GMC Terrain other reported problems

307 of the 4,388 complaints filed about the GMC Terrain are about the other systems — 100% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2012.

307

Complaints

100%

Share of all complaints

10

Crashes

5

Fires

Other & Unspecified complaints by model year

2010 Terrain 16 5.2%

Median failure at 76,050 miles

2011 Terrain 33 10.7%

Median failure at 97,800 miles

2012 Terrain 37 12.1%

Median failure at 63,622 miles

2013 Terrain 25 8.1%

Median failure at 68,000 miles

2014 Terrain 16 5.2%

Median failure at 58,000 miles

2015 Terrain 21 6.8%

Median failure at 49,301 miles

2016 Terrain 13 4.2%

Median failure at 67,000 miles

2017 Terrain 20 6.5%

Median failure at 7,500 miles

2018 Terrain 34 11.1%

Median failure at 6,050 miles

2019 Terrain 21 6.8%

Median failure at 230 miles

2020 Terrain 34 11.1%

Median failure at 1,513 miles

2021 Terrain 3 1.0%
2022 Terrain 8 2.6%
2023 Terrain 7 2.3%
2024 Terrain 9 2.9%
2025 Terrain 2 0.7%
2026 Terrain 8 2.6%

What owners said

2022 GMC Terrain Twin Lakes, WI

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The car just stopped accelerating and the check engine light came on. I took it to a shop and they had to replace the fuel pump control module. There is already recall for SOME 2022 GMC terrains but my vehicle is not included in the recall. I dont understand how a 2022 GMC terrain has a recall for the fuel pump module but my 2022 GMC terrain is not part of the recall already put out and I have the same exact issue as the other vehicles that had been recalled.

NHTSA complaint #11763743 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2026 GMC Terrain Fairfax Station, VA

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I recently pulled over to help a woman driving a 2026 GMC Terrain who had run out of gas in the middle of XXX in Virginia. Obviously, the first priority was to get the vehicle out of the travel lanes and onto the shoulder. I tried to figure out how to put the Terrain into neutral so we could move it, only to discover that **the vehicle cannot be shifted into neutral if it is not running.** Since it was out of gas, it could not start, meaning we could not put it in neutral and could not move it out of the roadway. Fortunately, a VDOT Safety Service Patrol truck came by. The driver stopped to help and thankfully had gasoline. However, I was told that, according to policy, he could not put gas in the vehicle while it was still in the travel lanes. This created an extremely dangerous catch-22: **the vehicle could not be moved because it could not start, it could not start because it was out of gas, and gas could not be added because it had not been moved out of the roadway.** I believe this is a serious safety issue with the vehicle. A disabled vehicle should have a reliable way to be placed in neutral regardless of whether the engine can start. This is especially important after a breakdown or crash, when the vehicle may need to be moved quickly to protect the occupants, other drivers, or first responders. If there is a manual emergency procedure for putting a completely disabled Terrain into neutral, it should be clearly documented and readily accessible to drivers and roadside assistance personnel. If there is no practical method, I believe GMC needs to address this design. A modern vehicle should not become an immovable roadblock simply because it ran out of fuel. Please investigate this issue and take whatever action is necessary to ensure disabled vehicles can be safely moved out of active traffic lanes.

NHTSA complaint #11761336 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2022 GMC Terrain Mechanicsville, MD

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

My car wouldn’t start in my driveway.. onstar sent me an email with code P129F ( fuel pump driver control module) failed. I am thankful I wasn’t driving down the highway when it went out. My husband took it to Lexington Park Chevrolet Buick GMC dealership, where we bought the car and they replaced the part. My car only has 41,898 miles. My VIN #: [XXX] , a 2022 GMC Terrain Denali. I noticed online that other 2022 GMC Terrain has a recall on this part, but not my VIN #. I feel my vehicle should also be part of this recall. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11759454 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2018 GMC Terrain Huntsville, AL

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Approximately 3 miles from my residence my car display flashed "Reduced Engine Power" and slowed down. When I reached a stop sign and tried to stop, my brakes were stiff and I was unable to stop. I went through the stop sign. I continued to my residence at 10mph and backed into a parking space with a curb to help stop my vehicle. I turned the car off and called a mechanic to come look at my car. I explained the events and let him know it would not start. He checked the codes after hooking it up. The error codes were for Cam shaft and crank shaft, etc. I was instructed to not try and start the car because further damage could occur and it would need the camshaft pulled to determine the extent of damage.

NHTSA complaint #11759068 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2020 GMC Terrain Wappingers Falls, NY

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

During heavy rain, the sunroof on my Terrain leaked badly enough to allow a substantial amount of water into the vehicle. The rear floor area became completely saturated, and the sunroof controls stopped working. I brought the vehicle to Hudson Cadillac Buick GMC in Poughkeepsie, New York, to have the problem diagnosed and repaired. The resulting repairs and water-damage cleanup cost me nearly $3,000 out of pocket. I was advised that the damage was not covered by my warranty or by my insurance. What concerns me most, however, is that this does not appear to have been an isolated incident. While my Terrain was at the dealership, I learned that four other GMC Terrains were also at the dealership experiencing water damage related to leaking sunroofs. Mine was the fifth. Finding five Terrains at the same dealership with what appeared to be similar water-intrusion problems was extremely concerning to me and made me question whether this is a recurring issue with these vehicles. I also have a video provided by the dealership documenting the water damage to my vehicle, and I am happy to provide that video, my repair invoice, photographs, or any other documentation you would like to review. They went to great lengths to dry the vehicle, which was especially important to me because I was extremely concerned about hidden moisture and dangerous mold. Thankfully, after their work, there is no odor and no indication of remaining moisture or mold, and I am very satisfied with the quality of the repair and cleanup. The extent of the water damage was frightening. At one point, I was genuinely concerned that I might have to get rid of the vehicle simply because I was afraid of the long-term consequences of having so much water inside it. I am very grateful that the dealership was able to restore the vehicle so thoroughly but there is still a possibility that the repair will fail and I will have to replace the sunroof module.

NHTSA complaint #11756698 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2016 GMC Terrain Butte, MT

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

For an undetermined amount of time- many months for certain, I have been unable to get the key removed from the ignition when the car is shut off and placed in the locked position. I am forced to start and shut off the car for multiple times before I am finally able to remove the key. There is no rhyme no reason as to why the key finally decides to come out. This is obviously caused no accidents, however, it has become a constant source of frustration as it happens constantly. I have taken it to the dealership, and other than charging me for their exam, they had no answers as to the problem or how to resolve it. That was an absolute waste of time, and certainly my money. I have also taken it to a couple of other places without any diagnosis of the problem. I am finally taking it to someone who I know to be reputable, and hope the diagnosis can be made, without tremendous expense on my part.

NHTSA complaint #11755777 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2022 GMC Terrain Pewee Valley, KY

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The car suffered a long crank, then stalled completely while moving on a public road, which is a severe safety hazard.

NHTSA complaint #11755736 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2020 GMC Terrain Paducah, KY

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

When the gas is mashed to accelerate, the car does not want to go. It has left me stranded and rolling in the middle of traffic. I am scared to drive it.

NHTSA complaint #11755351 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2024 GMC Terrain Fayettville, NC

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The rear access closes on its own after sitting open for a period of time. I was sitting at grocery pick up with the access open. This caused it to close on worker at grocery pick up. It stayed closed and I had to hit the button to open it back it did not auto go back up when it couldn’t close.

NHTSA complaint #11752310 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2020 GMC Terrain High Point, NC Fire

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The back passenger seat exploded and caught fire, burning the back of the seat in front and burning the ceilings. Inside the whole vehicle is black from smoke damage. Incident assessed by fire marshal who has ruled as electrical issue. No warning lights or systems displayed anything.

NHTSA complaint #11751287 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2026 GMC Terrain Albuquerque, NM

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The Screen calls my own phone number and hangs up over and over if I just ended a call. I am not able to use any part of the screen afterwards such as my map. It stays like that until I disconnect the Bluetooth and wifi from my phone while trying to drive. Safety issue!

NHTSA complaint #11748887 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2019 GMC Terrain 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.

2020 GMC Terrain Walworth, NY

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Backup camera stopped working and displays a blue screen stating “service backup camera.” This was an issue when the vehicle was under 3 year manufacturer bumper to bumper warranty and was fixed by dealer at no cost. Now this same issue has occurred again approximately 3-4 years later. I thought at first this was an issue specific to my vehicle but now after doing research I see this is an issue across several GMC Terrian vehicles and other GM vehicles. This issue should be fixed by the manufacturer for all vehicles affected. Vehicle owners should not be responsible to fix faulty parts from the manufacturer.

NHTSA complaint #11745463 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2010 GMC Terrain East Greenwich, RI

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I am reporting an auto dealership and its finance company for contract fraud, electronic profile manipulation, and using illegal repossession threats to cover it up. During my vehicle purchase, the dealership used deceptive bait-and-switch tactics. They altered my final contract numbers without my consent, hid account ledgers, and changed how my down payment was applied. Crucially, they entered falsified financial metrics and manipulated personal tracking data within the electronic underwriting systems and lending networks to force a loan approval that never should have happened. The business records prove the companies have known about this active fraud dispute since March 31st, when I placed a formal cease-and-desist call to management. Instead of stopping collection activities to investigate the fraud, they ignored my notices, hid my payment histories, and completely refused to cooperate. Now, even though these companies are actively being sued in state court for these exact consumer protection violations, they are weaponizing aggressive repossession threats to try and bypass judicial oversight. The dealership sent a physical letter threatening immediate repossession while openly admitting my dispute flags had been active since March 31st. Shortly after, on the exact same day their legal counsel received the court lawsuit papers, the finance company mailed an aggressive notice threatening a live repossession of my vehicle by a strict deadline of July 2nd. They are deliberately using extrajudicial intimidation to seize the physical vehicle and cover their tracks before a state court judge can audit their electronic fraud. I request that NHTSA investigate this dealership and finance company for predatory marketplace practices and falsifying transaction information in electronic auto systems.

NHTSA complaint #11743328 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2020 GMC Terrain Scottsdale, AZ

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

On June 7, 2026, I was driving my 2020 GMC Terrain. I was going at about 40MPH along a very busy main road. While slowing for a red light the Check Engine Light turned on and the car displayed a notice about reduced engine power. Seconds later, the brake pedal became stuck and would not press down all the way and I lost braking ability. The car rattled/shook violently, made a grinding noise, and then the engine shut off and the car stopped abruptly, narrowly avoiding hitting the car in front of us. I turned on the hazard lights. I was not able to get the car to start again, nor was I able to get the car to shift into any other gear including neutral. We were nearly hit by other vehicles multiple times while attempting to get the car to move again, and to get myself and my child safely out of the road. Myself and multiple bystanders attempted to engage the transmission interlock override multiple time. We were eventually able to engage it and push the car to the side of the road. This failure created an extremely unsafe situation for all involved as this road is very busy and there were numerous near-collisions both with my disabled vehicle, and with other drivers serving out of the way and into other lanes at the last second. As time went on and the battery drained, most of the car's exterior lights turned off and other drivers had a hard time seeing my car. I used a strobe flashlight to alert other drivers but this required that I had to stand in the road near the vehicle. Police were called immediately when I found that we could not move the car out of the road, but they did not arrive. Ultimately the vehicle was stuck and inoperable in a travel lane for over two hours. The car was then towed to a nearby repair shop. The mechanic evaluation stated that the brake vacuum pump had failed resulting in loss of braking ability and expensive damage to the engine and other components. The manufacturer is aware of this issue. See: Thieme, et al. v. General Motors LLC.

NHTSA complaint #11742733 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2023 GMC Terrain Thousand Palms, CA

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I have had 2 different instances where my vehicle stops in the middle of a busy intersection or traffic and have no warning what so ever. Vehicle just shuts off and I am not able to turn back on to move out of the way. First time I got it repaired it was related to the fuel pump and now I am waiting to hear back from my mechanic to see what the issue is but so far it is an indication of the fuel pump as well. Both times I required help from law enforcement because vehicle shut off in the middle of the road and safety to myself and other drivers was an issue until tow truck arrived to move my vehicle.

NHTSA complaint #11741516 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2019 GMC Terrain 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.

2023 GMC Terrain Rosharon, TX

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Vehicle stalled while driving and would not restart. Strong gasoline smell present and on ground. Third occurrence. Vehicle stalled while driving at on busy road (safety issue both times). Strong raw gas smell. Would not crank afterward. Dash powered normally with check engine light. Happened previously around 27k miles in September 2025. Occurred again May 9, 2026. Occurred again today l, May 18, 2026. Vehicles is being towed to dealership again for the 3rd time

NHTSA complaint #11738493 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2022 GMC Terrain Springfield, VA

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The sun/moon roof randomly imploded while driving. It popped and felt the force of the implosion.

NHTSA complaint #11738316 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2025 GMC Terrain Attleboro, MA

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

OnStar module not working

NHTSA complaint #11737313 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other GMC Terrain problems