2013 GMC Terrain Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Terrain years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 17 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 4 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 364 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 GMC Terrain. That ranks 2nd out of 17 Terrain model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (197 complaints, 54%), typically at around 91,000 miles. Complaints mention 14 crashes, 2 fires, 25 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 364owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 14complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2013 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 | 197 | 54% | 91,000 | “oil consumption” (26%) | $2,650 |
| Visibility/wiper problems | 50 | 14% | 60,000 | “windshield wipers” (36%) | — |
| Power Train | 44 | 12% | 94,843 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 25 | 7% | 68,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 22 | 6% | 47,500 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 21 | 6% | 35,786 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 19 | 5% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 14 | 4% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 13 | 4% | 78,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 11 | 3% | 102,850 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 10 | 3% | 47,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 8 | 2% | 71,280 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 7 | 2% | 44,198 | — | — |
| Suspension | 7 | 2% | 37,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 6 | 2% | 54,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5 | 1% | 63,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 4 | 1% | 42,386 | — | — |
| Visibility | 4 | 1% | 48,000 | — | — |
| Chest Clip, Buckle, Harness | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 1% | 47,308 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 2 | 1% | 99,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 1% | 142,500 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 1% | 109,225 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Carry Handle, Shell, Base | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 0% | 1,500 | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 0% | 9,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2013 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.
Visibility:windshield wiper/washer:motor
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the ball joints in the windshield wiper module may corrode and wear over time, possibly resulting in one or both of the windshield wipers becoming inoperative.
Risk: Inoperative windshield wipers may reduce the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, dealers will repair the AIP-hole, inspect and, if necessary, replace the front wiper module, free of charge. The recall began on April 13, 2017. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 25302.
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.
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.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The paint on top of these kind of vehicles is peeling off tremendously, I've seen several vehicles like the same model& make in my neighborhood that have the same issues like mine with the paint coming off from the top of the vehicle. It's so badd to where it's corroding from the paint coming off!!!
The contact owns a 2013 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that the metal base of the seatbelt of the driver side has become exposed. The contact stated area looks frayed and deteriorated. The contact stated that is coming apart and has affected the seatbelt function. The local dealer was not…
The exhaust and emissions system appears to have failed or is malfunctioning, including the catalytic converter and potentially the exhaust manifold or upstream exhaust components. The engine and fuel/propulsion system are also affected, as evidenced by sputtering and drivability issues. The…
Was driving my terrain and suddenly it started to shake and then check engine Light came on. Upon getting out I checked the dipstick and no oil was on dipstick. Start to put oil in and it's running out of the oil pan underneath the vehicle. Towed it home removed oil pan and engine parts laying…
The contact owns a 2013 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while coming to a complete stop or shifting into reverse, the vehicle lost automotive power. The check engine warning light was illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle was shifted into park(P) to regain motive power…
Other GMC Terrain years
← 2012 Terrain · 2014 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 | 364 | 3 |
| 2012 Terrain | 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 2013 GMC Terrain?
Owners most often report engine, visibility/wiper, power train problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 197 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2013 GMC Terrain?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2013 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 2013 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.