2020 GMC Terrain Engine Problems
Owners have filed 58 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2020 GMC Terrain, 29% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 67,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “vacuum pump” (24% of reports).
- 58engine complaints
- 67,000median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 54%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 14 of 58 complaints (24%)
- Engine power: mentioned in 8 of 58 complaints (14%)
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 5 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 58 complaints, 1 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 | 54 | 24% | 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 2020 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.
While driving my 2020 GMC Terrain, I experienced a sudden loss of normal braking assistance. I had been traveling on the highway and exited onto a main road. As I approached a red traffic light at approximately 50 mph and attempted to brake, the vehicle would not stop normally. I was unable to stop…
Having the start stop issue on my terrain and recently over the last few months, it has been using oil everything that sounds exactly like the recall but mine is not included. My start stop is not working and I have to get him since it had only 60,000 miles on it years ago, but nothing was done.
While driving, I suddenly smelled something burning. Immediately after, a warning popped up stating 'Engine power is reducing,' the check engine light came on, and I experienced a sudden, near-total loss of power braking assist, making the brake pedal extremely hard to press. I had to use intense…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2020 GMC Terrains have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 58 owner complaints about engine for the 2020 GMC Terrain (29% of the 197 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 2020 GMC Terrain engine?
No recall currently lists engine for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 67,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2020 GMC Terrain?
The most frequent phrase is “vacuum pump”, in 14 of 58 complaints, followed by “engine power” (8).
Other 2020 GMC Terrain problems
See all 2020 GMC Terrain problems or engine problems across all Terrain years.