2010 GMC Terrain Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Terrain years
- More complaints than other years 6th of 17 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 290 complaints with NHTSA about the 2010 GMC Terrain. That ranks 6th out of 17 Terrain model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (107 complaints, 37%), typically at around 79,839 miles. Complaints mention 10 crashes, 12 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.
- 290owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 3NHTSA investigations
- 10complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2010 GMC Terrain problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine problems | 107 | 37% | 79,839 | “timing chain” (27%) | $1,950 |
| Power Train problems | 51 | 18% | 70,059 | “timing chain” (18%) | — |
| Electrical System | 48 | 17% | 71,559 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 40 | 14% | 97,243 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 24 | 8% | 44,229 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 21 | 7% | 72,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 17 | 6% | 48,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 16 | 6% | 76,050 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 14 | 5% | 73,471 | — | — |
| Visibility | 14 | 5% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 12 | 4% | 85,150 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 10 | 3% | 20,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 10 | 3% | 5,157 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 8 | 3% | 48,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 8 | 3% | 123,462 | — | — |
| Tires | 5 | 2% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 1% | 52,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 3 | 1% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 3 | 1% | 37,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 1% | 8,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 1% | 36,074 | — | — |
| Child Seat | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 0% | 44,000 | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 1 | 0% | 155,678 | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 0% | 77,138 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 0% | 44,500 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2010 GMC Terrain recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Exterior lighting:headlights
Problem: 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."
Risk: The bright reflection may cause a glare for other drivers, reducing their visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Seats:front assembly:power adjust
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Buick LaCrosse, Regal and Chevrolet Camaro, as well as certain 2010-2012 Cadillac SRX, Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles, equipped with power height adjustable driver and passenger seats. In the affected vehicles, the bolt that secures the driver's and passenger's power front seat height adjuster may fall out causing the seat to drop suddenly to the lowest vertical position.
Risk: If the driver's seat unexpectedly drops, the distraction and altered seat position may affect the drivers' control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the height adjuster shoulder bolts, free of charge. The manufacturer distributed interim letters to owners on September 11, 2014. The recall began on December 26, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), or 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14271.
Visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac system
Problem: General motors is recalling certain model year 2010 chevrolet equinox and gmc terrain vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 103, "windshield defrosting and defogging systems and with federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 101, controls and displays". The software in the center instrument panel can cause the heating, air conditioning, defrost, and radio controls, as well as the panel illumination to become inoperative.
Risk: Driving without a functioning defrost system can decrease your visibility under certain driving conditions and could result in a crash without warning.
Fix: Dealers will replace the computer module in the center instrument panel free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during january 2010. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, gmc at 1-866-996-9463 or at www.gmownercenter.com.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Momentary Increased Steering Effort (PE20009) — opened Jun 1, 2020, closed Jun 3, 2022.
- Front Wiper Transmission Inoperative (EA19005) — opened Dec 13, 2019, closed Nov 28, 2022, led to recall 22V165000.
- Windshield Wiper Transmission Failure (RQ18002) — opened Nov 2, 2018, closed Dec 19, 2019.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
I am reporting an auto dealership and its finance company for contract fraud, electronic profile manipulation, and using illegal repossession threats to cover it up. During my vehicle purchase, the dealership used deceptive bait-and-switch tactics. They altered my final contract numbers without my…
I bought this car and the mileage said 120K, but the title says when it was tagged 157K. the car has been tampered with and the some of the lights for the car on the dash are missing, such as the check engine light. Also, it misses so bad that it will die at times
Got everything under the hood done n still have the same problem with it shut off while driving
The contact owns a 2010 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the center console display intermittently malfunctioned and became inoperable. During the failure, the HVAC system was no longer blowing hot air, and the front windshield could not be defrosted, creating a…
The contact owns a 2010 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the service stabili-trak and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to OâReilly Auto Parts, where it was diagnosed with a misfire in cylinder #3. The vehicle was then…
Other GMC Terrain years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Terrain | 33 | 1 |
| 2025 Terrain | 13 | 0 |
| 2024 Terrain | 52 | 1 |
| 2023 Terrain | 40 | 2 |
| 2022 Terrain | 60 | 2 |
| 2021 Terrain | 36 | 2 |
| 2020 Terrain | 197 | 2 |
| 2019 Terrain | 186 | 3 |
| 2018 Terrain | 223 | 5 |
| 2017 Terrain | 135 | 1 |
| 2016 Terrain | 152 | 2 |
| 2015 Terrain | 298 | 3 |
| 2014 Terrain | 297 | 2 |
| 2013 Terrain | 364 | 3 |
| 2012 Terrain | 364 | 4 |
| 2011 Terrain | 386 | 4 |
| 2010 | 290 | 3 |
See all GMC Terrain problems by year, every GMC model, or the GMC VIN decoder.
Similar GMC models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2010 GMC Terrain?
Owners most often report engine, power train, electrical system problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 107 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2010 GMC Terrain?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2010 GMC Terrain a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Terrain model years, the 2010 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.