2015 GMC Sierra 1500: sudden loss of power

Filed Apr 20, 2026 · Engine · SC

Active Fuel Management Miss firing Idle rough Shaking Loss of power #7 cylinder loss of all compression Bad fuel mileage Skipping

Filed Mar 17, 2026 · Engine · 124,000 miles · FL · fire

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 45 mph, he observed a popping noise beneath him. The contact stopped the vehicle and observed smoke emanating from the front of the vehicle. The vehicle went into limp mode, lost power, and when the brake was depressed, the vehicle did not slow the vehicle down as intended. The contact stated that as he pulled into a parking lot to inspect the vehicle, he observed flames emanating from the hood. The contact stated that he pressed the hood latch, which did not open the hood, and he then exited the vehicle and observed the hood engulfed in flames. The contact mentioned that a store employee brought a fire extinguisher out and attempted to extinguish the flames. The fire department was called and extinguished the fire fully. There was no police report, but the police did come out to assist. The contact sustained a right-hand injury, but medical attention was not needed. The vehicle was then towed to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 124,000.

Filed Dec 1, 2025 · Steering · 130,379 miles · CA

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost power steering functionality and shut off. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road even though the steering wheel was difficult to turn. The contact was able to restart the vehicle after several attempts. The contact stated that the failure had recurred while driving. The contact stated that the message "Service Stabili-trak" might have been displayed. The local dealer and another dealer were contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 18V586000 (Steering). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,379.

Filed Oct 31, 2025 · Engine · WA

This occurred 5+ years ago. Coming home one night I had a sudden loss of power with the truck and barely made it home. Was able to limp the truck to the dealership the next day and was told that one side of the engines lifters had failed. Prior to the failure I had noticed a ticking sound coming from the engine that was becoming increasingly more prominent. It was several thousand dollars to repair. Fortunately the failure occurred near home, not on the freeway where I could have been dodging cars while trying to limp the truck to the shoulder. Some online research while the repair was being done revealed that several other owners with the 6.2L engine had the same problem. When I mentioned it to the dealer the response was that they had no bulletins from GM on the issue and I was stuck with the bill. Got the same response a year or two later when the torque converter on the transmission went out. The reason I am reporting it now is I saw that GM is recalling 6.2L vehicles with lifter issues but not back to 2015 even though the issue appears to go back farther than that. They claim it's limited to a specific run of engines for the recall. They have been having various lifter problems for many years that have put drivers in danger when they fail but refuse to acknowledge it. As for the repair they made to the engine I've driven another 70 K miles and the ticking has started again. I fear another failure. Please note that the date previously given for the incident is my best guess.

Filed Jul 16, 2025 · Electrical, Engine · LA

At low speeds when applying the brake, whether in a turn or traffic, the vehicle will shut off completely. This has happened multiple times and has almost caused accidents on a few occasions. It has also happened while just driving down the road, the entire truck lost power and then came back, the windshield wipers came on as well.

Filed Jun 26, 2025 · Transmission · AL

I am writing to formally submit a serious safety complaint regarding the transmission in my vehicle, which nearly caused a life-threatening accident while driving under normal conditions. While traveling on a two-lane rural highway, I was attempting to climb a steep hill when the transmission suddenly began to slip. My vehicle lost power mid-ascent, despite steady pressure on the gas pedal. The RPMs shot up erratically, but the vehicle failed to accelerate. As I began to crest the hill, the transmission completely disengaged, forcing my vehicle into a free-roll situation. The danger escalated quickly. As I started to descend the hill, I attempted to downshift to control my speed—but the transmission would not respond. It slipped again, and I was essentially coasting with no engine braking. An 18-wheeler was behind me, approaching fast. I could see it barreling toward me in my rearview mirror, and I had nowhere to go. With the road shoulder too narrow and no pull-off in sight, I had to veer dangerously close to the edge to avoid being rear-ended. I truly believe that if the driver of the semi hadn’t taken evasive action, I would not be here to write this complaint today. This transmission failure is not only unacceptable—it is a critical safety issue. A vehicle should not lose all power and braking control during normal highway driving. This is not just an inconvenience or a performance issue. This is a defect that puts lives at risk. I am requesting that this transmission be investigated for an official recall. I have since learned that I am not the only one experiencing these symptoms, and it is only a matter of time before this defect causes a fatal accident. Please take immediate action to investigate this issue. I am willing to provide full documentation, diagnostic reports, and be available for further interviews if needed. Lives depend on it.

Filed Jun 20, 2025 · Driver assistance, Transmission · AL

I am reporting a critical issue with the transmission. The transmission frequently slips, hesitates, and jerks unexpectedly during acceleration and gear shifts. On multiple occasions, the vehicle has lost power or failed to respond while entering intersections, merging onto highways, or attempting to accelerate—posing a serious safety risk. The issue often occurs without warning and has worsened over time. Additionally, there are instances of harsh downshifting, delayed engagement from park to drive, and sudden lurching forward or backward, which could easily result in a collision. Despite visits to the dealership and complaints made, the issue has not been resolved, and I’ve learned that many other owners of this same model have reported nearly identical symptoms. This appears to be a systemic problem with the transmission system. Given the safety risk, especially in traffic and at high speeds, I strongly believe this defect warrants immediate investigation and a formal recall.

Filed May 23, 2024 · Steering · AK

After parking the truck in the garage, the "check power steering," light came on. I immediately lost power steering. I shut the truck off, and about a minute later started it and the power steering worked enough to turn the wheel 1/4t turn to the right and the wheel locked and never moved again. I don't mean hard to turn, I mean would not turn. Had it towed to the dealership in Fairbanks, Alaska and they verified that the wheel would not turn at all. Recommended replacement of the streeting box. There were no prior indicator lights on the truck and little warning of failure. Losing ability to control the truck could have got me in a bad accident. I understand that this was an issue and there was a GMC recall, but my truck was not part of that. The Fairbanks dealership said they never saw one lock up light that before. The truck does have a damaged title due to a house fire and the truck was parked near the garage and it melted the plastics/grill etc. Repairs were made by a certified body shop.

Filed May 16, 2024 · Steering · 123,000 miles · NE

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 MPH into oncoming traffic, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact used excessive force to maneuver the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact became aware of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 18V586000 (Steering). The dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the vehicle had previously been repaired under the recall and could not be repaired a second time under the recall. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was no longer under recall. The failure mileage was 123,000.

Filed Aug 8, 2023 · Engine · 90,000 miles · OH

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH and hauling a boat, the vehicle started operating at reduced power. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the push rods were bent, and the lifter had collapsed. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

Filed Aug 7, 2023 · Steering · 85,000 miles · FL

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving 15 MPH and making a turn, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. A message indicating power steering failure was displayed. The contact stated that the steering wheel was extremely difficult to turn however, the contact was able to pull to the side of the road using physical strength to turn the steering wheel. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer where it was diagnosed, and the failure was linked to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 14V719000 (Steering). The vehicle was taken to a GMC dealer, who informed the contact that the recall had already been completed on the vehicle. The dealer determined that the power steering control module needed to be replaced; however, the part was not available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.

Filed Apr 3, 2023 · Electrical · WA

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