Owners have filed 299 complaints
about the 2019 GMC Terrain with NHTSA between 2018 and 2026.
The largest single group is the brakes.
Across this model's run it ranks 6 of 17 worst.
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew
an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous
ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 58
Against the median year of the GMC Terrain. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 28
5.4% of these complaints
involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of
9.7%.
Early failure — 100
60% of failures with a mileage on record happened under
36,000 miles, against a national rate of
29%.
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all
complaints include one.
Under 1,000 miles
711.3%
1,000 – 9,999 miles
1321.0%
10,000 – 24,999 miles
1524.2%
25,000 – 49,999 miles
914.5%
50,000 – 74,999 miles
711.3%
75,000 – 99,999 miles
69.7%
100,000 – 149,999 miles
34.8%
150,000+ miles
23.2%
NHTSA crash tests
The agency crash-tested this model year itself. These are its own
photographs and star ratings.
Configuration
Overall
Front
Side
Rollover
2019 GMC Terrain SUV FWD
18.5% risk
2019 GMC Terrain SUV AWD
16.4% risk
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Aug 2018peak 21Aug 2026
Recalls on the 2019 GMC Terrain
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which
the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous
enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
United States — NHTSA
20V668000
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts.
Risk: Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.
19V184000
SEATS
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. The rear-right seat may have insufficient welds on the head-restraint bracket.
Risk: In the event of a crash, the insufficient welds may result in an increased risk of injury for an occupant seated in the rear-right position.
18V576000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insufficient coating causing gas pockets to form, potentially reducing rear brake performance.
Risk: A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
Canada — Transport Canada
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not
always mirror the American ones.
Recall 202052022,911 units in Canada
Powertrain
Issue: On certain vehicles, the start-stop accumulator in the transmission may be missing bolts. As a result, transmission fluid could leak and eventually cause the transmission to stop working. If this happens, there could be a loss of power to the wheels. Safety Risk: A transmission fluid leak onto a hot surface can create the risk of a fire. Additionally, a loss of power to the wheels could increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: General Motors will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to inspect the transmission start-stop accumulator. It will be replaced if any bolts are found missing.
Recall 201912024 units in Canada
Seats And Restraints
Issue: On certain vehicles, the head-restraint bracket of the rear-right seat may be not be properly welded. This could allow the head-restraint to move in a crash. Safety Risk: A head-restraint that does not stay in place during a crash could create an increased risk of injury. Corrective Actions: The company will notify owners by mail. Owners will be instructed to take their vehicle to a dealer to have the rear-right seatback frame replaced.
Recall 201846119,385 units in Canada
Brakes
On certain vehicles, a problem with the rear brake system may cause gas bubbles to form in the brake fluid. This could cause a soft brake pedal feel and a reduction in brake performance, increasing the risk of a crash causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will bleed the rear brakes.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
Peekskill, NYCrash
SUSPENSION
Recently experience rear differential binding with vehicle resulting in an accident.
NHTSA complaint #11689378 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Charleston, WVFire
ENGINE
I bought a car from Boone Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram dealership in North Carolina on [XXX] and by [XXX] my engine was out before I purchase my car I made sure they serviced my vehicle at a GMC Dealership and there's a warranty on the service of my engine I did not buy the warranty on my car because they couldn't guarantee that the warranty transferred over to West Virginia shop's and that they would cover issues they stated they could deny service cuz it was out of state. So my car went to Moses Cadillac GMC in downtown Charleston on [XXX] they literally just randomly dropped it back off to me two Wednesdays ago. I've been working with GMC to try to purchase a new vehicle and get mine bought back, but it's been a whole process but I'm trying to work with Moses so I can purchase a new vehicle but they won't call me back and i feel like its because they know something is defective. The engine had a Regen done before i purchased it and now all of a sudden the cars engine is Done. Now when this happened the battery got so hot my car started smoking we originally thought it was the starter. Because when it stopped working we were at a Toll booth and pressed the break and the stop start kicked the engine off and it never came back on. Even now if you try to start it the battery gets hot and the starter smokes. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11615813 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 40,000 milesQueens, NYCrash3 injured
SERVICE BRAKES
The contact owned a 2019 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while the wife was driving at approximately 60 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed and it felt stiff. The vehicle failed to decrease in speed and as a result, the driver merged to the shoulder of the road however another vehicle crashed into the front driver side of the vehicle. The driver was able to merge to the shoulder of the road where the road bumps were able to decrease the speed of the vehicle. The ABS warning light was illuminated. The driver, front passenger, and rear driver's side passenger all sustained headaches and received medical attention via an ambulance on the scene. No occupants in the second vehicle were reported injured. A police report was taken at the scene and the vehicle was towed away. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not contacted. The failure mileage was 40,000.
NHTSA complaint #11595648 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 20,000 milesSouth Euclid, OHCrash1 injured
AIR BAGS
The contact owned a 2019 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, another vehicle crashed into the passenger side of the contact's vehicle. The air bags deployed; however, metal fragments from the air bag hit the contact's face, causing severe injuries. The contact received medical attention. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. A police report was filed. The vehicle was deemed totaled by the insurance company. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.
NHTSA complaint #11531264 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 58,000 milesTroy, MI4 injured
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
The contact owns a 2019 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 75 MPH, the panoramic glass sunroof shattered, causing shards of glass to enter the cabin of the vehicle. The contact stated that the panoramic sunroof was in the closed position when the failure occurred. During the failure, the front passenger sustained lacerations to the back, leg, and shoulder. The eleven-month-old child seated in the rear passenger’s side seat sustained lacerations to both legs. The rear middle seat occupant sustained a laceration to the rear head area, while the rear driver’s side occupant sustained lacerations to both arms. No injuries required medical treatment. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 58,000.
NHTSA complaint #11523167 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Agawam, MAFire
ENGINE
My wife was driving the car, about 70 mph on route 84 passing danbury ct. She was traveling in the middle lane, some kind of oil light went on the dashboard, car shut down while traveling 70 mph on the highway, and caught on fire under the hood. She managed to pull over, and got out of the car with my daughter. This is a 2019 car with 14K miles. This car was packed with milwaukee cordless tools, complete Festool set, complete golf bag with all the clubs, two suitcases of best clothes for me and my daughter, her laptop, etc. We were driving to our new home in south carolina, and on the way the car burned.
NHTSA complaint #11440494 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Sicklerville, NJ
STRUCTURE:BODY
This is the second time I have noticed storm heavy rain that my car is taken on water. We had an extremely heavy rain in June and no windows was left open. I did not know water had gotten into my car for an entire month when I heard a solution sale when I came to a break, what I did realize is that there was condensation buildup is inside of my car, but it was not sure why. After searching, I was able to locate and discover thatI had at least 3 inches of water standing water in my spare tire, section of my trunk. There was also an extreme amount of water on my floors in the back row once I took out my mats, I found there to be mold back there.Still unsure of how t the water got into the car I used my shop vac to suck out the water. We just had an extreme amount of heavy rain again. We are now in August. We just had extremely heavy amounts of rain and once again there’s water in the well trunk of my car where the spare tire is. I actually made sure to sit outside in my car during this heavy rain storm to see where the water was coming from. It appears that the water is coming from the sunroof, which then leaks to the back on the right hand side where the outlet socket is. I watched it dripped down into the back of the trunk into the spare tire well. I do not understand why this issue has not triggered a a recall yet as I’m noticing this is not just with my car. This is apparently the sixth or seventh car that has experienced this issue and GMC has yet to do a recall on it. This is very alarming and concerning God forbid I’m driving to work or I have one of my children in the car during a heavy rain storm and it hits the electrical wires or electrical panel with something else bad happens.
NHTSA complaint #11758661 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Penn Hills, PA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
On Saturday, August 15th we were driving on the freeway when with no warning the check engine light came on and the vehicle began to run poorly, and then the vehicle lost electrical power and it became difficult to steer and the brake pedal became stiff, making it difficult to stop and pull over. The vehicle would not start on command but kept running very poorly, it also became impossible to shut the vehicle off until it seized. It was later towed to a local repair shop, and today, Friday August 21st the shop confirmed that the vacuum pump on the brake assist failed and it would need a total engine replacement.
NHTSA complaint #11758591 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Penn Hills, PA
ENGINE
On Saturday, August 15th we were driving on the freeway when with no warning the check engine light came on and the vehicle began to run poorly, and then the vehicle lost electrical power and it became difficult to steer and the brake pedal became stiff, making it difficult to stop and pull over. The vehicle would not start on command but kept running very poorly, it also became impossible to shut the vehicle off until it seized. It was later towed to a local repair shop, and today, Friday August 21st the shop confirmed that the vacuum pump on the brake assist failed and it would need a total engine replacement.
NHTSA complaint #11758591 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Penn Hills, PA
SERVICE BRAKES
On Saturday, August 15th we were driving on the freeway when with no warning the check engine light came on and the vehicle began to run poorly, and then the vehicle lost electrical power and it became difficult to steer and the brake pedal became stiff, making it difficult to stop and pull over. The vehicle would not start on command but kept running very poorly, it also became impossible to shut the vehicle off until it seized. It was later towed to a local repair shop, and today, Friday August 21st the shop confirmed that the vacuum pump on the brake assist failed and it would need a total engine replacement.
NHTSA complaint #11758591 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sicklerville, NJ
VISIBILITY/WIPER
This is the second time I have noticed storm heavy rain that my car is taken on water. We had an extremely heavy rain in June and no windows was left open. I did not know water had gotten into my car for an entire month when I heard a solution sale when I came to a break, what I did realize is that there was condensation buildup is inside of my car, but it was not sure why. After searching, I was able to locate and discover thatI had at least 3 inches of water standing water in my spare tire, section of my trunk. There was also an extreme amount of water on my floors in the back row once I took out my mats, I found there to be mold back there.Still unsure of how t the water got into the car I used my shop vac to suck out the water. We just had an extreme amount of heavy rain again. We are now in August. We just had extremely heavy amounts of rain and once again there’s water in the well trunk of my car where the spare tire is. I actually made sure to sit outside in my car during this heavy rain storm to see where the water was coming from. It appears that the water is coming from the sunroof, which then leaks to the back on the right hand side where the outlet socket is. I watched it dripped down into the back of the trunk into the spare tire well. I do not understand why this issue has not triggered a a recall yet as I’m noticing this is not just with my car. This is apparently the sixth or seventh car that has experienced this issue and GMC has yet to do a recall on it. This is very alarming and concerning God forbid I’m driving to work or I have one of my children in the car during a heavy rain storm and it hits the electrical wires or electrical panel with something else bad happens.
NHTSA complaint #11758661 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
West Orange, NJ
ENGINE
The car’s brakes hardened on the highway, posing a life-threatening danger, right before the engine died. Following a tow to the dealership’s service center, an initial inspection revealed a broken vacuum pump and broken camshaft. The dealership stated that there was evidence that camshaft debris may be scattered throughout the engine. No further inspection has been done at this time due to the probability of major engine damage and/or potential repairs.
NHTSA complaint #11757612 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
West Orange, NJ
SERVICE BRAKES
The car’s brakes hardened on the highway, posing a life-threatening danger, right before the engine died. Following a tow to the dealership’s service center, an initial inspection revealed a broken vacuum pump and broken camshaft. The dealership stated that there was evidence that camshaft debris may be scattered throughout the engine. No further inspection has been done at this time due to the probability of major engine damage and/or potential repairs.
NHTSA complaint #11757612 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Beverly Hills, MI
ENGINE
While driving my 2019 GMC Terrain on local roads, the vehicle suffered a sudden and complete failure of the braking system. The brake pedal became extremely hard to press, and the dashboard displayed a critical error message stating 'Engine Power is Reduced.' during this frightening safety incident i felt lucky to bring the car to a stop without an accident. The vehicle had to be flatbed towed to a repair facility. This sudden loss of power braking is a known, documented defect matching the engine-driven brake vacuum pump failures currently subject to federal class-action litigation (Thieme v. General Motors). I am requesting a formal safety investigation into why the GMC Terrain was excluded from previous GM vacuum pump recalls despite posing an identical, life-threatening risk to occupants."
NHTSA complaint #11755772 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Beverly Hills, MI
SERVICE BRAKES
While driving my 2019 GMC Terrain on local roads, the vehicle suffered a sudden and complete failure of the braking system. The brake pedal became extremely hard to press, and the dashboard displayed a critical error message stating 'Engine Power is Reduced.' during this frightening safety incident i felt lucky to bring the car to a stop without an accident. The vehicle had to be flatbed towed to a repair facility. This sudden loss of power braking is a known, documented defect matching the engine-driven brake vacuum pump failures currently subject to federal class-action litigation (Thieme v. General Motors). I am requesting a formal safety investigation into why the GMC Terrain was excluded from previous GM vacuum pump recalls despite posing an identical, life-threatening risk to occupants."
NHTSA complaint #11755772 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Horn Lake, MS
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
While driving the vehicle became extremely difficult to stop I was advised that the Vacuum booster pump was broken and it needed to be replaced. This was first completed 09/24/25 by Gateway tire and service center. I was advised that there was a service bulletin for the issue. Then I have had the same thing happen and I returned the vehicle to the same repair shop and I was advised that the Vacuum booster pump was broken and it caused the exhaust camshaft to break, as well as the timing was out. The shop had to replace several things in order to repair and I was responsible for the cost. There was no warning before either of the incidents.
NHTSA complaint #11748359 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Horn Lake, MS
ENGINE
While driving the vehicle became extremely difficult to stop I was advised that the Vacuum booster pump was broken and it needed to be replaced. This was first completed 09/24/25 by Gateway tire and service center. I was advised that there was a service bulletin for the issue. Then I have had the same thing happen and I returned the vehicle to the same repair shop and I was advised that the Vacuum booster pump was broken and it caused the exhaust camshaft to break, as well as the timing was out. The shop had to replace several things in order to repair and I was responsible for the cost. There was no warning before either of the incidents.
NHTSA complaint #11748359 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Peoria, IL
POWER TRAIN
No engine lights are on. When at stops it starts chugging and when I accelerate sometimes it does not go like it should. It idles high and feels like it is slipping. I have almost been hit in the rear several times when this happens. One lady did rear end me but the damage was so little that I did not call the cops. This vehicle has not been inspected and it is available for inspection at any time.
NHTSA complaint #11748117 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Brentwood, TN
POWER TRAIN
The turbo went completely out at around 105k miles while I was driving to work. I had to coast into a repair shop because it was smoking and wouldn’t go over 20mph and then have it towed to the place that repaired it. Since then, the transmission is having trouble shifting gears. The car struggles to accelerate and I have to go abnormally slow after coming to a complete stop in order for the car to get into gear. The onstar diagnostic says everything is fine but it is clearly not fine.
NHTSA complaint #11743318 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Brentwood, TN
ENGINE
The turbo went completely out at around 105k miles while I was driving to work. I had to coast into a repair shop because it was smoking and wouldn’t go over 20mph and then have it towed to the place that repaired it. Since then, the transmission is having trouble shifting gears. The car struggles to accelerate and I have to go abnormally slow after coming to a complete stop in order for the car to get into gear. The onstar diagnostic says everything is fine but it is clearly not fine.
NHTSA complaint #11743318 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sylvania, OH
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My 2019 GMC Terrain has a faulty back up camera system. It shows a blue screen that says Service rear view camera system, This has been a faulty system for years until it finally stopped working completely. I have researched the issue and have discovered this is a known problem. There was a Service Bulletin 19-NA-076 dated April of 2019. Why has there not been a recall for this safety issue?
NHTSA complaint #11738911 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 76,000 milesWalled Lake, MI
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
The contact owns a 2019 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while stopped and attempting to turn to exit a highway ramp, he observed a loud banging noise emanating from the engine compartment. An "engine reduced power" message appeared. The vehicle then went into limp mode, and when the brake pedal was depressed, it was stiff as a rock. The vehicle coasted while he continued attempting to depress the brake pedal, and it eventually slowed down. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road and turned off. When the vehicle was turned back on and he attempted to depress the accelerator pedal, the vehicle did not accelerate. The vehicle was taken to his mother's residence approximately 100 miles away in limp mode and parked. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that his brother, during an inspection of the vehicle, removed the vacuum pump and noticed that it was broken with numerous pieces that had gone into the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 76,000.
NHTSA complaint #11737591 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 76,000 milesWalled Lake, MI
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2019 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while stopped and attempting to turn to exit a highway ramp, he observed a loud banging noise emanating from the engine compartment. An "engine reduced power" message appeared. The vehicle then went into limp mode, and when the brake pedal was depressed, it was stiff as a rock. The vehicle coasted while he continued attempting to depress the brake pedal, and it eventually slowed down. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road and turned off. When the vehicle was turned back on and he attempted to depress the accelerator pedal, the vehicle did not accelerate. The vehicle was taken to his mother's residence approximately 100 miles away in limp mode and parked. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that his brother, during an inspection of the vehicle, removed the vacuum pump and noticed that it was broken with numerous pieces that had gone into the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 76,000.
NHTSA complaint #11737591 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Coshocton, OH
VISIBILITY/WIPER
I got into my car to head to the store today. Upon closing drivers door I heard a muffled sounding pop. As I looked around I noticed back windshield looked “weird”. Got out and walked around the back to see it completely shattered. It just exploded and every inch has a crack or chip, even all asking the edges of the glass. I lifted the tail gate to see if a rock was thrown by chance and a chunk fell into the car. No rock was found. It simply shattered. The temp today was low 60’s on May 3rd, 2026 here in Ohio.
NHTSA complaint #11735393 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
San Jose, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
My cars breaks failed by a vacuum pump failer and I almost died on the a hill going home
NHTSA complaint #11733476 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
San Jose, CA
SERVICE BRAKES
My cars breaks failed by a vacuum pump failer and I almost died on the a hill going home
NHTSA complaint #11733476 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
San Jose, CA
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
My cars breaks failed by a vacuum pump failer and I almost died on the a hill going home
NHTSA complaint #11733476 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Wiscasset, ME
ENGINE
ENGINE BREAKDOWN 1.5TURBO IN 11/28/25 WITH 16820 MILES ON IT. IT IS NOT AVAILABLE I HEARD A BANG AND SMOKE OUT OF BACK LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGH WAY DAMAGE WAS CONFIRMED BUY A DEALER GOODWIN CHEVROLET IN BRUNSWICK ME YES BUY GM DEALER. NO THERE WERE NO WARNING LAMPS OR OTHER SYMPTOMS BEFORE FAILURE. CAR WAS CHECK ON 3/30/2023 AT 10383 MILES FOR SHAKING AND LOSING POWER.CAR DID COME OUT IT TOOK IT TO LEE GM DEALER IN AUBURN ME COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #11732575 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sumiton, AL
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
This is the 4th time my vacuum pump has “broke” my brakes become hard and stiff and my brake assist light comes on. It happens EVERY winter when it drops below freezing. This is the second time this winter it has broke and now my check engine light is on. It is not cheap to fix and a major safety issue. Would like to add I was only backing out of my drive way this last time it happened. I was going maybe 5-10 mph.
NHTSA complaint #11731108 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Tappahannock, VA
SERVICE BRAKES
Brake assist light came on and brake pedal became stiff/hard to push. Vehicle struggled to brake. Replaced brake pads and checked brake fluid. Brakes still inoperable. Check engine light came on for vacuum pump. When replacing pump, metal shards and pieces were falling out when original was removed. Once replacement was installed vehicle began hesitating to start and run.
NHTSA complaint #11727730 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Westland, MI
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My Transmission went out of my truck. I was told this has happened to others of the same make and model, so this is a known issue with this transmission. I was driving down the road and the car completely stopped in moving traffic. I was almost hit by other vehicles and then had to take my truck to get it repaired. I was told it was not able to be rebuilt that it had to be completely replaced. This is radiculitis since this vehicle is not that old and again a known issue. I want to be sure mine was listed as one that had to be repaired in the event a recall is done so that I may get my money back.
NHTSA complaint #11726390 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.