2015 Gmc TERRAIN: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
297 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
65,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2015 model year. Data snapshot: . 171 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Visibility/Wiper is the most frequently named component, appearing in 101 of 297 complaints (34.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine operation | 28 | 9.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 24 | 8.1% |
| Braking behavior | 15 | 5.1% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 10 | 3.4% |
| Steering behavior | 9 | 3.0% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 0.7% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Visibility/Wiper | 101 |
| Engine | 80 |
| Electrical System | 31 |
| Exterior Lighting | 23 |
| Power Train | 21 |
| Unknown Or Other | 21 |
| Visibility | 17 |
| Air Bags | 16 |
Visibility/Wiper: 101; Engine: 80; Electrical System: 31; Exterior Lighting: 23; Power Train: 21; Unknown Or Other: 21; Visibility: 17; Air Bags: 16
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 21 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 26 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 61 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 26 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 30 |
| 150,000 and above | 7 |
Under 25,000: 21; 25,000 to 49,999: 26; 50,000 to 74,999: 61; 75,000 to 99,999: 26; 100,000 to 149,999: 30; 150,000 and above: 7
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (61). 126 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 11 |
| 2016 | 6 |
| 2017 | 9 |
| 2018 | 26 |
| 2019 | 54 |
| 2020 | 39 |
| 2021 | 29 |
| 2022 | 60 |
| 2023 | 24 |
| 2024 | 19 |
| 2025 | 11 |
| 2026 | 9 |
2015: 11; 2016: 6; 2017: 9; 2018: 26; 2019: 54; 2020: 39; 2021: 29; 2022: 60; 2023: 24; 2024: 19; 2025: 11; 2026: 9
Pattern summary
Visibility/Wiper leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 28 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 24 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 15 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10692212 · 2015-03-05 (March 5, 2015)
WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN AT THE BOTTOM OF A FREEWAY OFFRAMP THE KEYS ON THE KEYRING ATTACHED TO THE KEY IN THE IGNITION GOT STUCK IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS BRIEFLY PREVENTED ME FROM EXITING THE TURN, AND THEN WHEN THE KEYS BROKE FREE THE CAR HAD TURNED ITSELF OFF!! I HAD NO POWER STEERING, NO POWER BREAKS AND NO HEADLIGHTS. I WAS ON A SLIGHT DOWNGRADE AND WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE NEXT BLOCK WHERE I TURNED RIGHT OUT OF TRAFFIC BEFORE COMING TO A FULL STOP. I WAS THEN ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR AFTER PUTTING INTO NEUTRAL (OR PARK, DON'T REMEMBER)…
Owner-reported narrative. 10,247 miles reported. Look up ODI 10692212 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10701021 · 2015-03-23 (March 23, 2015)
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, YESTERDAY, 3/22/15, MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING WHILE CAROL TOOK HER FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL AS WE WERE APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT. AT THAT TIME THE CAR STARTED ACCELERATING. IS THIS A NEW PROBLEM OR HAS IT BEEN REPORTED BEFORE? WHO DO I CONTACT TO INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE AND ENSURE THAT MY VEHICLE IS SAFE? MY DAUGHTER BOUGHT A 2014 GMC TERRAIN LAST YEAR AND I'M CONCERNED ABOUT HER VEHICLE AS WELL. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10701021 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10701589 · 2015-11-24 (November 24, 2015)
2015 GMC TERRAIN. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO SUDDEN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THROTTLE FAILURES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN SHE TRIED TO ACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE BARELY MOVED. THE CONSUMER TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AND RE-STARTED IT, WITH THE SAME RESULTS. THE ENGINE WOULD JUST IDLE AS IF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DISCONNECTED. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10701589 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10703927 · 2015-04-06 (April 6, 2015)
WHILE SWITCHING LANES IN TRAFFIC ( AROUND 15 MPH), THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF (INCLUDING RADIO GAUGES AND ENGINE). PUT ON HAZARDS, SWITCHED FROM DRIVE TO PARK, AND RESTARTED THE CAR. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10703927 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10747132 · 2015-08-07 (August 7, 2015)
WHEN RENTING A GMC 2015 TERRAIN FROM NATIONAL CAR RENTAL IN PHOENIX AZ IN MAY 2015, UPON RETURNING THE VEHICLE WE NOTICED THAT THE SUN ROOF WAS SHATTERED. THERE WAS A SLIDING DOOR BETWEEN THE SUN ROOF AND THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE AND WE NEVER OPENED THE SUN ROOF OR THE SLIDING DOOR AND WAS SURPRISED WHEN THE SUN ROOF WAS SHATTERED. WE WERE CHARGED BY NATIONAL CAR RENTAL $750.00 FOR THE REPAIR AND STILL CAN'T FIGURED OUT HOW OR WHEN THIS HAPPENED. WE DIDN'T EXPERIENCE ANY EXTREME HOT PHOENIX TEMPERATURES DURING THAT TIME AND THE VEHI…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10747132 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10763755 · 2015-09-14 (September 14, 2015)
RADIO STOPPED FUNCTIONING ON AUGUST 26TH. THERE WAS NO VOLUME, I COULD NOT CHANGE THE STATIONS BY STEERING WHEEL OR TOUCH. THE BLUETOOTH WOULD NOT WORK. THE DASH LIGHTS WOULD NOT TURN OFF AND REMAINED ON THE ENTIRE EVENING. I CALLED GMC SUPPORT AND THEY SAID TO UNPLUG THE BATTERY, BUT I DID NOT DO SO AS I DIDNT WANT TO MESS ANYTHING UP. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO THE DEALERSHIP THE FOLLOWING DAY. I WAS TOLD THEY SEE THIS ISSUE OFTEN AND BY UNPLUGGING AND RESETTING THE BATTERY, IT WILL FIX THE ISSUE. PROBLEM RESOLVED. RADIO STOPPED FU…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10763755 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10767506 · 2015-09-22 (September 22, 2015)
IN THE EARLY MORNING OF 9-5-15 MY DAUGHTER BEGAN DRIVING HOME FROM PITTSBURGH TO DE. SHE SWERVED TO AVOID AN ANIMAL ON THE PA TURNPIKE, HIT THE JERSEY WALL ON THE RIGHT, ROLLED OVER COMPLETELY TWICE TO THE LEFT, LANDING UPRIGHT IN THE MEDIAN. LUCKILY THE SEAT BELT SAVED HER AND SHE HAD ONLY MINOR INJURIES. HOWEVER THE SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. IN FACT ONSTAR CALLED 911 BECAUSE THEIR MONITORING EQUIPMENT SHOWED THAT THE AIR BAGS HAD DEPLOYED, BUT THEY DID NOT. THE VEHICLE WAS DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS. THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE FOR…
Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10767506 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10780621 · 2015-10-07 (October 7, 2015)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 GMC TERRAIN. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH AT NIGHT, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS DID NOT FULLY ILLUMINATE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 8,500....UPDATED 02/03/16 *BF UPDATED 03/09/16.*JB
Owner-reported narrative. 8,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10780621 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
3 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
15V666000 · Air Bags:Side/Window
Reported: 2015-10-16 (October 16, 2015)
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 deployment.
Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of one or both of the side impact air bags, the air bag's inflator may rupture and the air bag may not properly inflate. The rupture could cause metal fragments to strike the vehicle occupants, potentially resulting in serious injury or death. Additionally, if the air bag does not properly inflate, the driver or passenger is at an increased risk of injury.
Remedy: 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, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 01320.
NHTSA campaign record ↗22V137000 · Exterior Lighting:Headlights
Reported: 2022-03-08 (March 8, 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 to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Consequence: The bright reflection may cause a glare for other drivers, reducing their visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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 recall is N222363740.
NHTSA campaign record ↗22V165000 · Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:Motor
Reported: 2022-03-17 (March 17, 2022)
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.
Consequence: Inoperative windshield wipers can reduce visibility in certain driving conditions, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 25, 2022. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212352530.
NHTSA campaign record ↗