Reliable Auto DB

2015 GMC Terrain reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2015 GMC Terrain has 297 complaints with NHTSA after 12 years, or 9 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Terrain years here — under the median of the other years, which is 12. NHTSA has 3 recalls on file, including Motor, Headlights, and Side and window.

2012 GMC Terrain
Photo by IFCAR, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons Public domain
Complaints

297

Per year

9

Recalls

3

Years on the road

12

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Visibility and wipers (101 of 297), then Engine (80) and Electrical system (31). Those filings include 9 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, and 6 that report an injury.

Next to 2014 and 2016

The 2014 Terrain has 296 complaints, 12 per year, and the 2016 has 152 complaints, 5 per year. The 2015 has fewer complaints per year than the 2014. The 2015 has more complaints per year than the 2016.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2015 GMC Terrain. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (3)

Recall visibility, windshield wiper, motor 2022-03-17 · NHTSA campaign 22V165000
Summary 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.
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.
Recall exterior lighting, headlights 2022-03-08 · NHTSA campaign 22V137000
Summary 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."
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.
Recall air bags, side and window 2015-10-16 · NHTSA campaign 15V666000
Summary 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.
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.

Complaints by component (297 total)

Visibility and wipers
101
Engine
80
Electrical system
31
Exterior lighting
24
Powertrain
21
Visibility
20
Air bags
16
Fuel and propulsion system
15
Structure
13
Electronic stability control (ESC)
8
Service brakes
8
Engine and engine cooling
4
Speed control
3
Fuel system, gasoline
2
Lane departure
2
Seat belts
2
Seats
2
Steering
2
Tires
2
Wheels
2
Back-over prevention
1
Forward collision avoidance
1
Hydraulic brakes
1
Suspension
1
Show 16 more Show less
Crash-flagged

9

Fire-flagged

1

Injury reports

6

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

112015620169201726201854201939202029202160202224202319202411202592026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "I am submitting this complaint regarding the engine timing chain failure in my 2015 GMC Terrain because I believe it presents a serious safety hazard. Before the failure, the vehicle began experiencing intermittent…"
    Engine · filed 2026-07-22
  • "The contact owns a 2015 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while driving 5 MPH, the brake, ABS, and stabili-trak warning lights were illuminated. The dealer was contacted and diagnosed the vehicle with an Electronic…"
    Hydraulic brakes · filed 2026-07-20
  • "I hit a deer and it totaled my vehicle and the Airbags did not deploy"
    Air bags · filed 2026-06-11
  • "See attached document for complaint."
    Engine and engine cooling · filed 2026-06-10
  • "The contact owns a 2015 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, there was an abnormal rattling sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to the residence. The…"
    Engine and engine cooling · filed 2026-04-14

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2015 GMC Terrain SUV AWD 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2015 GMC Terrain SUV FWD 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Terrain all-wheel drive 3.6L, 6-cyl Automatic 6-speed All-wheel drive 16 23 19 MPG $3400
Terrain all-wheel drive 2.4L, 4-cyl Automatic 6-speed All-wheel drive 20 28 23 MPG $2800
Terrain front-wheel drive 3.6L, 6-cyl Automatic 6-speed Front-wheel drive 17 24 19 MPG $3400
Terrain front-wheel drive 2.4L, 4-cyl Automatic 6-speed Front-wheel drive 22 31 26 MPG $2500
Terrain front-wheel drive 2.4L, 4-cyl Automatic 6-speed Front-wheel drive 22 31 26 MPG $2500

Specs and fitment

1st generation, 2012–2017
Body styles SUV
Oil dexos1 5W-30 (4-cylinder per manual) , 5 qt capacity
Tire size 235/55R18, 235/55R19, 235/60R17 (trim dependent)
Towing capacity 3,500 lbs

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA safety recall 22V137000 covers affected vehicles after the agency found that 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.". 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. When NHTSA lists multiple GM nameplates in one campaign, the published unit count is shared across them.

Compare

Previous year 2014 GMC Terrain Next year 2016 GMC Terrain See every GMC Terrain model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2015 GMC Terrain reliable?

The 2015 GMC Terrain has 297 complaints with NHTSA after 12 years, or 9 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Terrain years here — under the median of the other years, which is 12. NHTSA has 3 recalls on file, including Motor, Headlights, and Side and window.

What are common problems with a 2015 GMC Terrain?

The complaints owners file most often name Visibility and wipers (101 of 297), then Engine (80) and Electrical system (31). Those filings include 9 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, and 6 that report an injury.

Is the 2015 GMC Terrain more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2014 Terrain has 296 complaints, 12 per year, and the 2016 has 152 complaints, 5 per year. The 2015 has fewer complaints per year than the 2014. The 2015 has more complaints per year than the 2016.

Has the 2015 GMC Terrain been recalled?

The 2015 GMC Terrain has 3 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2015 GMC Terrain?

Owners have filed 297 complaints about the 2015 GMC Terrain with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2015 GMC Terrain get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2015 GMC Terrain is 22.6 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What engine oil does a GMC Terrain use?

US Terrain manuals specify dexos-approved oil for your four-cylinder engine.

What does NHTSA recall 22V-137 cover on the GMC Terrain?

NHTSA safety recall 22V137000 covers affected vehicles after the agency found that general Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2017 GMC Terrain vehicles.

What generation is the 2013 GMC Terrain?

1st generation (2012-2017).