Tl* the contact owns a 2014 GMC terrain. While driving 40 MPH, the contact swerved to avoid a deer. As a result, she drove off the road into a tall grass area and struck a concealed cable box. The passenger side grill was damaged and there was a small dent on the hood. The air bags did not deploy although the air bag indicator was illuminated. There was a burning odor coming from the vehicle, the…
2014 GMC Terrain airbags problems
severe 11 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags across all vehicles →
Complaints
11
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
5crashes
1fire
4injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 11 airbags complaints filed for the 2014 GMC Terrain, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 75,000-100,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA airbags complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 6 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: Owners report recurrent airbag warning lights that dealers struggle to fix permanently, and multiple cases where airbags completely failed to deploy in crashes ranging from low-speed head-ons to high-impact collisions. Check for active recalls and have any service light diagnosed immediately before purchase.
Airbag problems on this generation Terrain fall into distinct patterns. Several owners got intermittent or persistent service-light warnings—one dealer found a connector issue under the seat, another diagnosed high resistance on the driver-side airbag requiring wiring harness and inflator replacement. In one case, the initial repair didn't stick and the light came back within days.
The bigger issue: multiple owners reported airbags that simply didn't deploy during crashes. One rear-end collision at highway speed caused secondary frontal impact with no airbag deployment; the driver sustained back and neck injuries. Another head-on collision at 10 mph—impact hard enough to destroy the vehicle—saw no deployment. A third crash struck the rear and driver side with enough force to spin the vehicle into a tree; again, no deployment. One passenger airbag showed signs of activation (smoke, burn smell) but never actually inflated. A fourth owner hit a concealed cable box at 40 mph with no deployment, though the airbag indicator was lit.
One rental car owner noticed the passenger airbag disabled itself when a seat cushion was placed on the seat—the on/off light vanished—yet returned when the cushion came off. The system apparently can't distinguish between a disabled occupant sensor and an actual seat condition.
One owner bought a used 2014 Terrain with airbags already turned off, with no explanation from the dealership and zero recalls showing in the system.
Same GMC Terrain airbags reports on nearby years: 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2015 · 2017
Failure modes owners describe
Intermittent Airbag Service Light with High Resistance Readings
Airbag service light came on intermittently, then persistently. Dealer diagnosed high resistance reading on driver-side airbag and recommended replacement of wiring harness and driver-side impact airbag inflator. Another case involved intermittent light that reappeared after initial repair attempt.
When: Mid-April; shortly after purchase in November 2016; around Nov 3, 2017
Symptoms owners cite: Intermittent or persistent airbag service light; Service airbag warning on dash display; Airbag light comes on repeatedly
Codes mentioned: B001B - Air Bag Passenger Seat Anchor Pretension Deployment Loop
Repairs/costs cited: Wiring harness and driver-side impact airbag inflator replacement; airbag connector repair under/at seat
Non-Deployment in Frontal/Head-On Collisions
Frontal airbags failed to deploy in multiple crash scenarios, including rear-end collisions causing secondary frontal impact, direct head-on crashes at low speed, and side/rear impacts. One case involved partial activation (puff of smoke, smell) but no actual deployment of passenger airbag. Occupants sustained injuries in some cases.
When: 27,448 miles; 80,000 miles; 96,423 miles; unknown mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Frontal airbags did not deploy during head-on collision at 10 mph; Frontal airbags did not deploy during rear-end/secondary frontal collision at 40 mph; Frontal airbags did not deploy during rear passenger side and head-on collision at high impact; Passenger airbag activated but did not deploy; puff of smoke and burnt smell but no inflation; Airbag indicator was illuminated despite non-deployment
Passenger Airbag Disabled by Seat Sensor Malfunction
Passenger airbag was disabled (on/off light not illuminated) when a seat cushion was used, indicating the seat occupancy sensor did not properly detect occupancy. Light reappeared when cushion was removed. No warning or manual override provided to user.
When: During rental use; unknown mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag on/off indicator light not illuminated with seat cushion in place; Airbag on/off indicator illuminated when cushion removed; No warning about seat cushion affecting airbag status
Airbags Disabled at Purchase (Unknown Cause)
Used vehicle purchased from dealership with airbags turned off. Cause not determined; vehicle showed zero recalls in system. Owner directed to file FTC complaint regarding dealership.
When: Post-purchase inspection; unknown mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Airbags turned off on used vehicle
Synthesized from 11 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
Tl-contact owns a 2014 GMC terrain... Inquired about general recalls on vehicle...contact bought vehicle from used Cadillac dealership...dealership information not coming up in system.. Contact stated she bought vehicle used in california.....airbags are turned off...contact paid for vehicle to be inspected after purchase was told airbags are turned off. Contact was given number to ftc to file…
Had airbags trouble with your 2014 GMC Terrain?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the airbags problem on the 2014 GMC Terrain?
It's a meaningful issue. 11 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Based on the 11 complaints filed, airbags issues most often appear around 66,574 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2014/GMC/Terrain.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.