2012 GMC Terrain Engine Problems
Owners have filed 169 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2012 GMC Terrain, 46% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 85,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “oil consumption” (32% of reports).
- 169engine complaints
- 85,000median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $3,500typical repair cost reported by owners
- 39%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Oil consumption: mentioned in 54 of 169 complaints (32%)
- Timing chain: mentioned in 25 of 169 complaints (15%)
- Rear main: mentioned in 9 of 169 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine repair on the 2012 GMC Terrain at $3,500, and half of them between $1,600 and $5,050.
Based on 6 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2017–2021), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 115 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 169 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 3 a fire, 2 an injury.
GMC Terrain engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Terrain | 1 | 3% | — |
| 2025 Terrain | 2 | 15% | 1,126 |
| 2024 Terrain | 11 | 21% | 6,766 |
| 2023 Terrain | 15 | 38% | 41,000 |
| 2022 Terrain | 10 | 17% | 66,000 |
| 2021 Terrain | 10 | 28% | 61,000 |
| 2020 Terrain | 58 | 29% | 67,000 |
| 2019 Terrain | 70 | 38% | 72,000 |
| 2018 Terrain | 55 | 25% | 18,000 |
| 2017 Terrain | 79 | 59% | 79,750 |
| 2016 Terrain | 46 | 30% | 70,000 |
| 2015 Terrain | 80 | 27% | 83,000 |
| 2014 Terrain | 123 | 41% | 91,000 |
| 2013 Terrain | 197 | 54% | 91,000 |
| 2012 Terrain | 169 | 46% | 85,000 |
| 2011 Terrain | 178 | 46% | 85,500 |
| 2010 Terrain | 107 | 37% | 79,839 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine for the 2012 GMC Terrain. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are 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.
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2012 GMC Terrains have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 169 owner complaints about engine for the 2012 GMC Terrain (46% of the 364 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2012 GMC Terrain engine?
No recall currently lists engine for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 85,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix engine problems on the 2012 GMC Terrain?
Owners report a typical cost of $3,500 (half paid between $1,600 and $5,050), from 6 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2012 GMC Terrain?
The most frequent phrase is “oil consumption”, in 54 of 169 complaints, followed by “timing chain” (25).
Other 2012 GMC Terrain problems
See all 2012 GMC Terrain problems or engine problems across all Terrain years.