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2015 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

ELEVATED COMPLAINT SIGNAL
38%
45 of 117 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

38% of relevant owner complaints on the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is elevated. Worth an independent inspection before you commit to one.

Better than 56% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 17 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 34%).

NHTSA data checked October 3, 2026

The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 have engine problems?

More than most. The pattern is elevated rather than severe. 45 of 117 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (38%), and the largest group is filed under engine (23). For comparison, the 2014 scores 48% and the 2016 scores 31%. On a test drive, check for stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
45
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
134
this model year
Fires reported
5
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
7
5 crashes · 8 injuries

Complaints by component

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM27 · 20%
ENGINE23 · 17%
SERVICE BRAKES18 · 13%
STEERING18 · 13%
POWER TRAIN16 · 12%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM13 · 10%

The years either side

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

How the 2015 compares with other Chevrolet Silverado 3500 years

Of the 11 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 years with enough complaints to score, the 2015 is the 5th-worst on engine and transmission share (38%). The worst is the 2020 (50%), the best the 2022 (28%). By volume, the 2015 drew 134 complaints (45 drivetrain), against 134 for the 2014 and 61 for the 2016.

Chevrolet Silverado 3500 years to avoid and best years →

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 3500

  • The mileage where it happens. When owners of the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 said the problem showed up, and the range most of them fell in.
  • What the repair costs. Typical engine repair ranges, to price into your offer.
  • Cleaner alternatives. Similar cars and nearby years with a better record.
  • Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
  • What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
  • Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.

What one owner reported

POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SEAT BELTS03/07/2016CRASH1 INJURED
I WAS DRIVING ON US HIGHWAY 12 GOING APPROX. 35 MPH WHEN THE REAR END DIFFERENTIAL LOCKUP AND CAUSED ME TO SLID OFF THE ROAD IN A TURN THAT ALSO HAD ICE WHILE TOWING A FIFTH WHEEL THE ACCIDENT CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT FRONT FENDER AND THE RIGHT REAR AND RIGHT SIDE OF THE 8 FOOT BED ALONG WITH THE WINDSHIELD AND A FRO…

One of 45 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

2015 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 fuel system recalls

Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 7 in total. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

fuel system, gasoline: storage: auxillary tank17V664000 · Oct 2017

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2011-2015 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 and GMC Sierra 3500 trucks equipped with dual fuel tanks. The low fuel level sensor for the front tank may stick causing the rear tank to overfill the front tank.

Risk: If the front tank overfills, the excess pressure may cause the front tank to expand and contact the driveshaft, possibly resulting in a hole in the tank. The hole will leak fuel, which in the presence of an ignition…

Fix: GM has notified owners, and dealers will replace the rear tank fuel pump or update the fuel-level sensor software, as well as inspect the front tank, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December…

6 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
air bags: side/window: curtain: inflator21V504000 · Jul 2021
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…
air bags: side/window: curtain: inflator20V736000 · Nov 2020
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…
service brakes, hydraulic: pedals and linkages18V578000 · Aug 2018
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…
air bags: frontal17V437000 · Jul 2017
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse and Chevrolet Spark EV, Caprice PPV and SS vehicles, 2014-2017 Buick Encore and Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500 and…
air bags: frontal16V651000 · Sep 2016
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…
service brakes, hydraulic: pedals and linkages16V069000 · Feb 2016
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2500, and 3500 heavy duty trucks manufactured October 1, 2013, to February 1, 2016, 2015-2016 Chevrolet…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.

Checking one particular 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 3500? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

Get a history report from EpicVIN Before you pay: EpicVIN’s $1 offer is a 3-day trial (up to 5 reports) that renews at $49.99 a month unless you cancel. Other plans are listed under “View all our packages” at checkout. We may earn a commission if you buy through this link. It does not change what this page reports.

Questions people ask about the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 3500

Does the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 have engine problems?

More than most; the pattern is elevated rather than severe. 45 of 117 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (38%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the engine and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.

What is the most common problem with the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 3500?

Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 is electrical system: 27 of 134 complaints (20%) name it, followed by engine (23) and service brakes (18). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap. Engine, transmission and fuel-system complaints together make up 38% of the relevant total.

Is the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 reliable?

On the engine and transmission, owner complaints point to a weak spot: 38% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain (elevated signal). That is better than 56% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 11 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 years we score, it ranks 5th-worst. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 3500?

Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 7 in total: 17V664000 (fuel system, gasoline: storage: auxillary tank). Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.

Which Chevrolet Silverado 3500 years are better?

Among the Chevrolet Silverado 3500 years we track, the 2022 (28%), the 2016 (31%) and the 2012 (33%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2015 (38%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/chevrolet-silverado-3500

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.