Used 2012 GMC Sierra 1500 Consumer Reviews

Pushing 200k miles w/ ZERO issues!

I bought my 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 about a year and a half ago with approx 130k miles on it and I am now nearing the 200k mile mark. I purchased this truck based on an article about the most reliable vehicles to 200k miles. So far what Edmunds said has been true. I hope by submitting this review I don't jinx myself but my truck has been outstanding so far.

I knew what i was buying.

This is my first truck ever. I looked for a truck for quite a few months. I looked at price, mileage, 4wheel drive vs. 2wd, and optional junk. I chose the 2wd no flash 6.5 ft bed 4.3L V6. Got it with 95k and it is about 8 years old. I love it. It is exactly what i wanted and perfroms as i expected. What else can i say?

2012 Sierra Denali

I just traded in my 2005 Silverado 1500 SS for the 2012 Sierra Denali. The Denali rides much better and is more luxurious. Performance is about the same, the SS accelerating a little harder, but I attribute that to a 4.11 rear end in the SS. The Denali on the other hand is getting better gas mileage than the SS. GMC did a great job on fit and finish, I’ve gone over it with a fine toothed comb looking for flaws and can find none. NAV and Stereo are easy to use, with great sound from the speakers. So far no complaints!

Amazing TRUCK!!!!!!!

This truck is the best choice I ever made, its my first truck ive ever bought, my brother and parents are having great luck with theirs so i thought id give it a shot. Could not have asked for more with this amazing vehical, im 6'4 and the shortes of 4 guys in my family, we all fit great in this truck, great for road trips or just driving around town, gas mileage is great for the size and safety!

Black beast

This slt is my third gmc and by far the best one. The 5.3L vortec has plenty of power and the truck is more comfortable than most cars on the road. I lifted it 6" and installed 22" mayhem warrior wheels, cold air intake a moroso chip and chrome exterior accents. People stop me everywhere I go to say how beautiful the truck is. 59k on it and still running the factory battery and brakes. The back door and driver door window switches failed at 53k and 76k. That's the only problem I've had. I recommend this truck to anybody in the market for a full size truck.

My little GMC work truck

I love my little work truck, short bed, 4.3 engine. Why? Because I paid 15,900 for it minus a 750 dollar USAA rebate. It's my third new GMC/Chevy in 10 years and I expect it to be as reliable as the previous trucks.

Midnight GMC

Sadly we longer have this vehicle due to a very bad accident. We were sandwiched between two other vehicles at a stop light. Our 2012 GMC did everything it was expected to from a safety standpoint and saved us from sustaining much worse injuries. Thank you GM for a great product...

lifted gmc

I love this truck well worth every penny

2012 GMC 1500 Sierra 4x4 Great vehicle

I bought this truck in July of 2016 when it had approx 67000 miles on it. It was originally purchased by the Government of Canada. It was a really good looking turck with relatively low mileage. I have spent some money having to make minor repairs to the truck. For instance, the leather steering wheel was in horrible condition so I replaced it with an after market one. I replaced the tailgate lever and mechanism due to its not staying latched and possibly popping open. The drivers door lever cable broke and was replaced as well. The truck came with a factory spray in bedliner and a fiberglass Leer topper. I have no other expenses with this truck other than 4 new Michelin all season tires , new battery and headlamp bulbs. Everything works as it should and no major problems. It has been a good reliable vehicle. I have taken several road trips with this truck without hesitation. I would recommend it to anyone. The only thing I don't like is the slight hesitation in the initial moving of the truck from a dead stop. It seems a little sluggish, is that possibly because of the shutting off of 4 cylinders technology.

2012 Sierra SL Crew Cab

I have had this truck since November of 2012 with 15 miles on the odometer. Currently I have 209,000 miles and some change. I have had to recently change the tire rods, hub and bearings on the front. Talking with my mechanic, he is not surprised with the amount of miles that are on this truck. The engine runs great and I have never had a problem with the engine running full synthetic oil since my ownership. Full Synthetic is a little pricier but I feel it has paid off. The transmission does shift a little hard from time to time when accelerating, but I have never had to repaire. The drivers side bed at the top of the wheel well is starting to bubble with rust, but in all fairness it was replaced after owning the truck for 16 months when a contractor backed into it with his trailer. Other than that no surface rust. I am hoping to get a few more years or another 100,000 miles from this vehicle.

A joke

I have bought 8 new GM trucks over the years and the last 3 have been A Joke....the 2012 GMC Sierra being the biggest joke, truck looks good but here is a list of issues after 65000 miles... Transmission shifting issues, down shifting Rear end clunking, slack in gear train Noisey cab, Noisey bed, Noisey breaks 2 set of breaks in 65000 miles???????? Battery replacement after 40000 miles??? Using oil after 50000 miles.... Warranty covers nothing, GM said this is normal of a truck with that many miles 😉 Biggest piece of junk I have ever owned.... And I've owned several F150's so I'm qualified!!!

Driving in Comfort

I drove full size pickups for over 25 years then, due to marriage, started driving small cars/minivans for 5 years. Upon retirement, decided to go back to a full size pickup. Found this two yr. old 2012 ext. cab. 5.3l, 6-speed, 20" wheels, chromed out, tonneau, dual exhaust, bed liner, led lights, 16k miles for only $22.9k. Bought it from a 70 yr. old retiree. True, we would all love better gas mileage, but now that I'm retired and driving less miles per year, I love driving this truck. Has been trouble free and very dependable. My young kids love it, too. I'm hoping to drive this thing off into the sunset, or until my wife/kids tell me that I'm just too old to drive. To update: Truck has another 17k miles and is still immaculate and runs great. Absolutely no problems. I needed to drive a sedan the other day and don't think I could ever get used to driving while sitting in a seat that is so close to the ground. My truck feels so much safer and "grand." Price of gas dropped but is now slowly rising. But I'm only driving about 7-8k miles a year now. Time for new tires and am shocked to learn that Sam's sells these stock 20" for only $138/ea. True, I only got about 35k out of them, but can't see paying twice that for Michelins. Still thinking I'll be driving this thing for many years to come. Every family needs at least one truck. Well, to update. I just got tired of parking at far corner of parking lots, getting about 16mpg, and having to deal with the suicide doors. I sold it. Was going to trade it in, but couldn't get over 19k, sold on craigslist for $22k, nearly what I paid for it 2 1/2 yrs ago. It is a nice truck, dual exhaust added a lot, plenty of power, comfortable, looks real nice. I miss it but don't regret selling it. Found a 2010 Honda Civic low miles, $8k for the wife, now I'm driving the 2011 Kia Sedona. I actually like it. Very practical and economical, and it's paid off.

*UPDATED* 36,000 miles...Running Great

ORIGINAL - I bought mine 6 months ago and have put 5,000 miles on it. I needed a truck for our start-up business and this one had everything I needed with a camper shell and spray on bedliner. This is my first GMC/Chevy. I'm in FL. The truck is originally from MI, so it has a bit of surface rust on the frame, from the salt up north. I plan to get it blasted and coated this year to prevent further corrosion. Other than that I average 16.5mpg with a fairly heavy foot and mixed driving. It's comfortable and I love the looks. Paint also has small corrosion spots from up north. Overall happy with the purchase...fingers crossed. **UPDATE** - Unfortunately, I had to get rid of the truck at 55,0000 miles. The ABS in the truck went out. The truck often would not go into Drive from Park - I actually had to get out of the driver's side, leave the door open, and stand on the ground while rocking the truck back and forth, then hop in quickly and pull the shifter down into Drive. It was ridiculous. I rely on my truck everyday for work, and it became wildly unreliable. I traded it in for a 2014 Tundra. Haven't looked back since - best decision ever.

Love This Truck

i just bought this truck and i dont want to get out of it,it has the 5.3 afm on it and i cannot tell when it switches between 8cyl to 4 i had drove the f150 which is a very good truck but i think the sierra has it beat hands down

Fly wheel crack

Very disappointed to report that my flywheel is cracked with only 30,100 miles. And I am the original owner.

Truck deluxe

Best truck ever

Buy 1 of these truck drives like a sports car and rides like a luxury car with great fuel mileage

Uninformed recall cost me my Truck

Beware of the ignition steering column Gremlin, while getting lined up to tow a 16 ft cargo open 3ft trailer. The truck started having a problem that only happened the day before...the ignition key was turned but the electrical was flickering wildly then dead then start...I had to move a trailer with personal belongings or lose them to the DUMP. I had yet to hook up to the trailer, when the truck just lost complete power in reverse. I restarted the truck, and as I backed up power failed, I was trying to turn the wheel because the column was locked, and I needed to returned the Gear to park so I could start it, and the key was stuck in the now locked ignition. Only it would not start, as soon as I just gave up trying to turn the engine over, the truck starter kicked on and kept grinding, the truck was in park, steering still locked, I put the gear in Reverse and the truck took off Forward with the steering locked to wards a retaining wall...emergency brake full 3 feet pressing the pedal the truck was still head to the wall to the right, key would not turn but came out of the column. I held on as the truck in reverse reved up forward, I pulled on the steering wheel left breaking off the turn signal arm in the process...the truck hit the wall; and just flicked and shut down .

Is This Another GMC Cover-Up

My parents were driving N on I95 this weekend from FL to VA. The truck's door locks went up & down; the lights flashed on & off; and then, the truck's operating system shut down. The engine, power steering, power brakes nor anything else did not work. Couldn't steer the truck & barely able to stop from 70 mph. 300 miles later, it happened again. Fearing for their lives, they did not stop the rest of the way home. When they took it to the dealer, he said that the "positive post" had come "loose". This did not seem reasonable & far-fetched to my father since he had observed the battery posts that week himself. Is this another cover-up by GMC when more lives are at stake?

Best Overall Truck I've Owned

2012 GMC Sierra SLT Crew Cab 4x4 6.2L: Easily one of the best all-around trucks I have ever owned. This truck does everything well with ease. Whether I ask it to push through 2 feet of Michigan snow getting to work or pulling my 8,000 fun mover it never has any issues. Anyone looking for a reliable, hard-working, and downright fast truck, the 6.2L with the 3.73 rear axle (available on the max trailering package) offered in both the Sierra and Silverado is a must. 403hp 417ft/lbs going through the buttery smooth 6-speed from GM rivals most engines put in trucks today. the only downside I have found since owning (101k miles on the clock, 35k in my ownership) is h fuel economy. These particular trucks are rated at 12/18 and get just about that running premium, which can definitely break the bank. Running E85 will save upwards of $.75 a gallon but will drop your highway economy into the low teens. Overall, fantastic truck coming from someone who has owned a 2015 Silverado 5.3L and Avalance 2500 8.1L.

2011 gmc 5.3l flex fuel

I bought this truck 2 years ago with 7,000 miles. It now has 51,000 miles. Been a very comfortable truck, but when it comes to what you need a truck with a v8 for it doesn't work. I run mobile 1 synthetic oil and change every 5,000 miles. Yet when towing a vintage camper (2,600lbs) and a 4x4 4 wheeler in the bed the truck won't pull a hill at 45 without overheating with no more than 2,500 miles on oil change. Also a 3 year old truck I have had to reinstall the door bumper guards since they fell off at 37,000 miles, comfortable truck but the the GMC brand I knew growing up, I'd gladly take my 09 silverado back

Solid Truck

The 5.3L motor and 6 speed HD transmission combo are surprisingly powerful when trailering. Plenty of power when I've commanded it. Trans can be a bit loose at times. Seems like an issue caused from previous owner's driving behaviors. 4x4 capabilities good. Gas mileage good. 155k miles and zero issues. Meticulously maintained by a Chevy dealership for the 100k miles since I've owned it. Motor sounds pretty mean and acts like it also. Seems like it's going to go the 300K miles + distance. Time will tell.

Six years trouble free ownership

Great all around vehicle, great towing or just using as everyday work vehicle.

Great truck

I bought this truck brand new nearly a decade ago. After 90k miles it’s been flawless. I’ve replaced the window switch and that’s essentially it. No other repairs. I did opt to install bilsteins as an upgrade about 10k miles ago, but that was really more of a personal preference, the stock shocks were still fine. One other thing - I disabled AFM via a tune when it was new. Doesn’t burn a drop of oil. Not sure it would have if i left afm enabled, but it wasn’t a chance I wanted to take. It’s really been a fantastic truck. I want to get something new just because it feels like it’s time, but I can’t find enough reasons to part with it. It has held up well in all aspects over the years. Maybe I’ll go with a 2022 Sierra after they refresh the current body style. A 6.2 or 3.0 might be in store then too.

Never again

Will not buy again. Had the 6 speed manual which kept slamming into 6th gear, apparently its a common problem and its considered "normal" only a year later and the door handles started breaking (100 a piece)w/ install and master power switch failed, and all 4 door moldings fell off. These types of problems I can see if they developed 4-5 years down the road, not in 1 year. Not a 2nd time buyer

Stabilitrak

DON'T BUY!!!!! Yesterday my Stabilitrak light came on as well as my engine light which put my truck into reduced power mode and eventuality killed my motor while I was driving my family home a couple hours away. I honestly hate GM now, I'll never ever buy a death trap GM ever again. Me and my family literally could have been killed because of that stupid sensor. I advise anyone to look into the Stabilitrak systems and which GMs have it before you buy one. I'll never buy one and I'm going to sue GM over this issue for almost having my family killed.

Not Happy

Only own this pickup for two weeks and already spent $2500 in repairs

hot rod w/6.2 litre flex fuel on reg gas

shorter than 6' have to stretch in/out, console too high to slide across front seat, side lh front seat bolster cracks, weak drivers door handle

Old technology-Drum brakes

Drum brakes! List price 38k + and I got drum brake on the rear-end. Maybe they wouldn't need all those air bags to get the 5 star safety rating if the truck could stop. Put disc brake all the way around.

Steering feels cheap

Bought the truck in Sept. and I gotta say, this is one smooth driving pickup. If I had the extra dough, the SLT would have been the way to go. The door handles are in a bad spot, passengers have a hard time finding them. The cab is already starting to make noise and the steering feels REAL cheap, I'm planning on bring it to the dealer to have it checked out. Fuel economy is good, averaging around 17 mpg. The 5.3 liter has great power, with the truck loaded up, but I haven't towed anything heavy yet so I'm not sure how the truck would handle or brake. The leather interior is very comfortable, even on long trips and you can't beat the full size room. Got a good deal and dealership was great.

Accident safety

I recently got into a front end collision and it protected me well and the truck will hopefully be rebuildable.

My Ford Was Better.

I absolutely like the six speed automatic. This truck came with 3.08 gears which is a big let down for off the line power. Even its the gears and the six speed it still gets no better gas milage than my Previous F150 with 4 speed auto and 3.73 gears..should have kept the F150..

Very happy with this 5.3 GMC

I bought this truck with 98,000 miles on it and have put about 22,000 more miles on it since acquisition. It does not burn a drop of oil and it rides better and runs better than my previous 2006 Chevy Avalanche.I hope to keep it ten or 20 more years. It has the AFM listed on the window sticker as all 5.3 s did in 2012. I can not tell when it changes,I can only tell when the tranny changes when driving away. All the power I need and more. It gets about 16 or 17 MPG on average. I have been very happy with this truck and got a good price on it. I did a lot of searching and praying before I bought this truck. I have read the horror story's that some have had and I could never buy or want a new one. I think the secret is the technicians ability to tune the engine and tranny to the proper specs. Good luck to all GM truck owners.

GMC work truck

My 2012 GMC work truck bags been very dependable serving not only as a work truck but a daily driver as well.

Super

Best Overall Truck I've Owned

2012 GMC Sierra SLT Crew Cab 4x4 6.2L: Easily one of the best all-around trucks I have ever owned. This truck does everything well with ease. Whether I ask it to push through 2 feet of Michigan snow getting to work or pulling my 8,000 fun mover it never has any issues. Anyone looking for a reliable, hard-working, and downright fast truck, the 6.2L with the 3.73 rear axle (available on the max trailering package) offered in both the Sierra and Silverado is a must. 403hp 417ft/lbs going through the buttery smooth 6-speed from GM rivals most engines put in trucks today. the only downside I have found since owning (101k miles on the clock, 35k in my ownership) is h fuel economy. These particular trucks are rated at 12/18 and get just about that running premium, which can definitely break the bank. Running E85 will save upwards of $.75 a gallon but will drop your highway economy into the low teens. Overall, fantastic truck coming from someone who has owned a 2015 Silverado 5.3L and Avalance 2500 8.1L.