me that the vehicle had a siezed engine and had siezed during a test drive on the highway. Currently waiting on warranty information, and engine replacement information but I've been informed it will require a whole new engine. This is the same 6. 2l l87 v8 that has been in near constant recalls from GMC over the last 6 years.
Engine lock up with 5018 miles on, it is a the 6. 2 motor rod and crank bad.
The engine started having knocking and I took it to the dealership and now I have been waiting 45 days with no engine replacement in site after they told me the engine failed completely. It had 3,900 miles on the engine!.
I am the owner of a 2026 GMC Sierra 1500 denali ultimate equipped with the 6. 2l v8 l87 engine (VIN: [xxx] ), purchased new approximately three months ago. I am filing this complaint proactively. I have experienced no engine failure or symptoms to date. However, I am filing based on a documented pattern of l87 engine failures in 2025 and 2026 production vehicles, confirmed by multiple gm dealership technicians, which suggests that the manufacturing defect underlying NHTSA recall 25v-274 may not have been fully resolved by gm’s stated production improvements dated June 1, 2024. Nhtsa recall 25v-274 (April 2025) covered 597,630 vehicles from model years 2021–2024 for catastrophic l87 engine seizure caused by connecting rod bearing failure and crankshaft defects. Gm excluded 2025 and 2026 model year vehicles based on a claimed manufacturing fix. However, multiple 2026 production vehicles have since experienced the same bearing failure at extremely low mileage. Open NHTSA investigation ea25007 is already examining vehicles outside the original recall window, and recall query rq26001 is investigating the adequacy of gm’s remedy. I am requesting that NHTSA consider expanding the investigation scope to include 2025 and 2026 model year vehicles. As a 2026 owner of a $90,000+ truck with the identical engine configuration, I believe my vehicle warrants inclusion in any expanded investigation or recall action. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).
Driving on the PA turnpike at speed with traffic and the engine lost power and started squealing. No lights came on, I was able to get to the side of the road and the truck shut off. When I restarted it, it sounded terrible. Had it towed to dealer and dealer stated that the engine had a terminal failure with the crank bearings and needs replaced. I was fortunate at the time of the issue that I was able to get off the road since the truck lost all power.
Driving approximately 30mph, the engine shut down. Vehicle shifted into neutral until stopped and shifted to park. Unable to place in neutral to pull off the road. Check engine stated transmission needed service. Dealership states seized engine. Engines are on back order. Vehicle has 2980 miles on the odometer. I'm active duty navy and have a permanent change of station this summer and no vehicle to move in and I also haven't gotten a rental.
My 2026 GMC sierra at4 1500 6. 2 l87 engine had a catastrophic failure with only 3347 miles. It stalled twice while driving home, when pulling into my driveway it stalled a third time and would not start after that. Before having my vehicle towed to the dealer from my home I connected my code reader and it posted code p0016. After being diagnosed by the dealer they informed me I needed an entire new engine. There were no warning lights or message prior to this failure my vehicle was purchased 9 week prior.
I stopped at a red light in the middle of a 50 mph intersection when the light turned green the engine completely shut off, and it didn’t want to turn back on. I was stuck in the middle of the intersection in a very high risk area, putting myself and other drivers at risk. Onstar diagnostics didn’t report any issues with the truck. According to their diagnostics, everything should have been running perfectly fine. The motor shut down completely and we weren’t able to shift the truck into neutral in order to try to move out of harms way. There was no warning lights or anything before this happened. The first tow truck driver that came by was told that he was there “in order to do a jumpstart” he ran a diagnostic on both of the batteries and said that they were perfectly fine. Another tow truck had to be dispatched since the first wasn’t equipped to take the truck. In total we were stuck in the middle of the intersection for almost three hours. The amount of times we almost had someone crash into us during that time was very concerning. Dashboard and lights were all working perfectly fine. Auto start stop technology seems to have shut down the motor and was not able to get it to turn back on . This vehicle is a safety hazard.
Engine failure at 18,000. Knocking noise started immediately followed by vehicle going into low power mode. Dangerous to drive in traffic in low power mode. No other warning lamps or indications that something was wrong. Dealer inspected and found a bearing went out in the engine.
My engine seized up on me on the highway. I was stranded and couldn’t start the vehicle and it was freezing outside.
I was out of town and driving on the highway around 75 mph, when the motor suddenly lost all power. I was driving in the far left lane approaching an overpass. The sudden loss made it next to impossible to make it off the overpass on a very busy freeway safely while trying to navigate many cars trying to pass me . The truck came to a complete halt on the white shoulder line, 50' off of overpass sh 31. The truck would not restart or do anything I could not push it any further off road. I excited the e truck and stood off the freeway for my safety, as the truck was on very edge of freeway. GMC roadside assistance took my truck to nearest dealer. This occurred on a Friday, dealership gave me a loaner car to get home as I was from out of town. They stated it would probably be the following Tuesday maybe Wednesday before they could tell me anything. I never heard from dealership service department, so I called them on Thursday morning and was told my truck motor had seized up and a new motor was needed. Service advisor stated GMC had been contacted and paper work started and I would be getting a new motor. The service advisor also stated that he had called and left a message. We verified my phone number and he had correct number, however I still never receive a call or voice mail. I still have not received any documentation on the failure or a repairs needed.
While driving on the highway my 2026 GMC Sierra 1500 denali ultimate the vehicle lost propulsion and the dashboard went dark because it shut off. I was exiting the highway onto a skybridge and rolled to a stop before reaching the top on the skybridge. Vehicle would not start again and needed to be towed. Dealership concluded my 6. 2l v8 engine needed to be replaced due to crank shaft seizing. Engine had 1861 miles. This put me in a very dangerous situation due to the limited space on the skybridge with passing traffic.
Vehicle stalled in busy intersection in mckinney texas , unable to start are shift into a neutral position on transmission to remove from extreme dangerous intersection, sheriff advised that road side assistance that was contacted is not going to be in time (90min)to keep from causing an ongoing traffic backup , sheriff dispatched their own towing service to resolve the situation from getting extremely dangerous . Vehicle and my wife was towed to mckinney Buick GMC dealership.
"vehicle exhibits a severe rpm flutter and rhythmic harmonic vibration at idle. These symptoms are consistent with manufacturing defects in the connecting rod and crankshaft currently under NHTSA rq26001 and ea25-007 investigations for the gm 6. 2l l87 engine. The defect presents a substantial risk of sudden engine seizure and loss of propulsion while driving. Vehicle is currently out of service at jim curley GMC for its first repair attempt. The dealer has stated repairs will not begin for several days. ".
"vehicle is experiencing symptoms consistent with the 6. 2l l87 engine bearing failure investigation (NHTSA probe January 2026). Despite two repair attempts, the dealer claims 'operating as designed. ' I have experienced persistent engine stumble,hesitation, erratic tachometer needle flutter and significant vibrations felt through the floorboard and seats during operation. These defects substantially impair the use ,value and safety of my vehicle. This is a serious safety concern as it creates a risk of catastrophic engine seizure at highway speeds. Manufacturer has been sent a formal 'last chance' letter under NJ lemon law. " reference # 1771884.
Odd noise from bell housing area at 1200 miles that went with engine rpm. Took the truck in to the dealer and they said they couldn't recreate it but to bring it back in if it returned. Jan 27th at 5200 miles on the truck, I was driving down the highway at 60mph and got a reduced acceleration message on the dash along with a check engine light. Brought it to the dealer and was informed it was a bad thrust bearing and needed and engine and turbo replacement. Still waiting for the truck to be done.
The contact owns a 2026 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormal sound and failed to accelerate as needed. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and remained with the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 6,000.
Total engine failure at highway speed with loss of propulsion . Catastrophic engine loss with 3,000 miles . GMC never fixed the problem with the 6. 2 l87 like they said.
2026 Sierra 1500 at4 with 3. 0l duramax diesel. Three major issues. 1. 2960 miles, thrust bearing failure caused low oil pressure and internal damage. Vehicle needs complete engine replacement. The truck is still at the dealer with no eta on engine arrival and replacement. 2. Vehicle has severe electrical issues. Battery replaced on second day of ownership due to over charge and smoking. The truck would randomly lose the ability to produce sound through infotainment system on start. This includes warning sounds and audible turn signal sound. Dealer said it’s caused by faulty amp which was replaced. 3. The truck shut off (full system shutdown) and the transmission failed over to neutral while driving on the highway and failed to restart. Barely restarted on second attempt. Dealer has no idea why it is doing it. However the vehicle was throwing multiple code related to transmission module failure, brake module failure, transmission module failure, etc.
I heard a loud metallic knock that was not consistent with normal engine noise. I noticed the oil pressure was on the lower end of the scale but not abnormal based on how it is displayed. I decided to take the vehicle to the dealer ASAP for an oil change (that was coming due) and discuss with them. I drove roughly 20 miles from start of noise until delivery at the dealer. The truck gave me a "reduced acceleration, drive with caution" message 10 miles prior to the dealership but no associated lights, engine codes, check engine light or associated alerts on the mygmc app. Dealership found oil pressure ranging between 4-8 psi, and a failed oil pressure control solenoid, heavy metal debris in the oil pan including parts of the thrust bearing and oil squirter. Entire engine and turbo replacement was required. Truck had 143 hours on the engine and 6,300 miles. It was produced in August of 2025 with a purchase date of 17 October 2025. Produced: 8/25 purchased: 10/17/25 failed: 12/30/2025 returned with new engine: 1/23/26.
On or about 12/14/25 at approximately 2,000 miles my engine began smoking to the point that it was pushing in to the interior of the cabin and created a cloud like atmosphere that smelled of burning oil. There were no warning messages in the vehicle or in the mobile diagnostic application associated with the vehicle. Once parked, I popped the engine and observed visible smoke from the engine and a distinct crackling noise coming from the area of the engine. I checked underneath the vehicle and was able to see oil dripping and, subsequently, feel oil running down a majority of the undercarriage of the truck. Ultimately, I had the vehicle towed the dealership and they diagnosed a front cover seal for the engine was leaking and repaired the issue. On 3/20/26 I had to take my vehicle in for an early oil change due to the above issue and low oil life. Since the above repair, I had continued to smell intermittent burning oil in the cabin of the truck. During the oil change I asked the gm service provider to check to ensure the same issue had not recurred and, following the oil change, I was informed they did not see any issue. On 5/8/26, at approximately 7,000 miles, the same issue regarding visible smoke in the cabin occurred and, upon opening the hood, I was able to see visible smoke from the engine and hear the same crackling noise. I checked underneath the vehicle and, again, was able to see oil dripping and feel it on a majority of the underside of the truck. There were no warnings, in the vehicle or in the gm app for the vehicle, associated with the failure. Again, I took the vehicle to the gm dealer service center. The diagnosis was a leaking rear cover seal. Upon repairing this issue, gm service discovered "flakes" in the oil in the engine and diagnoses a failing thrust bearing that indicated engine failure. I have documentation of the diagnosis and attempted repairs but, am not currently in a location that I can scan and upload them. I can provide them.
3. 0 duramax engine failure - 2026 GMC Sierra 1500 denali ultimate at just 6,755 miles and only 77 days of ownership. Within the first few thousand miles, the truck intermittently had warnings appear of “reduced acceleration, drive with care”. The truck would limit its ability to maintain speed. When it occurred during highway driving, it was particularly dangerous. The check engine light would also come on. After parking the vehicle for a bit and restarting it, things returned to normal. At the dealership, we reported the issue and leaned the computer reveled a p06dd code which required them to check the crankshaft for excessive play. Our truck was out of specification requiring complete engine replacement at just 6,755 miles. “service bulletin 25-na-307 which states this code may set due to thrust bearing failure. Following 25-na-307 checked crankshaft end play and got a reading of 0. 3400 in. The maximum spec is 0. 0124 in. “ gm and laura Buick GMC should not have sold this truck to us without inspecting it for this known issue. This extensive repair required complete removal of the cab from the chassis.
2026 GMC sierra elevation x31 with 3. 0 duramax diesel engine, 132-miles, thrust bearing 1. 53-mm out of tolerance requiring engine and turbo replacement. Engine build date 25219 (07 Aug 2025), vehicle assembly date August 2025, purchased 10 oct 2025, entered service for engine and turbo failure on 11 Nov 2025, returned 10 Jan 2026.
I do not have an official communication from the dealer who is servicing my vehicle. However, they have had my vehicle for almost 3 weeks and they tell me that the engine has failed and needs complete replacement. They said the engine lost compression and quit running, it now cranks and does not start. Although the engine has not been disassembled we believe the point fo failure to be in the rotating assembly of the bottom end of the engine.