10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
5 / 0
Average Mileage:
59,682 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2011 GMC Terrain drivetrain problems

drivetrain problem

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2011 GMC Terrain Owner Comments (Page 1 of 4)

problem #70

Aug 202023

Terrain

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Transmission and control arms

- Eastpointe, MI, USA

problem #69

Aug 212023

Terrain

  • miles
Transmission failure

- Marine, MI, USA

problem #68

Jan 222023

Terrain

  • miles
I bought this vehicle and NHTSA made GM release an extended warranty on this vehicle for excessive loss of engine oil. In 2019 I had to take this vehicle and pay several thousand dollars for the pistons to be replaced in my engine because I was 1 year past the extended warranty. Now 3 years after spending thousands of dollars through a certified GM store I am having the same problem excessive loss of engine oil. I have zero leaks and I have to put oil in my engine every other day. If I do not by the end of the week I will have an empty engine.

- Clio, MI, USA

problem #67

Dec 152022

Terrain 4-cyl

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Ok so my 2011 GMC terrain just went over 150,000 miles I bought this vehicle used from a dealership not knowing that there was a big lawsuit or that GMC continuted making this make and model knowing that it had a oil usage problem. So mmm mmm with that being said let's start with my vehicle uses oil, my vehicle idles high low and always rough at times, my service stabilitrak flashes, my motor sounds like a HEMI kock knock knock instead of a 2.4, doesn't matter where I'm at or where I'm going I let off of the gas and my car dies.... Let me clarify on that last one me and my 9 year old daughter we're headed home today let off the gas to go around a curve and a hill and you guesswd it my 2011 GMC TERRAIN died I lost all control and all power had no power steering and no brakes... I just thank Jesus I wasn't speeding and that there was no oncoming traffic cuz I don't think me nor my 9 year old would have made it out ok. So thanks to whatever faulty motor engine or power train GMC has with this make and model putting people's safety and lives in danger due to these issues and only choosing certain VINS eligible instead of all VINS from 2011 GMC TERRAINS in my opinion is just choosing which owners survive because this make and model is dangerous to whoever drives it and to whoever meets it on the highway.

- Gatewood, MO, USA

problem #66

Mar 012022

Terrain

  • miles
2011 GMC Terrain SLT The engine blew do to timing Chain breaking and it tore up the injectors as i was looking it up there where lots of people with the same problem and when it blew i was on the Highway and almost wrecked. We put new engine. After putting the engine in the transmission seems like every gear you put it in is like neutral and reeding up on other complaints people are having the same problems it only has 80,000 miles No lights came on or Warnings

- Colorado Springs, CO, USA

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problem #65

Jul 202022

Terrain

  • miles
Was driving the car and all of a sudden a bunch of lights came on the dash called the dealership where I got it from to get fix and they said sorry they can-€™t help and then have blocked my number from communication. I can-€™t drive my car so I don-€™t know what to do at this point

- New Bedford , MA, USA

problem #64

Jun 052022

Terrain

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Was driving home from work had a half tank of gas no lights or anything came on, car just shut off was not able to start it from that point. I spoke with car lot to whom I'm making payments with and not able to get anything done with the vehicle. Now I've lost my job and I'm about to be homeless due to this mechanic problem on this vehicle.

- Hutchinson, KS, USA

problem #63

Dec 212019

Terrain

  • miles
The 2.4l ecotec motor has had so many complaints not only for gmc terrain but also the Chevy equinox. The motor just stops and lose everything while driving! I was in traffic and it stop almost causing an accountant God I wasn't hurt! Now I have this car with a blown motor because it's a no tolerance motor. We spend so much money on these vehicles and spend so much to keep them safe for driving on the road and yet when it comes to the company cutting corners to save money they don't get faulted for putting faulty equipment in these vehicles. I have a 2011 terrain and I bought it in 2019 for 9000 and drove it a month before the motor blew it has less then 100000 miles on it and for me to get a new motor it's another 5000. I just don't understand why if the equipment is faulty and so many complaints have been posted about the same issue why it's not being recalled or why we can't get the company to give us new motors or a new car! We are expected to pay insurance registration inspections test every year and pay for the normal wear on the vehicles to make sure they are safe but they can't recall faulty parts! I foster children and can't afford to make expensive purchases that weren't caused by neglect on my part

- Ashland, PA, USA

problem #62

Jul 302021

Terrain

  • miles
Vehicle has been burning up to 3 quarts of oil every 1,500 miles. This has been an ongoing issue for years. In 2020 a GM dealer serviced/repaired the vehicle to correct the issue; the vehicle only had approximately 60,000 miles at the time. The issue returned around 20,000 miles after the repair. Neither an instrument panel light nor a OBDII code appears when the oil is low. When the oil is low the vehicle stalls when making a turn and also jitters and jerks while idling. I am put in a dangerous situation when the vehicle stalls (especially on the freeway service roads).

- Dallas, TX, USA

problem #61

May 252020

Terrain

  • 115,000 miles
Odb code P0014/P0017 is a GMC recall and I would very much like to bring it and let you guys fix it because it is becoming a problem!

- Gaffney, SC, USA

problem #60

Feb 072020

Terrain

  • 91,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I purchased the vehicle in March 2018. From the date of purchase, the service engine and/or change oil lights would turn on. Every time I took the vehicle to my mechanic, it needed oil. In January 2020, I got a notice from GMC about the settlement of a lawsuit regarding vehicle oil consumption. I took the vehicle to my local GMC and the manager read the "notice of approval of class action settlement and claim form" that was sent to me. The lawsuit requires GMC to pay for repairs or reimburse customers for the repairs. My vehicle had not had the necessary repairs done to it, so the manager instructed me to approve the necessary repairs and pay for them out of pocket because GMC would reimburse me. The repairs were completed on February 7, 2020. I followed all the guidelines provided to me by GMC in order to get the reimbursement. I mailed documents to them a week after the repairs were completed, months before the deadline of May 16, 2020. After waiting over a month and not getting reimbursed, I called GMC customer services (1-866-790-5600) on April 11, 2020. I was informed by GMC customer service to expect a reimbursement check for repairs and rental car fees within two weeks. After not receiving the reimbursement, I called again in June and July 2020 and given the same information-wait. This continued throughout the summer. The delay was blamed on covid-19. I called again in late September 2020, and they instructed me to email all the documents and that the check would arrive in two weeks. On September 30, 2020, I emailed all the documents to GMC. After waiting another two weeks, I called them and they again said it would come in two weeks. On November 10, 2020, I sent another email asking for the reimbursement check. A week later, I got a letter stating I did not qualify for reimbursement because the time had passed/expired.

- El Paso, TX, USA

problem #59

Nov 242020

Terrain

  • 219,674 miles
Burns to much oil and I can't keep up with the speed limit it's in and the shop got to put a new timing belt

- Kansas City, KS, USA

problem #58

Oct 232020

Terrain

  • 87,000 miles
Only 87000 miles and the transmission went out, car started to surge while driving, after parking it wouldn't go into reverse. Then when trying to see if it would still drive forward, wouldn't go faster than 20 miles an hour, just started revving wouldn't engage in a gear.

- Bothell, WA, USA

problem #57

Sep 282020

Terrain

  • 86,927 miles
I was driving back home from the store Friday night and my wheels start squeaking and increasingly became hard to then the wheel whenever I turned. When I got home tried to park the wheels locked up and I couldn't turn the wheels anymore. Diver the car again Monday it was fine until I was my way home again the wheels locked up, car wouldn't accelerate part 2nd gear, then I wasn't able to reverse and my engineer light came on. I just bought the car 5 months ago from a dealership. No I don't have a warranty and there is 86927 miles on it. No accidents whatsoever. I recently found out that this vehicle is known to have transmission failure.

- Warren, MI, USA

problem #56

Sep 152020

Terrain

  • 123,000 miles
Yet again, another costly engine repair. Car would not accelerate properly, engine seemed to be back firing. Then check engine light came on (code P0016). GMC dealer said the timing chains needs to be replaced. $2300. Yet, they will create a recall for a seat. But not an unsafe engine. Hope lives won't be lost, like with the ignition fiscal. Smh.

- Belleville, MI, USA

problem #55

May 302019

Terrain

  • miles
Hesitation and lag on acceleration after hard or quick brake application. Feels like engine momentarily stalling or trans mission not engaging for one or two seconds.. happens when vehicle is in motion, happens in stop and go traffic, happens coming out of turns, also in straight line motion. Poses a safety risk such as when entering an intersection and not being able to accelerate through the intersection to avoid collision with other vehicles crossing that intersection.

- Fort Walton Beach, FL, USA

problem #54

Jun 162020

Terrain 4-cyl

  • 138,000 miles
Engine randomly stalls while driving and refuses to start back up. No codes are being presented when it does stall.

- Houma, LA, USA

problem #53

Mar 152020

Terrain 4-cyl

  • 164,000 miles
I purchased the vehicle it ran great. Within a couple of weeks, it started stalling when I go to take off in the middle of intersections or pulling out onto a road. It will run fine I stop it idles ok and when I touch the gas pedal it will start out into the road and then just die. It goes though oil like mad.

- Salem, OH, USA

problem #52

Mar 202020

Terrain 4-cyl

  • 164,000 miles
The vehicle going through oil like made and stalling in the middle of intersections or pulling onto a road. This has caused other people to almost hit me or go off the road to avoid an accident. I will start out into an intersection get in the middle and it dies. Turning onto a different road this happens also in motion going at normal speeds for the road.

- Salem, OH, USA

problem #51

Jul 062018

Terrain

  • 97,000 miles
Was exiting off a highway ramp when my car wouldn't get any power to go. Come to find out the tcm went out in the transmission

- Poplar Bluff, MO, USA

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