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.
2015 GMC Sierra 1500 brakes problems
229 complaints (32% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 57,000. 15 crashes reported.
- owner complaints
- 229
- of this car's complaints
- 32%
- typical mileage
- 57,000
- crashes
- 15
- recalls
- 1
Which part fails
- Power assist: vacuum2
- Pedals and linkages2
- Brake fluid low warning: lamp1
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
0k-25k
25k-50k
50k-75k
75k-100k
100k-125k
125k-150k
150k-175k
175k-200k
200k+
GMC Sierra 1500 brakes problems in other years
Specific symptoms reported on the 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 brakes
Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.
Related recalls
Service brakes, hydraulic: power assist: vacuum
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Remedy
- 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.
Recall number 19V645000 · Recall details
Related investigations
Brake Vacuum Pump Failure
On November 20, 2018, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE18-012 to investigate instances of sudden onset of a hard brake pedal that could result in extended stopping distance due to an issue with the brake assist vacuum pump in model year (MY) 2014 through 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado 1500 series pickup trucks and MY 2015 through 2016 Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, and GMC Yukon SUVs.If the brake assist vacuum pump fails to operate as intended, the amount of brake power assist supplied to the driver can be significantly reduced, extending the subject vehicle stopping distance. GM stated that the root cause of pump failures was due to foreign debris such as oil sludge in the engine oil. GM stated that this debris can become trapped by the oil inlet filter screen. Under normal operation, this screen allows a small amount of oil into the brake vacuum pump. The foreign debris can, over time, clog the pump which can cause a loss of lubrication and a reduction in the amount of vacuum produced leading to a hard pedal and extended stopping distance.On December 13, 2018, GM issued a Special Coverage (N182202780) for the brake vacuum pump issue in MY 2014-2017 trucks and 2015-2017 SUVs on the K2XX platform for 6 years or 72,000 miles. Special Coverage repair includes the replacement of the vacuum pump and vacuum pump belt. Consumers received notification of the coverage via mail. On September 6, 2019, GM notified the federal safety agency that it was conducting safety recall 19V‑645 which reprograms the electronic brake control module (EBCM) and included approximately 3.5 million trucks and SUVs. In October 2019, GM extended the terms of special coverage N182202780 to 10 years or 150,000 miles as well as now including the entire scope of recall 19V‑645. In October 2020, GM expanded the scope of coverage N182202780 to include the MY 2018 Escalade and 2019 Tahoe.The remedy implemented in GM recall 19V‑645 appears to be sufficient in addressing the safety-related concerns of this issue. Loss of vacuum assist now occurs at a progressive rate as well as there being a more timely warning of a brake problem to the driver through the driver information center (DIC). In view of the recall action and revision to the special coverage, this Preliminary Evaluation is closed. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by new circumstances. The ODI reports cited above are available for review online at under the identification numbers in the attached document.
PE18012
What 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Vehicle doesn't stop in low speeds
The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and also while the vehicle was parked, the ABS and stability control warning lights would unexpectedly illuminate. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the warning lights were cleared. The contact was informed that if the failure recurred, the EBCM and BPMV would need to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure recurred. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the EBCM and BPMV had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 90,100.
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 several crashes. I took vehicle to gm service center and they said they updated software but when I picked up the vehicle and drove it not long after the brake assist warning came back on and I still had no brakes at slower speeds and the problem had actually gotten worse than it was before i took it to them. I called the dealership and told them that the problem had not been fixed and it was worse they said that I would have to pay the service fee / price for parts if I wanted to bring the vehicle back in and to have problem fixed...I explained it was a re call and it was taken to them to have issue fixed in the first place ...and I was told I would have to pay since they updated software ..I then explained it was worse than when I took it to them and still got denied any kind of resolution to the problem. Nothing was fixed or solved. I still had the warning lights on dash and the problem was worse then when I took the vehicle to them for repair. Not long after the transmission went out and the vehicle hadn't been drove. So it sat for 2 yrs or so. I just got a new one put in and the vehicle still has the same problems with the brake system . I reached out to dealership once again and was told I would still have to pay to have the issues fixed when it was never taken care of by them to begin with.
The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was firm and unresponsive, and the vehicle was difficult to stop. The vehicle eventually came to a stop with the ABS warning light illuminated. The vehicle was driven back to the residence. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 132,235.
Starting vehicle in parking lot and backing out of parking space. Brakes failed and truck continued to roll backwards almost hitting a pedestrian. I was able to stop hard on the pedal and stop the vehicle. This has happened several times. I have a steep driveway and backing down to the street the brake pedal will unexpectedly have little resistance and the truck will continue to roll into the street almost hitting oncoming traffic.
Brake pedal pivot nut came loose and fell off while driving.
I was driving pulling an empty small U-Haul trailer and attempted to pull in to a fuel station when my brake became impossible to depress. I barely was able to miss hitting gas pumps and ran down into a ditch before the truck stopped. I informed the dealership where I had just purchased this truck used. I took it to their service department and I was told there was no issues with the brakes. They had to have this recall bulletin in their computer system yet failed to make me aware or to perform this recall or report it to GM. The problem continues to worsen to the point I am scared to drive it. I almost rear ended another car at a stoplight yesterday because I was unable to depress the brake pedal. I stood on the brake and heard an electronic sound but finally came to a stop.
The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop as intended. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact noticed an abnormal sound, and the vehicle rolled forward before the vehicle stopped. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed of an unknown recall; however, the recall repair had expired. The contact had not received a recall notification. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the recall had expired in June 2024. The contact was advised to contact the federal safety agency Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.
The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop as intended. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure became a persistent failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact referenced an unknown recall repair as a possible cause of the failure; however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was unknown.
Questions about the 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 brakes
Does the 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 have brakes problems?
Owners have filed 229 complaints about the brakes of the 2015 GMC Sierra 1500, 32% of all its complaints, more than any other problem.
At what mileage do 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 brakes problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 57,000 miles.
Was there a recall on the 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 brakes?
Yes, 1 recall: 19V645000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the GMC Sierra 1500 have bad brakes?
The GMC Sierra 1500 model years with the most brakes complaints are 2015 (229 complaints), 2014 (144 complaints) and 2000 (131 complaints).
Other 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 problems
Transmission 99Electrical 96Lights 93Engine 85Steering 81Airbags 37Body 28Visibility 26Driver assistance 18Suspension 18Seat belts 16Fuel system 13Seats 9Wheels 9Acceleration 7Tires 2
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