YearToAvoid

2015 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 Airbags Problems

NHTSA lists 16 airbag complaints for the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, 9% of its 176 total complaints. Three related recalls cover roof-rail airbag inflators and Takata airbag software, with a median failure mileage of 58,000 miles.

Airbags complaints
16
9% of 176
Crashes reported
2
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
2
Median mileage
58,000 mi
Related recalls
3

Typical airbag symptoms owners report

  • Roof-rail or side curtain airbags deploy unexpectedly during low-speed driving or minor road bumps, without any collision.
  • In rear-end or animal-strike crashes, front or side panel airbags fail to deploy, sometimes accompanied by smoke or a chemical charge going off without full deployment.
  • Owners report delays getting recall parts for the Takata-related airbag campaign, with wait times exceeding what they consider reasonable.
  • A service airbag warning light and constant chiming appear with no crash history, signaling a system fault.
  • Airbag deployment in a low-speed impact caused physical injury requiring medical attention, according to at least one owner.

When 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 airbag complaints were filed

First complaint Mar 15, 2016, latest Sep 9, 2025.

2015 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 airbags complaints: complaints filed per month2Mar 2016Mar 2017Jun 2017Apr 2019Sep 2021Dec 2021Sep 2022Sep 2025
16 complaints filed with NHTSA from Mar 2016 to Sep 2025; peak Apr 2022 (2).

Airbags recalls for the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 2500

  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 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.

  3. NHTSA 16V651000Sep 8, 2016Airbags3,640,162 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive

    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.

    Remedy: 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.

Airbags complaints by Silverado 2500 model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 200511 (4%)
  2. 20067 (4%)
  3. 200787 (43%)
  4. 2008106 (55%)
  5. 200924 (39%)
  6. 20106 (29%)
  7. 201140 (38%)
  8. 20129 (17%)
  9. 20132 (4%)
  10. 20146 (15%)
  11. 201516 (9%)
  12. 20164 (3%)
  13. 20174 (7%)
  14. 20186 (11%)
  15. 20193 (4%)
  16. 20201 (1%)
  17. 20212 (2%)
  18. 20222 (2%)
  19. 20230 (0%)
  20. 20241 (1%)
  21. 20250 (0%)

Frequently asked questions

How many airbag complaints does NHTSA have for the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 2500?
NHTSA lists 16 airbag-related complaints for the 2015 Silverado 2500, making up 9% of the 176 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there an airbag recall for the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 2500?
Yes. NHTSA lists three related recalls: campaign 21V504000 and 20V736000 for roof-rail airbag inflator issues, and 16V651000 for a software reflash tied to the Takata airbag recall.
At what mileage do airbag problems typically show up?
The median mileage at failure among reported airbag complaints is 58,000 miles.
Have airbag problems caused crashes or injuries in the 2015 Silverado 2500?
NHTSA data tied to airbag complaints for this model year include 2 crashes, 1 fire, and 2 injuries.
Are airbag complaints worse in the 2015 model year than other Silverado 2500 years?
No. The 2011 model year had the highest airbag complaint share at 38%, while 2015 sits at 9%, lower than several other years like 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2018.

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.