2015 GMC Terrain Problems, Recalls & Reliability
384 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2015 GMC Terrain, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 2 defect investigations. It scores 62/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Visibility & wipers leads the reports, typically around 72,000 miles.
Below average
Where 2015 sits among all Terrain years
What owners report
“Wipers stopped working while driving approximately 55 mph on highway in a rain storm. Apparently it was an issue with the transmission within the wiper system.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2015 Terrain
“Car has 77,000 miles with regular oil change and maintenance. Timing chain broke and engine failure.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2015 Terrain
“The contact owns a 2015 GMC Terrain. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V165000 (Visibility) and 22V137000 (Exterior Lighting) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2015 Terrain
“On my back doors driver side and passenger side there is no child lock and when I lock all doors from inside while driving the back doors can still be opened allowing my baby child to open the door which is not safe”— owner report to NHTSA, 2015 Terrain
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 208 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 63,500 miles. Half of those reports fall between 48,000 and 94,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (3)
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014-2015 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. The ball joints in the windshield wiper module may corrode, causing one or both windshield wipers to fail.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the wiper module, and repair or replace it as necessary, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed on April 21, 2022.…
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2017 GMC Terrain vehicles. A reflection caused by the headlight housings may illuminate areas above the vehicle and outside of the driver's view with excessively bright light. As such, these vehicles fail…
Fix: Dealers will install headlamp appliques, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 8, 2022. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this…
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac XTS, Chevrolet Camaro, Equinox, Malibu, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The affected vehicles have front seat-mounted side impact air bags whose inflator may rupture upon its…
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the side impact air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began on October 19, 2015. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300,…
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 22V165000.
Technical service bulletins
1,570 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2015 GMC Terrain. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2015 Terrain TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2015 GMC Terrain reliable?
The 2015 GMC Terrain drew 384 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 62/100, scored against the model's worst year (2011).
What are the most common 2015 GMC Terrain problems?
The top reported problems for the 2015 GMC Terrain are visibility & wipers (121 complaints), engine (84), and electrical (55).
At what mileage do 2015 GMC Terrain problems show up?
Owners most often report 2015 GMC Terrain problems around 63,500 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 48,000 and 94,000 miles.
Does the 2015 GMC Terrain have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 2015 GMC Terrain. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.