Skip to main content

How paint problems are infuriating 2015 Chevy Silverado owners

A check of recent truck forums finds that a number of owners of 2015 Chevy Silverados are having problems with paint flaking or peeling off. The problems are serious enough that people are taking their complaints to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, because they aren’t receiving help from the dealerships.

On one discussion about “weak paint”, one owner asked “Has anyone else noticed that the paint on 2014+ silverados chip and scratch very easily? Seems like every time I wash my 2015 I find new chips or scratches.”

Another person adds, “Yes the paint quality on the 2014+ trucks is poor, my 15 already looks about how my 08 did after it was 7 years old. You can thank the epa for that.” And yet another posted, “My black 2015 gets scratches just by looking at it. I have a buddy who needed to get his front end repainted a month after purchase because of all the stone chips.”

A person who claims to work for a dealership denies there is a problem with the paint on 2015 Chevy Silverados “Well as a painter at a Gm dealership, your 2015 weak paint complaint is completely false. The paint is actually pretty good vs the 09-13s. We haven't been seeing any issues with 14 and ups at all.”

But yet another owner fires back “about the fragile paint on the K2XX trucks, worst paint I have ever seen, but the problem is wide spread over all the newer GM vehicles, water based paints suck but our air has improved 700 percent since GM was forced to switch.”

Chevy Silverado Paint Problem Complaints Are Widespread
The complaints are widespread, from different climates all over the U.S. and Canada. A check of the website CarComplaints.com, that compiles consumer issues on all types of vehicles, finds that the concerns are serious enough that many owners have taken their complaints to NHTSA.

For the 2015 model year there have been four complaints to NHTSA over paint problems with the 2015 Chevy Silverado. The complaints are that the paint either peels or chips too easily. The paint problems seem even more pronounced for the 2014 Chevy Silverado. For the 2014 Chevy Silverado there are 33 complaints, again for peeling or excessive chipping.

I have messaged the public relations person who oversees truck production for General Motors but haven’t heard back yet. It is true that the auto companies are constantly reformulating paint mixtures to be more environmentally friendly but paint peeling within the first few months or even the first few years is inexcusable. I can’t find any recalls for paint for these model years but there are enough forums and complaint sites to indicate that the issues are widespread enough to trigger concern.

Mary Conway covered the Detroit Three for more than twenty years for the ABC affiliate, in Detroit. Her affection for the Motor City comes naturally. Her father ran a gas station while Mary was growing up, in Wisconsin. Follow Mary on Twitter at @maryconwaymedia.

Comments

Lee A Speyrer (not verified)    April 27, 2020 - 9:01PM

In reply to by Mike (not verified)

I have a 16 sierra and all along the bottom of the panels it is peeling clear coat . This will be the 3rd time I have it re painted on the bottom. I dont know if they are painting the whole bottom or spot painting . Car dealers will lie their ass off, so you dont know what they are doing with your vehicle. I am bringing it in tomorrow to see what they will do next.

Mary Kile (not verified)    March 9, 2021 - 1:42PM

In reply to by Mike (not verified)

My 2012 Gmc Sierra penalized white is chipping and peeling . It gets a small chip and the wind while driving just peels big swaths off. Dealer refuses to help ,GM denies there is a problem .

Julian R (not verified)    December 19, 2022 - 5:38PM

In reply to by Terry R Fancher (not verified)

Just got my truck back from the shop after hitting a deer, the shop indicated the paint chipping is an ongoing issue.. we all have the same issue with the paint, what recourse do we have?

David Mackley (not verified)    May 8, 2021 - 12:15PM

In reply to by Mike (not verified)

Yes this is ridiculous My pain is chipping on the rear door near the window yesterday I noticed it started chipping on the roof even worse than the door I'm pissed and will never buy a GM product again if they don't take care of this.

Tamara (not verified)    May 8, 2021 - 6:25PM

In reply to by David Mackley (not verified)

Exactly what happened to mine and I'm pissed off as well. I'm about to purchase another new pickup and GMC lost a 70,000 sale cause of their cheap paint. I'm buying a Dodge.

Mark Johnson (not verified)    August 26, 2021 - 5:54AM

In reply to by Tamara (not verified)

Likely money, time, and energy.
I would have liked to pursue a class action but, it takes years to get to any type of a settlement.
It was cheaper to just trade it in, take the $$ loss, and switch to a RAM. Have now had the RAM for 1.5 years without any paint falling off or any visits to the dealer for warranty work, can't say either about the silverado.

After 40 years of mostly gm vehicles, I will never buy another.

Mike king (not verified)    July 27, 2021 - 7:46PM

In reply to by Mike (not verified)

I have a 2015 GMC seirra I’ve have several areas chipping and peeling one is on the driver side back door it just keeps growing one on my hood a 4 or 5 on the leading edge above the windshield dealer say it not their fault it’s from rock chips and windshield installers

Bill (not verified)    November 2, 2021 - 9:44AM

In reply to by Randy Oakes (not verified)

Yea I have 15 Silverado lifted from dealer.
Paint chipping on roof and on the metal between front window and driver door.

Warranty specialist here at bob bell trying to tell me it’s from tree sap or bird poop!

55000 miles, absolutely pathetic!

David Mims (not verified)    November 14, 2016 - 8:19AM

Yes, I too have a chipping problem with a 2014 Silverado. I now have 28,000 miles on it and the front end, behind the tires, and the driver's side door is the worst I have experienced on a Chevrolet product in over 40 years. There is very little paint and it chips to the metal. I have said something about it at every oil change but I cannot even get someone to order touch-up paint.
Looks like it is definitely a factory problem.

joel t spafford (not verified)    September 29, 2017 - 11:13AM

In reply to by David Mims (not verified)

Add another silverado(2014,white,under 30k mi)to your list of chipping paint victims.please let me know of any solutkons ,for this will really screw up sell/trade in value.thanx ..joel

Trevor isbister (not verified)    January 22, 2018 - 12:41PM

In reply to by joel t spafford (not verified)

I bought a 17 Silverado in November of 17. As of January 22nd I only have 3000km on the truck and it looks worse then my 08 sierra already. This truck has never seen gravel roads either. What a shame for the cost of these trucks...

Brad M (not verified)    July 12, 2018 - 2:47PM

In reply to by Tony Morgan (not verified)

2015 Red Silverado...delaminating. Stopping at as many dealerships as I can. All acknowledge there is a problem, but none will do anything about it yet

Mark Cagle (not verified)    December 17, 2019 - 1:17PM

In reply to by Brent (not verified)

I have a 2016 GMC Terrain and the paint is flaking off of it , dealership acknowledges it is paint delamination but just want to cover part of the cost to fix it , 56000 miles, I think they have a problem but won’t admit it

DELBERT G DAVIS (not verified)    February 18, 2020 - 5:14PM

In reply to by David Mims (not verified)

I have the same issue with the paint peeling coming off and gets scratched easily on my 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 dark blue color. There needs to be a recall on this problem. My 93 Silverado had the same problem.

BRUCE D CLARK (not verified)    November 22, 2016 - 10:36AM

I bought my black 2015 silverado in nov. 2015. only abought 8000 miles when I noticed spots on the hood, top and bed. a closer look and you can see the paint cracking through the clear coat down to the metal. the dealership and paint shop said it was tree sap that caused it. strange this was only on the flat surfaces. after it was sanded there were spots on the metal under the primer coat. this is only on the flat surfaces not the sides or where the fenders or any other surfaces were exposed from directly above. GM is painting it but I'm afraid i'll have the same problem again. has anyone else having the same issues?

Scott C (not verified)    December 29, 2017 - 4:21AM

In reply to by BRUCE D CLARK (not verified)

I am having the same problem wit my 2017 Silverado LTZ midnight edition. They tried to reclear it and its going back again. I want the paint taken off and new primer and paint. this will be 3rd time at the dealership. I contacted GM corporate and they are trying to help.

Chad ATterton (not verified)    March 20, 2018 - 2:54PM

In reply to by BRUCE D CLARK (not verified)

Having the same problems with my 17 rock chips all over the wheel well contacted Gm they want to take it to a body shop to inspect the paint how did you outcome turn out