2015 GMC Sierra 1500 Service Brakes Problems
Owners have filed 219 complaints with NHTSA about service brakes problems on the 2015 GMC Sierra 1500, 30% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 55,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “vacuum pump” (21% of reports).
- 219service brakes complaints
- 55,500median miles at failure
- 14mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- $1,300typical repair cost reported by owners
- 11%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Vacuum pump: mentioned in 47 of 219 complaints (21%)
- Stop truck: mentioned in 14 of 219 complaints (6%)
- Hard push: mentioned in 12 of 219 complaints (5%)
- Brake pedal becomes: mentioned in 11 of 219 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical service brakes repair on the 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 at $1,300, and half of them between $790 and $1,750.
Based on 9 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2017–2022), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do service brakes problems happen?
Based on 156 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 219 complaints, 14 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 1 an injury.
GMC Sierra 1500 service brakes complaints by model year
| Model year | Service Brakes complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Sierra 1500 | 4 | 3% | — |
| 2025 Sierra 1500 | 7 | 6% | — |
| 2024 Sierra 1500 | 10 | 3% | — |
| 2023 Sierra 1500 | 14 | 3% | 28,550 |
| 2022 Sierra 1500 | 28 | 5% | 9,700 |
| 2021 Sierra 1500 | 23 | 4% | 21,270 |
| 2020 Sierra 1500 | 49 | 10% | 6,400 |
| 2019 Sierra 1500 | 107 | 16% | 7,000 |
| 2018 Sierra 1500 | 40 | 13% | 11,500 |
| 2017 Sierra 1500 | 100 | 28% | 38,984 |
| 2016 Sierra 1500 | 100 | 29% | 44,261 |
| 2015 Sierra 1500 | 219 | 30% | 55,500 |
| 2014 Sierra 1500 | 139 | 19% | 68,190 |
| 2013 Sierra 1500 | 2 | 2% | 33,295 |
| 2012 Sierra 1500 | 5 | 5% | 55,000 |
| 2011 Sierra 1500 | 6 | 2% | 50,000 |
| 2009 Sierra 1500 | 4 | 2% | 61,752 |
| 2008 Sierra 1500 | 3 | 1% | 116,000 |
| 2007 Sierra 1500 | 16 | 6% | 90,100 |
| 2006 Sierra 1500 | 40 | 28% | 78,500 |
| 2005 Sierra 1500 | 33 | 19% | 89,240 |
| 2004 Sierra 1500 | 43 | 20% | 89,900 |
| 2003 Sierra 1500 | 55 | 31% | 89,863 |
| 2002 Sierra 1500 | 64 | 39% | 100,000 |
| 2001 Sierra 1500 | 40 | 29% | 110,356 |
| 2000 Sierra 1500 | 40 | 22% | 115,000 |
| 1999 Sierra 1500 | 30 | 19% | 152,446 |
| 1998 Sierra 1500 | 1 | 2% | 167,525 |
| 1997 Sierra 1500 | 3 | 4% | 111,087 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Service brakes; service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:wheel speed sensor/tone ring; electronic stability control (esc)
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, and GMC Yukon, and 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles equipped with a 5.3-liter engine, a 3.08-ratio rear axle and four-wheel drive. If a wheel-speed sensor fails, while the vehicle is traveling between 41 and 60 mph in four-wheel or automatic mode, the Electronic-Brake Control Module (EBCM) software may activate the driveline-protection system.
Risk: Unintended activation of the driveline-protection system will cause unintended braking on the wheel on the opposite side of the failed sensor, causing the vehicle to pull to one side unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the EBCM, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192261050.
Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuum
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Cadillac Escalade, 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, 2015-2018 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon vehicles. The amount of vacuum created by the vacuum pump may decrease over time.
Risk: As the vacuum level drops, the brake assist decreases, increasing braking effort, extending the distance required to stop the vehicle, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Electronic Brake Control Module, free of charge. The recall began October 8, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192268490.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
When backing up, either on a hill or flat surface, the brakes fail to stop the vehicle. There is a pulsing sensation with the brakes due to failure of the vacuum. The brake pedal also becomes impossible to depress. No warning lights appear when this occurs.
Vehicle doesn't stop in low speeds
I had and still have the Brake Assist failure warning light on and having issues with brake pedal effort not working as it should to stop vehicle and also the stability control warning lights., the brakes hardly work at all at low speeds and most of the time don't stop the vehicle almost causing…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2015 GMC Sierra 1500s have service brakes problems?
No. NHTSA has 219 owner complaints about service brakes for the 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 (30% of the 719 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 service brakes?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list service brakes. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do service brakes problems start?
The median reported mileage is 55,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix service brakes problems on the 2015 GMC Sierra 1500?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,300 (half paid between $790 and $1,750), from 9 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about service brakes problems on the 2015 GMC Sierra 1500?
The most frequent phrase is “vacuum pump”, in 47 of 219 complaints, followed by “stop truck” (14).
Other 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 problems
See all 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 problems or service brakes problems across all Sierra 1500 years.