2015 GMC Terrain Engine Problems
Owners have filed 80 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2015 GMC Terrain, 27% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 83,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “timing chain” (23% of reports).
- 80engine complaints
- 83,000median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $3,550typical repair cost reported by owners
- 24%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Timing chain: mentioned in 18 of 80 complaints (23%)
- Oil change: mentioned in 11 of 80 complaints (14%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine repair on the 2015 GMC Terrain at $3,550, and half of them between $3,200 and $7,500.
Based on 6 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2019–2024), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 30 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 80 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 1 a fire.
GMC Terrain engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Terrain | 1 | 3% | — |
| 2025 Terrain | 2 | 15% | 1,126 |
| 2024 Terrain | 11 | 21% | 6,766 |
| 2023 Terrain | 15 | 38% | 41,000 |
| 2022 Terrain | 10 | 17% | 66,000 |
| 2021 Terrain | 10 | 28% | 61,000 |
| 2020 Terrain | 58 | 29% | 67,000 |
| 2019 Terrain | 70 | 38% | 72,000 |
| 2018 Terrain | 54 | 24% | 18,000 |
| 2017 Terrain | 79 | 59% | 79,750 |
| 2016 Terrain | 46 | 30% | 70,000 |
| 2015 Terrain | 80 | 27% | 83,000 |
| 2014 Terrain | 123 | 41% | 91,000 |
| 2013 Terrain | 197 | 54% | 91,000 |
| 2012 Terrain | 169 | 46% | 85,000 |
| 2011 Terrain | 178 | 46% | 85,500 |
| 2010 Terrain | 107 | 37% | 79,839 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine for the 2015 GMC Terrain. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
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 symptoms, including engine jerking, shaking, rough operation, abnormal engine…
Oil consumption, causing high pressure furl pump to clog. It also causes catalytic converter to clog. No warning of oil loss. Causing stalling out while driving. Caused the engine to seize. New engine replaced and still same problem s
I own a 2015 GMC Terrain, 4D. Vehicle started displaying error P0016 during the evening of 07/27/2025, the following day the vehicle stopped working. I towed the vehicle to three different mechanics. All three mechanics indicated that the engine needs to be replaced. Two of the mechanics indicated…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2015 GMC Terrains have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 80 owner complaints about engine for the 2015 GMC Terrain (27% of the 298 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2015 GMC Terrain engine?
No recall currently lists engine for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 83,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix engine problems on the 2015 GMC Terrain?
Owners report a typical cost of $3,550 (half paid between $3,200 and $7,500), from 6 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2015 GMC Terrain?
The most frequent phrase is “timing chain”, in 18 of 80 complaints, followed by “oil change” (11).
Other 2015 GMC Terrain problems
See all 2015 GMC Terrain problems or engine problems across all Terrain years.