GMC Terrain problems
149 owner complaints with NHTSA, no active recalls. Here's where owners say it breaks.
Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.
Buyable on the data — keep up the usual maintenance and inspect normally.
- No systemic severe-failure pattern in the complaint record
- Reliability score 7.6/10 — above the segment average
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Top trouble spots 8 categories with 3+ complaints
What owners are saying recent NHTSA-filed complaints · verbatim
My wife was driving on the highway to work when it was raining. Both of the wipers stopped working all of a sudden causing her to not be able to see out of the windshield. When she got home that night I could see that the linkage arm had came off the ball joint.
Windshield wipers stopped working. I can hear the motor working but the arms dod not move.
Husband was traveling under 25 MPH up hill and two vehicles ahead of him abruptly stopped for unknown reason which resulted in the vehicle in front doing the same causing my husband having to hard brake. As he tried to stop the vehicle the brakes wouldn't respond and car kept…
The contact owns a 2016 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20 MPH, a second vehicle crashed into the front passenger side of the vehicle. During the crash, the vehicle sustained severe damage to the front passenger side, but no air bags inside the…
Estimate your repair exposure
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
Common questions
Is the 2016 GMC Terrain reliable?
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.6 out of 10 based on 149 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2016 GMC Terrain is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.
Should you avoid the 2016 GMC Terrain?
On the NHTSA data, the 2016 GMC Terrain does not need avoiding. Buyable on the data — keep up the usual maintenance and inspect normally. The record behind that call: No systemic severe-failure pattern in the complaint record; Reliability score 7.6/10 — above the segment average. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
What's the most common problem on the 2016 GMC Terrain?
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is visibility, with 49 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 76,304 miles. Average repair cost runs about $350 at an independent shop.
What's the most expensive thing that goes wrong?
The visibility is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $350 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 76,304 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
How do I check if my GMC Terrain has open recalls?
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Is an extended warranty worth it on a 2016 GMC Terrain?
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 149 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $350, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.