2016 GMC Sierra 1500: hesitation when accelerating

Filed Nov 1, 2026 · Transmission · NH

Loss of power, shuddering, hesitation upon attempt to accelerate. 8-speed automatic transmission failure, known to GMC at the time of purchase (2017). GM Service Bulletin 39370 dated April 2016.

Filed Jul 14, 2025 · Transmission · 66,456 miles · AR

The contact owns a 2016 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated while responding, shuddered, and made an abnormal sound. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with torque converter clutch shudder and failure. The dealer determined that the torque converter clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and offered to partially cover the cost of the repair. The failure mileage was approximately 66,456.

Filed Nov 5, 2024 · Transmission · 165,000 miles · MN

The contact owns a 2016 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle and shifting to drive (D), the vehicle hesitated and then lunged forward while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the vehicle also lunged forward while depressing the brake pedal with the transmission downshifting. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission fluid needed to be flushed and refilled. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure was reoccurring. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was recently illuminated. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 165,000.

Filed Dec 3, 2021 · Transmission · VA

Torque converter went out causing hesitations which led to the entire transmission needing replaced.

Filed Jul 7, 2019 · Transmission · 85,400 miles · NC

I have had issues with my gmc sierra since it was new. It has jerked and clunked when I start to go and then left off the gas. There has also been a hesitation when stepping on the guess. I have taken it to the dealer several times and was told things such as: "I just needed to get use to the 8 speed transmission"," the hesitation is when the truck switches from v4 to v8". And "there is nothing wrong". Now the warranty has expired and it is getting worse. It now feels like "running over a rumble strip" or like it is "missing" and "hesitating". All of these things occur when the vehicle is in motion.

Filed May 19, 2019 · Brakes, Transmission · 40,000 miles · FL

Truck hesitates, jumps, and bumps when applying brakes. When stepping on brakes to stop, it bumps and jumps before it actually comes to a full stop. It seems you really have to step on the brake hard to make it come to a full stop. This is worse on low speed, below 30 MPH, stop and go traffic. There were a number of instances I almost rear ended vehicles in front of me due to this problem. The truck also bumps and jumps when taking off. I think this started a few months after I got the truck brand new. It is getting progressively worse. I took it a number of times to gm service center; they did a transmission relearn, software updates, and transmission flush--truck got better for only a few hundred miles, then same problems recurred. The latest couple of times I went back to gm service, they told me nothing is wrong with my truck. It has been very frustrating dealing with this problem and gm service for the past 3 years.

Filed Apr 28, 2019 · Transmission · 26,000 miles · CA

When driving in slow moving traffic trans mission feels very jerky and shifts hard. Also when going from park to reverse transmission will clunk very hard causing the truck to move. Truck also seems to hesitate when trying to shift in lower gears while accelerating. This has been an ongoing issue since purchasing the truck brand new from the dealership. Prior attempts for service have been explained by their technicians as being an adaptive transmission needing to learn

Filed Sep 20, 2018 · Electrical · 13,500 miles · SC

(1) the truck hesitates and the engine almost shuts off like it's not getting enough gas, it does this for about the first 45 mins. Of startup. (2) the battery has been replaced for the second time and even with a new battery it sounds like it's barely got enough power to start the engine

Filed Mar 20, 2018 · Transmission · 100 miles · IL

Please make gm resolve the issues with the 8 speed transmissions in the trucks. 2016 slt z71. I purchased the truck new. It's never shifted properly. Hesitations, clunking, jerking, shutter, hard down shifts.... Everytime I take it in, they say it's due for an update. The truck has had 4 updates and none of them have fixed a thing. I had it in before the 36,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty was up and was told it was up to date. Then last week, I took it in and was told it was "several updates behind." (54,xxx) miles. To top it off, general motors wouldn't pay for the $400 update, which didn't fix anything at all!!! The truck jerked before we got a block from the dealership. Gm says that even though the truck is still under a factory 60,000 mile powertrain warranty, transmission updates aren't covered. The 120,000 extended warranty wouldn't cover it because they say it should be covered under the factory powertrain warranty! I absolutely love the truck other than the junk transmission in it. I don't think it's safe or much fun having a vehicle that starts to go then falls flat on its face for a few seconds before slamming into the next gear. This is a major problem with a huge number of trucks. Don't believe me? Google "2016 sierra transmission issue" or anything of the sort. You'll see. I'm really not asking for much. I didn't want to put my family in a potentially unsafe vehicle.....yet here we are. Like I said, I'm not asking for much. All I want is for my truck to shift normal. To go when it needs or has to. My truck has had 4 updates and was several updates behind last time, that's roughly an update every 10,000 miles and now they're not covered? On two separate occasions, it's shifted so hard that it jarred my neck and made it sore for a few days! Ive even pulled over on the side of the road thinking we were rear-ended. So has my wife. Not safe-not necessary!

Filed May 4, 2017 · Suspension, Transmission · OH

8 speed transmission bucks, hesitates, lurches forward, clunks, while in drive. The continental tires are cupping, which gm says is characteristic of the brand. The truck vibrates while at 25mph, around 50mphm and 65-75mph. While in awd/4wd at 30 and 50mph, the driveline makes a whining noise and vibrates sometimes.

Filed May 3, 2017 · Transmission · 150 miles · GA

Gm 8 speed transmission is full of problem. It constantly hesitates, hang gears, bucks, and poses various safety concerns. For instance if merging onto the highway the transmission will hesitate and the truck will be unresponsive to gas pedal input for a period of time sometimes up to 12 secs. This hesitation causes a safety concern when attempting to merge into traffic. Gm acknowledges these concerns but states that it is operating as designed but are working on software updates to improve transmission performance. This has been a constant issue since I purchased the truck.

Filed Nov 5, 2016 · Fuel system · 200 miles · OH

The quality/precision issues I am having with my vehicle are issues that should not be happening to a $50,000 vehicle. The engine has a rough idle when it is first started up. After the vehicle warms up the rough idle gets worse. It gets even worse while I am driving it and I come to a stop sign or red light. The rough idle vibrates the entire vehicle. The rough idle is at its worse when I stop after having driven on the highway for several hours. I bought this new vehicle because my previous vehicle was totaled in an automobile accident when someone t-boned me in my 2007 gmc yukon xl. My yukon had approximately 200,000 miles and did not have a rough idle or vibrate like my 2016 sierra does. I know the technology is totally different than my 2007 but it should at least idle as good as if not better than my 2007 yukon that had 200,000 miles, but it does not. There is also a hesitation when accelerating from a stop that is getting worse with every additional mile I put on the vehicle. The hesitation is so bad at times I worry the engine is going to stall out on me. It feels/sounds like the cylinders are loading up with too much fuel and are not firing correctly. The stoichiometric ratio is not correct. At times, it feels like a miss. My fuel mileage is also decreasing. In the very beginning I was averaging around 19 miles per gallon and now I am averaging around 17 miles per gallon. I have tried different octane levels of mostly sunoco and bp fuels with no noticeable change in fuel mileage or engine performance except for the above-mentioned conditions getting worse. I am worried this rich mixture will cause premature failure of the catalytic converter and o2 sensor. I am also concerned the excess carbon could build up around the valves causing additional problems down the road after the warranty expires.