2022 GMC Sierra 3500 Problems and Top Complaints – Is Your Car A Lemon?
Faulty airbags and seatbelts, as well as issues relating to a shortage of vital sensors are the main cause of complaints received by the NHTSA from vehicle owners
A well-established heavy-duty pickup truck, the GMC Sierra 3500 has been around for a long time. But, according to GM, the 2022 model offers a whole bunch of all-new technologies. GM says that this makes the 2022 GMC Sierra “the most advanced and luxurious Sierra ever.” Impressive? Not everyone is impressed. For starters, buyers were asked to accept credit vouchers because parking assist sensors and other features weren’t available when the truck was launched. There are also visibility issues, and complaints that the seatbelts and airbags don’t provide the safety elements they are designed to deliver.
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Most Common Problems
There aren’t large volumes of complaints from consumers to the National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA) about the 2022 GMC Sierra. But they deserve to be noticed.
Of primary concern is the allegation that General Motors ignored safety risks and allocated credit tokens to vehicle purchasers when they (GM) weren’t able to install certain microchips because of industry shortages. Another issue relates to faulty seatbelts and airbags that a complaint states caused severe injuries when the Sierra was rear-ended by a semi-truck.
Another issue highlighted in NHTSA complaints relates to headlights icing up in winter weather. An owner from Maine found he had to keep pulling over in March 2022 to chip the ice off his headlights. He had to pull over 3 times during a 2-hour drive to scrape the lights “just so I could see! The headlights on the 22 model have shape, (and are) not straight or a smooth curve like prior models, which is part of the problem. Although, it was strange how the entire grill was covered in ice. I have always owned GMC or Chevy trucks and have never had anything like this happen.”
As if that’s not enough, there is also an urgent safety recall for GMC Sierra and Chevrolet 2500 and 3500 vehicles that increases the risk of fire.
2022 GMC Sierra 3500 Complaint Summary
Complaint Category
Number of Complaints
Electrical System
3
3
Service Brakes
3
3
Unknown Or Other
3
3
Back Over Prevention: Warnings
2
2
Electrical System: Integrated Trailer Brake Control
2
2
Engine
2
2
Air Bags
1
1
Exterior Lighting
1
1
Fuel System, Diesel
1
1
Seat Belts
1
1
Urgent Safety Recall
Issued in September 2021, the recall, NHTSA Campaign Number 21V758000 states that the brake pressure modulator valve (BPMV) might short circuit if water gets into the modules. If this happens, it would increase the risk of fire. A total of 3,241 vehicles are potentially affected, but it’s not clear how many of these are Sierra 3500 vehicles.
The issue, according to the recall, is that the bolts that attach the BPMV assembly may not have been tightened properly. This would mean that there’s a good chance they haven’t sealed the sub-assemblies, which would allow water intrusion.
Because of the fire risk, the bottom line is that owners of affected vehicles are advised to “park outside and away from other structures until the recall repair is completed.”
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Back-Over Prevention Problems
GMC is aware of the importance of back-over prevention and other rear park assist features. Car owners value these features and often choose GMC vehicles because of them. So, what does someone who has just bought a 2022 GMC Sierra 3500 do when they find out that the parking sensors they thought would be in their new vehicle simply aren’t available at the moment?
In January 2023, a customer from Oklahoma bought a new GMC HD 3500 GMC Sierra. He was aware (and had signed the paperwork) that the front and rear parking sensors “were delayed” and wouldn’t be available until December 2023. Imagine his horror and frustration when he discovered that GM had no idea when exactly they would get the sensors.
“I have continually tried to get a status of the needed microchips and have been told today that GMC has no status as they are focusing on the new vehicles so they can continue to sell vehicles and make profits. GMC knows this is an ongoing safety issue but continues to ignore vehicles already sold.”
Another consumer who bought a 2022 Sierra 3500 in 2022 during the microchip shortage also complained to the NHTSA. “At the time GMC provided customers (with) a $50.00 credit and a notice that they (would) provide the chips ASAP and that it should be provided by December 2022.”
He accepted the risk of not having parking assist sensors and other features for a short period of time. But then he discovered that GMC was “providing chips to new vehicles while they work on getting chips for those vehicles already sold.“ Apart from not agreeing to this, he points out that there are significant blind spots and increased safety risks to pedestrians as a result of no warning detection systems during parking.
Airbag and Seatbelt Failures
Airbags and seatbelts are vital safety features that are standard on all modern vehicles. So, when you discover that these aren’t working on your 2022 GMC Sierra 3500, you have every right to be disappointed!
The owner of a 2022 Sierra 3500 was driving on the freeway in July 2022 when he was rear-ended by a semi truck. His wife and two kids were passengers.
“The truck was completely totaled. No airbags deployed and the seat belts did not restrain us. All 4 of us were wearing seat belts. Also, the driver’s seat completely broke. It looked like it had been completely reclined to a laying position.”
All 4 members of the family were taken by ambulance to the hospital. “All 4 of us needed medical care. The truck was totaled and towed, (and) the insurance has since taken possession of the truck. There were no warning lights, service lights or any indication that there was anything faulty with the truck.”
A big disappointment is that they had only purchased the truck about 5 months prior to the accident. But more so, “My safety, as well as the safety of others was put at risk. The semi truck driver stated he was driving 60 mph. If this isn’t enough for airbags to deploy, I don’t know what is. The seat belts also failed to restrain us. The seat belts were completely loose and during the accident failed to secure us. Again, the driver’s entire seat completely broke causing severe head, neck and back injuries.”
Is this Sierra 3500 a lemon?
What To Do If Your 2022 Sierra is a Lemon
Lemberg Law hasn’t investigated the matter mentioned above, but if you think that you have bought a lemon, we will gladly assess your case. The fact is that every year manufacturers including GM buy back, or pay cash settlements to thousands of vehicle owners who claim that they have bought lemons. Did you know that the law says that they must pay the legal fees for lemon law cases and not you?
If you want Lemberg Law to assess your 2022 GMC Sierra issues, call our Helpline or fill out a contact form. It’s not going to cost you a cent.
About the Author:
Sergei Lemberg is an attorney focusing on consumer law, class actions related to automotive issues, and personal injury litigation. With nearly two decades of experience, his areas of practice include Lemon Law (vehicle defects), Debt Collection Harassment, TCPA (illegal robocalls and texts), Fair Credit Reporting Act, Overtime claims, Personal Injury cases, and Class Actions. He has consistently been recognized as the nation's "most active consumer attorney." In 2020, Mr. Lemberg represented Noah Duguid before the United States Supreme Court in the landmark case Duguid v. Facebook. He is also the author of "Defanging Debt Collectors," a guide that empowers consumers to fight back against debt collectors and prevail, as well as "Lemon Law 101: The Laws That Lemon Dealers Don't Want You to Know."
