2011 GMC Terrain Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Terrain years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 17 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 4 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 386 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 GMC Terrain. That is the most of any Terrain model year in the database (17 years). The most reported problem area is engine (178 complaints, 46%), typically at around 85,500 miles. Complaints mention 11 crashes, 8 fires, 24 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.
- 386owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 3NHTSA investigations
- 11complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2011 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 | 178 | 46% | 85,500 | “oil consumption” (17%) | — |
| Power Train problems | 76 | 20% | 74,500 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 33 | 9% | 97,800 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 31 | 8% | 84,902 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 29 | 8% | 89,500 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 28 | 7% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 25 | 6% | 64,500 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 22 | 6% | 13,950 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 21 | 5% | 66,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 18 | 5% | 78,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 17 | 4% | 7,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 15 | 4% | 30,993 | — | — |
| Structure | 11 | 3% | 18,380 | — | — |
| Seats | 10 | 3% | 39,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 7 | 2% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 7 | 2% | 65,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 7 | 2% | 11,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 5 | 1% | 77,264 | — | — |
| Suspension | 5 | 1% | 42,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 3 | 1% | 8,500 | — | — |
| Tires | 3 | 1% | 71,895 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 1% | 25,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 1% | 7,000 | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 0% | 60,158 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2011 GMC Terrain recalls (4)
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.
Electrical system:ignition; power train:automatic transmission:control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK. Also, certain 2013 Buick Encore, 2011 Buick Regal, 2013-2014 Buick Verano, 2011-2016 Chevrolet Cruze, 2010-2013 Chevrolet Equinox 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2011-2013 GMC Terrain vehicles may have been serviced with similar defective replacement electronic park lock levers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
Risk: If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick 1-800-521-7300, and GMC 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 50490 and 50491.
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.
Seat belts:front:buckle assembly
Problem: General motors is recalling certain model year 2011 cadillac srx, chevrolet equinox and gmc terrain vehicles. The driver and /or front passenger safety belt buckle anchor may fracture and separate near the seat attachment in a vehicle crash.
Risk: The safety belt system may not restrain the occupant(s) as designed and could increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will modify the passenger and/or the driver safety belt buckles as necessary. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or before january 18, 2011. Owners may contact cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, gmc at 1-866-996-9463 and at the owner center 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.
No warning before headlights gave up
We have 2011 GMC Terrain. We bought it used so we have only had it a couple years. We noticed it seemed to be using a little more oil but then we were told to keep watch on it. My husband did. Then one day while I was driving it I thought I had heard a faint clicking noise. I said that car isnât…
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2011 GMC Terrain. The contact discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 87,000, and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was…
The contact owns a 2011 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The contact stated that the vehicle was leaking engine oil. The check engine warning light was illuminated while driving at undisclosed speeds. The vehicle was taken to a local…
The contact owns a 2011 GMC Terrain. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as intended. The contact pulled over to the right side of the roadway and waited for towing assistance. The contact stated that an independent mechanic…
Other GMC Terrain years
← 2010 Terrain · 2012 Terrain →
| 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 | 224 | 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 | 386 | 4 |
| 2010 Terrain | 290 | 3 |
See all GMC Terrain problems by year, every GMC model, or the GMC VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2011 GMC Terrain?
Owners most often report engine, power train, unknown or other problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 178 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2011 GMC Terrain?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2011 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 2011 has far more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 4 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.