2015 GMC Sierra 1500: Tapping knocking noise
Common wear/failure (not a recall)
Symptoms
Owners of the 2015 Sierra 1500 report: tapping knocking noise. CarComplaints.com lists 7 owner complaints, average mileage 97,300 miles.
NHTSA has 90 owner complaints for the 2015 Sierra 1500 in this area. Examples:
- NHTSA complaint ODI #11766980 (filed 09/25/2026): “In august, 2019, at 93,672 miles, gm covered a lifter failure on our 2015 gmc sierra, v8 afm engine. only the left side was repaired. now, in 2026 at 130,000, the right side has the same issue and needs repair. the estimate to repair is $16,697. this is a …”
- NHTSA complaint ODI #11732442 (filed 04/20/2026): “Active fuel management miss firing idle rough shaking loss of power #7 cylinder loss of all compression bad fuel mileage skipping…”
Likely causes
Sources do not establish a single root cause; diagnosis is needed. Owner-reported fixes are listed below.
Fix, in plain English
Most common owner-reported solutions on CarComplaints.com: new lifters (4 reports) rebuild engine (1 reports). Check for open recalls and extended warranty coverage with a dealer before paying out of pocket.
DIY difficulty: Pro
Internal engine work (lifters, oil consumption, fuel dilution diagnosis) requires engine teardown or dealer software/tests. (Our assessment.)
Cost
CarComplaints.com owners report a typical repair cost of about $4,090 (owner-reported average, not a quote).
Typical parts (search links, no affiliate codes)
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