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What 368 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 GMC Terrain

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (368)Crash / fire / injury (21)Engine (197)Visibility & wipers (54)Transmission & drivetrain (44)Electrical system (23)Fuel system (23)Airbags (22)Steering (14)Body & structure (12)Engine & cooling (11)Lights (10)

12 of 368 complaints match · Body & structure · clear filters

Feb 7, 2024Body & structure

Diagnosis - rear floor boards and trunk well full of water. Diagnose and report - Founds traces of water running down rear pillars, starting just under the taillights. Remove rear taillights and found access hole tape failed, allowing water to enter vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11570646

Sep 26, 2023Body & structure

The contact owns a 2013 GMC Terrain. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed there was extreme rust to the subframe and that the subframe needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 141,388.

NHTSA ODI 11546611

Jan 10, 2023Body & structure

The contact owns a 2013 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to be inspected however, the contact was informed that the vehicle could not be inspected due to the frame, rocker panel, rear bumper support, and the e-brake cable mounting bracket being extremely corroded. The contact was informed that the parts needed to be replaced before the inspection was completed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 91,276.

NHTSA ODI 11501014

Sep 23, 2022Body & structure

The hydraulics that are intended to hold up the rear lift gate have failed. After opening the lift gate and leaning in to get something out of the rear of the car, the lift gate will begin to close and hit or hurt the person that is standing at the back of the car. I have not shown this to a dealer or independent service provider, but it is easily reproducible. Likewise, I have not shown this to a manufacturer, the police, or an insurance representative. There were no warning lamps regarding this issue. The problem just started happening approximately 12 months ago.

NHTSA ODI 11486071

Nov 10, 2018Electrical systemBody & structureEngine

I BOUGHT THE VECHILE IN FEB. 2016 RAN FINE. IN JUNE OF 2016. THE VECHILE STARTED ACTING LIKE IT HAD WATER IN THE GAS HESITATEING STALLING AND THE RADIO AND TOUCH SCREEN DON'T WORK TOOK IT TO A DEALER AND HE SAID HAD ATER IN FUEL PUT I A NEW SENORS. BUT STILL DOING THE SAME THING STALLING WHEN COMING TO STOP SIGNS HESITATES NOT GOING INTO TO GEAR TOOK IT TO GM DEALER IN NEW RICHMOND AND THEY HOOK UP TO A COMPUTER SAID NOTHING WRONG WHEN VECHILE DOSE IT AGAIN BRING IT IN DON'T TURN IT OFF THATS HARD TO DO BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO START IT UP AGAIN TO DRIVE IT THEIR KNOW TODAY THE RADIO IS OFF AND TOUCHSCREEN DON'T COME ON I AM JUST SCARED BECAUSE WE TAKE OUR SON TO ROCHESTER THREE DAYS A WEEK FOR THERPY HELP

NHTSA ODI 11150747

Oct 6, 2017Body & structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 GMC TERRAIN. WHEN THE LIFTGATE WAS OPENED REMOTELY, IT WOULD OPEN AND THEN CLOSE UNEXPECTEDLY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED EVERY TIME FOR APPROXIMATELY FOUR MONTHS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000.

NHTSA ODI 11032005

Mar 16, 2017Body & structure

TAILGATE DOES NOT STAY OPEN. SLOWLY CLOSES. STARTED HAPPENING 3/1/2017. HAPPENS WHENEVER I OPEN REAR TAILGATE FOR ACCESS.

NHTSA ODI 10966316

Feb 28, 2017Body & structure

THE BACK HATCH OF MY 2013 GMC TERRAIN HAS PERFORATING CORROSION AND THE DEALERSHIP (WHITE'S MOUNTAIN, CASPER, WY) WON'T REPAIR IT AND NEITHER WILL GENERAL MOTORS DESPITE IT STILL BEING UNDER WARRANTY

NHTSA ODI 10957651

Mar 3, 2016Body & structure

STARTED RIGHT AFTER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN JAN 2013 AND CONTINUES EVERY WINTER. WHEN OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE FALLS BELOW 40 DEGREE'S THE VEHICLE WINDSHIELD MAKES A CRACKING SOUND. I LIKE TO REFER TO IT AS MAKING "POPCORN" SAME SOUND. CONTINUES WHILE DRIVING UNTIL I HEAT UP CAR. I HAVE BROUGHT IT TO DEALER ATTENTION EVEN HAD IT IN SERVICE DEPARTMENT BUT THEY ARE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE SOUND. I HAVE VIDEO AND SENT TO GMC.

NHTSA ODI 10839643

Aug 8, 2014Body & structure

THE BACK HATCH DOES NOT HAVE A FEATURE TO REVERSE CLOSING IF SOMETHING (SAY, A CHILD) IS IN BETWEEN THE VEHICLE AND THE CLOSING DOOR. YOU HAVE TO PULL UP ON IT VERY HARD TO GET IT TO STOP CLOSING ON A CHILD AND OPEN BACK UP. IF A PARENT ISN'T THERE TO STOP IT, IT WILL DEFINITELY INJURE (POSSIBLE SEVERELY) A CHILD'S HEAD. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10620955

Apr 13, 2014Body & structure

SNOW, MUD AND ALL ROAD DIRT ACCUMULATES INSIDE THE BOTTOM OF ALL DOORS, UP TO THE INSIDE INTERIOR PANEL OF THE DOORS. AM CONCERNED ABOUT RUST IN THE FUTURE AND IF IT'S DUE TO AN IMPROPER SEAL ON DOORS. *JS

NHTSA ODI 10579424

Mar 1, 2014Body & structureFuel system

ROAD DIRT, SNOW, MUD ACCUMULATES AT INSIDE BOTTOMS OF DOORS ALL THE WAY UP TO BOTTOM OF SPEAKER AREAS. I CAN SEE WHERE IT IS PULLING DOWN THE BOTTOM PANELS. CALLED DEALER AND ASKED FOR GM INFO ON THIS AND NOTHING BACK FROM DEALER. ALSO 2 WEEKS AGO ENGINE LITE CAME ON, TOOK TO LOCAL DEALER FOR REPLACEMENT OF GASOLINE SENSOR? AT 10,000 MILES? ASKED IF I USED CORN GAS? NO, I USE PLUS OR PREMIUM. DOES THIS HAPPEN EVERY 10,000 MILES? ALSO I AM CONCERNED I WILL HAVE RUST ON MY DOORS VERY SOON. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10566595

Working with the data? Download all 368 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 10, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2013 GMC Terrain verdict →