2015 GMC Sierra 1500 Oil Capacity
Your 2015 GMC Sierra 1500’s oil capacity depends on the type of engine it has—click here to learn more.
Written by Andrew Biro
Reviewed by Lisa Steuer McArdle
There are two possible oil capacities for the 2015 GMC Sierra 1500—6 quarts and 8 quarts—of which depend on the engine option you chose when purchasing. If you chose the base level 4.3L V6 engine, your oil capacity is 6 quarts, whereas if you chose the 5.3L V8 or 6.2L V8, your oil capacity is 8 quarts.
Regularly changing your vehicle’s motor oil is an integral part of its
routine maintenance cycle
and helps keep the engine lubricated and working as intended—failing to change your oil on time can result in irreparable and expensive engine damage.But before you can actually go about changing your oil, you need to know how much motor oil to buy—that’s why we’ve put together the following
car repair
guide breaking down everything you need to know about a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500’s oil capacity.Don't get ripped off!
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2015 GMC Sierra 1500 oil capacity
In 2015, the GMC Sierra 1500 was offered with three different engine options: the base level 4.3L V6, a 5.3L V8, and a 6.2L V8—as a result, there are two different oil capacities to be aware of.
- If you own a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 with the 4.3L V6, your engine’s oil capacity is approximately 6 quarts with the filter, or roughly 5.7 liters.
- But if you own a 2015 GMC Sierra with either the 5.3L V8 or 6.2L V8, your engine’s oil capacity is 8 quarts with the filter, or about 7.6 liters.
It’s important that you know which engine is in your vehicle, and it’s important that you don’t confuse the engine’s displacement—or the space occupied by the engine cylinders—confused with the oil capacity, as the two numbers are not interchangeable.
What kind of oil does a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 need?
As with the amount of oil you need, the type of oil you need depends on which engine you have in your 2015 GMC Sierra 1500—if you have the base model 4.3L V6 engine, you’ll need to purchase SAE 5W-30 oil, whereas the 5.3L V8 and 6.2L V8 both require SAE 0W-20 motor oil.
But what do those numbers actually mean? If you’re unfamiliar with how to decipher oil ratings, don’t worry—we’ve got you covered.
Simply put, the number listed before the “W” refers to the oil’s winter rating, or how thick the oil will be when temperatures outside are very cold—the lower the number, the thinner the oil will be. For this reason, it is acceptable to fill the oil reservoir in a 4.3L V6 engine with SAE 0W-20 motor oil during the winter, as the thinner consistency will be of assistance when starting the engine cold.
The number after the “W,” on the other hand, gives us an idea of how thick the oil will be when heated to extreme temperatures of 212 degrees F+, or the normal operating temperature of an engine—oils rated as either “20” or “30” will still be quite thin even when subjected to these very high temps.
How often to change oil on a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500
Generally speaking, GMC recommends that you change your oil after every 3,000 to 5,000 miles, which amounts to roughly twice per year. Keep in mind, though, that this interval is working under the assumption that your driving habits and conditions fall under what is considered “normal” for the average person.
In any case, it’s good to get into the habit of checking your oil at least once per month to avoid potentially damaging your engine—during these checks, you’ll want to keep an eye out for the following signs that an oil change is needed sooner rather than later:
- An oily, smoky, or burning smell
- Thick, dark exhaust smoke
- Grainy or gritty-feeling oil
- Oil has turned dark brown or black
- Worsening vehicle performance
- Oil pressure light turns on
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How to change your oil and oil filter
If you decide to change your 2015 GMC Sierra 1500’s oil at home, you’ll need to gather an oil drain pan, socket wrench, filter wrench, and a new washer to thread onto the drain bolt—you’ll also need a new filter and 6 to 8 quarts of motor oil.
After you’ve gathered your supplies, start your vehicle and let it run for four to five minutes to allow the engine to reach its normal operating temperature. Once the engine is warm, shut it off, pop the hood, and do the following:
- Find the oil fill cap and unscrew it.
- Place your drain pan underneath the oil reservoir’s drain hole.
- Consult your owner’s manual for the proper socket size and remove the oil drain bolt and washer. Allow oil to start draining into the pan below.
- As the oil drains, use the filter wrench to remove the old filter and replace it with a new one.
- Once the oil has stopped draining, replace the drain bolt and thread a new washer into place.
- Pour the new motor oil into the oil reservoir and screw the cap back on.
After adding new oil, start the engine once more and let it run for about 30 seconds to begin cycling oil through the system—use a dipstick to check the oil level in the reservoir and add more oil as needed.
In order to make sure that there are no leaks, let the engine run for a few minutes and look underneath the engine. If there’s nothing leaking and you did everything correctly, the
oil pressure warning light
on your dashboard should automatically shut itself off.Before you can consider yourself done, however, you’ll need to dispose of the old oil. As a general rule, you should never dump spent oil in the garbage and you definitely shouldn’t dump it on the ground—instead, empty it into a sealable container and take it to a recycling center.
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