There are 9 owner-reported body & structure complaints for the 2015 GMC Terrainin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
First occurrence in September 2015. Rear lift gate acted abnormally, when I was parked,y son opened the lift gate using the normal door handle button, it raised, but as he was loading it lowered onto him. He is small, I had to get out and pull it off of him, it went up and down a couple times and then closed. You cannot stop it from closing down on you if you are trying to load or unload into that compartment. We have had to stop using altogether.
The contact had a dealer loaner vehicle, a 2015 GMC Terrain. The contact stated the liftgate raised up extremely fast and caused the hydraulic on the passenger side to detach. Once the hydraulic fell, the liftgate hit her in the head, and she became unconscious. A random person assisted contact. Once she became conscious she drove herself to an emergency. The contact was diagnosed with major injuries of spinal whiplash and consciousness. The contact had been scheduled for a neurologist. The dealer was notified of the failure; however, were not of assistance. The dealer informed the contact to notify GMC of the failure. The manufacturer has not been notified. The approximate failure mileage was 102,000
The contact owns a 2015 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that moisture was leaking into the vehicle from an unknown location. The contact stated that the leak first started on the front driver’s side of the vehicle. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic where the mechanic was unable to identify the source of the leak. While attempting to prevent mold from forming inside the vehicle, the front interior carpeting of the vehicle was detailed and vacuumed. The contact stated that recently the leak returned on the passenger’s side of the vehicle. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.
WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT VERY SLOW THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND DAMAGED CAR IN FRONT THERE ARE TRACTION MARKS SHOWING THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION. THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP UNTIL THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF. BECAUSE THE CARS IN FRONT WERE HIT I PLACED THE CAR IN PARK AFTER THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF.
THE REAR HATCH WILL FULLY OPEN AND THEN FALLS PART WAY OR FULLY WITHOUT ANY CAUSE. IT HIT ME IN THE HEAD AND BACK AS I WAS NOT EXPECTING THE HATCH DOOR TO FALL. THIS WAS OBVIOUSLY WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED IN A GARAGE.
THERE IS WATER LEAKING (POSSIBLY FROM THE AIR CONDITIONER) ONTO THE FLOORBOARD OF THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. THIS HAS CAUSED MOLD TO FORM AND GROW IN THE CARPETING. IT IS CONSTANT AND IS GETTING WORSE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 GMC TERRAIN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LIFTGATE LIFTED AND LOWERED ON ITS OWN. THE LIFTGATE STRUCK THE CONTACT'S SPOUSE AND THEN LIFTED AGAIN. THE CONTACT'S SPOUSE HAD TO HOLD THE LIFTGATE BEFORE IT STRUCK THEIR DAUGHTER. THE LIFTGATE EVENTUALLY CLOSED ON ITS OWN. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CONTACT MADE AN APPOINTMENT NEXT WEEK WITH JOHNSON MOTORS (1891 BLINKER PKWY, DUBOIS, PA 15801, (877) 816-0659) TO HAVE THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000. *DT
WHILE PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY. THE AUTOMATIC LIFTGATE GOES UP AND THEN FALLS HALFWAY, GOES UP AN THEN FALLS BACK ALL THE WAY DOWN. IT HIT ME AN KNOCKED ME OWN THE FIRST TIME. IT STARTED IN JULY OF THIS YEAR AND DOES IT CONSISTENTLY. I COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY HURT OR A CHILD COULD EVEN BE CRUSHED AS IT IS EXTREMELY HEAVY. I CANNOT USE THE REAR COMPARTMENT AS THE LIFTGATE WILL NOT STAY OPEN. THERE IS A LAWSUIT ON CERTAIN YEARS FOR THIS VERY PROBLEM AND GMC HAS A TSB UP THROUGH 2014 BUT FOR SOME REASON THE 2015 MODEL IS NOT INCLUDE EVEN THOUGH IT HAS THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. HERE IS A VIDEO OF THE ISSUE. THIS IS ANOTHER TERRAIN AS I DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET A VIDEO OF MINE ON YOUTUBE. HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=U3NCKL-DETA
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 GMC TERRAIN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE AUTOMATIC LIFTGATE BUTTON ON THE KEY FOB WAS DEPRESSED, THE LIFTGATE OPENED AND CAME DOWN SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS STRUCK ON THE HEAD, BUT WAS UNINJURED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED FIVE OTHER TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND COMPLAINT NUMBER: 8-292626883080 WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026