Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government
holds on this vehicle.
Owners have filed 134 safety complaints
about the 2017 GMC Terrain with the US government. Of those, 11 describe a crash, 2 mention a fire, 7 people were injured and no death is recorded. One recall campaign is open against it, covering the exterior lighting.
The most complained-about system is the engine,
named in 78 complaints, 58% of the total.
The typical failure was reported at 48,850 miles,
the median across the 37
complaints that gave
an odometer reading.
Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files
· Covers February 2017 to September 2026 · How this is counted
What is on file
134 complaints on file
134
Complaints
11
Describe a crash
2
Mention fire
7
People injured
0
Deaths
A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a
finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts
them.
A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free.
Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can
answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a
model year.
Which system owners named
Complaints naming each system
ENGINE 78 · 58%
78 58%
POWER TRAIN 24 · 18%
24 18%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 20 · 15%
20 15%
AIR BAGS 12 · 9%
12 9%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 9 · 7%
9 7%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 7 · 5%
7 5%
STRUCTURE 7 · 5%
7 5%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 4 · 3%
4 3%
SEAT BELTS 4 · 3%
4 3%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 3 · 2%
3 2%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 2 · 1%
2 1%
EQUIPMENT 2 · 1%
2 1%
03569
Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it.
One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 134.
When the complaints arrived
By the year NHTSA received them
By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures
happened. They peaked in 2024 at 25.
This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure
happened. The range runs from 2017 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program
NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what
happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2017 GMC TERRAIN, and it is a separate
question from what owners report going wrong later.
Test
SUV AWD
SUV FWD
Overall
Frontal crash
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash
Side barrier
Side pole
Rollover
Chance of rollover
17.4%
19.1%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard
A rating belongs to a tested body style and drivetrain, not to the model as a whole, which is why more than one is listed.
A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2017 GMC Terrain vehicles. A reflection caused by the headlight housings may illuminate areas above the vehicle and outside of the driver's view with excessively bright light. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
The risk
The bright reflection may cause a glare for other drivers, reducing their visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will install headlamp appliques, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 8, 2022. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N222363740.
General Motors, LLC · up to 740,581 vehicles across all model years covered
In owners’ own words
Quoted from the complaint file
Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the
people who filed them, not findings of fault.
AIR BAGS
1 injured · crash · towed · 30,000 miles
I WAS DRIVING 9PM ON A CITY ST RD, COMING UP ON A MILE LIGHT THAT WAS RED. THE ROADS WERE DRY ON A 5 LANE RD. THERE WAS 1 CAR AHEAD OF MY CAR WITH THEIR BRAKE LIGHTS ON . ALTHOUGH NOT NOTED ON POLICE REPORT THE CAR WAS STOPPED APPROX 5 TO 7 CAR LENGTHS PRIOR TO THE RED LIGHT. I HAD BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN BUT DID NOT REALIZE THE DRIVER AHEAD WAS NOT SLOWING DOWN BUT STOPPED. I SWERVED TO THE RIGHT AND AS NOTED IN PICS BELOW THE DRIVERS SIDE OF CAR HIT THE OTHER DRIVERS PASSENGER BACK CORNER. I ENDED UP IN A PARKING LOT ON THAT CORNER. OTHER THEN THE MEDICAL TERM COOP TO COOP THAT ALSO AIDED IN MY HEAD INJURY, I ALSO HIT MY HEAD 2 TIMES AT MY HAIRLINE ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND THEN MY LEFT CHEEK. …
NHTSA complaint 11102236, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
AIR BAGS
1 injured · crash · towed · 45,000 miles
I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN DURING A GREEN LIGHT MY CAR WAS IN MOTION. A WHITE VAN WAS SPEEDING TOWARDS ME FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE GOING STRAIGHT AT ME AT HIGH SPEED WITH A RED LIGHT. THEY HIT THE FRONT DRIVERS END OF MY CAR WHICH MADE MY CAR SPIN OUT. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE WHOLE FRONT END OF MY CAR WAS RUINED.
NHTSA complaint 11320468. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
SERVICE BRAKES
1 injured · crash · towed · 50,000 miles
I AM THE OWNER OF A 2017 GMC TERRAIN. YESTERDAY, I WAS INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT IN THIS VEHICLE. SOME PERSON PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF ME AND I SLAMMED ON MY BRAKES TO AVOID A CAR ACCIDENT. HIS VEHICLE CONTINUED THROUGH AN INTERSECTION IN WHICH HE DID NOT HAVE THE RIGHT AWAY CAUSING ME TO HIT THE FRONT END OF HIS TRUCK. AS THE DRIVER STATES HE DID NOT SEE ME, I CAN CONFIRM I SLAMMED ON MY BRAKES, WHICH ACTED AS THEY COULDN'T STOP. IT FELT AS THE BRAKES WERE NONEXISTENT. THIS WAS AN EXTREMELY TERRIFYING MOMENT, AS I WAS GOING 45MPH (PER THE SPEED LIMIT). AS I HAD READ EARLIER, THE 2018 TERRAINS ALSO SEEM TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint 11362597. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
AIR BAGS
1 injured · crash · towed · 37,000 miles
PURCHASED GMC 2017 TERRAIN 1 MONTH AGO TODAY. THE FIRST WEEK I HAD IT THE ENGINE KEPT STALLING WHILE IDLING. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THEM TO FIX. I GOT IT BACK AND IT SEEMED TO RUN HARD. 3 DAYS LATER I FOUND THAT NOT ONE BUT BOTH KEY FOBS WOULD NOT WORK. THE BATTERY IS BRAND NEW. WHEN I SPOKE TO SERVICE MAN AT DEALERSHIP, HE STATED THAT ONE FOB WAS FAULTY AND THEY WOULD ORDER A NEW ONE. I HAVEN'T HEARD BACK FROM THEM...TODAY I GOT INTO A FRONT END COLLISION WHERE THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY CAUSING ME INJURY. ONLY AFTER THE FACT DID THE ALARM SOUND AND DASH MESSAGE CAME ON STATING SERVICE AIRBAG. THE FOUR WAY LIGHTS WOULD NOT STAY ON AND THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WOULD NOT TURN OFF. AND …
NHTSA complaint 11397678, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
POWER TRAIN
I bought this 2017 used on XXX I have had to put 1 quart of oil in the car every 500 miles. Because it burns oil like crazy. And now at this point, the transmission has just quit. I believe they call it the drive train. I am taking it to D and D auto repair in [XXX] on Thursday of this week. GMC knows about the drive train problem as it is common well known problem INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint 11767582. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The head unit quit working around 98k. The head unit is the radio, and screen which includes the back up camera. From what we have been told and find online, this is a known problem with them and affects other models as well. For the most part the head unit doesn't work but once in a while, once a month, it comes on but shows the Chevy logo on the screen which is odd because it is a GMC. Once you turn the car off, it will be gone again until it decides to come back. We took it into a dealer who tried to hook up to it and reprogram or update it, but he had no luck. Now we are without a backup camera that is a safety issue. I do not know why this isn't a recall as it is well known about issue.
NHTSA complaint 11733049. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ENGINE
Have had to replace the VVT solenoids several times within a year spam. Had to replace the rear main seal because it blew out due to carbon build up. Having issues with excessive oil consumption. Now the vehicle just started with: going from a stop position to accelerating at low speeds the vehicle stalls and dies. I want GM to take accountability and fix this issue as it is a safety issue to myself and everyone on the road.
NHTSA complaint 11727804. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
VISIBILITY/WIPER
Wiper blades transmission plastic parts keep popping or breaking this is the THIRD time this has happened at a cost of $350. Why would you use plastic parts for this knowing that it will break easily? Who can afford to keep replacing this? 12
NHTSA complaint 11725197. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ENGINE
towed · 104,750 miles
The contact owns a 2017 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that after the vehicle was taken to a local car wash, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the residence; however, the next day, the vehicle hesitated while starting. The message "Stabilizer - Power to Engine Reduced" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the engine possibly needed to be replaced because the engine failed to turn over. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the engine was blown. The contact was informed that the …
NHTSA complaint 11720905, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ENGINE
I had a message flash that said the power to the engine was reduce. Next message said check stabilink ( or something similar).. it said drive with caution. I live 2 mins from my job I drove home and pulled in the driveway I then felt the car act like it wanted to shake. This was on 2-10-26 I contacted onstar asked them to run a diagnostic. The codes that came back P0016 p0089 p228D are very well known codes with many people with the same vehicle/engine that have had to replace the engine. The engines have known issues had I known that maybe I could have replaced a part or two or three or four to have a stable vehicle now my vehicle is currently at GMC DEALER since Tuesday morning actually …
NHTSA complaint 11719289, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's
lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How
many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by
the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.
Complaints: NHTSA's ODI
complaint file, published October 2, 2026. One
complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.
Recalls: NHTSA's recall
campaign API, newest campaign on this vehicle filed March 8, 2022.
Investigations: NHTSA's ODI
investigation file, published October 2, 2026.
A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by
us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that
sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.
G
Compiled and maintained by guarledes Independent developer and analyst