2018 GMC Terrain Engine Problems
Owners have filed 55 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2018 GMC Terrain, 25% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 18,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “vacuum pump” (29% of reports).
- 55engine complaints
- 18,000median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 45%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.
- Vacuum pump: mentioned in 16 of 55 complaints (29%)
- Engine power: mentioned in 7 of 55 complaints (13%)
- Brake assist: mentioned in 6 of 55 complaints (11%)
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 17 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 55 complaints, 1 a fire.
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 2018 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.
On XXX while driving my 2018 GMC Terrain SLE 1.5L turbo on the highway at approximately 70 MPH near [XXX]. I experienced a sudden loss of power brake assist without any prior dashboard warning lights or messages. I was traveling with children to [XXX] for a youth wrestling tournament, approximately…
Without any type of warning, I was driving down the road when my car started making a knocking/ticking type noise then my engine light came on. I attempted to hit my brakes and stop, and I had no control. There was no brakes without pushing it all the way to the floor it was very hard to get my car…
Approximately 3 miles from my residence my car display flashed "Reduced Engine Power" and slowed down. When I reached a stop sign and tried to stop, my brakes were stiff and I was unable to stop. I went through the stop sign. I continued to my residence at 10mph and backed into a parking space with…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2018 GMC Terrains have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 55 owner complaints about engine for the 2018 GMC Terrain (25% of the 224 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 2018 GMC Terrain engine?
No recall currently lists engine for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 18,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2018 GMC Terrain?
The most frequent phrase is “vacuum pump”, in 16 of 55 complaints, followed by “engine power” (7).
Other 2018 GMC Terrain problems
See all 2018 GMC Terrain problems or engine problems across all Terrain years.