2016 GMC Terrain Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Terrain years
- Fewer complaints than other years 10th of 17 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 4 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 152 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 GMC Terrain. That ranks 10th out of 17 Terrain model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (46 complaints, 30%), typically at around 70,000 miles. Complaints mention 9 crashes, 9 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 152owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 9complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2016 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 | 46 | 30% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 46 | 30% | 56,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 13 | 9% | 67,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 11 | 7% | 53,964 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 10 | 7% | 88,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 9 | 6% | 46,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 9 | 6% | 44,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 6 | 4% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 5 | 3% | 32,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 3% | 98,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 3 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 2% | 24,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 3 | 2% | 21,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 3 | 2% | 93,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 2% | 37,250 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 2 | 1% | 45,500 | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 1% | 66,780 | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 1% | 42,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2016 GMC Terrain recalls (2)
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.
Equipment:other:labels; tires
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles manufactured October 16, 2015. The certification labels may have incorrect tire/rim size and cold tire pressure information. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Risk: If the information on the certification labels is incorrect, the operator may install incorrectly sized tires or rims or may improperly inflate the tires, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the certification label, free of charge. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1050, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 46600.
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
- 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.
The timing chain snapped and caused the engine to seize on our 2016 GMC Terrain 2.4L SLC-1 SUV/Truck. Since this has occurred multiple times on the 2.4L engines in this model from 2012 - 2016, we believe that there should be a recall as this issue could cause a major accident if the timing chain…
For an undetermined amount of time- many months for certain, I have been unable to get the key removed from the ignition when the car is shut off and placed in the locked position. I am forced to start and shut off the car for multiple times before I am finally able to remove the key. There is no…
My cousin thought I had a trailing arm bushing was bad on the driver's side. The subframe holding the trailing arm rusted out completely. He was able to put his thumb through it with little pressure when trying to see if it can be fixed.
My 2016 GMC Terrain 2.4L Ecotec first stalled while idling at a red light in Raleigh, NC. I restarted it and it sounded different, so I drove it home. The next morning it would not start. The failure occurred at approximately 69,939 miles with no meaningful warning. The dealerâs diagnostic report…
Windshield wiper mechanism broke while driving in heavy heavy rain near [XXX] . Extremely dangerous situation and almost resulted in a crash but I was able to make my way off of the interstate safely. Huge inconvenience because we had to wait out the rain! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE…
Other GMC Terrain years
← 2015 Terrain · 2017 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 | 152 | 2 |
| 2015 Terrain | 298 | 3 |
| 2014 Terrain | 297 | 2 |
| 2013 Terrain | 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 2016 GMC Terrain?
Owners most often report engine, visibility/wiper, unknown or other problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 46 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2016 GMC Terrain?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2016 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 2016 has fewer 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.