2015 GMC Sierra 1500 Problems and Recalls (713 Complaints)
The most-reported problem on the 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 is Brakes (28% of 713 owner reports). There are 9 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Brakes — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 713 complaints · 9 recalls
What problems show up on the 2015 GMC Sierra 1500?
197 of 713 filings named Brakes (28% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.
Second is Lights (92 reports).
There are 9 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Airbags, Steering, Brakes, and Seat belts. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.
The 2014 has 736 reports on file; this year has 713. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.
What owners reported
System named most often: Brakes 197 complaints · 27.6% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
- Crashes 23
- Fires 9
- Injuries 11
- Deaths 0
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
Which systems owners named
Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.
“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.
View component data as a table
| System / Component | Complaints | Share of Reports | Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) | 197 | 27.6% | 12 crashes · 0 fires |
| Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) | 92 | 12.9% | 1 crashes · 0 fires |
| Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) | 69 | 9.7% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Engine (ENGINE) | 61 | 8.6% | 1 crashes · 2 fires |
| Steering (STEERING) | 60 | 8.4% | 2 crashes · 0 fires |
| Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) | 41 | 5.8% | 0 crashes · 3 fires |
| Airbags (AIR BAGS) | 33 | 4.6% | 5 crashes · 0 fires |
| Body / frame (STRUCTURE) | 18 | 2.5% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) | 16 | 2.2% | 1 crashes · 0 fires |
| Unclassified NHTSA leftover | 118 | 16.6% | 2 crashes · 4 fires |
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
When reports and recalls showed up
When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.
- Campaign 18V586000 was reported 820 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 19V645000 was reported 901 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 20V736000 was reported 1,139 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 21V245000 was reported 1,736 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 21V504000 was reported 1,357 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
| Date | Record type | Count | Record identifier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-Q1 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2015-Q2 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2015-Q3 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2015-Q4 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2016-Q1 | Owner reports | 8 | |
| 2016-Q2 | Owner reports | 25 | |
| 2016-Q3 | Owner reports | 19 | |
| 2016-Q4 | Owner reports | 19 | |
| 2017-Q1 | Owner reports | 18 | |
| 2017-Q2 | Owner reports | 9 | |
| 2017-Q3 | Owner reports | 14 | |
| 2017-Q4 | Owner reports | 15 | |
| 2018-Q1 | Owner reports | 16 | |
| 2018-Q2 | Owner reports | 17 | |
| 2018-Q3 | Owner reports | 19 | |
| 2018-Q4 | Owner reports | 49 | |
| 2019-Q1 | Owner reports | 42 | |
| 2019-Q2 | Owner reports | 53 | |
| 2019-Q3 | Owner reports | 23 | |
| 2019-Q4 | Owner reports | 21 | |
| 2020-Q1 | Owner reports | 20 | |
| 2020-Q2 | Owner reports | 10 | |
| 2020-Q3 | Owner reports | 9 | |
| 2020-Q4 | Owner reports | 16 | |
| 2021-Q1 | Owner reports | 18 | |
| 2021-Q2 | Owner reports | 15 | |
| 2021-Q3 | Owner reports | 13 | |
| 2021-Q4 | Owner reports | 18 | |
| 2022-Q1 | Owner reports | 19 | |
| 2022-Q2 | Owner reports | 17 | |
| 2022-Q3 | Owner reports | 22 | |
| 2022-Q4 | Owner reports | 7 | |
| 2023-Q1 | Owner reports | 13 | |
| 2023-Q2 | Owner reports | 12 | |
| 2023-Q3 | Owner reports | 11 | |
| 2023-Q4 | Owner reports | 7 | |
| 2024-Q1 | Owner reports | 8 | |
| 2024-Q2 | Owner reports | 11 | |
| 2024-Q3 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2024-Q4 | Owner reports | 9 | |
| 2025-Q1 | Owner reports | 15 | |
| 2025-Q2 | Owner reports | 12 | |
| 2025-Q3 | Owner reports | 11 | |
| 2025-Q4 | Owner reports | 10 | |
| 2026-Q1 | Owner reports | 13 | |
| 2026-Q2 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2026-Q3 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 16V209000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 16V651000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 17V437000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 18V586000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 19V645000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 19V761000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 20V736000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 21V245000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 21V504000 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | PE18012 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | EA21002 |
Safety Recalls (9)
Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.
In short, these campaigns were filed about Airbags, Steering, Brakes, and Seat belts.
-
Recall campaign 16V209000
Safety recall 16V209000
- Report date
- Component:
- Not available in the source record
- Consequence:
- If the tensioner cable separates, the driver may not be properly restrained in the event of a crash, increasing their risk of injury.
- Remedy:
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will modify the vehicles to prevent the tensioner from being damaged. Any tensioner that has already been damaged will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on August 11, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 15822.
-
Recall campaign 16V651000
Airbags
- Report date
- Component:
- Airbags (AIR BAGS)
- Consequence:
- A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.
- Remedy:
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 13, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 16007.
-
Recall campaign 17V437000
Airbags
- Report date
- Component:
- Airbags (AIR BAGS)
- Consequence:
- A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.
- Remedy:
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2017. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 17287.
-
Recall campaign 18V586000
Steering
- Report date
- Component:
- Steering (STEERING)
- Consequence:
- If EPS assist is lost and then suddenly returns, the driver may have difficulty steering the vehicle, especially at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the EPS module software, free of charge. The recall began October 12, 2018. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18289.
-
Recall campaign 19V645000
Brakes
- Report date
- Component:
- Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
- Consequence:
- As the vacuum level drops, the brake assist decreases, increasing braking effort, extending the distance required to stop the vehicle, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Electronic Brake Control Module, free of charge. The recall began October 8, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192268490.
-
Recall campaign 19V761000
Safety recall 19V761000
- Report date
- Component:
- Not available in the source record
- Consequence:
- Unintended activation of the driveline-protection system will cause unintended braking on the wheel on the opposite side of the failed sensor, causing the vehicle to pull to one side unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the EBCM, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192261050.
-
Recall campaign 20V736000
Airbags
- Report date
- Component:
- Airbags (AIR BAGS)
- Consequence:
- If the end cap separates from the inflator, the compressed gas will escape and the end cap can be propelled into the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury or a crash.
- Remedy:
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the RRAB modules on the left and/or right side, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed on December 22, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. Note: GM filed a new recall, number 21V-504 that supersedes this recall. All vehicles previously recalled under 20V-736 will now be repaired under the new recall number 21V-504. GM's numbers for this recall are N202309680, N202309681, and N202309682.
-
Recall campaign 21V245000
Seat belts
- Report date
- Component:
- Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)
- Consequence:
- A broken pretensioner cable reduces the effectiveness of the driver's seat belt, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy:
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver seat belt lap pretensioner, free of charge. The recall began on May 5, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212330040.
-
Recall campaign 21V504000
Airbags
- Report date
- Component:
- Airbags (AIR BAGS)
- Consequence:
- A separated inflator end cap or inflator rupture can allow compressed gas to escape, resulting in the end cap or other components being propelled into the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury or crash.
- Remedy:
- Dealers will replace the left and right side RRAB modules, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed on August 18, 2021. Owners will receive a second notice when the remedy is available. Phase I owner notification letters were mailed on May 5, 2022. Phase II owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on May 31, 2022. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. This recall supersedes NHTSA recall number 20V-736. GM's number for this recall is N202324251.
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
What owners actually wrote
Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Showing 10 of 713 complaints · page 1 of 29
CrashFireInjuryDeath
My 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 recently started having all the symptoms under GM internal recall number 18289. I lose my power steering briefly and the electronics turn off momentarily. I lose dash, AC, radio and GPS. It comes back on within a second or two and only does this during low speed turning. I ran my VIN but it does not show under this recall despite having the correct Make/Model/Year. It is currently at the shop because it isn't safe to drive and I was hoping I could get a reimbursement for the repairs. NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V586000 (GM's Internal Number: 18289)
CrashFireInjuryDeath
See attached document for complaint.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
From time to time since I got the vehicle, the lights flicker inside and out. I've had the alternator changed but it continues. Then when pressing the lock button on the key fob the horn sounds as if it has a shortage. Sometimes its loud and sometimes it's barely heard.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
My 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 SLE has the 6L80 transmission. While traveling on the interstate with my fiancé, the transmission failed. It was towed to a garage and they informed me that it needed to be replaced.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
my rear window defrost turned on when i auto started my pickup. i realized it was on after about a half hour and looked back and my drivers side of the rear sliding window was shattered completely
CrashFireInjuryDeath
When backing up, either on a hill or flat surface, the brakes fail to stop the vehicle. There is a pulsing sensation with the brakes due to failure of the vacuum. The brake pedal also becomes impossible to depress. No warning lights appear when this occurs.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving at 25 MPH, the front driver's seat belt completely failed. The lap belt portion came apart, causing the chest strap to loosen. Upon inspection, the contact observed that the steel anchor cable bolted to the floor had separated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 153,000.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
For no apparent reason the truck goes into “low power mode” and gives off code p2138 often happens around 30-35 mph. Have had it happen to me also around 45 mph also. I have replaced sensors and parts to which a month or so goes by and it happens again.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Vehicle doesn't stop in low speeds
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and also while the vehicle was parked, the ABS and stability control warning lights would unexpectedly illuminate. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the warning lights were cleared. The contact was informed that if the failure recurred, the EBCM and BPMV would need to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure recurred. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the EBCM and BPMV had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 90,100.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems on the 2015 GMC Sierra 1500?
Owners named Brakes most often — 197 of 713 reports (28%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.
Are there recalls for the 2015 GMC Sierra 1500?
NHTSA lists 9 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Airbags, Steering, Brakes, and Seat belts. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.
What should I inspect before buying a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500?
Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop check pads, rotors, fluid and whether the pedal feels firm. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.
Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?
No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.
Estimated Ownership Cost
EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates
Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Adjacent Model Years
Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
Methodology & Data Integrity
Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.