2018 GMC Terrain Service Brakes Problems
Owners have filed 70 complaints with NHTSA about service brakes problems on the 2018 GMC Terrain, 31% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 34,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “vacuum pump” (40% of reports).
- 70service brakes complaints
- 34,000median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 49%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 28 of 70 complaints (40%)
- Brake assist: mentioned in 20 of 70 complaints (29%)
- Hard press: mentioned in 7 of 70 complaints (10%)
- Became extremely: mentioned in 5 of 70 complaints (7%)
At what mileage do service brakes problems happen?
Based on 15 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 70 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 1 an injury.
GMC Terrain service brakes complaints by model year
| Model year | Service Brakes complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Terrain | 4 | 12% | — |
| 2025 Terrain | 2 | 15% | — |
| 2024 Terrain | 2 | 4% | — |
| 2022 Terrain | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2021 Terrain | 8 | 22% | 78,843 |
| 2020 Terrain | 65 | 33% | 34,415 |
| 2019 Terrain | 65 | 35% | 40,000 |
| 2018 Terrain | 70 | 31% | 34,000 |
| 2017 Terrain | 2 | 1% | 50,000 |
| 2016 Terrain | 5 | 3% | 32,000 |
| 2015 Terrain | 8 | 3% | 43,200 |
| 2014 Terrain | 9 | 3% | 41,450 |
| 2013 Terrain | 7 | 2% | 44,198 |
| 2012 Terrain | 5 | 1% | 59,000 |
| 2011 Terrain | 5 | 1% | 77,264 |
| 2010 Terrain | 8 | 3% | 123,462 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:caliper
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insufficient coating causing gas pockets to form, potentially reducing rear brake performance.
Risk: A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18279.
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 service brakes problems?
No. NHTSA has 70 owner complaints about service brakes for the 2018 GMC Terrain (31% 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 service brakes?
Yes: 1 safety recall list service brakes. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do service brakes problems start?
The median reported mileage is 34,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about service brakes problems on the 2018 GMC Terrain?
The most frequent phrase is “vacuum pump”, in 28 of 70 complaints, followed by “brake assist” (20).
Other 2018 GMC Terrain problems
- Engine problems (55)
See all 2018 GMC Terrain problems or service brakes problems across all Terrain years.