Most common 2013 GMC Sierra 2500 problems
Share of the 46 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
GMC Sierra 2500 complaints by model year
Best Sierra 2500 years: 2012, 2014, 2013. Years to avoid: 2024, 2025, 2020, 2021, 2022. Compare all years →
2013 GMC Sierra 2500 recalls (3)
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida,…
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 24, 2021.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, SC, TX, PR, AS, GU, the MP, and VI or "Zone…
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 25, 2021.
Equipment
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Chevrolet Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD, 2009 GMC Topkick 5000, 6000, 7000 and 8000 Series and Isuzu F Series, and 2009-2018 Chevrolet Express, and GMC Savana vehicles, equipped with certain Plastic-Handle Fire Extinguishers or Push Button 'Pindicator' Fire Extinguishers.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, instructing them to contact Kidde to get a replacement fire extinguisher, free of charge. The recall began June 11, 2018.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2013 GMC Sierra 2500:
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.
What 2013 GMC Sierra 2500 owners say
Fuel & propulsion system
The contact owns a 2013 GMC Sierra 2500. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to coast to the side of the road, where a mobile independent mechanic diagnosed that the fuel pump had failed. The mechanic determined that the entire fuel system assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then towed to an unknown dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was currently being towed to the residence. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the repair could not be covered because the VIN was not included in a related recall and the vehicle was not covered under warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 206,000.
I was traveling east bound on i26 when the Bosch fuel pump exploded and sent metal shavings throughout the fuel system. It's the same pump GM has settled a class action lawsuit when I spoke to the adjuster I was told.my truck wasn't included but yet it has the Bosch fuel pump the lawsuit is for cost me 10000 to repair. I have repair bill. And then I was in a accident and the air bag curtain deployed but the passenger side and driver side did not I think there's a recall on the also.
Air bags
I was traveling east bound on i26 when the Bosch fuel pump exploded and sent metal shavings throughout the fuel system. It's the same pump GM has settled a class action lawsuit when I spoke to the adjuster I was told.my truck wasn't included but yet it has the Bosch fuel pump the lawsuit is for cost me 10000 to repair. I have repair bill. And then I was in a accident and the air bag curtain deployed but the passenger side and driver side did not I think there's a recall on the also.
I called my local GMC dealer (Maxwell GMC, Round Rock, TX) in regard to the Takata Air Bag recall to get some details about the repair (e.g. length of time for repair, parts availability, etc.) In addition to their reponse regarding the length of time and parts availability I was told that their was a high probability that the dash on my truck would crack during the airbag repair. I was also told that the GMC dealer would not cover the cost of the dash damage as a result of the airbag recall work. Shouldn't the repair of the air bag cover any related costs as a result of the repair such such as damage to the dash?
Steering
The vehicle loses power steering in slow conditions, normally while in parking lots or making a turn. This normally only happens when making a right hand turn. When this occurs, it is nearly impossible to continue the turn of the wheel to complete your turn. The vehicle has been taken to the dealer numerous times since new to recent and we are always told that they cannot re-create the issue, so there is nothing to fix. The problem will likely result in a crash at some point if it is not addressed, as it creates a very unsafe condition and inability to control the turn of the vehicle. This problem has happened since the truck was new up until most recently today, July 30, 2018.
I bought my 2013 Sierra 2500 hd 4x4 used with only 42000 miles on it. Within 1000 miles of that purchase, the power steering pump failed and needed replaced. I was pulling into the gas station and almost took out a fueling tower. Power steering pumps do not fail -- they are manufacturing defects. I have had vehicles for 30 years and never had a ps pump failure. Most people never experience this. I had to fork out $500 for the repair -- GMC should reimburse me for this ; they are lucky this did't turn out to be a catastrophe. I was lucky to have been moving very slowly due to the congestion at the station.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2013 GMC Sierra 2500 a good car?
Based on 46 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2013 Sierra 2500 rates average: 17% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Sierra 2500 at the same age. It is one of the best Sierra 2500 years by this measure. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2013 GMC Sierra 2500?
The fuel & propulsion system — 9 complaints, 20% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the air bags (7) and steering (5).
How many recalls does the 2013 GMC Sierra 2500 have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2013 GMC Sierra 2500, the most recent from February 5, 2021 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the GMC Sierra 2500?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2012, 2014 and 2013. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2024, 2025, 2020, 2021 and 2022. See the full GMC Sierra 2500 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2013 GMC Sierra 2500 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 62,000 miles; 38% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.