Model year record

2015 GMC Sierra 3500 recalls & problems

The 2015 GMC Sierra 3500 has 7 safety recalls and 31 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is electrical system (6 complaints).

Recalls7safety recalls

Complaints31filed by owners

Crashes · fires1 · 1reported in complaints

Injuries · deaths1 · 0reported in complaints

Safety recalls

Air bagsJul 1, 2021

Side/window › Curtain › Inflator

Recall 21V504000410,019 vehicles

Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2016 GMC Sierra 1500, 2500, 3500, and Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2500, and 3500 trucks. The roof-rail air bag (RRAB) inflator end cap may detach from the inflator, or the inflator sidewall may rupture.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.

Air bagsNov 25, 2020

Side/window › Curtain › Inflator

Recall 20V7360009,279 vehicles

Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2016 GMC Sierra 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and 2015 GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500, and Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500 trucks. The roof-rail air bag (RRAB) inflator end cap may detach from the inflator.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.

Service brakes, hydraulicAug 30, 2018

Pedals and linkages

Recall 18V57800042,280 vehicles

Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, 3500, 1500 Crew Cab Special Service, Tahoe Police Pursuit/Special Service, GMC Sierra 2500, and 3500 vehicles. The brake pedal pivot nut may loosen, causing the brake pedal to be loose or inoperative.
Risk: If the brake pedal becomes loose or inoperative, the driver may be unable to stop the vehicle by using the brake pedal. Additionally, a loose pedal may also interfere with the accelerator pedal. Either condition may increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will add adhesive to the nut and reinstall the nut with increased tightness, free of charge. The recall began October 3, 2018. 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 18278. Note: The vehicles in this recall need this additional remedy despite being covered by recall 16V069 for brake pedal loosening.

Fuel system, gasolineOct 19, 2017

Storage › Auxillary tank

Recall 17V66400035,292 vehicles

Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2011-2015 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 and GMC Sierra 3500 trucks equipped with dual fuel tanks. The low fuel level sensor for the front tank may stick causing the rear tank to overfill the front tank.
Risk: If the front tank overfills, the excess pressure may cause the front tank to expand and contact the driveshaft, possibly resulting in a hole in the tank. The hole will leak fuel, which in the presence of an ignition source, can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: GM has notified owners, and dealers will replace the rear tank fuel pump or update the fuel-level sensor software, as well as inspect the front tank, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2017. Owners may contact GM customer service for Chevrolet 1-800-222-1020 or for GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 17399.

Seat beltsJul 10, 2017

Pretensioner

Recall 17V43700040,683 vehicles

Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse and Chevrolet Spark EV, Caprice PPV and SS vehicles, 2014-2017 Buick Encore and Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles, 2015-2016 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Trax, Suburban and Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Yukon and Yukon XL vehicles, and 2015-2017 GMC Sierra HD 2500 and 3500 vehicles. While being previously remedied for recall 16V-651, the affected vehicles may not have received the complete software update necessary to remedy the recall condition. Without the update, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.

Components: Seat belts › Pretensioner; Air bags › Frontal › Sensor/control module-inactive; Air bags › Frontal

Seat beltsSep 8, 2016

Pretensioner

Recall 16V6510003,640,162 vehicles

Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD, 3500 HD, Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Sierra 2500 HD and 3500 HD, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Cadillac Escalade ESV vehicles and 2014-2017 Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500, Trax, Caprice Police Pursuit Vehicle, GMC Sierra 1500, Buick Encore, and 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse, Chevrolet Spark EV and SS vehicles. In the affected vehicles, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.

Components: Seat belts › Pretensioner; Air bags › Frontal › Sensor/control module-inactive; Air bags › Frontal

Service brakes, hydraulicFeb 5, 2016

Pedals and linkages

Recall 16V069000430,771 vehicles

Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2500, and 3500 heavy duty trucks manufactured October 1, 2013, to February 1, 2016, 2015-2016 Chevrolet Tahoe Police Pursuit Vehicles (PPV) manufactured March 1, 2014, to February 1, 2016, and 2015-2016 GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 heavy duty trucks manufactured October 29, 2013, to February 1, 2016. On the affected vehicles, the brake pedal pivot nut may loosen, causing the brake pedal to be loose or inoperative.
Risk: If the brake pedal becomes loose or inoperative, the driver may be unable to stop the vehicle by using the brake pedal. Additionally, a loose pedal may also interfere with the accelerator pedal. Either condition may increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will add adhesive to the brake pedal pivot nut and reinstall with an increased torque, free of charge. The recall began on March 14, 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 20760.

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

Crash test ratings

2015 GMC Sierra 3500 PU/RC RWD

OverallNot Rated

Frontal crash	Not Rated
Side crash	Not Rated
Rollover	Not Rated

2015 GMC Sierra 3500 PU/EC RWD

OverallNot Rated

Frontal crash	Not Rated
Side crash	Not Rated
Rollover	Not Rated

2015 GMC Sierra 3500 PU/CC RWD

OverallNot Rated

Frontal crash	Not Rated
Side crash	Not Rated
Rollover	Not Rated

2015 GMC Sierra 3500 PU/EC 4WD

OverallNot Rated

Frontal crash	Not Rated
Side crash	Not Rated
Rollover	Not Rated

2015 GMC Sierra 3500 PU/RC 4WD

OverallNot Rated

Frontal crash	Not Rated
Side crash	Not Rated
Rollover	Not Rated

2015 GMC Sierra 3500 PU/CC 4WD

OverallNot Rated

Frontal crash	Not Rated
Side crash	Not Rated
Rollover	Not Rated

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.

What owners report

Problem area	Complaints	Crashes	Fires	Injuries	Typical mileage*
Electrical systemIntegrated trailer brake control; Horn	6	0	0	0	50,520 mi
Exterior lighting	6	0	0	0	3,530 mi
Engine	4	0	0	0	36,500 mi
Unknown or other	3	0	1	0	—
Service brakes	3	1	0	1	50,000 mi
Steering	3	0	0	0	—
Air bags	3	0	0	0	—
Visibility/wiper	2	0	0	0	—
Vehicle speed controlAccelerator pedal	2	0	1	0	—
Fuel/propulsion system	2	0	0	0	—
Seats	1	0	0	0	—
Power train	1	0	1	0	—

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

Service brakes, hydraulic › Pedals and linkages
The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 3500. The contact stated that the brake pedal and accelerator pedal lifted while depressed, causing the engine to rev. There were no warning lights illuminated. The dealer was contacted and made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 37,000.
Aug 10, 2026 · 37,000 miles
Air bags
The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 3500. The contact stated that after parking in the driveway and turning off the vehicle, approximately 30 minutes later, the rear passengerâs side roof rail air bag erroneously deployed. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The contact was informed that the VIN was included in the NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V504000 (AIR BAGS). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 155,000. The VIN was not available.
Aug 10, 2025 · 155,000 miles
Air bags
The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 3500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V504000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Jun 21, 2024
Engine and engine cooling
The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 3500. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH, the vehicle abruptly lost motive power and decelerated to 25 MPH. The contact stated that the message âEngine Power Reducedâ was displayed. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent, but always occurred while driving at high speeds. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer however, the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 48,815,
Nov 18, 2023 · 48,815 miles
Electrical system
The service trailer brake icon keeps appearing on my screen Iâm afraid itâs going to not work properly when towing trailers itâs constantly going on and off I believe itâs the brake control module switch but also could be in the harness just want Gm to be aware of the many blogs that I have read about with this problem The problem first appeared about two months ago
Oct 4, 2022
Electrical system › Horn
The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 3500. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, another vehicle merged into the lane that the contact was driving in and the contact pressed on the horn pad however, there was no sound coming from the horn. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the horn was replaced. The contact stated the failure had occurred several times and the horn was replaced each time. The manufacturer was contacted and stated there was no recall related to the failure and offered no additional assistance. The failure mileage was 120,000.
Jan 21, 2022 · 120,000 miles
Electrical system › Integrated trailer brake control
4 weeks ago, constant repeated loud chime and visual warning stating " service trailer brake system". This is constantly alarming and unable to be cancelled or acknowledged throughout the drive. This results in distracted driving. Furthermore, it occurs both when towing a trailer or not towing. I have noticed decreased braking of the trailer as well. Have not gone to dealer yet.
Aug 1, 2022
Engine
Vehicle has a cp4 fuel pump. This pump has a high failure rate. Upon failure the vehicle shuts down and cannot be restarted. This can happen at any time and anywhere. Can happen while on a highway or freeway. This vehicle is used to haul heave loads. This failure can ending up to $10,000 or more to repair. This failure has not happened on this vehicle yet. Am very concerned about me safety and the safety of others because of the high failure rate.
Jul 28, 2022

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.

NHTSA defect investigations

Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureOpen
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled…
EA21002 · opened Sep 17, 2021