2015 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
CautionComplaint Index
73/100
#5 most-complained of 16 Silverado 3500 years
The 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 has a Complaint Index of 73 and ranks 5th worst out of 16 model years, earning a Caution verdict. NHTSA lists 52 complaints, 7 recalls, and 3 fires, with Electrical System issues the top problem area at 31% of complaints.
- Complaints
- 52
- Recalls
- 7
- Crashes / fires
- 2 / 3
- Injuries / deaths
- 1 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- —
Top 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Electrical System16 (31%)
- Fuel System15 (29%)
- Brakes10 (19%)
- Engine9 (17%)
- Other5 (10%)
- Transmission & Powertrain5 (10%)
- Visibility & Wipers5 (10%)
- Steering4 (8%)
- Structure & Body2 (4%)
- Airbags1 (2%)
What owners report
- Owners report the alternator overheating and catching fire, sometimes with white smoke noticed near the AC vents before flames appeared.
- A dashboard warning for trailer brakes or wiring appears and disables the trailer brakes, with owners saying GM blamed the trailers instead of the truck.
- Some owners report the rear differential locking up unexpectedly at highway speed, causing loss of control.
- Brake pedals and rotors have worn out at low mileage, with one owner reporting the truck veered right when braking at 55 mph.
- The engine has lost power suddenly at highway speed and failed to restart, with metal fragments later found inside at 96,000 miles.
- The rear defrost system has smoked and the rear glass has shattered on its own.
2015 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 recalls
7 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- 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.
- 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.
- NHTSA 18V578000Aug 30, 2018Brakes42,280 vehicles
Service brakes, hydraulic:pedals and linkages
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, 3500, 1500 Crew Cab Special Service, Tahoe Police Pursuit/Special Service, GMC Sierra 2500, and 3500 vehicles. The brake pedal pivot nut may loosen, causing the brake pedal to be loose or inoperative.
Risk: If the brake pedal becomes loose or inoperative, the driver may be unable to stop the vehicle by using the brake pedal. Additionally, a loose pedal may also interfere with the accelerator pedal. Either condition may increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will add adhesive to the nut and reinstall the nut with increased tightness, free of charge. The recall began October 3, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18278. Note: The vehicles in this recall need this additional remedy despite being covered by recall 16V069 for brake pedal loosening.
2015 compared with other Silverado 3500 years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 reliable?
- NHTSA data gives it a Complaint Index of 73, ranking 5th worst among the 16 model years covered, so it carries a Caution verdict relative to other Silverado 3500 years.
- What are the most common problems with the 2015 Silverado 3500?
- Electrical System complaints lead at 31% of the total, followed by Fuel System at 29%, Brakes at 19%, and Engine at 17%, per NHTSA complaint data.
- Does the 2015 Silverado 3500 have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 7 recalls for this model year, covering airbags, brakes, fuel system, and seat belts, though none are do-not-drive recalls.
- At what mileage do 2015 Silverado 3500 problems tend to show up?
- The median mileage at failure across complaints is 34,461 miles, though Brakes issues showed up at a median of just 7,891 miles and Fuel System issues at 105,000 miles.
- How does the 2015 model compare to other Silverado 3500 years?
- The 2015 model's Complaint Index of 73 is worse than 2011-2014 and 2017-2019, but better than 2021, 2022, 2024, and 2025, which carry Avoid verdicts with higher indexes.