2012 GMC Terrain Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Terrain years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 17 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 4 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 364 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 GMC Terrain. That ranks 2nd out of 17 Terrain model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (169 complaints, 46%), typically at around 85,000 miles. Complaints mention 17 crashes, 5 fires, 19 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.
- 364owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 3NHTSA investigations
- 17complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2012 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 | 169 | 46% | 85,000 | “oil consumption” (32%) | $3,500 |
| Visibility/wiper problems | 74 | 20% | 90,000 | “windshield wipers” (47%) | $380 |
| Power Train | 37 | 10% | 87,114 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 37 | 10% | 63,623 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 32 | 9% | 77,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 28 | 8% | 106,250 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 25 | 7% | 99,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 13 | 4% | 61,258 | — | — |
| Structure | 12 | 3% | 60,673 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 11 | 3% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 10 | 3% | 35,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 9 | 2% | 89,500 | — | — |
| Visibility | 8 | 2% | 91,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 7 | 2% | 29,800 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 5 | 1% | 92,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 5 | 1% | 59,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 5 | 1% | 48,436 | — | — |
| Seats | 4 | 1% | 93,012 | — | — |
| Suspension | 4 | 1% | 19,500 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 2 | 1% | 81,930 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 0% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 0% | 10,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2012 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.
Tires:pressure monitoring and regulating systems
Problem: General motors (gm) is recalling certain model year 2012 chevrolet equinox and gmc terrain vehicles, manufactured from july 18, 2011, through september 6, 2011, for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard number 138, "tire pressure monitoring system" (tpms). The tire pressure monitoring system is designed to illuminate the tire pressure warning light when the pressure in a tire is 25% below the recommended cold tire pressure. On these vehicles, the light will not illuminate until the tire pressure is more than 25% below the recommended cold tire pressure.
Risk: Underinflated tires can result in tire overloading and overheating, which could lead to a blowout and possible crash. The resulting crash could cause serious injury. Underinflated tires can also result in premature or irregular wear, poor handling, and poor fuel economy.
Fix: Gm dealers will update the body control module free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or about november 9, 2011. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 and gmc at 1-866-996-9463.
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.
My car has started stalling and dying when i slow down, take off or when idling. No power when accelerated, and the smell of exhaust comes into my car. I was making a turn from a red light and my car spit, sputtered, and died right in the middle of the busy intersection. I was almost hit from the…
The engine blew. This was already the 2nd engine in the car. Oil consumption. Metal in the oil. No signs. Needs new engine
The oil is depleting every month from the vehicle. Every 2-3 weeks I have to put oil in the vehicle because the oil is being absorbed. Is there a recall on this problem.
1. The engine suddenly lost power while driving during evening rush hour and the vehicle would no longer accelerate. 2. Because the vehicle could not maintain speed, I was unable to keep up with traffic, creating a serious safety hazard that could have resulted in a major accident. 3. The vehicle…
Liftgate automatically closing and failure to remain open causing a safety hazard for anyone standing at the liftgate.
Other GMC Terrain years
← 2011 Terrain · 2013 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 | 364 | 4 |
| 2011 Terrain | 386 | 4 |
| 2010 Terrain | 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 2012 GMC Terrain?
Owners most often report engine, visibility/wiper, power train problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 169 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2012 GMC Terrain?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2012 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 2012 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.