10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
9 / 0
Average Mileage:
34,872 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.

2013 GMC Terrain miscellaneous problems

miscellaneous problem

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2013 GMC Terrain Owner Comments (Page 1 of 2)

problem #24

Jan 162023

Terrain

  • miles

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

I have almost been in 3 accidents. My 2013 Terrain has stalled while driving..Cut off at lights. Engine reduced while driving and massive oil leak that gas caused timing chain and engine failure. I have read other complaints, and this is sad GMC has been allowed to get away with this. These engines are dangerous and need to be replaced before someone looses their life.

- Columbus , OH, USA

problem #23

Dec 272022

Terrain

  • miles
I was driving my 2013 GMC Terrain to a friends house, I stopped at a stop light, when I picked up speed, the car stalled and wouldn't get up to speed. Eventually, it did pick up speed. I went to turn into her neighborhood and the same thing happened. Trying to get to the destination, I continued into the neighborhood. I stopped at a stop sign, and when I tried to accelerate, the car died. No indicator lights were engaged. I turned the car off and waited a minute or so and turned it back on. I got to her house, and charged my battery and drove home without issue. The next day, I went to have my battery checked and they alerted me to a horrible oil leak. I had the car towed to the dealership. The next day, the dealership told me that GMC would specifically have to look at the vehicle to diagnose. I had the car towed to my trusted mechanic and he told me the rear main oil seal blew out and found a service bulletin regarding this issue #14882. I made an appointment with the dealership only to find out that this isn't covered under the bulletin, because it expired in November of 2022, and it's not covered under my warranty. The warranty company stated, "if there isn't evidence of moisture in the PCV it would be covered, but since it's a known issue and a consistent problem with the vehicle, it's not covered." So, my only choice is to pay out of pocket for a defective part that will continue to break and cause the rear main oil seal to blow out of the car, potentially putting me and my 9 year old daughter at risk, because GMC isn't acknowledging this issue and recalling the faulty part that is the ROOT of the problem and has been widely reported. There is also a class action lawsuit that is currently open and ongoing (Case 2:22-cv-10785-MAG-JJCG) which is trying to hold GMC responsible for not recalling the part sooner - when they were made aware of it - putting thousands of consumers at risk. It's also fraudulent for this information to not be disclosed at point of sale.

- Chatham, IL, USA

problem #22

Sep 242022

Terrain

  • miles
I've been having same issues Occurring since I Signed my purchase agreement. The constant rattle at about 1500 RPM, The oil leaves At such a rapid rate That I have to monitor it every day As to make sure the level doesn't go too low. I've only had the vehicle since September 2022 and here it is Halloween 2022 and I'm down over $2000 maintenance costs and maintenance costs trying to prevent catastrophic failure with the engine that I know is coming! OBDII code reads P0171

- Milwaukee , WI, USA

problem #21

Jun 012020

Terrain

  • miles

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

Water in spare tire component area stays there even when it rains and during car washes; also I replace the suspension and still hearing cracking noise as I make turns

- Charlotte , NC, USA

problem #20

Nov 262021

Terrain

  • miles
While pulling out of my driveway the car stalled and the stabilitrak light came on. Car would not start again. Had it towed to dealership because it seemed something electrical was the issue and now they say it needs a complete new engine because it lost oil compression. No oil light has ever come on, no other lights and no oil leaking on our driveway or anywhere else that we-??ve noticed. Dealership says they can-??t tell us exactly why the engine failed. The car only has 53000 mikes on it. We bought it in august of 2014 and maintain it appropriately

- Sandusky , OH, USA

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problem #19

Nov 222021

Terrain

  • miles
While driving, the traction control light turns on. Then the gauges all start fluctuation. The dash reads service park assist. Then service stabilitrak. It does not run properly. It shifts hard. I-??ve had it to the dealership twice now. The issue is still not resolved and it-??s going back next Monday. I feel it will again not be resolved after reading multiple forums of others having the same issue after spending thousands of dollars. This is frightening and stressful to say the least. My car has less then sixty thousand miles on it. I should not be having this issue.

- Alpena, MI, USA

problem #18

Mar 202021

Terrain

  • miles

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

I-??ve been having a issue with my oil consumption and display messages about servicing the stabilitrak and traction control. I could be driving and suddenly my engine power is reduced asking with these two messages. I received a letter from GMC about the excessive oil consumption due to degraded catalytic converter and/or oxygen sensor. The one oxygen sensor was replaced before I received the letter. The letter states I should get the oil consumption diagnosed. I-??ve went 4 times now and the oil dipstick smells like gas but the dealership is saying the special coverage has expired. My letter says otherwise. Why send a letter about a possible issue and then not help to fix it?

- Columbia , MO, USA

problem #17

Mar 292021

Terrain

  • 87,000 miles
My vehicle eats up oil. I just recently found out about the excessive oil consumption investigation. My check engine light has been coming on. Sometimes when I fill it with gas it goes off. A week ago it came on and then as I was driving down a busy street my traction control light came on, then a message on the display saying service stabilitrack and engine power is reduced. I couldn't go over 35mph. I took it to oreily the following morning and the code P0175 showed 'fuel system too rich'. I found a recall of an O2 sensor. I couldn't get into a GM shop for another week. Today they fixed the recall but told me the special coverage adjustment for the oil consumption was expired in 7/2020 for my vehicle. I chatted with GM online and they didn't answer all my questions. Even though I found the info on this here website about the investigation and the time limit and mileage on when I could get this problem fixed, GM would not explain in detail to clarify this info. It said 7 years and 6mos or 120K miles from when the vehicle was placed in service. They said third party sites like these aren't reliable. The shop mentioned I should just keep oil in it and that getting the pistons fixed would be $5K. My extended warranty does not cover and I was never notified about the investigation otherwise I would've never gotten the vehicle or at least got it fixed in said time limit.

- Columbia, MO, USA

problem #16

Mar 122021

Terrain

  • 1 miles
I can not roll down a back window driving above 25 mph without an ear-piercing noise created in the cabin. It has always happened every time the back window is opened while driving. I have to close the windows every time. It hurts our ears and is very distracting. I have six cars and no other make that I have does this.

- Laporte, IN, USA

problem #15

Dec 102019

Terrain

  • 82,000 miles
My car began making odd knocking sounds and since it was due for an oil change, I made an appointment. The day of the appointment, as I was driving down a busy street and the car locked up and quit. I pulled into a driveway and called aaa. I tried turning the vehicle on a couple of times and it made a significantly loud noise that was concerning. After a mechanic assessed what was wrong, it was determined that the timing chain needed to be replaced and the car was nearly out of oil, even though it had not been 3,000 miles since the last oil change. The repair cost over $2,000.

- Evansville, IN, USA

problem #14

Dec 252020

Terrain

  • 77,000 miles

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

Oil was pouring out from the bottom of our 2013 GMC Terrain, "low oil pressure shut off engine" signal came on the dashboard. Terrain had to be towed to a local shop where they ran a diagnostic test. Diagnostic test came back with #19-na-021. We were informed about sb-10057977-8108, a recall from GM involving an oil leak from rear part of engine. We have also been informed that our VIN is ineligible and cannot be protected through the special coverage, but are requesting an investigation into the matter.

- Granite City, IL, USA

problem #13

Dec 162018

Terrain

  • 60,771 miles
After purchasing this vehicle two weeks later I developed a very serious skin rash on my face and neck and severe health issues causing me to have cardiac arrest symptoms in and out of the hospital for the past 11 months my daughter has been in the hospital and my dog is also dying from the same symptoms. My situation is life or death at this moment and my condition is unknown and I'm not sure if I will survive

- Hudson Falls, NY, USA

problem #12

Dec 072019

Terrain

  • 60,660 miles
The contact owns a 2013 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that there were white particles emitting from the air condition vents while the unit was activated. The contact stated developed a skin rash and a burning sensation in her lungs. The contact then noticed that even when the air condition unit was not activated, white particles emitted from the air vents located by the windshield. The contact went to a doctor where erosion in her lungs, pneumonia, and an infection on her face were discovered. The contact also stated that her daughter had recently started to cough up black and red mucus. She had not taken the child to a doctor to be treated. The contact had an air quality test performed inside the vehicle. The results came back positive but was yet to receive the actual results as to the cause of the positive results. The contact had not spoken to the dealer regarding the matter. The manufacturer had been notified of the matter and a complaint was filed. The vehicle had not been repaired. The failure mileage was 60,660.

- Hudsonfalls, NY, USA

problem #11

Dec 102019

Terrain

  • 101,000 miles
Extremely cold day driving home and car started to buck a little, then a few minutes later it started ticking. Next thing my car shuts off and engine light comes on while driving down the freeway. The car blew it's rear main seal out and after reading it sounds like many other have had this problem. I had checked the oil two days prior and it was full. The car had no oil in it. I basically spent 16,000 and 3 years later the car is junk.

- South Saint Paul, MN, USA

problem #10

Sep 272019

Terrain

  • miles
When I use heat in my car for some reason it cuts its self back on.I can turn the heat off and its does cut off when I press off.the problem is when I turn off my car and turb it back on later in the day, the heats cuts its self back on but the system in the car shows that the heat is off, so there is no way for me to turn the heat off if the system indicates that its is already off, the only way I can actually can get the heat to tun off is to turn on the air for about 30 seconds and then turn it off

- Richmond, VA, USA

problem #9

Aug 012019

Terrain

  • 63,000 miles
I have had my 2013 GMC Terrain for 3 years and it has problems with the oil consumption, starting, traction light comes on by itself and truck cuts off without warning. This started several weeks ago. Oil, it consumes large amounts of oil between the oil changes. I check the digital oil displays, that show how much oil remains, and it can go from 80% remains to 70% remains in a matter of days. Icutting off, this happens at random times. When I drive, it looses power and cuts off in the middle of the street. No warning at all. This is very scary especially with my children in the car. It will loose power and not accelerate and I have had drift to the shoulder of the road. I am scared it will do this on the highway when driving at high speeds. Starting, my SUV can start with no problem and I can drive to the store 5 minutes away and it will not start when I return. I try starting it 5 times and it will finally start. This has happened several times. It will start in the morning when I go to work or take kids to sports practice or their games and when I leave work will not start after 8 hours. After a 1-2 hour game, same thing occurs, it will not start. I have taken it for diagnosis, received code and had it repaired. After a few days, same thing happens. My mechanic can not figure out why this is happening. My traction light has also come on by itself, for no reason. There is no recall for these problems but it should be before innocent people, and families are injured or killed.

- Richmond, VA, USA

problem #8

Jun 012018

Terrain

  • 68,000 miles
Our Terrain started knocking right before it's due for an oil change. We checked it and it had no oil. The dealership has brushed it away and stated that it's not leaking but could be burning the oil. It wasn't until we talked to a mechanic that we were told that certain GMC vehicles burning oil and that it is recommended we spend more money on more oil replacing 1 quart every 1000 miles. We also found that our radio stopped working but because the dealership failed to inform us that the warranty we got didn't cover the radio. They told us we could get it repaired but we would have to pay out of pocket. This will be the last time we buy a GMC or a Chevy SUV due to the issues with getting the repairs done and the fact that we want a reliable vehicle.

- Milton, WI, USA

problem #7

Feb 062019

Terrain

  • miles
14882 rear main seal

- Union, MO, USA

problem #6

Mar 192018

Terrain

  • 90,000 miles
"takata recall" my crash detection come on when I am driving and there is no car in front of me. My Terrain starts breaking automatically. I have taken it in to GMC service and they can not find anything wrong but it has done this on numerous occasions

- Hamlet, NC, USA

problem #5

Sep 122017

Terrain

  • 85,000 miles
Power lift gate falling - only stays open for about 5 seconds

- Michigan City, IN, USA

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