2015 GMC TERRAIN Engine Problems

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 that this was a common issue with this GMC SUV and I wanted to reported. P0016 states, "crankshaft position camshaft position correlation Bank 1". I am disappointed that this issue has not been reported or recall. There are multiple youtube videos and online chats regarding this issue.

I GOT IN MY CAR AND PROCEED TO DRIVE AND THE POWER LOW ENGINE SIGN CAME ON. TOOK TRUCK TO MECHANIC AND PAID $1000 BECAUSE GAS WAS GOING INTO MY ENGINE.

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Terrain. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH with cruise control activated, the RPM suddenly increased to redline, after which the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was able to coast to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve, which then caused a failure with the front crank seal, resulting in damage to the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Action Number: PE25001 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 148,000.

Catastrophic mechanical failure; engine failure. Below freezing day driving normally until the car just died right in the middle of a busy 4 lane road. No warning lights were displayed. Luckily I was able to drift the car over to the curb lane then manually push into a parking lot with cars driving around me. Vehicle taken to independent Auto Care Service which did an inspection stating the PCV valve was frozen which then caused the pressure to blow rear seal and metal fragments could be seen in the oil drippings. No issues or dashboard notifications prior to this event.

My vehicle began jerking, shaking and kept shutting off in a highway intersection. I looked on the ground after coasting into a gas station to find oil leaking from under my vehicle. I've never had an oil leak and it caused my starter to go and I've had to replace the camshaft sensors all within the same week. It appears the rear seal went after the cold streak we had. I need my vehicle to take my mother to treatments, etc. Is there any recalls on this?

Oil consumption on this vehicle is terrible. All GMC for that matter. It burns in the engine and have to refill or top off multiple times a month.

Clogged manifold and engine head. Blockage buildup in manifold and Pcv valve causing exhaust problems. Oil sludge block air in head and manifold causing CEL to come on. And these vehicles drink engine oil like water. Gives code P0411

There is a well known piston ring gasket issue with various GMC Terrain model years. GMC had recalled some for the engine defect but not all years with the affected engine. The 24L Eco tec engine is faulty. The motor uses excessive amounts of oil between oil changes and all kinds of systems are affected by carbon buildup. The engines run rough and stall out WHILE DRIVING. GMC refuses to recall all of the vehicles with this problem and that includes my 2015 model year GMC Terrain with the 24L engine. This would cost me thousands to fix myself. This is a serious issue and also a safety issue that they can get away with selling such faulty vehicles to families and no one makes them fess up and fix the engines at their expense not ours. My wife has had the vehicle stall out constantly while driving and with...

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Terrain. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact turned off the vehicle and removed the key and the vehicle was shaking and shuddering until the vehicle independently turned off. The contact stated that there was an oil leak and oil was being added every four days. The contact stated that coolant was also frequently added. The contact stated that the vehicle was taking to an independent mechanic where the contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the engine power reduced message was displayed, and the vehicle decelerated to 20 MPH. The vehicle was towed to the residence and the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000.

While driving, my vehicle makes a loud funny sound, jerks/skips, and shuts off. It also loses motor oil quickly, yet it has no leaks and I have to constantly add more motor oil or get oil changes frequently. My safety has been put at risk because the engine can fail at any moment due to no motor oil, causing the vehicle to catch fire and also when the vehicle suddenly stops and shuts off in the middle of the road, it can cause an accident. There has been no inspection from the manufacturer.

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the message "Power Reduction Mode" was displayed, and the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that after restarting the vehicle, there was a ticking sound coming from the engine compartment before the vehicle stalled another time. The vehicle was towed to the local mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the engine timing was faulty, and the engine had experienced a loss of engine compression. The contact was advised to contact a local dealer for service. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 160,000.

Terrian with 2.4v have a massive oil burning problem. I have to put at least 2 quarts of oil in my car a week to get oil in it. There is problem with them during oil or oil rings are junk.

Vehicle has been consuming oil quicker than normal with no known reason as to why. Vehicle has also had 2 incidents of the vehicle not starting and no engine light or codes appear after vehicle gets started.

Engine timing chain broke car stop working in the middle of the road

The rear main seal for the engine fails because of a clogged PCV valve. This was a problem on previous years for the Terrain and other vehicles that carried a similar type of engine. There was a recall for those previous years (2011-2014). My vehicle is a 2015 GMC Terrain, and I am currently experiencing the same issue. I took my vehicle to a licensed dealership and they quoted me a price of close to $3,000 to make the necessary repairs. In my opinion, since the same issue/problem is occurring, there should be a recall issued to include at least the 2015 year models for that engine.

The front and rear seal of the engine went out in the matter of two weeks spraying oil all over the roadway and making to car not drivable.

My Car is using oil excessively. I need to add about 1 1/2 to 2 quarts weekly. I only drive about 40 each week.

Oil drained and no oil after oil change ra about 2300 miles and there is no indicator for low oil level or anything. Engine started rattling and engine sounded so that I pour oil then no more sound and working About month ago engine stopped while going slow in school line and after resting it worked and same rattling sound because of no oil

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start up as needed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced due to oil not reaching the engine block and the engine burning. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.

Vehicle stalled, steering column was shaking. Fortunately, this took place when leaving work parking lot. Had it happened on the road, driver and passenger safety would've been at greater risk. In addition, this particular issue could've resulted in a fire in the engine compartment. Took to mechanics and was informed that cylinder #3 was no longer contributing to engine function. Technician discovered cylinder was leaking from exhaust valves. Vehicle has not been inspected by the other individuals. Prior to this incident, vehicle was consuming oil at an enhanced pace although the oil light indicator would never turn on. Engine light didn't appear until cylinder #3 failed. It's important to note there is a previous (successful) class action lawsuit for the 2010-2013 models for the same exact reasons noted above. Missouri is in the process of filing a lawsuit for the 2014-2017 models.

Engine started sputtering, then vehicle was shifting hard and occasionally jerking forward while braking/at a complete stop. Check engine light came on. Found there was no oil left. Was less than 3000 miles since prior oil change. Dealer service sticker stated oil change was not due until 5000 miles (synthetic). Oil light never came on. After refilling oil, check engine light turned off and vehicle started operating normally. Discovered many others with problems with this vehicle consuming oil. Luckily, we caught it before engine failure, but obviously worried that this could happen at any time.

Timing chain stretching or breaking that can cause drivers to have a wreck or lose control of vehicle and also causes damage to the engine

Timing chain issues that causes new engine because the way it’s set up

The engine burned a usually large amount of oil without warning the driver, resulting in engine failure. With minimal local driving and no warning, the engine was completely out of oil, resulting in an engine banging/rattling that began, resulting in total car failure. Like others with the same issue, a certified dealer diagnosed that a new engine was needed at a cost of $9500. An independent repair shop also confirmed a new engine would be needed.

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was 186,000.

My GMC terrian has 98567 miles and had check engine light problem. Dealer said that I needed new timing chain. Cost $2282.05. Have not found a recall on the timing chain problem, but have seen many complains about the same issue. With some being replaced multiple times. Why has GMC not done anything to cure this problem. Van does not burn oil. Have it serviced at the GMC dealer since I purchased it with only 16000 miles.

My vehicle keeps running extremely low in oil and not alerting me with any warning lights. My vehicle starts to shake like it is going to stall and the engine makes a rattling noise. This is a safety concern.

The vehicle excessively burned oil and the engine now needs replaced. 4 oil changes in the last 11 months on top of adding oil in between oil changes. At a stop light the car died and was towed to a dealership.

Engine lost power suddenly while driving. No warning. Fuel pressure slowed to where vehicle no longer moved forward. Again. No warning. Timing chain slipped TWICE and destroyed engine without warning. “Engine power lost” appeared on dash from driving without warning or incident. Excessive oil consumption without warning. Smoking engine even though had regular oil changes. Engine had been inspected by dealership and allegedly had no issues. Car never smoked but did after second time of timing chain slipping/breaking. This issue has happened repeatedly to many drivers who own these vehicles. Had a difficult time stopping after engine and total power failure without warning.

During a long distance trip, the timing chain tensioner failed. There were no obvious signs of this condition when driving at highway speeds. No warning lights or reduced engine performance! After traveling over 200 miles, we stopped and discovered the engine was running very rough. We decided to stay overnight in a hotel and check the condition of the Terrain in the morning. The next day the car, started briefly and then stalled. It didn’t start again. We had the vehicle towed and the repair shop determined the the timing chain tensioner broke at some point on our trip. This caused the chain to come partially loose and that in turn “chewed up” the gear teeth. The metal fragments from the gears spread throughout the entire engine. This resulted in the engine to be declared unrepairable. If we hadn’t stopped, the engine could have creased up, and the almost assuredly...

Never had issues on my vehicle I only have 42,000 miles when I brought my vehicle it only had 28,000 miles I had two recalls recently fixed 2/21/2023 a month later while driving my vehicle stopped and check engine light came on also there is a dinging sound whenever I get into my car which wasn’t there before I was in my parking lot parking my car when it shut off 3 times

2015 GMC Terrain-The PCV system or rear engine seal froze and burst. It happened last month when GA experience record cold weather. When the vehicle’s PCV system freezes it caused pressure to build up in the vehicle’s crankcase that breaks or pops out the rear main engine seal and caused all of the oil to drain from the vehicle while driving. The engine has completely seized and will need to be replaced. There are several bulletins issues about this but no recall. After researching I see there has been a few class action suits filed within the past 12 months. This apparently has happened to quite a few people. I am now up to over 9K total. The PCV repair was 2800, then the timing chains 1800, only to find out that the engine suffered as well. New engine 4500. Please do something about this.

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Terrain. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle started jerking, lost motive power, and stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was restarted, and the contact continued to drive; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the “Engine Power Reduced” message was displayed. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the timing chain had fractured. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed of the failure but provided no additional assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000.

Stopped at Kwik Trip to get coffee before work one morning. Restarted Terrain and while leaving the SUV lost power and went into limp mode in heavy traffic. Car was towed to repair facility. Diagnosed as timing chain and guides failed resulting in major engine damage. Bill was $4302.85. Vehicle had 87397 miles on it.

Engine died in the middle of the freeway when driving, creating hazardous condition. It was later found out there was no oil. Oil was changed less than 2000 miles prior by GM dealer, there was no leak on the garage floor and there was no warning that oil was low and the exhaust did not look any different. There was no way to tell the engine was burning oil. The engine had barely 110k miles.

The engine is burning oil at a rate of about a quart every 2k miles. The check engine light came on recently and very shortly after a reduced power warning came on and made the vehicle difficult to drive. Which was not safe on a major road. It had to be towed to my mechanic and he mentioned to me that the engines in this vehicle are known to be problems. The pistons have an issue that burns oil in excess he said. I looked this up and found a class action settlement was just awarded to people in 3 states. However not mine.

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while performing an oil change, he noticed that the timing chain cover was leaking oil. Upon investigation, the contact discovered that other GMC vehicles had similar failure; however, there were no recalls on his vehicle. Both the dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and neither offered any assistance. The contact was later referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.

My vehicle had lack of engine excelleration, hesitated and was hard to drive. Took it to the GMC dealership and was told it was the timing chains. Because this was my only car and needed transportation for work I had it repaired. The amount was an expensive repair of $2,219.71 for what I researched was something that was happening in many of the 2015 GMC Terrains. People have been trying to get a recall notice to be sent to owners because it is so common and dangerous. I could be out on a busy highway and having the car die on me. Is there a way to receive some compensation for this seeming to be a normal problem for these cars. Why is there no recall especially since it has happened in many many of these 2015 GMC vehicles

Engine failure - car engine turned off when I stopped at a stop sign. Car warning lights flashed. Had to shut ignition off and turn on again. Car started again, but with check engine light staying on. From that point on, every time I would slow down for traffic lights, stop signs, turns or for any other reason when slowing down, the car would shut off. This was extremely dangerous in traffic as it would stall out randomly when slowing down. The car did not give any indication of any pending problems. Windshield wipers - stopped dead during a heavy rainstorm while traveling on a highway. Wipers were completely non-functional in any mode. Had to try to pull off the highway and park as driving visibility was non-existent. Safety to myself and others was completely compromised as I could not see to drive. No warning signs or messages to advise...

I was so excited to buy my first car!!!! found a 2015 GMC Terrain and loved the look of it and the thought of buying American Made. During the summer of 2020...just after COVID shut down...my car wouldn't start when running an errand. Got it towed to our local car guy and found out that the timing chain busted and the engine seized up at 52,000 miles. I still owed over $5,000.00 on it! Car guy said it would cost 5,200 to replace engine!!! Had it towed back to my garage and it's been sitting in there for 2 years. I have 2 more car payments left on a car I haven't been able to drive. Worst investment I have ever made and I will never buy a GMC or a Chevy again.

I turned on my car and it stalled while I was backing out of the driveway. The engine oil consumption is much higher than it should be so I was running on No oil when I had just gotten oil put in my car

Car has 77,000 miles with regular oil change and maintenance. Timing chain broke and engine failure.

There is a known issue with the oil consumption in multiple other GM models with the same 2.4 engine. Even after getting my routine oil change unpon checking my oil it was completely empty. This issue causes the vehicle to idle when there is no excelleration and it has even cut off twice within the past 5 months due to this issue. The recall was brought to my attention by the GMC service department where I purchased the vehicle while I was explaining the current issue. There are no alerts that the vehicle is completely out of oil, the check engine light never came in and there were no other warning signs, even when the vehicle has cut off.

My 2015 GMS Terrain SLE-2 engine failed last week with 109000 miles, just past the warranty. I was told the engine ran out of oil yet there were no signs of leaks. This caused the timing chain to fail and lifters broke. I have it changed regularly at my original and then local dealership and have all receipts. I had to scrap the car. GM nor the dealership informed me that there were issues with oil consumption. The dealership had NO explanation as to how it ran out of oil.

In October 2021 I took my car to have brake pads replaced, oil and filter change, and tire rotation. The day before the appointment the engine light came on. I parked the vehicle and waited for my appointment. The mechanic there told me there was not a drop of oil registering on the dipstick.... very odd considering I had the oil changed regularly. The appointment was completed and the engine light reset. The next day the engine light came back on and the code it was giving was for a Timing Control Solenoid, so I purchased the parts and took it back to the same mechanic. Engine light off- vehicle running normally- a few months pass-another routine oil/filter change in between and the engine light comes back on. This time I take it to a dealership and again there is not a drop of oil registering on the dipstick. Now...

Check engine light on took to dealer and they ran diagnostic. Timing chain is also on its way out. I am the original owner. "Water in PCV system obstruction in the secondary air system." I had this cleaned out a few years ago $500.00. If the PCV freezes without warning, the engine will seize. No warning for PCV, just visual inspection from tech at dealer.

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that upon checking the oil reservoir, he noticed that the oil was low despite recently having an oil change performed. The contact replenished the oil; however, he began to notice that the vehicle was vibrating with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to three independent mechanics; the first two were unable to diagnose the failure; however, the third dealer diagnosed the vehicle with a defective camshaft phaser. The contact called the dealer about the failure; however, they were unable to offer any assistance. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 152,000.

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while reversing out of her driveway, the vehicle started making abnormal knocking sounds. The check engine warning light illuminated. The contact parked the vehicle. An independent mechanic diagnosed that the battery was severely corroded and needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the battery was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 113,000.

The vehicle last ran on 8/16/21. Then I had a surgery the next day and tried to drive it on 8/17 only to find out it wouldn’t work. Then I had emergency surgery because of an infection from first surgery. So after surgeries and recuperation I am just getting the car estimated for repair and found out need new engine. Trying to find out if any recalls or warranty (purchased from Kia after a lease was returned in August of 2018 and there isn’t a warranty with Kia.

Timing chain issues on this model similar to the 2010-2013 models that had a class action lawsuit. The timing belt is damaged due to high oil consumption. Damage to timing belt can cause person to loose control of vehicle resulting in injury or even death.