YearToAvoid

2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

87/100

#3 most-complained of 16 Silverado 1500 years

The 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 ranks 3rd worst out of 16 model years, with a complaint index of 87, 1,181 complaints, and 18 recalls. Brakes are the top problem area, making it a year to avoid relative to other Silverado 1500 model years.

Complaints
1,181
Recalls
18
Crashes / fires
61 / 16
Injuries / deaths
35 / 1
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
—

Top 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Brakes400 (34%)
  2. Electrical System194 (16%)
  3. Steering174 (15%)
  4. Engine169 (14%)
  5. Transmission & Powertrain147 (12%)
  6. Other141 (12%)
  7. Airbags72 (6%)
  8. Structure & Body63 (5%)
  9. Suspension, Wheels & Tires47 (4%)
  10. Visibility & Wipers39 (3%)

What owners report

  • Owners report near-complete brake loss in parking lots and low-speed situations, needing multiple hard pedal presses to slow the truck.
  • Airbags reportedly fail to deploy in low-to-moderate speed rear-end and side-impact crashes, sometimes with resulting injuries.
  • Steering reportedly loses assist suddenly at low speed, leading to collisions with stationary objects.
  • Electrical system complaints describe the vehicle catching fire under the hood, in one case while parked and unattended.
  • Structure and body complaints describe a rear axle breaking while driving, causing the truck to pull hard to one side and hit a barrier.
2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 complaints: complaints filed per quarter992014 Q22016 Q12017 Q42019 Q32021 Q22023 Q12024 Q42026 Q3
1510 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2014 Q2 to 2026 Q3; peak 2018 Q4 (99).

2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 recalls

18 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 21V504000Jul 1, 2021Airbags410,019 vehicles

    Air bags:side/window:curtain:inflator

    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.

    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.

  2. NHTSA 21V245000Apr 8, 2021Seat Belts2,568 vehicles

    Seat belts:front

    General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2015-2016 Chevrolet Tahoe, and 2014-2015 GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles that may have received an incorrect replacement tensioner cable assembly as part of a previous recall remedy or a subsequent repair. The flexible steel cable connecting the driver's seat belt to the outboard side of the seat may be repeatedly bent over the seat side shield as the driver enters and exits the vehicle causing the cable to fatigue and separate.

    Risk: 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.

  3. NHTSA 20V736000Nov 25, 2020Airbags9,279 vehicles

    Air bags:side/window:curtain:inflator

    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.

    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.

See all 18 recalls for the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 →

2015 compared with other Silverado 1500 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2013Best73655—
2014Avoid1001,56019 !—
2015Avoid871,18118—
2016Good4079913 !—
2017Caution538366 !—

All Chevrolet Silverado 1500 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 reliable?
NHTSA data ranks it 3rd worst out of 16 Silverado 1500 model years, with a complaint index of 87 and 1,181 complaints, making it an 'Avoid' year relative to other years of this model.
What are the most common problems with the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500?
Brakes lead with 400 complaints (34% share) and a median failure mileage of 56,000 miles, followed by electrical system issues (194 complaints, 12 fires) and steering (174 complaints).
Does the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 18 recalls for this year, covering brakes, airbags, steering, and seat belts, though none are marked do-not-drive.
How does the 2015 model compare to other Silverado 1500 years?
The 2015 has a complaint index of 87, close behind the worst year, 2014, at 100. Years like 2012 and 2013 score much lower, at 0 and 7 respectively, and are rated 'Best'.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.