7.7

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
No data
Average Mileage:
55,950 miles
Total Complaints:
6 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. not sure (4 reports)
  2. (1 reports)
  3. not fixed, head on engine, timing and camshft chain replaced (1 reports)
2011 GMC Terrain engine problems

engine problem

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2011 GMC Terrain Owner Comments

problem #6

Oct 212021

Terrain SLE V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 126,002 miles

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

I HAD A 2002 JEEP LIBERTY AND MY ENGINE ENDED UP GOING OUT, I REPLACED THE ENGINE THEN IT WENT OUT AGAIN, SO I DECIDED NOT TO REPLACE ANOTHER ENGINE BUT INSTEAD DECIDED TO GET A SEMI USED NEWER VECHICLE, AND I DONT KNOW WHY, BUT I HAVE ALWAYS ALWAYS LOVED TERRAINS, SO AFTER MONTHS AND MONTHS OF SEARCHING, I HAD FINALLY FOUND A WHITE 2011 TERRAIN THAT I ABSOUTELY FELL IN LOVE WITH.

I DROVE IT OFF THE LOT ON FRIDAY, JULY 9, 2021, A FEW TIMES WHILE I AM DRIVING THE TRUCK, I AM NOTICING HOW IT IS NOT REALLY PICKING UP SPEED, HOW THE TRUCK IS JERKING AND SLOW TO TAKE OFF AND ALMOST TRYING TO STALL WHEN I AM DRIVING, THEN AROUND JULY 22, I AM ON MY WAY TO THE STORE AND MY TRUCK JUST CUTS OFF, HAD TO END UP GETTING IT TOWEDTO THE SHOP AND THE GUY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS MY SENSOR AND HAD THAT FIXED AND IT COST ME ABOUT $150.

FAST FOWARD TO LITERALLY JUST A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER ON OCTOBER 21, 2021 AND AS I AM LEAVING TO GO TO MY FIRST JOB, AS SOON AS I START MY TRUCK UP, I IMMEDIATELY HEAR A RATTLING NOISE. SO I AS I AM BACKING MY TRUCK OUT OF MY PARKING SPOT, MY TRUCK CUTS OFF. SO I THINK TO MYSELF, OKAY, NOT THIS AGAIN, BEING AS THOUGH THIS HAS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES BEFORE, BUT WHEN I HAVE WENT TO START IT BACK UP, IT STARTS RIGHT UP, BUT THIS TIME, MY TRUCK DOES NOT START BACK UP, SO I DO THIS A FEW TIMES AND REALIZE THAT ITS NOT GOING TO START UP.

I GO AND I CALL AAA, THE GUY WITH AAA, TOLD ME THAT LO AND BEHOLD IT WAS MY ENGINE, SO THE GUY TOWS IT TO MY MECHANIC, AND MY MECHANIC CONFIRMS TO ME WHAT THE GUY THAT WORKS AT AAA HAD ALREADY TOLD ME, THAT MY ENGINE WAS GONE!!! EVEN THOUGH MY OIL WAS TOTALLY FINE!!!! I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND TOLD THEM ABOUT IT AND THEY HAD THE NERVE AND THE DAMN AUDACITY TO TELL ME THAT SINCE MY WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED EARLIER IN THE MONTH, THAT THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING THEY COULD DO FOR ME!!!! SO, NEEDLESS TO SAY, I AM BEYOND PISSED!!! AND DID I FORGET TO MENTION THAT I HAVE A DAMN CAR NOTE THAT I STILL NEED TO PAY ON THIS POS!!! GM TERRAINS ARE ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE CARS AND I WILL NEVER GET ANOTHER ONE NOR WILL I EVER RECOMMEND ANYONE TO EVER GET A TERRAIN!!!

- LaTonya M., Oak Park, MI, US

problem #5

Jan 052016

Terrain LE

  • Automatic transmission
  • 48,000 miles

On start up on the vehicle the engine sounds like a diesel engine, then quiets down and sounds like a gas engine. At time when leaving a traffic light it will again sound like a diesel engine. Not sure what is causing this but it surely grates my nerves.

- LeRoy L., Saraland, AL, US

problem #4

Dec 022015

Terrain SLE V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 127,583 miles

I had to replace the transmission, extreme oil consumption, replace water pump, chains and guides, timing chains, camshaft actuators, gasket (2times), spark plugs, cylinder, fuel induction service, throttle body, catalytic converter

- M J., Decatur, GA, US

problem #3

Jul 302012

Terrain SLT V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 8,000 miles

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

the only complaint i have is the motor rattling at times. don't know if its normal or if it might cause a problem later. and my wife has a problem with the short wheel base.

- James R., Rocky Mount, NC, US

problem #2

Sep 072012

Terrain I-4

  • Automatic transmission
  • 14,000 miles

For the past 5-10 thousand miles (vehicle only has a little over 14k miles on it) intermittently when cranking the engine. Once it actually starts up for roughly 5 seconds it sounds like a loud rattling diesel engine. The sound is so loud that it can be heard from inside my home with the car in the driveway. When this happened a couple times the engine actually stalled immediately.

Finally took it into the dealer when out of the blue the battery just went dead. The dealer had the vehicle 13 days where they replaced (chain, tensioner, chain, bolt, gasket, seal, actuator, filter, oil, battery, 1 head kit, 1 gasket ki, 10 bolt/screw, 1 gasket, 1 gasket, 1 coolant, 1 sealant, 8 valve, 8 valve, 16 spring, 6 retainer, 1 tensioner, 2 bolt, 4 spark plug, 1 gasket. Yes you read correctly, anything listed multiple times are separate items. This list came directly from the receipt I received from the dealer for the warranty work.

After all that guess what????? A week later when starting the vehicle that loud diesel rattling sound is back. The truck still has the same problems and getting worse and adding new quirks every day. but that is for another post. All in all the dealer still does not know what exactly is going on and seemed to be only guessing that replacing all those parts would fix the issue. Since all of this is intermittent the 2nd round to the dealer they told me no trouble was found (battery was replaced again) and there is nothing they can do for it. Round 2 is done and in NJ need 3 rounds before Lemon Law comes into effect. Yeaaaaah can't wait for that fight to happen.

- helicons1, Spotswood, NJ, US

problem #1

Mar 142011

Terrain SLE2 2.4L I-4

  • Automatic transmission
  • 12,000 miles

I have had this issue for 5 months.. other owners with the I-4 engine (Chevy Equinox for one) has the same issue. GM came out with a Tech Bulletin for a fix in Feb 2011 but it didnt work. New TSB came out in June says "they are aware of the problem and working on a solution".

I have talked to everyone I can at GM...Customer assistance, GM District Supervisor, GM Business Resource Center, My dealer..no one really cares..I also have a case in with BBB..IF you hear it (see my video and other videos on you tube) you would cringe like I do..I dont know what internal damage it is doing everytime it does it. which is once or twice a day.

GM says its not causing any damage..They dont even know how to fix it, so How do they know what its doing!!..Very disappointed in GM...do not buy this engine until they have a fix...it is only happening on the 2011 models so far..2010 Terrain and Equinox are not having this issue...

- wrusprod, St.Clair Shores, MI, US

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