2019 GMC Sierra 1500 · symptom sheet
Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard
- 63owner reports
- 40,000median miles
- $990median quote
- 0involved a crash
Newest report Sep 8, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
136 of the 646 complaints on this car are about the transmission and drivetrain. 63 of those describe transmission shudder.
Narrower sheets: Transmission jerks, lurches or bangs into gear (32 reports)
Tick what matches of 63 reports
Transmission shudder on other Sierra 1500 years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2014, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026.
What this problem usually is
This is the biggest drivetrain group on the site: a transmission that shudders, slips, hesitates or bangs into gear. It's the everyday version of transmission trouble, where the car still drives but doesn't drive right, and it has three narrower sheets of its own for jerking, hesitation and slipping.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the torque converter (8 reports) and the transmission (4 reports).
Recalls and investigations
One recall on the transmission and drivetrain covers the 2019 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.
One of the driveshaft joints may not have been properly welded, causing the driveshaft to separate while the vehicle is moving.
All 10 recalls on the 2019 GMC Sierra 1500, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
What owners paid
7 of the 63 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $165 to $7,100.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 5,500 and 84,000 miles, from the 36 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 22 service bulletins or notices for the 2019 GMC Sierra 1500 that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
This service bulletin helps diagnose/reduce possible CCND issues on Transfer Cases - Service 4WD on DIC, Intermittent Failures, Noise Concerns, Driveline/Steering Vibration/Shudder, Intermittent DTCs/MIL Illuminated, Engagement/Disengagement/Ratcheting ...
This service bulletin provides information on Transmission Adaptive Functions and Correcting Low Mileage Harsh Shifts, Slips, or Flares.
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that may have a delayed engagement into drive, shudder at a launch, or the transmission is slipping when shifting into 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th gears.
This service bulletin provides information on some vehicles that may rock or move slightly forward or rearward while in Park at start up after cold soak. This condition may be accompanied by a clunk noise.
18 more on the 2019 GMC Sierra 1500 page.
What owners wrote
“Experienced the GMC shudder while driving on the highway. This is a known issue with GMC transmissions valve bodies and torque converters. I would like to know why my vehicle is not on the recall list 2019 GMC? 85,000 miles and has always shifted hard randomly when cold but was unaware of the problem until this shudder became an issue and started looking into it.”
Filed Jul 14, 2026 · 85,000 miles
“Shuddering, slipping, then lost all gears. Unable to put in reverse, drive, or low. Repair shop says the transmission needs replacement. Pump and torque converter issues. Vehicle has excellent maintenance and only 84k miles.”
Filed Apr 22, 2026 · 84,000 miles
“The transmission is experiences periodic rough shifting, a shudder and droning noise between 1,000 and 1,500 RPM. An independent transmission specialty shop states the transmission is starting to fail. The transmission, differentials and transfer case fluids were changed at 53,000 miles and again at 104,000 miles.”
Filed Jan 20, 2025 · 53,000 miles
“The transmission causes the vehicle to shudder, lurch from a stop, at times it won't move forward (from a stoplight etc), it won't reverse other times. When driving down a freeway, the transmission allows the engine RPM to surge wildly as if I had put it in neutral and pressed the accelerator. This started at 85k miles approximately. It's into 90k now. The transmission had to be replaced at a cost of $6000”
Filed Jul 18, 2023 · 85,000 miles
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 0 of 63 reports involved a crash and 1 people were hurt. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Paid for this repair before a recall covered it? How recall reimbursement works
Other problems on this car
- Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing 157 reports
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 112 reports
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 105 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 94 reports
- Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 41 reports
- Engine rattles or ticks 30 reports
- Power steering cuts out or goes heavy 26 reports