2012 Gmc TERRAIN

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2012 Gmc TERRAIN has 500 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 6.3x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (35% of all complaints), specifically: tl * the contact owns a 2012 gmc terrain. the contact was driving 5 mph when the vehicle stalled and the check engine light illuminated. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer and the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and the current mileage w. ⚠️ 9 fire reports filed.

9 fire reports 21 crash reports 20 injuries

500

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

6.3x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

174 complaints

35%

• TL * THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC TERRAIN. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 5 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE W
• ?ON APRIL 16TH OUR SON WAS DRIVING ON FAIRVIEW RD. AND TRAVELING THROUGH A GREEN LIGHT WHEN A CAR THAT RAN A RED LIGHT HIT HIM. ?HIS CAR ? A GMC 2012 TERRAIN WAS HIT MULTIPLE TIMES ? DRIVER'S FRONT END, FRONT END AND SPUN AROUND FROM THE FORCE AND HIT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED ?[
• THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR 10 TO 12 TIMES DUE TO FAILURE WITH THE ENGINE MISFIRING AS WELL AS TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS AND STABILITY TRAC AS WELL AS TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING RIGHT AND LOSS OF POWER WHILE DRIVING ON MAJOR HIGHWAYS AND BROUGHT INTO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY TELL ME THEY CAN

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“TL * THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC TERRAIN. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 5 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE W”

— NHTSA complaint filing

VISIBILITY

82 complaints

16%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC TERRAIN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH THE CONTACT OPENED THE REAR DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE WINDOWS AND NOTICED THE SUNROOF BEGAN TO VIBRATE VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN STATED NOTHING COULD BE DONE BECAU
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC TERRAIN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT WAS DIFFICULT TO SEE THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD AT NIGHT TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHO DECIDED TO LIFT THE HEADLIGHT HIGHER. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY FILED A COMPLAINT.
• WIPERS IN "ON" POSITION, WIPER MOTOR AUDIBLY RUNNING, NEITHER WIPER BLADE WOULD MOVE ACROSS WINDSHIELD, BOTH REMAIN STATIONARY. CAN MANUALLY MOVE BOTH BLADES FREELY, NO BINDING, IN UNISON VALIDATING LINKAGE BETWEEN THE TWO BLADE ARMS WERE STILL CONNECTED. SUSPECTED MOTOR SHAFT/SPLINE CONNECTING TO

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC TERRAIN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH THE CONTACT OPENED THE REAR DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE WINDOWS AND NOTICED THE SUNROOF BEGAN TO VIBRATE VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN STATED NOTHING COULD BE DONE BECAU”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

37 complaints

• VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION SLIPS AND DOES NOT RESPOND TO AN ACCELERATION AFTER A RAPID DECELERATION OF AT LEAST 40 MPH. THE VEHICLE WILL JERK IN RESPONSE TO YOUR ATTEMPT TO ACCELERATE AND THEN WILL RESPOND. THIS CAN LEAD TO A DANGEROUS SITUATION IF YOU ARE ATTEMPTING TO AVOID A COLLISION BY ACCELERATIN
• THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR 10 TO 12 TIMES DUE TO FAILURE WITH THE ENGINE MISFIRING AS WELL AS TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS AND STABILITY TRAC AS WELL AS TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING RIGHT AND LOSS OF POWER WHILE DRIVING ON MAJOR HIGHWAYS AND BROUGHT INTO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY TELL ME THEY CAN
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC TERRAIN. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, BUT THE DETAILS COULD NOT BE PROVIDED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, T

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports

“VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION SLIPS AND DOES NOT RESPOND TO AN ACCELERATION AFTER A RAPID DECELERATION OF AT LEAST 40 MPH. THE VEHICLE WILL JERK IN RESPONSE TO YOUR ATTEMPT TO ACCELERATE AND THEN WILL RESPOND. THIS CAN LEAD TO A DANGEROUS SITUATION IF YOU ARE ATTEMPTING TO AVOID A COLLISION BY ACCELERATIN”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

37 complaints

• CAR CRASH AT 45 MPH. FRONT IN DAMAGE AND AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. SEATBELTS DID NOT LOCK UP.
• I WAS PUTTING A PACKAGE IN THE REAR COMPARTMENT, WHEN THE HATCH STARTED TO CLOSE, IT HIT MY HEAD AND DIDNOT STOP, I HAD TO GRAP THE HATCH,AND HOLD IT UP..THERE IS SOMETHING TERRIBLY WRONG WITH IT.
• SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION WHEN VEHICLE SHIFTED FROM PARK TO DRIVE, RESULTED IN EXTREME HIGH SPEED ACCELERATION AND NO CONTROL OF VEHICLE. THIS RESULTED IN A HIGH IMPACT CRASH INTO GARAGE SIDE WALL. ALSO AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. ASSUME THROTTLE WIDE OPEN CAUSING SUDDEN ACCELERATION. INSURANCE RE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“CAR CRASH AT 45 MPH. FRONT IN DAMAGE AND AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. SEATBELTS DID NOT LOCK UP.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

32 complaints

• WE HAVE HAD THE GMC TERRAIN SHUT DOWN TWICE WHILE DRIVING. BOTH TIME THE CAR CENTER CONSOLE GOES COMPLETELY BLACK AND YOU HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE. WE BROUGHT IT IN FOR SERVICE BUT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG, AFTER THE SECOND TIME THEY STILL FOUND NOTHING WRONG BUT THEY DECIDE TO R
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC TERRAIN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER INSERTING THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION SWITCH, THE SWITCH WOULD NOT TURN AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. ALSO, THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE KEY BECAME STUCK IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. AFTER REMOVING THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH
• GMC REFUSES TO HELP. I AM CONTACTING BECAUSE I OWN A 2012 GMC TERRAIN AND WE JUST STARTED HAVING ISSUES WITH OUT RADIO WHERE IT WILL TURN ON EVEN WITH THE CAR OFF. OUR GMC DEALER SAID THAT THEY HAVE SEEN THIS ISSUE ALOT AND SINCE MY VEHICLE JUST CAME OUT OF WARRANTY IN FEB. IT WILL COST US $150. WHA

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“WE HAVE HAD THE GMC TERRAIN SHUT DOWN TWICE WHILE DRIVING. BOTH TIME THE CAR CENTER CONSOLE GOES COMPLETELY BLACK AND YOU HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE. WE BROUGHT IT IN FOR SERVICE BUT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG, AFTER THE SECOND TIME THEY STILL FOUND NOTHING WRONG BUT THEY DECIDE TO R”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

VISIBILITY(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 500 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: TL * THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC TERRAIN. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 5 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE W
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
VISIBILITY: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC TERRAIN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH THE CONTACT OPENED THE REAR DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE WINDOWS AND NOTICED THE SUNROOF BEGAN TO VIBRATE VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN STATED NOTHING COULD BE DONE BECAU
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION SLIPS AND DOES NOT RESPOND TO AN ACCELERATION AFTER A RAPID DECELERATION OF AT LEAST 40 MPH. THE VEHICLE WILL JERK IN RESPONSE TO YOUR ATTEMPT TO ACCELERATE AND THEN WILL RESPOND. THIS CAN LEAD TO A DANGEROUS SITUATION IF YOU ARE ATTEMPTING TO AVOID A COLLISION BY ACCELERATIN
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: CAR CRASH AT 45 MPH. FRONT IN DAMAGE AND AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. SEATBELTS DID NOT LOCK UP.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)