Full-size pickups · model years 2014 to 2026
Ram 1500 vs GMC Sierra 1500: problems and reliability
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Sierra 1500 looks better on 4 and the 1500 on 2, with 1 too close to call.
Newest report Sep 24, 2026 · checked Sep 27, 2026
Scorecard
| Measure, 2014 to 2026 | 1500 | Sierra 1500 |
|---|---|---|
| Complaints that report a crash | 5.3% | 2.3% |
| Complaints that report a fire | 1.7% | 1.0% |
| Complaints that report an injury | 2.8% | 1.1% |
| Median miles when problems are reported | 50,000 | 45,000 |
| Recall campaigns per model year | 7.0 | 3.4 |
| Do-not-drive recalls | 1 | 2 |
| NHTSA investigations | 6 | 7 |
The shaded side is lower (for miles, higher). Values within about a tenth of each other count as too close to call.
What owners complain about
The system 1500 owners complain about most is engine, and it is the same for the Sierra 1500. Complaints citing steering make up 19% of all 1500 complaints, against 8.3% on the Sierra 1500. The Sierra 1500 leans the other way on engine: 33% of its complaints, against 22% for the 1500.
Ram 1500GMC Sierra 1500
Share of each model's complaints that cite each system, from NHTSA's own component codes. One complaint can cite several systems, so the shares add up to more than 100%.
The most reported problems
The most reported problem on the 1500 is power steering loss (14% of its complaints). On the Sierra 1500 it is engine failure (16% of its complaints), against 2.0% on the 1500.
| Problem | 1500 | Sierra 1500 |
|---|---|---|
| Engine stalls or loses power while driving | 13% 1,365most in 2022 · 53k mi | 14% 808most in 2022 · 47k mi |
| Brakes grind, pulse or wear early | 11% 1,169most in 2016 · 50k mi | 15% 883most in 2015 · 50k mi |
| Power steering cuts out or goes heavy | 14% 1,409most in 2014 · 67k mi | 4.3% 250most in 2014 · 56k mi |
| Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing | 2.0% 212most in 2015 · 68k mi | 16% 896most in 2019 · 45k mi |
| Check engine light or misfire | 6.6% 688most in 2014 · 65k mi | 9.0% 518most in 2021 · 58k mi |
| Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails | 7.0% 726most in 2018 · 30k mi | 5.4% 311most in 2022 · 37k mi |
| Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard | 1.4% 149most in 2019 · 39k mi | 7.2% 415most in 2018 · 42k mi |
| Airbag warning light or recall | 4.5% 463most in 2014 · 39k mi | 1.7% 100most in 2015 · 30k mi |
Share of each model's own complaints, with the count beside it. "Most in" links to the symptom sheet for the model year with the most reports of it, and the mileage is the median from reports that gave one.
When problems start
Problems show up at about the same mileage on both. Half the 1500 complaints that give a mileage come before 50,000 miles, and half the Sierra 1500 complaints before 45,000. 50% of 1500 reports and 54% of Sierra 1500 reports come before 50,000 miles. Older model years have had longer to reach high mileage, so a window that runs to recent years pulls both medians down.
Ram 1500GMC Sierra 1500
Share of the complaints that state a mileage: 4,569 for the 1500 and 2,701 for the Sierra 1500.
Worst and best years
The 2019 1500 draws 1.6 times the complaints of a typical 1500 year for its age. The 2024 Sierra 1500 draws 1.8 times the complaints of a typical Sierra 1500 year for its age.
Ram 1500GMC Sierra 1500
Each bar is that model year's complaints for each year on the road, divided by the same figure for a typical year of the same model (the dashed line). Measuring each model against itself takes the sales gap between the two out of the picture, so they can share a scale. Years too new to judge are left out.
Recalls and investigations
The 1500 draws more recalls: 7.0 campaigns per model year against 3.4 for the Sierra 1500. A recall counts once however many cars it covers, so this figure does not grow with sales the way complaint totals do.
Ram 1500
91 recall campaigns and 6 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: airbags (14), backup camera (13) and transmission and drivetrain (12).
- Do not drive 21V-037 (service brakes, hydraulic), model years 2021
- 26V-495 (seat belts) covers 8 model years
- 18V-332 (electrical) covers 6 model years
Investigations
- RQ25003: Post recall remedy brake transmission shift interlock (btsi) failure (open)
- PE24018: Engine stall with intermittent restart (open)
- RQ23003: Intermittent/comp loss of power steering (open)
GMC Sierra 1500
44 recall campaigns and 7 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: airbags (10), service brakes, hydraulic (7) and seat belts (5).
- Do not drive 16V-256 (suspension), model years 2016
- Do not drive 26V-289 (transmission and drivetrain), model years 2026
- 19V-645 (service brakes, hydraulic) covers 5 model years
- 19V-761 (service brakes, hydraulic) covers 5 model years
Investigations
- EA26005: Loss of motive power due to engine failure post recall remedy (open)
- RQ26001: Loss of motive power due to engine failure post recall remedy (closed)
- EA25007: Loss of motive power due to engine failure (open)
Whether a particular car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Crashes, fires and injuries
A larger share of 1500 complaints report a crash: 5.3%, against 2.3% for the Sierra 1500. Fire reports: 175 for the 1500 and 55 for the Sierra 1500. Complaints on file report 14 deaths in the 1500 and 1 in the Sierra 1500 for these model years.
Ram 1500GMC Sierra 1500
Share of each model's complaints in which the owner reported it. These are owners' own accounts as filed with NHTSA, and one report on its own doesn't prove a defect.
Questions
Is the Ram 1500 or the GMC Sierra 1500 more reliable?
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Sierra 1500 looks better on 4 and the 1500 on 2, with 1 too close to call. NHTSA complaint totals cannot settle it alone: the 1500 has 10,350 complaints and the Sierra 1500 5,760 for model years 2014 to 2026, and those totals follow how many of each were sold.
Which has more recalls, the 1500 or the Sierra 1500?
The 1500 has 91 recall campaigns and the Sierra 1500 44 across model years 2014 to 2026. The 1500 draws more recalls: 7.0 campaigns per model year against 3.4 for the Sierra 1500.
What are the most common problems on the 1500 and the Sierra 1500?
The most reported problem on the 1500 is power steering loss (14% of its complaints). On the Sierra 1500 it is engine failure (16% of its complaints), against 2.0% on the 1500.
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