6.9

fairly significant
Typical Repair Cost:
No data
Average Mileage:
27,600 miles
Total Complaints:
7 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. not sure (6 reports)
  2. replace transmission (1 reports)
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This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your GMC dealer.

problem #7

Feb 012018

Sierra 1500 SLT 5.3L Gas

  • Automatic transmission
  • 13,600 miles

My 2016 GMC Sierra SLT with the 8L90 transmission has troublesome that started sometime after about a year after owning this truck brand new. The problem exists primarily in lower gear shifts where at times it feels like someone hit the rear end of my truck when all it did was shift a gear. My wife who witnessed this the first time asked me "what the hell was that"? Slip, buck, kick, jerk, and harshly engage are the symptoms I experience. I did bring the truck in a couple times to the dealership when it was still under warranty who did at one time did a "power flush" of the transmission fluid which did help for awhile - maybe a month before all the shifting issues returned. I was told the other time "we could not duplicate the problem and there are no codes". On occasion while going 40 to 50 mph the RPM's will race up about 800 RPM's and then return to what the normal should be. This happens when I'm just cruising along at a steady speed. I just recently had the transmission temperature sensor cable replaced by the dealership which kept throwing a P0700 and P0711 code.

- rutabeggerslt, Roselle, US

problem #6

Aug 022017

Sierra 1500 SLT 5.3L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 14,000 miles

8 speed transmission would bump (shutter) at very low speeds like searching for gear between 2 & 10 MPH.

1st trip to dealer flushed transmission (did not work)

2nd trip to dealer replaced valve body in trans and fluid (did not work)

3rd trip denied claim to replace transmission, stated this is normal and will not damage transmission. I left GMC Sierra at dealership since I had new loaner truck from dealership. I called GMC consumer hotline and explained concern. Took another 5-days and they approved transmission replacement at 47K miles under powertrain warranty (no charge)

So far 2,000 miles on new transmission and no issues.

- jim rockford, Ocean City, US

problem #5

Dec 032021

Sierra 1500 XLT 5.3L V8

  • Automatic transmission
  • 90,000 miles

Their fix did not fix the problem, if anything it is worst now. It also lurches when coming to a stop, when shifting gears it shifts rough and jerks. this is the second time the transmission has been recharacterized for the same problem and it is still not fixed.

- geraldfont, Lake Charles, US

problem #4

Feb 092017

Sierra 1500 LTZ 6.0L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 5,000 miles

click to see larger images

rough shifting

BULLS*. You buy a $65,000 pickup, and this s* happens.

- Brian W., Garden City, SD, US

problem #3

Aug 012017

Sierra 1500 Denali 6.2L V8

  • Automatic transmission
  • 18,500 miles

Shifts hard into second gear after sitting for a period of time.

- Chase S., Rochester, MN, US

problem #2

Aug 102018

Sierra 1500 Denali 6.2L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 24,976 miles

Purchased a CPO 2016 Sierra Denali with the 6.2L engine and only 20K miles in June. About a week after purchasing, I notice the vehicle was shifting weird...mostly at slow speed and a few times at higher speeds. Went to the dealership to get the truck looked at and was told nothing is wrong...it shifts as it should. I drive off to head back home and the same issues were present. A few weeks later, I take it back for the same issues as described previously. After having the vehicle for 5 days, they tell me I have a bad valve body which needs to be replaced, but the part is on back order and will not be available until sometime in September which is about a 3 to 6 week wait. This is unsatisfactory for a nearly new 60K+ vehicle to be having this sort of issue. Hopefully, this fixes my truck.

- Q. D. R., Suffolk, VA, US

problem #1

Aug 012016

Sierra 1500 SLT 5.3L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 27,000 miles

Rough shifting, especially 1st to 2nd. Its like popping the clutch on an manual transmission. It feels like the transmission is in neutral and finally engages and bumps the truck. At times it seems like it is in a gear that is too high for a given speed and " lunks " for lack of a better term. Also does a little bump on down-shift from 2nd to 1st also. Dealer solution is to reprogram transmission -never works!

- Jon E., Oklahoma City, US