Most common 2005 GMC Sierra problems
Share of the 121 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
GMC Sierra complaints by model year
Best Sierra years: 2020, 2018, 2009. Years to avoid: 1999, 2000, 1995, 1996, 1997. Compare all years →
2005 GMC Sierra recalls (10)
Air bags › Frontal
Certain vehicles originally built with cloth seats that were equipped with an automatic air bag passenger sensing system and later reupholstered with aftermarket leather seat cover kits are involved. Testing has indicated that the aftermarket leather seat covers can cause the passenger sensing system to malfunction.
Remedy: Because a replacement leather seat cover that is compatible with the passenger sensing system is not available, general motors (GM) will repurchase these vehicles in accordance with the terms stated in GM's letter to…
Engine and engine cooling
On certain trucks equipped with an 8.1l v8 (rpo l8-VIN g) engine have a condition in which the engine fuel rail pulse damper retainer clip May fracture resulting in inadequate retention of the damper.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the engine fuel rail pulse damper retainer clip free of charge. The recall began on August 31, 2006. Owners May contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 and GMC trucks at 1-866-996-9463.
Steering › Hydraulic power assist › Hose, piping, and connections
Certain passenger vehicles May have been built with a power steering hose that is not to specification. Under extreme steering maneuvers, such as turning the steering wheel fully to the left or right while braking, the hose May fracture and leak fluid.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the power steering hose(s) for two suspect date codes and replace them if required. The recall will begin on October 14, 2005.
Seat belts › Rear/other
On certain crew cab pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles, the 2nd row center occupant seat belt routing May make it difficult to position the lap portion of the safety belt low around the hips of occupants, especially smaller occupants, seated in this position.
Remedy: Dealers will cut open the guide loop, remove a portion of the loop, and then the remaining two sides should be folded over and secured with a retainer free of charge. The recall began on July 21, 2005.
Parking brake
On certain pickup trucks equipped with manual transmissions and built with either pbr parking brake systems or trw parking brake systems, the parking brake friction linings May wear to an extent where the parking brake can become ineffective in immobilizing a parked vehicle.
Remedy: Dealers will install a low-force spring clip retainer for vehicles equipped with a pbr parking brake system. On vehicles equipped with the trw parking brake system, dealers will install a redesigned parking brake cable…
Seat belts › Front › Anchorage
Certain sport utility vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 225, "child restraint anchorage systems" the requirements for location and instructions for properly attaching child restraints.
Remedy: Dealers will mail an owner's manual update that describes the location and proper use of the tether anchors. The recall began on April 15, 2005. Owners May contact GMC at 1-866-996-9463.
Show 4 more recalls
Power train › Manual transmission › Shift pattern indicator
Certain sport utility vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission, fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 102, "transmission shift lever sequence, starter interlock and transmission braking effect." under certain vehicle starting conditions, the shift lever position indicator…
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the instrument panel cluster free of charge. The recall began on February 14, 2005. Owners May contact Cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, and GMC at 1-866-996-9463.
Service brakes, hydraulic
Certain trucks, sport utility vehicles, and vans equipped with Bosch hydro-boost brake assemblies, the hydraulic brake booster pressure accumulator May crack and separate from the hydro-boost assembly during normal operating conditions.
Remedy: Dealers will test the hydro-boost assembly for functional operation of the two-function valve. If the hydro-boost assembly fails the test, dealers will replace the assembly free of charge.
Steering › Gear box › Shaft sector
On certain trucks, the bolt that attaches the intermediate steering shaft to the steering gear May not meet specification. The bolt May fracture resulting in the loss of steering.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the intermediate steering shaft bolt free of charge. The recall began on January 24, 2005. Owners May contact GMC at 1-866-996-9463 and Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
On certain sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks equipped with 5.3l (rpo l59) v8 engines, the engine fuel rail crossover tube retainer screws were not manufactured to specifications and May break.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the fuel rail crossover tube and, if necessary, replace the retainer screws. Owners were notified by telephone on July 30, 2004, with a followup owner letter began August 5, 2004.
What 2005 GMC Sierra owners say
Brakes all 40 →
On 11-30-2015 I lost the brake system while driving on a city street. Upon inspection I found a ruptured brake line from the primary side of the master cylinder. The brake line had failed due to corrosion. Inspecting other brake lines, I found others that had corrosion where plastic clips were used to locate lines. I have owned this truck since new and have cared for it meticulously. The truck has 66,00 miles on it. I have never owned any vehicle that had it brake lines rust through like this. A major catastrophe to me and my family was averted by pulling over at the first sign of failure. GM should be held liable for every vehicle it manufactured with poor quality materials that can cause failure to the single most important part of an automobile, the brakes. As you can see from the attached photos, this truck is not rusted anywhere else.
Without any warning, my brake lines failed and I could not stop my truck. I live in the northeast and it would seem reasonable for brake lines to rust out. However, my truck is only 10 years old and I have spent thousands of dollars keeping it washed, including the undercarriage. I have never had a brake line fail on another car and I have driven some really old vehicles. I have also never heard of anyone I know having a problem with their vehicles. This is because it is a specific problem with GMC Sierra and Chevy silverado.
Electrical system all 24 →
The blower motor would work and then not work and when it worked for a long period of time, smoke would come out from under the passenger dashboard. I removed the cardboard cover and saw smoke from the connection to the blower loter and the connection was hot to the touch so I pulled it off from the blower.
My speedometer recently malfunctioned at around 77,000 miles and I brought it to the attention of the dealership's service manager, jeff bevington, at rally GMC auto group in palmdale, ca (where I purchased the vehicle new in 2005). I was given service bulletin #07187c - special coverage adjustment instrument panel cluster gauge needle function (March 20, 2009), which indicates the following: this bulletin is being revised to include certain 2005 model year vehicles in the U.S. Additionally, for U.S. 2003-2005 model year vehicles, GM will provide the instrument panel cluster (ipc) only, at no charge to the customer for verified failures between 70,001 miles (110,001 km) and 80,000 miles (130,000 km). Any additional costs, including labor to replace the instrument panel cluster, will be the responsibility of the customer. …
Engine & cooling
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 GMC Sierra. While driving at approximately 60 MPH, the engine suddenly increased in speed to approximately 10 MPH. The contact stated that the display panel read "reduced power mode" and the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was restarted, but the failure recurred multiple times. The vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the throttle body needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred without warning. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer where the throttle body wire harness, the throttle accelerator control module, and the accelerator pedal assembly were repaired. The repair failed to remedy the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 270,000.
Since we purchased the 2005 GMC Sierra we have had problems with the radiator hose bursting within the first few months and having to have it towed. Since then we have had several overheating problems. The dealer constantly says they can not find anything wrong. We insisted they change the thermostat on one of our times there = they replaced that and a hose. We came home and anti-freeze was leaking. We thought it May be they overfilled it. Then it kept leaking and the truck overheated again 4th or 5th time. This was just driving home from about 10 miles. We had it towed in again and again were told they can find nothing wrong!!! We want answers to this problem. This truck is used for our business and in a year have had to have a new vehicle towed in 3-4 times and driven in. We want answers. …
2005 GMC Sierra engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.3L 8-cyl hybrid | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 16 / 19 / 17 |
| 4.8L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 19 / 17 |
| 4.3L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 20 / 16 |
| 4.3L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 14 / 20 / 16 |
| 4.8L 8-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
| 5.3L 8-cyl hybrid | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 15 / 18 / 16 |
| 4.8L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 18 / 16 |
| 6.0L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 13 / 18 / 15 |
| 4.3L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 13 / 17 / 15 |
| 4.3L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 13 / 18 / 15 |
| 4.8L 8-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 18 / 15 |
EPA ratings. Class: Full-size pickup.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2005 GMC Sierra a good car?
Based on 121 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2005 Sierra rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the Sierra at the same age. 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 2005 GMC Sierra?
The brakes — 40 complaints, 33% of all complaints for this model year, most often about antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip. Next are the electrical system (24) and engine & cooling (17).
How many recalls does the 2005 GMC Sierra have?
There are 10 recalls for the 2005 GMC Sierra, the most recent from October 31, 2006 (frontal). 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?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2020, 2018 and 2009. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1999, 2000, 1995, 1996 and 1997. See the full GMC Sierra years comparison.
At what mileage do 2005 GMC Sierra problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 60,000 miles; 39% 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.