2015 GMC Sierra 2500 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2015 GMC Sierra 2500, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Exterior lighting2628.3%
- Fuel system1213.0%
- Electrical1112.0%
- Powertrain (other)88.7%
- Engine77.6%
- Visibility66.5%
- Brakes55.4%
- Steering44.3%
- Other / unspecified33.3%
- Airbags33.3%
- Seat belts33.3%
- Suspension22.2%
- Tires & wheels11.1%
- Body & structure11.1%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
Headlights were about as bright as a candle while using high beams changed the bulbs and used a head light restoration kit and within a week headlight lenses were hazed over again high beams are no brighter than low beams
THE HEADLIGHTS ARE COMPLETELY INADEQUATE. IF YOU ARE TAKING A TURN AT NIGHT, THE LIGHTS CONTINUE TO STAY STRAIGHT WITH THE DIRECTION OF THE VEHICLE INSTEAD OF FOLLOWING THE VEHICLE SO THAT YOU END UP TAKING A TURN BLINDLY AND CANNOT SEE THE CURB OR EDGE OF THE ROAD. IT IS A TOTALLY UNSAFE SITUATION. WE HAVE FOUND THAT YOU MAY HAVE A BIT MORE VISIBILITY IF YOU RUN WITH THE FOG LIGHTS ON, BUT VERY LITTLE IMPROVEMENT. PLEASE FIND A SOLUTION, ADDITIONAL HEADLIGHT, AS THIS TRUCK IS VERY SCARY TO DRIVE AT NIGHT.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 2500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost automotive power and stalled. No warning lights was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the Fuel Pump Module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 129,000.
Truck has a CP4 injection pump and they go bad and cost $15,000-$20,000 to repair and if that happens I owe money on the truck and would have to get a loan or figure something out and still have to make a payment on something I can’t even drive! They need to recall it and swap them out to a CP3 and be done with it. Why wait until it cost 10s of thousands of dollars when they can get it done for $3,500 at the most?
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2015 GMC Sierra 2500. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 189,458 and the contact stated he discovered on Carfax that mileage was 188,052; however, the contact discovered that the mileage was 112,708.
Electric trailer brake control modular is malfunctioning on my 2015 GMC Sierra Denali 3500. Multiple of sources told me this is a common problem with this generation of GMC.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
The truck is a 2015 GMC Sierra 2500 HD. With less than 51,000 miles, the transmission is gone due to a design flaw. Around march 8th, the transmission went out when I hydroplanned on a two lane road. Haley GMC Airport was wanting $6700 for a new transmission. I contacted GMC and they offered a 15% discount after raising the price to over $7500. GMC has replaced and volunteered recall on their 2015 1500 and 2015 2500 8 speed transmissions but will not do anything about the 2015 2500 6 speed transmission. The transmission where I received a second opinion advised that they changed the transmission on the 2015 after realizing there was a design flaw. I feel that myself and many others whose transmissions died before 100,000 due to GMC design should not pay full price for a new transmission. If this is not the correct channel, please let me know. thank you.
Shifting started to make a loud clunking sound. Then the vehicle wouldn't shift out of 3rd gear. The engine check light came on and the code determined it to be a faulty transmission control module (TCM). When looking at the TCM, I also noted that the TCM was very hot and the nearby cable cover had melted. When researching the issue, it was discovered that GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500, years 2009 - 2015 were having this same issue all over the continent. Resulting in a massive back order and leaving drivers stranded. There was no warning lights or sounds before my power train froze up.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
Blown head gasket. Engine hydro-locked.
The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 2500. The contact stated that while driving at 45-48 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact used a vehicle scanner and retrieved diagnostic test code P0420 that indicated an efficient operating below threshold, and the contact cleared the code. Additionally, the contact stated while the exhaust filter was being cleaned, an unknown message was displayed. Upon clearing the code, the check engine warning light illuminated again. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who informed the contact that there was no warranty coverage. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 83,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 2500. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the defroster was activated, and there was smoke inside the vehicle before the rear glass shattered. No warning light was illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 2500. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH with the rear defroster activated, there was smoke coming from the window before the window cracked. The contact had taken the vehicle to a certified mechanic who determined that the rear defroster needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that there was no recall or warranty coverage for the repair. The approximate failure mileage was 131,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
Electric trailer brake control modular is malfunctioning on my 2015 GMC Sierra Denali 3500. Multiple of sources told me this is a common problem with this generation of GMC.
Press the pedal feels soft vehicle slightly slows then pedal pressures up and truck instantly stops pedal stays hard for a long time having same issue on 15 tahoe
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE POWER STEERING GOES OUT WHEN TURNING. THIS IS HAPPENING MORE AND MORE FREQUENTLY. 2014 GMC TRUCKS HAVE A RECALL (#14743) ADDRESSING THIS POWER STEERING ASSIST ISSUE. GMC SAID THAT I NEED TO GET IT FIXED AT MY COST.
WHILE SLOWING DOWN MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN IT WILL NOT TURN. IT'S AS IF THE POWER STEERING MALFUNCTIONS FOR A SECOND. IT CAUSED ME TO "OVERSHOOT" A PARKING SPACE IN THE CITY AND HAVE TO BACK UP AND TRY AGAIN. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT WITH GMC TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE TIRE SENSOR ALERTED OUTSIDE OF ALTOONA PA ON CORRIDOR 99. WE CALLED SERVICE, THEY CHANGED THE TIRE THAT MIRACULOUSLY HAD NOT BLOWN APART. THERE WAS A HAND SIZE BUBBLE ON THE INSIDE AND THE TIRE WAS SEPARATED AT THE RIM ALL AROUND IT. WE CALLED GOOD YEAR AND GOT A CLAIM # AND SETUP TO HAVE TIRE REPLACED IN FLORIDA. REMAINING TIRES ALL HAD SEPARATED ABOVE THE RIM AND COULD HAVE BLOWN. THESE TIRES WERE ROTATED AND CHECKED EVERY 5000 MILES. GOOD YEAR HAS THE TIRES AND SAYS THEY WILL INVESTIGATE. WE ARE CONCERNED THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN TO OTHERS THAT AREN'T AWARE OF THE "FLUKE" AS THE GY MANAGER CALLED IT. WE HAVE PIX OF AFFECTED TIRES BUT ARE UNSURE OF HOW TO UPLOAD THEM.
I BOUGHT A NEW 2015 GMC DOUBLE CAB 2500 HD Z71 4X4 PICK UP TRUCK IN MAY 2015 IT HAS FACTORY EQUIPPED LT 265X70X17 BRIDGESTONE DURAVIS 7 PLY TIRES. I TOOK IT ON A UNLOADED 9000 MILE ROAD TRIP AFTER ABOUT 7000 MILES I NOTICED THE TRUCK WAS NOT HANDLING LIKE IT SHOULD IT WANTED TO GO STRAIGHT THRU CURVES IT WONDERED AND PULLED LEFT OR RIGHT. I TOOK IT TO THE GMC DEALER IN SPOKANE WASHINGTON THE FOUND THAT THE ALIGNMENT TOW-IN AND RIGHT SIDE CASTER WAS OFF. THIS IS NOT MY FIRST GM TRUCK THE LAST ONE I DROVE 93000 MILES AND NEVER NEEDED AN ALIGNMENT. WHILE DRIVING TO BEND OREGON THE PROBLEM REOCCURRED. I TOOK IT TO THE CHEVROLET GM DEALER IN BEND ALIGNMENT CHECK WAS OK THEY SAID IT MAY BE TIRE PRESSURE RELATED I AM USING THE RECOMMENDED COLD TIRE PRESSURE OF 65 PSI FRONT AND 70 PSI REAR UNLOADED NOT PULLING ANYTHING. UPON RETURNING TO PRESCOTT ARIZONA I TOOK IT TO TIMS GMC DEALER AND THE ALIGNMENT WAS OK. I EMAILED BRIDGSTONE THEY REFERRED ME TO THE PHOENIX BRIDGESTONE DEALER THEY SAID THE TIRES FOR THAT TRUCK SHOULD BE LT 245X75X17 FIRESTONE NOT BRIDGESTONE. THEY SAID THEY WOULD CHANGE THEM OUT BUT NEED AN OK FROM THE GMC DEALER. THE PRESCOTT TIMS GMC DEALER REFUSED TO ACCOMMODATE THE REQUEST. CHECKING WITH SEVERAL TIRE DEALERS IN PRESCOTT THE TIRE REQUIREMENTS FOR A 2500 TRUCK ARE A FULL 10 PLY TIRE NOT THE 7 PLY FACTORY INSTALLED TIRE. NOTE: THE BRIDGESTONE TIRE HAS A 2 PLY SIDEWALL..... A MICHELIN 10 PLY TIRE HAS A 3 PLY SIDEWALL THIS MAY BE PART OF THE PROBLEM. THE RIM WIDTH IS.....7.5............LOAD INDEX..121/118.......SPEED RATING........Q.... COLD PRESSURE OF 80 PSI
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
I WAS DRIVING A GMC SIERRA 2500 (2015) TRUCK ON A ROAD (SPEED LIMIT 65 MPH) AND WAS STOPPED TO MAKE A LEFT-HAND TURN INTO A STATE PART. A DRIVER HIT ME IN THE REAR AT A HIGH SPEED. THE POWDER FROM THE AIRBAG COMPARTMENTS FILLED THE TRUCK CAP BUT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.
SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WHILE PULLING OFF THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. GMC INFORMED ME THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT A SLOW SPEED AND AIRBAGS DEPLOYED BECAUSE FOOT WAS ON BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR AT SAME TIME.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
GMC, I AM EMAILING YOU IN REGARDS TO SAFETY FEATURES OF OUR 2015 GMC SIERRA DENALI NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THE REAR SEAT BELTS DO NOT LOCK AND THEY DO NOT RETRACT WITHOUT ASSISTANCE. WE ASKED THE DEALERSHIP LOCALLY IF IT IS RECALL RELATED ISSUE AND THEY SAID WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE THEM FIXED. THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH A SAFETY FEATURE AND IT SHOULD BE REPLACED/FIXED AT YOUR EXPENSE. WE HAVE FAMILY FRIENDS WHO WERE INVOLVED IN A COLLISION ON I70 WITH A BEAR, IN A GMC OR CHEVY AND THEIR LITTLE BOY ALMOST DIED BECAUSE HIS SEAT BELT FAULTED TO LOCK AND KEEP HIM SAFE. SINCE KNOWING THAT WAS A HUGE ISSUE, IT IS IMPORTANT TO US TO PURSUE GETTING THIS FIXED. IT HAS BEEN LIKE THIS SINCE WE BOUGHT THIS TRUCK IN 2016. WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING BACK FROM YOU REGARDING THIS MATTER. [XXX] [XXX] REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *CC *TR
REAR PASSENGER SEAT BELT IS STUCK AND WILL NOT LET OUT SLACK OR TIGHTEN. CONSTANT. NO ACCIDENTS. IT WORKED PROPERLY WHEN WE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. WE WERE UNAWARE OF ANY CHANGES OR OCCURRENCES THAT CAUSED IT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 GMC SIERRA 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED VIOLENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DUPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30.
WHILE DRIVING ON DRY PAVEMENT, DRIVER MOVED KNOB ON VEHICLE TO SWITCH FROM AWD TO 2WD. VEHICLE WENT INTO AN IMMEDIATE SPIN WHICH COULD NOT BE CORRECTED. (OR MAYBE IT WAS BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED NEXT). VEHICLE CAREENED OVER TWO LANES ("PRESUMABLY" WOULD NOT STOP - DRIVER DOES NOT RECALL TRYING TO HIT THE BRAKES REPEATEDLY OR AT ALL AS THE "NEXT PROBLEM" WAS IN FRONT OF DRIVER AND DRIVER WAS FOCUSING ON SURVIVAL).. DRIVER QUICKLY SMASHED THROUGH METAL SAFETY BARRIER AND CRASHED THROUGH TREES OVER A 30 FT EMBANKMENT INTO A RESERVOIR. DRIVER ABLE TO OPEN ROOF WHILE "STEERING" WITH LEFT HAND AND OPENING ROOF WITH RIGHT HAND AS DRIVER KNEW WATER WAS FAST APPROACHING. DRIVER SMASHED THROUGH TREES, TRUCK WAS DEMOLISHED BUT DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT OUT OF CAR ALIVE AS CAR TOOK ON WATER THROUGH OPENED ROOF. VIN NUMBER REPORTS BRAKE ISSUES. DRIVER NOT AWARE OF "BRAKE RECALL" OR ANY ISSUES AND DID NOT REPORT BRAKE ISSUE AS AN ISSUE ON SCENE AS INCIDENT HAPPENED SO FAST AND DRIVER WAS ATTEMPTING TO STAY ALIVE AND WAS EVER FOCUSED ON THE NEXT 'OBSTACLE" AS IT WAS IN THE WAY PER DESCRIPTION HEREIN. AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AS EXPECTED AND DRIVER EXITED WATER-FILLED VEHICLE VIA OPENED ROOF UNHARMED. GMC SENT INVESTIGATORS OUT BUT NO REPORT HAS BEEN ISSUED TO DRIVER. CHUBB LEAD INVESTIGATOR ACCOMPANIED THE GMC INVESTIGATOR AND REPORTED "NO VEHICLE MALFUNCTION". AFTER THIS INCIDENT, AND READING OTHERS' PROBLEMS, DRIVER IS NOW NOT CONVINCED OF THAT REPORT.. NO MENTION OF BRAKE RECALL SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN REPORTED BY ANYONE BUT BY PUTTING VIN NUMBER INTO THIS DATABASE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
I reached out to manufacture via text, email and no response they just not responding on either Chanel..
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
Wife and daughter took the pickup to town. While returning home wife noticed a noise from the front end. She slowed down to turn and the whole tire with rotor came off the pickup causing the brake line to get ripped off and stating a fire. Damaged the running board and rocker panel along with the cv axle and other numerous parts.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .