The Used Car Index

2016 GMC Terrain problems

NHTSA lists 152 complaints for the 2016 GMC Terrain, 9 of them mention a crash and 0 mention a fire. 8 complaints mention an injury, with 9 injuries and 0 deaths reported.

Data build 2026-10-07.

NHTSA lists this vehicle as GMC TERRAIN.

At a glance

Complaints
152
With crash
9
With fire
0
With injury (complaints)
8
Injuries
9
Deaths
0
Recalls
2
Do not drive recalls
0
Park outside recalls
0
Recall potential units (maximum)
740,581
Investigations
2
Open investigations
0
Manufacturer communications
1,232

Complaints per 100k sold: 172.875. Units sold: 87,925; sales year: 2016; basis: calendar_year_us_sales_proxy_for_model_year. goodcarbadcar.net.

Where the complaints are

Top systems
SystemComplaintsShare of this vehicle's complaints
ENGINE4630.3%
VISIBILITY/WIPER4630.3%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER138.6%
POWER TRAIN117.2%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING106.6%
AIR BAGS95.9%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM95.9%
STEERING63.9%
SERVICE BRAKES53.3%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL42.6%
Top subsystems
SystemSubsystemComplaints
STRUCTUREBODY3
VISIBILITYWINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER2
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCEAUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING1
LANE DEPARTUREBLIND SPOT DETECTION1
VISIBILITYDEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM1

One complaint can name several systems, so shares can add to more than 100 percent.

Model-generated complaint tags

These labels are model-generated, not NHTSA data.

Failure modes
LabelCountShare of taggedMean confidence
mechanical failure4932.2%0.78
visibility or lighting4831.6%0.84
loss of control2013.2%0.80
electrical electronic1711.2%0.86
restraint or airbag95.9%0.96
fluid or fuel leak53.3%0.79
noise or comfort21.3%0.54
fire or overheating10.7%0.88
structural or corrosion10.7%1.00
Severities
LabelCountShare of taggedMean confidence
moderate9965.1%0.82
low3925.7%0.77
high138.6%0.89
critical10.7%0.38

Model: typesafe/jev-1.13-20260917; schema version: tag-v1. 152 tagged complaints of 152 complaints (100.0%).

Confidence is the model's own probability for the label it chose (0 to 1), not accuracy.

Model-generated labels on tagged complaints only. Model years 2013 and newer are tagged in full; 2012 in part (see tagged_share); earlier model years have no tags. NHTSA's own flags remain separate in the complaints block.

Recalls

2 recalls.

22V137000

Date: 2022-03-08. Systems: EXTERIOR LIGHTING.

Defect: 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."

Consequence: The bright reflection may cause a glare for other drivers, reducing their visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.

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.

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

16V449000

Date: 2016-06-21. Systems: EQUIPMENT, TIRES.

Defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles manufactured October 16, 2015. The certification labels may have incorrect tire/rim size and cold tire pressure information. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

Consequence: If the information on the certification labels is incorrect, the operator may install incorrectly sized tires or rims or may improperly inflate the tires, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the certification label, free of charge. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1050, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 46600.

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

Investigations

2 investigations; 0 open.

EA19005

Opened: 2019-12-13. Closed: 2022-11-28.

Front Wiper Transmission Inoperative

On December 13, 2019, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) upgraded RQ18-002 to an Engineering Analysis (EA19-005) to further assess the MY2010-2016 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain windshield wiper failures. Due to a prior recall, 16V-582, addressing this issue in the MY2013 subject vehicles, MY2013 was not included in the analysis. To date, ODI had received 998 complaints with allegations

Systems: VISIBILITY, VISIBILITY/WIPER.

Linked campaign numbers: 22V165000.

RQ18002

Opened: 2018-11-02. Closed: 2019-12-19.

Windshield Wiper Transmission Failure

On November 2, 2018, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Recall Query (RQ18-002) to assess the scope of Recall 16V-582.General Motors (GM) initiated Safety Recall 16V-582 on August 3, 2016 to address windshield wiper failure in the Model Year (MY) 2013 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain. Failures were attributed to water and debris intrusion into the windshield wiper assembly ball jo

Systems: VISIBILITY, VISIBILITY/WIPER.

Linked campaign numbers: None listed.

Manufacturer communications

1,232 manufacturer communications.

Communications by system
SystemCount
EQUIPMENT476
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM240
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING146
ENGINE136
POWER TRAIN98
EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY79
UNKNOWN OR OTHER71
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE49

11037555

Date: 2026-09-26. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it.

11037253

Date: 2026-09-04. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.

11035340

Date: 2026-07-21. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

PI to help diagnose A/C concern

11032947

Date: 2026-05-19. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This document provides the technician with a diagnostic tip if the vehicle stalls and set diagnostic trouble code P0191 and may also set P0172. The diagnostic tip has the technician inspect the high pressure fuel pump body markings to confirm it is an original manufacture part. If it is not an origi

11030974

Date: 2026-04-01. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available.

11030091

Date: 2026-03-09. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.

11030092

Date: 2026-03-09. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a Technical Assistance Case in CX Connect.

11027601

Date: 2026-01-08. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.

11025755

Date: 2025-11-20. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have had multiple repair attempts that are being performed on customera s vehicles that exhibit vibration conditions without utilizing the support of General Motors Technical Assistance Center. If

11023091

Date: 2025-09-09. Type: Other. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

New Vehicle Monitoring Programs Section in IVH

Notes on this record

  • Complaints from the API and bulk file are merged and deduplicated by ODI number; the API alone misses records.
  • System and subsystem counts are numbers of distinct complaints, recalls or communications that name them. One record can name several systems, so shares across systems can add to more than 100 percent; a single share never exceeds 100 percent.
  • Recalls are counted once per campaign, investigations once per action and manufacturer communications once per NHTSA id, even when NHTSA lists several model names for the same record.
  • A sales denominator is a calendar-year proxy, not the population of vehicles still in use. Rates are copied from verified pipeline output.

Other names NHTSA uses

None listed.

Matched NHTSA models

Matched labels and complaints
NHTSA model labelComplaints
TERRAIN152

Same model, other years

All model years | All GMC models

Other GMC models, 2016

Sources

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