NHTSA Complaints · Active Recalls · California Lemon Law Data
The NHTSA tracks consumer complaints, manufacturer recalls, and safety investigations for every vehicle sold in the United States. These publicly available records are a critical resource for California lemon law cases because they establish patterns of recurring defects.
As of June 2026, the NHTSA has logged 25 complaints against the 2026 GMC Sierra 1500. Each complaint is filed by a vehicle owner or lessee through the NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline or online portal at SaferCar.gov. You can review all 2026 GMC Sierra 1500 complaints directly on the NHTSA complaint database.
The 2026 GMC Sierra 1500 has generated 25 NHTSA complaints and has 1 active recall. If your 2026 GMC Sierra 1500 has experienced a defect that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple visits, you may qualify for a full repurchase or replacement under California lemon law. GMC pays all attorney fees when we prevail. You pay nothing.
Engine and cooling problems are among the most serious defects under California’s Song-Beverly Act. Owners of the 2026 GMC Sierra 1500 have reported issues including stalling, overheating, loss of power, rough idling, excessive oil consumption, and check engine lights that return after dealer repairs. With 6 NHTSA complaints on record, this defect pattern is well-documented. Owner reports include: “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.” (NHTSA Complaint #11721108)
Powertrain and transmission defects directly impair the vehicle’s core function and are generally considered substantial defects under California lemon law. Owners of the 2026 GMC Sierra 1500 have reported harsh shifting, shuddering, slipping, and transmission warning lights. 4 NHTSA complaints have been submitted for this defect category. Owner reports include: “My 2026 GMC AT4 3.0L Duramax had a catastrophic engine failure on Sunday, February 8, 2026. It went into reduced acceleration and also fault code PO6DD. Thankfully I was not on a highway. The truck would not run over 45 MPH on flat ground, and then by the time I got it to a safe location 5 miles away it would not run over about 30MPH. This obviously resulted in the truck being towed to a dealership. I have been told the entire engine will be replaced. Upon further reading, I suspect this is a thrust bearing failure that is a well-known issue in this LZ0 Duramax engine. What I have read, this issue is occurring mostly on trucks built from May-Sept 2025, and my truck has a 7/2025 build date. This could have been major safety hazard if the engine had failed in a major freeway/highway.” (NHTSA Complaint #11717546)
Engine and cooling problems are among the most serious defects under California’s Song-Beverly Act. Owners of the 2026 GMC Sierra 1500 have reported issues including stalling, overheating, loss of power, rough idling, excessive oil consumption, and check engine lights that return after dealer repairs. With 2 NHTSA complaints on record, this defect pattern is well-documented. Owner reports include: “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.” (NHTSA Complaint #11718072)
Engine and cooling problems are among the most serious defects under California’s Song-Beverly Act. Owners of the 2026 GMC Sierra 1500 have reported issues including stalling, overheating, loss of power, rough idling, excessive oil consumption, and check engine lights that return after dealer repairs. With 1 NHTSA complaint on record, this defect pattern is well-documented. Owner reports include: “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)” (NHTSA Complaint #11724264)
Brake defects affecting safety may qualify for California’s two-repair threshold under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, which applies to defects likely to cause death or serious bodily injury. The 2026 GMC Sierra 1500 has generated 1 NHTSA complaint related to braking, including ABS failures, grinding, reduced stopping power, and warning lights. Owner reports include: “I was out one day for lunch and my brakes stopped working on my truck. I had the truck towed after I limped home in it. The master cylinder failed at 4,200 miles causing the brakes to fail. It was replaced by the dealership.” (NHTSA Complaint #11723734)
The following 1 recall has been issued for the 2026 GMC Sierra 1500 by the NHTSA or GMC. If your vehicle is affected, the manufacturer is required to provide a free remedy. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls.
Component: EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: Without an owner’s manual to consult, owners may not know how to safely use and operate the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will reset the vehicle radio, which will facilitate automatic download of the electronic owner’s manual, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed April 13, 2026. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-866-467-9700, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020
California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1790–1795.8) is one of the strongest lemon laws in the United States. It protects buyers and lessees of new and certified pre-owned vehicles that develop substantial defects the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, a lemon law presumption is triggered when any of the following apply to your 2026 GMC Sierra 1500:
Once the presumption is triggered, the burden shifts to GMC to prove the vehicle is not a lemon. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), GMC must pay your attorney’s fees if you prevail — meaning qualified representation costs you nothing out of pocket.
If your 2026 GMC Sierra 1500 qualifies as a lemon under California law, GMC may be legally required to:
Step 1: Document every repair visit. Keep all repair orders, work orders, and dealer invoices. Each visit counts as a repair attempt, even if the dealer says nothing is wrong.
Step 2: Keep returning for repairs. You must give GMC a reasonable opportunity to fix the defect. Visit different authorized GMC dealers if needed and ask for written documentation of each visit.
Step 3: Contact a California lemon law attorney. Once you believe the threshold has been met — 4 attempts for non-safety defects, 2 for safety defects, or 30 days out of service — contact an attorney for a free case evaluation. Under § 1794(d), GMC pays your fees if you win.
Step 4: Send a demand letter. Your attorney will send GMC a formal demand letter. Most California lemon law cases resolve through negotiation without going to trial.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, four or more repair attempts for the same non-safety defect, or two attempts for a safety-related defect, triggers the lemon law presumption. Additionally, 30 or more cumulative days out of service qualifies regardless of the number of repair attempts.
Yes. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), GMC is required to pay your reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs if you prevail in a lemon law claim. This means qualified lemon law representation is free to you if your case succeeds.
Yes. A recall is not required to file a lemon law claim. The Song-Beverly Act covers any substantial defect that impairs the use, value, or safety of the vehicle that the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts. NHTSA complaints support the claim by establishing a pattern, but are not a prerequisite.
California lemon law claims are generally subject to a four-year statute of limitations from the date you discovered or should have discovered the defect. However, you must still be within the manufacturer’s original warranty period when the defect first appears. Contact an attorney promptly to preserve your rights.
If your 2026 GMC Sierra 1500 has a recurring defect, California’s Lemon Law may entitle you to a full refund, replacement vehicle, or cash settlement — at no cost to you.
Our attorneys answer the questions we hear most from California vehicle owners — fully updated for 2026.
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