2015 GMC Sierra 1500 complaints

I am reporting a critical issue with the transmission. The transmission frequently slips, hesitates, and jerks unexpectedly during acceleration and gear shifts. On multiple occasions, the vehicle has lost power or failed to respond while entering intersections, merging onto highways, or attempting to accelerate—posing a serious safety risk. The issue often occurs without warning and has worsened over time. Additionally, there are instances of harsh downshifting, delayed engagement from park to drive, and sudden lurching forward or backward, which could easily result in a collision. Despite visits to the dealership and complaints made, the issue has not been resolved, and I’ve learned that many other owners of this same model have reported nearly identical symptoms. This appears to be a systemic problem with the transmission system. Given the safety risk, especially in traffic and at high speeds, I strongly believe this defect warrants immediate investigation and a formal recall.

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop as intended. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact noticed an abnormal sound, and the vehicle rolled forward before the vehicle stopped. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed of an unknown recall; however, the recall repair had expired. The contact had not received a recall notification. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the recall had expired in June 2024. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop as intended. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure became a persistent failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact referenced an unknown recall repair as a possible cause of the failure; however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was unknown.

A valve spring broke while going around 40 mph. Was not accelerating when it happened. Destroyed the piston, head and cracked the block. Once apart found the AFM lifter had started to wipe a lobe on the cam. Engine shut off after running real rough luckily my son was able to pull over. Truck had regular service and taken good care of. My favorite truck I have ever had. Had 137,000 miles on the odometer. This could have ended badly.

With all the GM engine problems being recalled, the known issue witht he AFM/DOD on all the models 2013 and up on 5.3L and 6.2L engines should have been recalled. The valves are known to collapse and nending push rods, causing damage to the cam shaft. This can cause ht eengine not to run. The symptoms and possible icidents include the same as the current recall NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000. My engine has been repaired twice now due to this AFM/DOD issue. I have all the paperwork from GM dealer that repaired it. I will upload the first repair, I need to scan the second repair. The engine is now making the ticking valve sound ans the vehicle is services regularly. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? AFM/DOD valves collapse causing enegine damage. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Lack of power while driving, loud engine knock Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes, by the dealer Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Insepcted by the dealer, and only the damaged parts replaced, not all the valves that can still collapse. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No warning, engine light came on due to misfire on both incidents.

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle started to lose motive power and then stalled. The contact stated that there was a black cloud of smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that the rod bearings had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 122,000.

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the diagnostic result was confirmed. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.

I've had problems with the brakes for several years, the pedal is very hard at low speed. I've seen a recall but not on my car???

"NHTSA campaign: 19V645000 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." Our vehicle was serviced and repaired for this problem under the recall on 9/6/2019, however, it is now happening again. Is there a second recall for this problem, and/or what can be done to remedy the defective equipment?

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission was difficult to shift into gear, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic but was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 144,000.

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and occupied at the residence, the contact exited the vehicle and went inside his home; however, forty minutes later, while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The contact stated that a bystander inspected the vehicle and assumed the starter had failed. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and suggested that the contact take the vehicle to the local dealer for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 141,000.

Upon applying brake pedal at low speeds the brake is hard to depress and "choppy" in reacting. this seems same as N192268490 Increased Brake Pedal Effort yet the gmc denali is not apparently in the recall. This has happened on several occassions.

The brake system failed in a parking lot three times within a month. It’s related to the special policy and recall regarding the vacuum and the loss of brakes at slower speeds and in reverse. The first two accidents were very minor creating no damage. The third one was at 10mph when I lost my brakes and crashed into a concrete barrier in a parking structure causing significant damage to my truck. I did not get injured but I have a wife and two kids that I am so grateful were not in the truck for the third one with major damage. With that being said my son was in the truck the second time it happened when I crashed into a parked vehicle in a parking lot because I was unable to stop which made me very frustrated and worried for my families safety in my truck. The first accident was in a parking lot where I was backing up and lost the brakes and crashed into a building which is my veterinary office causing damage to the building. Therefore after the first crash due to this issue I have decided that driving with my family in the truck is not an option anymore. It is very disappointing that a truck I purchased for the functionality and safety of having my wife and kids in it is no longer safe for passengers or myself in it. This problem is very reproducible and is a major concern for my family and my safety. It was towed to a GMC dealership in Waukesha and is being inspected and they have stated it is reproducible. No warning lamps or messages were indicated for this issue. The tr

N242490120 is applicable for 2022 models but my 2023 also had the same problem; The grille upper cover broke at the taps and detached from the grille structure.

Motor blew up while driving down the road. Had to replace motor on 08/23/2023 at about 116,000 miles. Left me and my family stranded in the middle of no where. Was going around 60 miles an hour and when passing someone got up to 71 mph and then motor blown push rod bent. Transmission issues. Hesitation when switching from park to drive/ reverse. Takes at least 40 seconds and when you accelerate it will jerk so hard. Will lunge forward very sudden and sometimes even when coming to a stop at a stop sign. This happens almost every day.

I believe the torque converter failed and resulted in the transmission starting to fail. It still goes down the road but shudders when slowly gaining speed

In the fall of 2023 my 6.2L V8 with only 107,565 well maintained Miles completely seized up and shut off without any warning lights or other indications of failure. I was going up a steep hill and luckily I was able to get to the side of the road by coasting backwards to a stop and fortunately no one else behind me at the time. I did not get my truck back until late spring of 2024. I paid over $13k out of pocket to replace the engine because of this issue that is known to many other GM truck owners. Prior to catastrophic engine failure I’ve had multiple services including replacement of torque converters which would cause the truck to shake violently when shifting along with violent shifts in the 8 speed transmission and at times the feeling of being rear ended when slowing down or coming to a stop which GM claims to be “normal operation”. The engine failure was never investigated by any other parties but was looked at by the dealership service department. Both violent shifts and torque converter shutter were also confirmed by the dealer but only fixed with what I consider to be temporary remedies.

Lack of illumination of headlights straight ahead. No light shines to the sides of the vehicle making it difficult to see left or right when negotiating a turn at night. I have put new bulbs in both sides the best money can buy at CarQuest with no improvement. The headlight lenses are not dirty or fogged over. It appears to be a design problem, and I have seen other people with this model truck complain about the same thing on some blogs. I contacted GM directly looking for information I can get on a possible upgrade, and they have offered not solution. I have had this issue with this vehicle since buying it used 4.28.2018

There is a known defect by other consumers with the same year/make/model as mine that causes the radiator to leak. I replaced the original radiator about a year ago with a new GM radiator (84207654) and it’s now leaking as well.

Brakes fail at low speeds

Infotainment screen not responsive to touch, will not reset and freezes with black screen message warning drivers to not take their eyes off the road. Because of the latent defects known to GM in the screen, it is impossible to reset the controls (the "OK" button will not clear the error message). The freezing and non-responsiveness and elimination of outside temperature display creates a driver distraction hazard trying to clear it while driving, and prevents the driver from being alerted to outside temperatures dropping below freezing. GM customer care refused to provide any assistance for the $1,045 repair charge quoted by the dealer and refused to acknowledge that this is an inherent vehicle defect well established, that already produced a service advisory and redesign of the defective screen. Problem has existed for quite some time, and infotainment issues were initially reported to dealer on 3/9/2015 (2 months after delivery) without adequate resolution.

Unknown

Purchased this vehicle on 06/29/2023 from Robideaux Motors in Coeur d Alene ID. with 81,397 mile on the odometer. On 01/05/2024 the 6.2L engine with 84,109 miles, started having a ticking sound after starting it at my son's house two miles from home. I called the dealer and was told to bring it in for diagnosis by a tech. While driving the truck to the dealer the ticking got worse and motor started to shudder and the check engine light came on. Cause was a misfire on cylinder 4 due to bent push rod and failed lifter. Replaced lifter bank 2 with new push rod. Total cost was $2,852.74 (have invoice). After many calls and letters to my extended warranty company, they finally paid $1688.54 of the total cost. On 08/29/2024 the same ticking sound started again as well as the shudder and check engine light. I had it towed back to Robideaux Motors and was told it was a misfire on cylinder 6 due to lifter failure. Robideaux Motors did repair under their repair warranty. I know that this vehicle is not included in class action suit, due to the year. I feel this to be a continuing problem with the GM 6.2 and 5.3L motors encompassing many model years. Just wanted to document that the number of years covered in the law suit should be expanded.

Truck is equipped with AFM and the lifters failed causing a no -power situation. First happens at 57,000 miles then again at 82,000 miles. Not only was this a dangerous situation, but also a very expensive situation. GM knows these are defective and should have been recalled and repaired on their dime, not mine. Pictures of bill included are only of the first repair. Second repair pictures are available upon request.

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving 30-35 MPH in third and fourth gears, the vehicle vibrated and shuddered significantly. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that upon shifting out of third and fourth gear, the vehicle responded as needed. The contact stated that the failure progressively worsened while driving in third and fourth gear. The vehicle was taken to Wyatt's Automotive Repair, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted with no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 147,000.

I've been having transmission issues which cause harder shifting than usual. upon research, I found that the 2016 GMC Sierra's have a special coverage that replaced the transmission harness which throws the code P0711 for the temperature sensor and P0700 which is the generic transmission code. The only difference between my VIN and the VINs covered under this special coverage is that my Sierra is a 2015, everything else is the same down to the part number of the known faulty transmission harness.

On 12/11/24 I had exited I95N, While traveling down the exit ramp I felt my truck buck, upon the light changing I went to accelerate and the truck transmission slipped and barely got into first gear. I again came to another traffic light and the transmission did the same thing. I put my hazard lights on and shifted through all the gears and finally I was able to get the truck moving. The following morning I brought the truck to my local mechanic and I was told I needed a new transmission, which is going to cost me $4400. About a year prior my daughter had a similar problem with her 2018 Chevy Silverado in which she had to replace the transmission valve body. With both of these occurrences the truck gives you no warnings and just stops driving and causes a real threat to safety.

After recall the problem got worse

Cross member holding file tank rusted through causing the fule tank to not be supported and shock mounts no longer support the shocks to frame causing shocks to bounce around with possibility to puncher fule tank or lines Also rear cross member that holders electrical components rusts off Excessive rust on top of fule tank causing a inability to make repairs without replacing fule tank in entirety

Lifter failure cylinder 1 at 82458 should be a recall

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal, the RPM's increased; however, the vehicle failed to properly accelerate. During the failure the trailer hitch and 4WD messages were displayed. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 119,453.

Intermittently with slow driving such as parking maneuvers or creeping slow traffic at stop lights the brake pedal becomes very soft and depresses much more than normal and the brake action is decreased. Sometimes with this soft pedal it sounds like ABS is engaging. Pumping pedal sometimes restores brake performance.

I was driving my truck with my family in the car. I turned on the rear window defrost and a few minutes later the rear window blew out and made a loud bang noise. Also a burning smell took over the rear of vehicle. I did some research on line and saw this has happened to several owners of this model year pick up. It’s 100% a safety hazard. Not sure what to do since I don’t see a recall for this common problem. Thank you.

The motor goes into a V4 to v6 to v8 Mode on its own .. in which it makes the lifters & pistons change to cause problems with the motor

Had to have transmission replaced and engine work (lifters and cam) on a GM truck with 100,000 miles on it. Cost $8,000. Was told by both mechanics that they've seen many of this same issue with this same year truck for GM.

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. Additionally, the contact stated that there was an abnormal squeaking sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the roadway. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred while hauling a trailer full of horses. The vehicle was towed to the contact's parent's residence. The vehicle was diagnosed by an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with a failed torque converter. The contact was informed that the torque converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 129,000.

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that the vehicle shuddered upon depression of the accelerator pedal, there was no warning light illuminated. Upon investigation, the contact determined that the failure was likely caused by the torque converter. The dealer was contacted about the failure and informed the contact to take the vehicle for an inspection. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic where the torque converter was flushed, and the transmission filter was replaced. Despite the repair, the contact stated that the failure worsened soon after the repair. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic where the vehicle remained. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving and attempting to make a right turn, the vehicle lost motive power and the steering wheel became very firm and the vehicle became difficult to maneuver. The contact almost rear-ended the vehicle in front. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or local dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the diagnostic test had not been completed. The contact stated that the vehicle had previously been repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V736000(Air Bags) in 2020. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 119,000.

After parking the truck in the garage, the "check power steering," light came on. I immediately lost power steering. I shut the truck off, and about a minute later started it and the power steering worked enough to turn the wheel 1/4t turn to the right and the wheel locked and never moved again. I don't mean hard to turn, I mean would not turn. Had it towed to the dealership in Fairbanks, Alaska and they verified that the wheel would not turn at all. Recommended replacement of the streeting box. There were no prior indicator lights on the truck and little warning of failure. Losing ability to control the truck could have got me in a bad accident. I understand that this was an issue and there was a GMC recall, but my truck was not part of that. The Fairbanks dealership said they never saw one lock up light that before. The truck does have a damaged title due to a house fire and the truck was parked near the garage and it melted the plastics/grill etc. Repairs were made by a certified body shop.

It keep having this issue constantly every minute saying trailer brake system

Had two lifters collapse and fail. Replaced transmission twice due to torque converter failure

I am on my 4th radiator and 3rd thermostat. August will be 1 year ! 2014 models are covered 2015 (like mine) is not covered. Transmission has shifted like crab since day of purchase 3 years ago. I am told it is a known issue from the factory with no solution. Truck also had a weird tick sense day one which turned into 2 failed valve springs. I have had 2 ball joints FAIL 1st time a month after purchase in my driveway. Second time 2000 miles later same side on my street

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 MPH into oncoming traffic, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact used excessive force to maneuver the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact became aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V586000 (Steering). The dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the vehicle had previously been repaired under the recall and could not be repaired a second time under the recall. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was no longer under recall. The failure mileage was 123,000.

My son's 2015 GMC Sierra side impact air bags went off while he was driving. He had no impact. He thought he hit a small pot hole but after driving back on the road, it was recently paved so it was not a pot hole. He guessed it was the edge of the road from the recent paving that he hit. He heard a loud noise like a gun shot. His cabin filled up with smoke and the side impact air bags when off. When he took the truck to the GM Dealership, it gave a code for front air bag deployment due to impact. But the side air bags went off and there was no impact. The only damage to the truck is the deployed side airbags and the locked seatbelts. He has a warranty but they kicked it to GM. Warranty stated that if they fixed it, they were worried that it would happen again. We filed a claim with GM. After GM sent three different inspectors out and over 5 weeks later, they denied the claim. They have also not sent the inspection reports as requested. My son did not have this truck for the first three months he owned it because GM could not find the faulty code causing transmission issues. I am worried the air bags deployment will happen again while he is driving at a high speed and cause a serious wreck.

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while at a stop light and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle jerked and stalled. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to a dealer and was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 88,000.

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while buckling the front driver’s side seat belt, the bottom half of the seat belt attached to the floorboard snapped and came apart. The contact stated that the failure rendered the seat belt inoperable. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the contact was informed that there was no recall or warranty on the vehicle related to the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 137,000.

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and the contact was informed that the fuse box had caught on fire during the failure. There were no occupants inside the vehicle at the time of the failure. No injuries were sustained. There was no Police or Fire report filed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,218.

Paint is peeling all over and I see there is a lawsuit for this for my truck. How will this be covered?