2015 GMC Sierra 3500: common problems

Owners of the 2015 GMC Sierra 3500 filed 31 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and exterior lighting. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 31
involving a crash: 1

What fails most often

1 Electrical system 19% of all complaints
2 Exterior lighting 19% of all complaints
3 Engine 13% of all complaints
4 Service brakes 13% of all complaints
5 Air bags 10% of all complaints
6 Steering 10% of all complaints
7 Fuel/propulsion system 6% of all complaints
8 Vehicle speed control 6% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Electrical system: 6 complaints (19% of all).
Exterior lighting: 6 complaints (19% of all).
Engine: 4 complaints (13% of all).
Service brakes: 4 complaints (13% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Air bags: 3 complaints (10% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 31 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

headlights and tail lights6 · 19%
smoke, burning smell, fire4 · 13%
loss of power / limp mode3 · 10%
fuel system, fuel smell2 · 6%
knocking, grinding or other noise2 · 6%
infotainment or screen glitches2 · 6%
steering or power steering problems2 · 6%
warning lights, check engine2 · 6%
windows, sunroof2 · 6%
seat belts1 · 3%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Electrical system	6	0
Exterior lighting	6	0
Engine	4	0
Service brakes	4	1
Air bags	3	0
Steering	3	0
Fuel/propulsion system	2	0
Vehicle speed control	2	0
Visibility	2	0
Electronic stability control	1	0
Engine and cooling	1	0
Powertrain	1	0
Seat belts	1	0
Seats	1	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

After 3 attempts to correct the brake problem by greiner gm. The last time I drove this truck the brakes locked up in the middle of the hwy for no reason truck was brought back to dealership where they have had gm specialist check it out and I have been told the truck is un repairable , I am seeking a buy back from gm…
Service brakes · crash · 2020-10-21 · NHTSA complaint #11365584
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.
Service brakes · 2026-08-24 · NHTSA complaint #11759074
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).
Air bags · 2025-08-27 · NHTSA complaint #11683447
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.
Air bags · 2024-06-21 · NHTSA complaint #11595810
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.
Engine and cooling · 2024-01-25 · NHTSA complaint #11567785
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…
Electrical system · 2022-12-01 · NHTSA complaint #11495699
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.
Electrical system · 2022-09-21 · NHTSA complaint #11485685
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.
Engine · 2022-07-28 · NHTSA complaint #11476314

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

20154
20161
20177
20182
20193
20203
20213
20224
20242
20251
20261

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 6,740 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 18% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Sierra 3500 has 19 complaints (31 years in the data). This year has 31, above average.

What to check before buying

Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2015 GMC Sierra 3500?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, exterior lighting, engine. Total complaints: 31. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: headlights and tail lights (19%), smoke, burning smell, fire (13%), loss of power / limp mode (10%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2015 GMC Sierra 3500?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 2015 GMC Sierra 3500 from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 2015 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.