Equipment Problems of GMC Terrain - part 2

The rear camera is displaying the top of the license plate! it wasn’t doing it when I first purchased the car. Dealer states it is normal. I do not agree.

See all problems of the 2024 GMC Terrain 🔎.

Two weeks ago I was driving on the highway. My car felt fine. No warning light the dashboard. Suddenly I receive a notification on my dash stating “engine speed reduced” and my check engine light went on. My car at this point still feels fine, not shaking, no smoke, etc. I’m on the highway and not in a safe position to pull over. 2 minutes later I receive another notification on my dash stating “service breaks”. I immediately tap my brakes to check and they are stiff. I let off the gas as I was approaching the exit and begin pumping my brakes. They continue to be stiff. Luckily there was no one I front of me as this exit led to a rotary. I was able to coast around the rotary and into a parking lot where I attempted to push the e- break which did not work. My steering tightened and then my car died. I have the car towed to GMC where I bought the vehicle. Am told I will be charged a diagnostic fee and they will let me know what they find before repairs are made. I receive a call back the following day stating “the vacuum pump exploded causing you to loose brakes”. I was told “the vacuum pump and repairs would be about $1,200. But they could not guarantee that once the vacuum pump was removed, there wouldn’t be more debris and destruction to the cam shaft and engine”. We asked they continue with the diagnostics and check the engine for debris. We receive a call back stating “the vacuum pump exploded and there are shards of medal debris in your engine”. Recommendations are that I need a new engine as "the vacuum pump explosion caused catastrophic damage to the engine". My safety and the safety of other innocent drivers on the highway were put in extreme danger! I lost all break control, power steering, and emergency break control. I had minutes from the time the first warning alerted to the time I lost complete control of the car. This is a known issue with gm motors specifically made between 2016-2019.

See all problems of the 2019 GMC Terrain 🔎.

Back up camera just started showing a blue screen with message that stated service back up camera. No accident, has not been to dealership. Just started 8/15/2025. No warning given.

Vehicle has had check engine light and engine reduced power flicking on and off for months, randomly reducing power on highway or nearly causing accidents. Brought car to GMC dealer, they said it was underboost code and needed new turbo. Paid over 7,000$ for repair. Next morning, same issue still was happening. I believe my vehicle has emissions recall issue “n192271200 charge air cooler disconnect at throttle body” but gm has not properly attached my VIN number for this recall repair. I have poured thousands into repairs out of pocket and the same issue still persists. I believe strongly the recall emission issue is the problem and should be on my VIN. Vehicle has been to dealer 3 times in the past 2 weeks, issue has not been fixed. Improperly diagnosed, random repairs made not fixing actual issue.

The bolts fell out and the bracket that holds the drive shaft in place fractured while driving.

See all problems of the 2020 GMC Terrain 🔎.

Liftgate automatically closing and failure to remain open causing a safety hazard for anyone standing at the liftgate.

See all problems of the 2012 GMC Terrain 🔎.

A little over two weeks ago we were going to sidney to get groceries. It was hot that day so we turned the a/c on. Fog started coming out of the vents, it looked like we turned on a fog machine! a few days later we were going to town, my daughter got in and the whole driver's side floor was full of water. There was so much of it we had to get the shop vac out to suck it up. I called the dealer where we purchased it from because it still under warranty. Their shop guy was out for the week so they scheduled me an appt for the following week. By this time my speakers aren't working, my signal lights dont make any sounds when I use them and the floor is soaked again. On August 5th we took the car into high plains and left it. They said they worked on it for 4 hours and fixed the problem, some drain line was plugged with sludge and so the water knocked out a module or amp. I thot everything would be covered but then they said I'd have to pay because all of a sudden a mouse had causes that line to get plugged. I asked them for pictures because im turning it into my insurance company, and they said they would send them. They never have I requested the pictures 2x, once with patrick the shop manager and then with jeff presser, owner. Still today, nothing. Meanwhile yesterday here comes all the water on the floor again. We use this vehicle to haul my grandson to his therapies and medical appointments. He has cerebral palsy and has severe respiratory problems that requires him to be on oxygen. Now were worried that mold has started growing because even though were sucking up the water, the floor pad and carpet are still wet. I went online and have seen numerous people complaining about the same issue for years with these GMC Terrains, why hasnt there been a recall or national warning on this faulty problem?.

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.

Component affected: service brakes, hydraulic – brake vacuum pump summary of the problem: I am reporting a serious safety issue involving the brake vacuum pump on my 2018 GMC Terrain. The brake pump failed catastrophically ("blew up"), resulting in a sudden loss of braking power. This occurred without warning and posed a significant risk to my safety and others on the road. We were traveling to vacation in florida and thankfully had just gotten off the interstate. Details: the failure caused the brake pedal to become extremely hard to press, and the vehicle required a much longer distance to stop. We experienced no brake at the brake booster and a blown vacuum pump is due to a faulty vacuum pump which is a known issue for this model. Fortunately, no accident occurred, but the situation could have easily led to a collision. A certified mechanic confirmed that the brake vacuum pump exploded and needs to be replaced. I have incurred significant out-of-pocket repair costs due to this issue. We had to uber to our vacation room, get walmart plus to have groceries delivered to our room. We had to have uber eats deliver other supplies. We have had to walk to various places for dinner and entertainment because avis and budget had no vehicles available to rent and enterprise was closed as we arrived on Saturday afternoon. I have checked for recalls and service bulletins using my VIN, but none are currently listed for this specific issue, despite similar problems being reported in other gm vehicles. Request: I urge the NHTSA to investigate this issue further. The failure of a critical braking component without warning is a serious safety concern. I believe this may be part of a broader pattern of brake system failures in gm vehicles and should be addressed through a recall or safety campaign. Also, the estimate for the repair is $2,500 so any reimbursement would be greatly appreciated. We just received this estimate but I can provide it at a later date.

See all problems of the 2018 GMC Terrain 🔎.

Very soon after purchase vehicle developed a front end shake and continued to get worse. This happens when pulling out or in stop and go traffic this varies from in intensity and sometimes it can be quite violent shaking the whole vehicle. The car has been to a gm dealership for this problem 3 times now. The first time 9/8/2025 replaced rear axle, the second time 10/20/25 both front axles were replaced. The 3rd time gm engineer paul koerner said they are aware of this problem but there is no repair until it is further investigated this was 12/10/25. As of this time there is still no repair but a bulletin has come out document #7036661. This states the customer should continue to drive vehicle I now have 7600 miles on it and it continues to shake every time I pull out. There seems to be no repair in sight and I’m concerned something will finally fail maybe causing a serious situation and about the unknown damage this is causing to the vehicle. I have written a letter to gm corporate about my concerns and asked for vehicle replacement to no avail. I have all the repair orders and documents and would be glad to give them to you as I have tried to upload them and it seems to work but won’t let me continue.

The rear hatch would open but then start to slowly drop. The local dealership diagnosed the problem and told me the pump needed to be replaced but quoted $1000. I chose not to have the repair done at that time but recently the hatch opened and then dropped suddenly hitting me on the head. There were earlier model recalls for this problem but not on the 2015. This is a potentially dangerous condition.

See all problems of the 2015 GMC Terrain 🔎.

Sunshade is not rolling back and has come off the tracks obstructing rear view and I am unable to drive the vehicle.

Liftgate strut malfunctioned. Yes vehicle is available for inspection upon request. I activated the trunk with the key fob, while retrieving items out of my trunk, the trunk began closing on me without any warning. The liftgate sensor failed to recognize an object (me), was in the trunk and nearly caused a severe crush injury which could have been fatal. Yes the problem was reproduce by an independent service center as well as a dealership. No the part was not inspected. There were no known warning lights or messages. Apparently as per consumers this is known problem with the 2010-2017 GMC Terrain and chevy equinox.

While driving under normal conditions the panoramic sunroof shattered. This is a serious safety issue and obviously a problem with the manufacturing of the tempered glass.

Vehicle shimmies upon acceleration from a stopped position.

Constantly have water leaking into spare tire compartment, back seat floors and passenger floor. Mold/mildew smell coming through vents. Have had drains lines cleaned out, and still recurring having this issue. Unknown where leak is coming from. This is a serious health risk.

See all problems of the 2021 GMC Terrain 🔎.

I was 30 seconds away to pull in my driveway. Warning came up on screen (service) transmission unable to shift. When I turned into my driveway the vehicle stopped suddenly & threw itself into park. Vehicle still running but would not go into any gear, drive or reverse. I then pushed the park button & I think it said emergency brake released. I then proceeded to drive up my driveway with no problem. Haven’t gotten back in vehicle yet as I am afraid to but l made appointment to take it to the dealership to check it out. On 3/24. (linus Cadillac Buick GMC)thank god it happened in my driveway as it would’ve caused an accident. ( the vehicle was driven up the rd. Walking distance. Sat there for an hr. Visiting my family. Then was driving home when incident happened. So it wasn’t running hot or anything.

Drive shaft on my GMC Terrain needs to be repaired according to my repair shop. I brought it in as it was vibrating on acceleration and other times frequently. I was told it was the “drive shaft” and the mechanic states they have had equinox and GMC Terrains coming in for same issue. (specifically my year Terrain) I looked up and found this recall # for this issue: n212343560. I was never notified and now have a very expensive repair bill which may or may not fix the issue.

The backup camera in our 2019 GMC Terrain stopped working one day - has blue screen and says service rear vision system - so we’ve been driving a year with no backup camera. The dealership wants almost $1000 to fix this issue. And this issue seems to be very common in 2018-2020 Terrains. We bought the vehicle in December 2023.

The backup camera on my vehicle stopped working completely, displaying a blank screen. All other cameras and sensors continue to function normally. The dealership identified the issue as the camera having “shorted out” and is replacing it with a completely new unit. The faulty camera is currently with the dealership, and I assume it would be available for inspection upon request. It is being replaced and I will receive a bill in a few days (Wednesday March 10, 2025). The backup camera is a critical safety feature designed to prevent collisions with pedestrians, objects, and other vehicles when reversing. Without a functioning camera, visibility is significantly reduced, increasing the risk of an accident, especially in crowded parking lots or areas with low visibility. The sudden and unexplained failure of this system is a serious safety concern. Yes, the dealership confirmed the issue when I brought my vehicle in for inspection. They determined that the camera had “shorted out” and ordered a full replacement. The vehicle has been inspected by the dealership, which is handling the replacement. To my knowledge, no manufacturer representatives, police, or insurance agents have examined the issue. There were no warning lights, error messages, or other indications before the failure. The backup camera was functioning normally, then suddenly stopped working, displaying a blank screen. I have heard that Cadillac and GMC acadia models have experienced similar backup camera issues, leading to recalls due to sudden failures. Given that my vehicle’s camera “shorted out” without warning, I believe this may be part of a broader issue affecting gm vehicles. If this is a recurring problem, it poses a serious safety risk and should be investigated further.

See all problems of the 2022 GMC Terrain 🔎.

Driving 75-80mph in the freeway when suddenly the power stopped in the middle of the road and couldn’t get it to run. Thankfully freeway exit was near was able to get the vehicle to safety. Tried to turn in on again and would turn on but die down after. Had to tow the vehicle and take it to the dealership the next day. Said it was fuel pump module defect and there’s nothing I could have done to cause it. Vehicle is less than 3 years old with good maintenance.

1st time - rear main seal blew out & engine lost all of its oil causing rocker arm to break & chains to slip-vehicle sputtered & died while driving down busy street & would not restart - my safety & safety of others driving behind me were at risk for causing a rear end accident and/or pile up crash - no warning lights or sounds alerted me - dealership told us general motors is aware this is/has been a problem with 2017 Terrain vehicles especially those driven in midwest states due to colder temperatures - the intake manifold vent hole is not large enough to let air out, so it plugs up & causes pressure to blow out rear seal, which causes oil to leak out and engine dies. When replaced with a remanufactured engine intake manifold vent hole was not drilled out causing it to happen again 2nd time - when leaving parking spot at work noticed oil puddles underneath my vehicle, I checked my oil, it showed full, I was concerned, drove to nearby last place I got my oil change. They informed me that all the oil had leaked out and showed me the bottom of my vehicle oil covered the front to the back of my vehicle. They also said that I was extremely lucky to get to shop before engine blew and stopped dead. Again my safety and safety of others behind me could have been a rear end accident and/or car pileup crash - again no warning lights or sounds alerted me - shop personal told me general motors is aware this is/has been a problem with 2017 Terrain vehicles especially those driven in midwest states due to colder temperatures - even though the repairs where done by a certified dealership the first time they replaced with a remanufactured engine but failed to drill out the intake manifold vent hole bigger so this would not happen again but it did. General motors cannot just sell vehicles it has to stand behind what they sell which in my case they have not. Due to gm lack of concern, recalls, reimbursements, lives have been and continue to be at risk.

See all problems of the 2017 GMC Terrain 🔎.

My car is allowing me to drive without the key fob. I've drove two hours away from my house where my key fob was. It allows me to shut off the vehicle. Vehicle says ' no remote detected. Press brake to restart. This is the 3rd incident. This is definitely a safty issue. Someone can take my car 2 hours or so from my residence.

Hole for timing chain guide bolt damaged by failed guide bolt.

We have been having varying issues with this GMC, and have found numerous others with the same issue. Vacuum pump went out while driving. Thankfully I was not going very fast and it stopped prior to hitting someone. This is a known issue, yet no recall from GMC. Vacuum pump is said to have been failing causing other engine and transmission issues that can never be "re-created" for the vehicle to be fixed.

My car sunroof drainage system is not draining properly and GMC won’t see me for a month. There’s an excessive amount of water that’s pooling in the rear passenger floorboards buckets of water.

Blue screen with the message "service rear vision system".

I think the manifold on GMC Terrain need to be on a recall because mine already cracked.

Vehicle emissions issue, catalytic converter and engine light. Vehicle is burning oil.

See all problems of the 2013 GMC Terrain 🔎.

Back up camera does not work. It shows a blue screen and says service repair needed.

Back right tail light filling with water when it rains. Affecting electrical wires and water dripping into back cargo. No cracks or damage found on tail light.

See all problems of the 2016 GMC Terrain 🔎.

Every time it rains, the floorboard of my car is soaking wet. I took it to the dealership, and they stated the leak is coming from inside the firewall. I have only had this vehicle for 2 years and just recently moved to a house without a garage. Now that I am just now noticing it, I am wondering if it was like this when I bought it, but I am only noticing it now that I do not have a garage. They want to charge me over $1,000 just to take apart the dashboard to find the leak and that is just insane. There is no telling how much mold, rust, etc. Could be in my car from this leak.

The ac is very poor and no back ac units is bad for small children. Also, engine light for exhaust.

See all problems of the 2014 GMC Terrain 🔎.

The rear backup camera in my 2020 GMC Terrain failed. I first noticed and noted that the image was 'cloudy' on 5/3/2023, and it became very bad by 1/22/2024. On 7/1/2024, the image stopped working completely, replaced with a blue screen on the dashboard screen. I ordered a new camera and replaced it myself on 8/1/2024. Because the dealership did not mention any safety effects or recalls, and instead quoted me a very expensive repair estimate, and the vehicle was out of its 3 year warranty, I assumed it was my responsibility to repair this feature. However, I have seen recent news articles where other vehicles have been recalled by NHTSA for similar problems with backup cameras.

Infotainment system safety issues. I have video. Multiple times per week when starting the car and backing the rear camera engages. When placing car in drive the rear camera never shuts off, the sound volume doesn't work, the entire infotainment system completely malfunctions. The safety is when attempting to function the controls the volume will turn up and not able to turn it down, the screen flashes and the infotainment systems controls on the steering wheel do not function. I've had it to the dealer and they indicate pic6591a from March 3rd 2025 is logged. When contacting GMC corporate they refuse to give any information. The pic spans across many GMC vehicles including 2019 models. Why hasn't this been addressed? my son drives a 2024 chevy trax and this car has no issues like the my car does. His car also doesn't have the transmission/gear shift buttons like the 2024 Terrain does. Anyone else having issues with the GMC infotainment systems, black screen, malfunction? I have video.