• The 1990 Sierra has not been the subject of any recalls.red truck front view on metal background image by patrimonio designs from Fotolia.com
  
  The 1990 GMC Sierra has three different types, the 1500, 2500 and 3500, and each one has its own problems, but none of these Sierra trucks has been recalled. According to Edmunds, the trucks have received high reviews from their owners and are dependable vehicles. The only reported clutch problems develop from standard wear.
  
  

Clutch Disc Wear

• The 1990 Sierra will need the clutch discs replaced over time. The constant stopping and starting, during city driving, create friction every time the clutch is pressed in order to shift gears. This constant changing of gears causes the clutch disc to wear and require replacement. The 3/4-ton and 1-ton Sierras have heavy-duty clutch discs that do not need to be replaced as often as the 1.2-ton Sierra 1500. When the discs begin to wear in the clutch, the Sierra owner will feel the clutch begin to slip during operation and when shifting gears.
  
  

Clutch Release Bearing

• As the clutch discs begin to wear in the 1990 Sierra, the clutch release bearing will continue to spin when shifting gears. The driver will begin to hear a high-pitched squeal, and the gears will be hard to shift. The release bearings need to be lubricated to prevent this premature bearing failure or wear. The clutch release bearings allow the clutch to let go of the shaft when changing gears in the transmission. A Sierra owner must have these release bearings replaced when the owner begins to hear this squealing noise because, if the bearings are not changed, they will cause problems in the clutch flywheel.
  
  

Slave Cylinder Problems

• The 1990 Sierra has issues with the seals on the clutch slave cylinder which will leak onto the clutch discs, causing the clutch to slip under load. The seals on the slave cylinder begin to deteriorate in colder climates because of snow removal chemicals on the road. Once these seals begin to go bad, small amounts of oil and lubricant will leak out onto the discs, causing them to slip when they are supposed to hold the flywheel and gears in place when the clutch pedal is depressed. Once the seals start leaking, they need to be replaced, or the slave cylinder will burn out.