GMC · Known Issues
2010-2025 GMC Terrain Problems: 26 Known Issues
2010-2025 model years · 3,010+ owner reports · Updated September 2026
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2010-2025 model years · 3,010+ owner reports · Updated September 2026
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According to Au7o's analysis of 3,010+ owner reports, the 2010-2025 GMC Terrain has 26 documented known issues, with 13 rated critical. The most serious are 2.4L I4 Excessive Oil Consumption and Piston Ring Failure ($1,200-$6,500 repair), 1.5L Turbo PCV System Failure and Coolant/Oil Intrusion ($400-$2,800 repair), Start/Stop Transmission Accumulator Endcap Missing Bolts - Fluid Leak & Loss of Propulsion (Recall), High-Pressure Fuel Pump Failure Causing Engine Stall (Recall) ($0-$1,200 repair), Door Striker Fracture Allowing a Door to Open While Driving (Recall 23V869000), Windshield Wiper Module Ball Joint Corrosion Causing Inoperative Wipers (Recall 16V582000), Electric Power Steering Sticking / Increased Steering Effort ($600-$1,500 repair), Engine-Driven Brake Vacuum Pump Failure - Sudden Loss of Power Brake Assist (Hard Pedal) ($400-$1,500 repair), Ecotec 2.4L Timing Chain and Tensioner Failure ($1,000-$3,000 repair), High Feature V6 (3.0L LF1 / 3.6L LFX) Timing Chain Stretch - P0008 / P0009 Cam-Crank Correlation ($1,800-$4,000 repair), Hankook Tire Tread Separation - Insufficient Curative Agent Recall (21V612) ($0-$0 repair), Occupant Classification System Fails to Suppress Front Passenger Airbag in Ventilated Seats (22V929) ($0-$0 repair) and Charge Air Cooler Outlet Duct Disconnecting at the Throttle Body - Sudden Power Loss and Stall ($0-$250 repair). The most commonly reported issue is 2.4L I4 Excessive Oil Consumption and Piston Ring Failure with 1,680 owner reports. Across all issues with published estimates, repair costs range from $100 to $6,500. DIY maintenance guides at au7o.io.
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2024 Chevrolet Blazer, Blazer EV, Equinox, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The door strikers may fracture, resulting in the door opening unexpectedly.
SEATS
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Chevrolet Equinox and 2022 GMC Terrain vehicles. The driver's seat may have a stripped or loose bolt at the seat frame height-adjust pivot.
CHILD SEAT:VEHICLE LATCH ANCHOR
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. The four rear-seat lower child seat LATCH anchorage bars may have excessive powder coating, which could prevent a child seat from being installed with the anchorage bars. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 225, "Child Restraint Anchorage Systems."
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2023 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles equipped with ventilated front passenger seats. The Occupant Classification System may not properly disable the front passenger air bag when there is a small child or child restraint detected in the seat.
TIRES
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles equipped with certain Hankook tires. The tires may have been manufactured with an insufficient amount of curative agent, which could cause tread separation.
Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check recalls specific to your vehicle.
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According to Au7o's analysis of 3,010+ owner reports, the 2010-2025 GMC Terrain has 26 documented issues. The most frequently reported are: 2.4L I4 Excessive Oil Consumption and Piston Ring Failure, 1.5L Turbo PCV System Failure and Coolant/Oil Intrusion, Start/Stop Transmission Accumulator Endcap Missing Bolts - Fluid Leak & Loss of Propulsion (Recall). Of these, 13 are rated critical and should be addressed promptly.
The 2010-2025 GMC Terrain has 26 known issues documented across 3,010+ owner reports. 13 issues are rated critical: 2.4L I4 Excessive Oil Consumption and Piston Ring Failure and 1.5L Turbo PCV System Failure and Coolant/Oil Intrusion and Start/Stop Transmission Accumulator Endcap Missing Bolts - Fluid Leak & Loss of Propulsion (Recall) and High-Pressure Fuel Pump Failure Causing Engine Stall (Recall) and Door Striker Fracture Allowing a Door to Open While Driving (Recall 23V869000) and Windshield Wiper Module Ball Joint Corrosion Causing Inoperative Wipers (Recall 16V582000) and Electric Power Steering Sticking / Increased Steering Effort and Engine-Driven Brake Vacuum Pump Failure - Sudden Loss of Power Brake Assist (Hard Pedal) and Ecotec 2.4L Timing Chain and Tensioner Failure and High Feature V6 (3.0L LF1 / 3.6L LFX) Timing Chain Stretch - P0008 / P0009 Cam-Crank Correlation and Hankook Tire Tread Separation - Insufficient Curative Agent Recall (21V612) and Occupant Classification System Fails to Suppress Front Passenger Airbag in Ventilated Seats (22V929) and Charge Air Cooler Outlet Duct Disconnecting at the Throttle Body - Sudden Power Loss and Stall. Prospective buyers should inspect for these issues and factor potential repair costs into their purchase decision. Regular maintenance following the manufacturer's schedule helps prevent many common problems.
Repair costs for known GMC Terrain issues range from $0 to $6,500, depending on the specific problem and whether you choose DIY or professional repair. The most critical issue, 2.4L I4 Excessive Oil Consumption and Piston Ring Failure, typically costs $1,200-$6,500 to repair. Au7o provides step-by-step DIY maintenance guides that can help reduce repair costs.
Reliability varies across model years of the GMC Terrain. Based on documented issues, problems are most commonly reported in earlier model years. Au7o recommends checking the specific known issues for your target year before purchasing, and having a pre-purchase inspection performed by a qualified mechanic. Our known issues database covers the 2010-2025 GMC Terrain with 26 documented issues documented across 3,010+ owner reports.
The 2.4L LEA and LE9 four-cylinder engines in 2010-2017 Terrain are among the most reported excessive oil consumption issues in GM's lineup. Many owners consume 1 quart of oil every 1,000-2,000 miles. The root cause is inadequate piston ring tension combined with piston ring land… Repairs typically run $1,200-$6,500. Severity: high.
The 2018+ Terrain with the 1.5L turbocharged engine (LFV/LYX) experiences PCV (Positive Crankcase Ventilation) diaphragm failure inside the valve cover. The integrated PCV diaphragm tears, causing excessive crankcase pressure that forces oil into the intake manifold and intercool… Repairs typically run $400-$2,800. Severity: high.
NHTSA campaign 20V668 covers certain 2018-2020 GMC Terrain vehicles. Missing bolts on the transmission start/stop accumulator endcap can cause a transmission-fluid leak, loss of propulsion and possible fire. Severity: high.
On 1.5L turbo Terrains, a component inside the high-pressure fuel pump can fracture prematurely, generating metallic debris that migrates through the fuel line and blocks the injector inlets, starving the engine of fuel and causing sudden stalling and loss of power while driving… Repairs typically run $0-$1,200. Severity: high.
GM recalled a small group of 2024 GMC Terrain SUVs because the door strikers — the metal loops on the body pillars that the door latch grabs onto — can fracture. If a striker breaks, the latch has nothing to hold, and the door can open unexpectedly. NHTSA lists the defect under S… Severity: high.
General Motors recalled 2013 GMC Terrain vehicles because the ball joints inside the windshield wiper module can corrode and wear over time. As that wear progresses, the linkage can stop driving the wiper arms, and one or both front wipers may become inoperative. On a crossover l… Severity: high.
First-generation Terrains (shared with the Chevy Equinox) develop a "sticky" power-steering condition where the wheel binds on-center - most often after long straight-highway driving - and requires noticeably higher effort to turn. NHTSA investigated roughly 781,000 2010-2012 uni… Repairs typically run $600-$1,500. Severity: high.
On second-generation Terrains (2018-2022) with the 1.5L LYX and 2.0L LTG turbo engines, the camshaft-driven mechanical vacuum pump that supplies the brake booster can fail suddenly and without warning. When it fails, drivers lose power brake assist and the pedal becomes hard as a… Repairs typically run $400-$1,500. Severity: high.
The GM Ecotec 2.4L in the 2010-2014 Terrain has the same timing chain stretch and tensioner failure as the Equinox and Malibu. GM Special Coverage Adjustment SCA 12313C covers some vehicles. The 2010-2011 models are worst affected. Improperly hardened piston rings on 2010-2013 mo… Repairs typically run $1,000-$3,000. Severity: high.
First-generation Terrains ordered with the optional V6 - the 3.0L LF1 in 2010-2012 and the 3.6L LFX from 2013-2017 - use GM's High Feature V6 architecture with four timing chains. The chains and their tensioners/guides stretch and wear prematurely, particularly on engines run on… Repairs typically run $1,800-$4,000. Severity: high.
GM recalled 2021-2022 Terrain and Chevrolet Equinox vehicles fitted with specific Hankook tires that were manufactured with an insufficient amount of curative agent. Under-cured rubber can allow the tread to separate from the carcass at speed, producing a sudden loss of vehicle c… Repairs typically run $0-$0. Severity: high.
GM recalled 2023 Terrain vehicles built with ventilated front passenger seats because the Occupant Classification System may fail to properly disable the front passenger airbag when a small child or a child restraint is detected in that seat. If the airbag deploys against a child… Repairs typically run $0-$0. Severity: high.
On 1.5L LYX-equipped Terrains the charge air cooler outlet tube can separate from the throttle body inlet. The retaining clip design does not hold the duct under boost pressure and heat cycling, so the tube pops off, dumping boost and unmetered air. GM issued Service Update N1922… Repairs typically run $0-$250. Severity: high.
The 2010-2017 Terrain uses the GM 6T40 (2.4L) and 6T45 (V6) 6-speed automatic transmissions, both of which suffer from torque converter shudder, harsh shifts, and solenoid failures. The shudder occurs at light throttle between 30-50 mph when the torque converter clutch locks up. Repairs typically run $150-$2,800. Severity: medium.
The engine-driven water pump develops bearing/impeller wear or seal leaks, allowing coolant to weep (often visible as dried Dex-Cool on the timing-chain cover or flung from the pump pulley) and eventually causing overheating. On both the 2.4L Ecotec and 3.6L V6, the pump is timin… Repairs typically run $1,008-$1,443. Severity: medium.
Terrain front and rear hub assemblies integrate the ABS magnetic encoder ring into the bearing's inboard seal, where it sits directly exposed to road salt and moisture. Two distinct failure modes result. The mechanical one is the familiar humming or roaring that rises with speed… Repairs typically run $300-$800. Severity: medium.
Second-generation Terrains with the electronic precision (push-button/monostable) shifter throw a persistent "Shift to Park" warning and refuse to shift out of (or fully into) park even when correctly positioned. GM traced it to build-up/contamination on the Park switch contacts… Repairs typically run $150-$1,500. Severity: medium.
First-generation Terrains (2010-2017) are prone to a sudden 'Reduced Engine Power' warning caused by a failing electronic throttle body. Carbon and grime build up inside the bore and the internal throttle position sensor (TPS) fails or reads erratically, causing the ECM to enter… Repairs typically run $250-$650. Severity: medium.
On the second-generation Terrain (2018+) with the turbocharged 1.5L LYX or 2.0L LTG engine, the air-to-air charge air cooler (intercooler) accumulates condensate from humid or rainy driving plus PCV-borne moisture. In cold ambient temperatures that water freezes inside the CAC co… Repairs typically run $150-$900. Severity: medium.
GM recalled 2020-2023 Terrain vehicles because excessive powder coating on the four rear-seat lower child seat LATCH anchorage bars can prevent a child restraint from being properly installed or securely latched. A child seat that will not seat fully on the anchor may not restrai… Repairs typically run $0-$0. Severity: medium.
Content on this page was compiled with AI assistance using NHTSA complaints, TSBs, owner reports, and public automotive data. While we strive for accuracy, this information may contain errors. Always verify repair procedures and specifications with your vehicle's service manual or a qualified mechanic.