10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 5
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
29,886 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2015 GMC Sierra 1500 electrical problems

electrical problem

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2015 GMC Sierra 1500 Owner Comments (Page 1 of 4)

problem #77

Feb 012024

Sierra 1500

  • 75,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, there was no audible chime or alert heard. After driving and then restarting the vehicle there was still no audible sound from the electrical system. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who informed the contact that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact replaced the battery, but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not notified. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V301000 (Electrical System, Seat Belts) however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.

- West Point, IN, USA

problem #76

Jan 242024

Sierra 1500

  • miles
Inside of car smelled like burnt electrical and crackled and then back window exploded due to short in the rear defroster [XXX] Rear Window Defroster Thermal Events GMC has indicated that there is no recall associated with this event. GMC has sent no recall or service notices to me regarding this issue and the vehicle had been at a GMC deal Jim Ellis GMC within the year. This incident caused glass to be injected into the passenger compartment causing a hazard INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Suwanee, GA, USA

problem #75

Nov 182023

Sierra 1500

  • miles
The truck completely shut off while making a turn in town. I didn't have any control of the truck, steering or braking ability. In a attempted to restart the truck or regain steering and braking, I cycled the key to no avail. I then urgently tried putting it into neutral, and cycling the key again. The truck started and I regained control. In the 5-10 seconds that passed while the vehicle was out of control, the vehicle traveled over the curb and then onto the sidewalk. It is miraculous that I didn't cause an accident or cause injury to pedestrians. I was shaking. This event was the scariest thing that has ever happened to me in a vehicle. A blessing for sure. In not the clearest frame of mind, I drove the vehicle back to my home. It is parked and I won't drive it until it is repaired. Upon getting home and calming down, I googled this event. The Google search indicated that this scenario is very common in gmc trucks between 2014-17. The cause is apparently faulty battery cables and/or corroded grounding points. I do not understand why there isn't a recall or safety bulletin to inform vehicle owners of this issue. I could have easily killed someone. I passionately feel that action needs to be taken on this series of gmc trucks to prevent a deadly accident!

- Rushville, IL, USA

problem #74

Oct 112023

Sierra 1500

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

All power shuts off while driving. The transmission dis-engages, the power steering stops working and the infotainment system turns off. The power steering powers off even when sitting in a parking spot while everything else is on. I've owned this truck since 2019 and this has always been an issue, especially when taking a left through an intersection. I keep checking for recalls, but nothing shows up and I find that extremely hard to believe. I'm contacting you now because the issue has gotten worse, everyday worse.

- Bristol, CT, USA

problem #73

Jul 272023

Sierra 1500

  • miles
When I turn the steering wheel, the ac turns off, lights turn off, the computer screen turns off, steering wheel gets hard and does a jerking movement. The truck turns off too and then suddenly turns on. This can cause a death. If this happens in a highway or a street where speed is high this can easily cause a death.. fortunately this has happened going at 30 mph and no one close at the time and also at a drive through fast food restaurant. It has not been confirmed by the dealer but I will soon have to take it. The only light that comes up is the StabiliTrak.. but it only lights up when it happens and then it goes away.

- Baytown, TX, USA

problem #72

Apr 052023

Sierra 1500

  • miles
Truck loses power engine dies while driving after turning at slow speeds. Engine will restart after a few minutes like it never happened does not show any DTC codes or check engine lights. It is intermittent with no advance notice very dangerous to drive. Seems to be a common problem for all GM trucks and SUVS from 2014 - 2017

- Mansfield, TX, USA

problem #71

Apr 032023

Sierra 1500

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The electrical system has intermittent issues with connection to the battery due to the location of the ground connection from the battery. The ground connection is screwed into the under carriage (near wheel well front passenger side) and left exposed to the elements. Grit and grime build-up over time caused an interference with the connection. The safety issue is the vehicle lost power without warning and while driving causing the vehicle inoperable, including no power steering. Other symptoms include stabiltrak and park assist errors displayed while A/C & radio resets during intermittent power connectivity. Cleaning the ground connection wires & screw solved the immediate issue. This video explains it all, including where the issue is located and how I was able to fix the issue to restore power: https://youtu.be/KrSJJUUo9FU

- Pasco, WA, USA

problem #70

Mar 272023

Sierra 1500

  • 30,000 miles
The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25 mph with the defroster activated when they began to smell something seeming to be overheating. The contact heard a sudden pop sound and later noticed that the rearview window on the side had fractured. The dealer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that due to them already receiving a recall remedy for the failure they were unable to get the repair done again free of charge. The vehicle had been repaired for the glass to be repaired.. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 30,000.

- Baraboo, WI, USA

problem #69

Jun 012022

Sierra 1500

  • miles
My truck lost all audio including radio, turn signals and seat belt warning chimes. I feel this is a major safety concern not having a seat belt warning as well as an open door alert. The dealership notified me there is not a recall on the 2015 model and I would be charged for any and all labor.

- Bear, DE, USA

problem #68

Dec 272022

Sierra 1500

  • miles
Rear defroster (with sliding rear window) thermal events with arcing and hissing, smoke smell present. Matches the same description as provided in document N192265660. GM will not cover my vehicle because it was not delivered to a dealer in any of the states listed in the document. There is evidence in the vehicle of thermal events, however GM wants me to pay $1000-$1500 for a new rear sliding window.

- Urbana, OH, USA

problem #67

Oct 192022

Sierra 1500

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Power steering cut out instantly as I was driving.

- Federal Way, WA, USA

problem #66

Sep 192022

Sierra 1500

  • miles
Several instances in which power steering assist lapses at low speed. Several times lapses coupled with radio/ac going off. Two times the truck has died while backing into garage. I have narrowly missed hitting other cars while parking in various places. I have not taken the truck to a dealer or service center for this problem. It has not been inspected by manufacturer, police, insurance or others. Several different messages show up in different instances. Today I noticed -€œparking assist symbols not available.-€ Then the truck died.

- Broken Arrow , OK, USA

problem #65

Aug 092022

Sierra 1500

  • miles
My electrical failed i was hauling a trailer and i crashed into a car also the air didnt deploy we were traveling at 35mph my steering locked i couldnt aviod steering got real tight

- Wilmimgton, DE, USA

problem #64

Jun 272022

Sierra 1500

  • miles
I started the truck and did not have power steering. If this would have happened while driving it could have been very dangerous. Why is this not a factory recall?

- Punta Gorda, FL, USA

problem #63

Jul 042022

Sierra 1500

  • miles
When decelerating and turning left the car goes completely dead. First time I just about got killed on the highway. The other two times I knew to put it in neutral & crank the car. No steering no nothing. Days Chevrolet in Jasper, Gais trying to tell me there is NO RECALL on my serial number. I see there were a lot of them years ago. In addition to that my power steering occasionally goes out. The last time I was backing into my garage when I had to manually turn it. Hard to do for a woman.

- Ellijay, GA, USA

problem #62

May 202022

Sierra 1500

  • miles
When driving the truck it shuts off and then it turns back on. The stabilizer light goes on. It has happened many times while driving and also when backing up. I need to know any specific information why is it doing it, I have taken it to the dealership and they never have found the issue.

- Wittmann, AZ, USA

problem #61

Feb 162022

Sierra 1500

  • miles
We recently noticed a persistent Trailer Braking Alert. When the Alert occurs it changes the center display and it plays an audible tone repeatedly. Both of these are a distraction to the driver. We do not normally pull a trailer, and when we do it is not one controlled by the trailer braking system. However this limits the vehicles usefulness since this would disable trailer braking of one were connected. This has been demonstrated to the dealer and we are awaiting resolution.

- Cape Coral, FL, USA

problem #60

Jan 132022

Sierra 1500

  • miles
On 9/22/2020 a recall service was performed on my defroster/ power sliding rear window under N192265660. On 1/13/2022 I was driving down the road with the rear defroster on, a smell of burning plastic and a low hissing noise. I was in the process of pulling over to inspect this and the back window of my pickup burst, sending me swerving onto the side of the road. I booked an appointment with the dealer, they are telling me they cannot replace this since the recall was already serviced. Obviously the fix GM is putting into our vehicles is as dangerous as the original design. This needs to be remedied and GM needs to be held accountable, bursting rear windows can cause terrible accidents, luckily I am safe.

- Washington, MI, USA

problem #59

Dec 082021

Sierra 1500

  • miles
My back window just made a loud pop sound. I have a back window that had an electic sliding widow. Which means the back window is in 3 sections (driver side, middle sliding window, and passenger side). The driver side of the back window was completely shattered. It's hard to see from the outside but from the inside it is spider cracked everywhere. I believe that I had my rear defrost on at the same time. Nothing hit my window to cause this.

- Oakdale, MN, USA

problem #58

Dec 052021

Sierra 1500

  • miles
I had my rear defrost on and it started smoking on the rear drivers side window and smelled like something burning and I parked at a gas station a couple of minutes later. The rear window completely shattered. The glass stayed intact but my 6 year old son was sitting in the backseat and it scared him half to death. I looked up recalls and this is known issue with these vehicles sold in Canada. This just happened and it hasn't been looked at my anyone.

- Rochelle, IL, USA

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