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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)

11 of 368 complaints match · Engine & cooling · clear filters

Aug 6, 2025Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2013 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle hesitated with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact also stated that while coming to a stop, the vehicle lost automotive power. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed due to the engine consuming oil. The mechanic informed the contact that the engine could be repaired and suggested that the engine needed to be replaced. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 88,000.

NHTSA ODI 11678887

Jan 28, 2025Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2013 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that when slowing down to come to a stop, the vehicle was jumping and hesitating, causing the contact to shift into neutral(N) to stop the vehicle and prevent the vehicle from shaking. There was a fuel odor that smelled like rotten eggs. The check engine warning light was intermittently illuminated at first but became a constant failure. The vehicle was previously included in the emissions recall N192268180; NHTSA Campaign Number: 10183214 (Engine and Engine Cooling); with DTC: P0420 and the vehicle was repaired; however, the contact stated that the repair was performed had not matched the repair in the Emissions recall. The contact stated that the dealer had replaced the oxygen sensor instead of the catalytic converter and oxygen sensors as stated in the remedy. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 10183214 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, since the repair was marked completed, there were no additional repairs available due to the mileage. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI 11639124

Feb 21, 2024Engine & coolingLights

The contact owns a 2013 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that the engine was making an abnormal knocking sound. While driving, at various speeds, the vehicle was jerking. The lights were dim. The contact had to add additional oil every 7 days. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.

NHTSA ODI 11573190

Oct 5, 2023Engine & cooling

See attached document from complainant

NHTSA ODI 11548449

Aug 22, 2023Engine & coolingEngine

The contact owns a 2013 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming 1 to 3 quarts of oil for every few miles. The contact stated that the cross member was covered in oil. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the timing chain had jumped and there was no compression in the engine. The contact was informed that the rod bearings were damaged. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 143,000.

NHTSA ODI 11540014

Feb 14, 2023Engine & coolingEngine

The contact's mother owns a 2013 GMC Terrain. The contact stated while she was driving at approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle shuddered and stalled. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the cam shaft sensor and timing chain needed to be replaced. Additionally, the dealer found that the oil level was very low level after having had an oil change the same day. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 129,000. The VIN was unavailable.

NHTSA ODI 11507250

Aug 22, 2022Fuel systemEngine & cooling

The contact owns a 2013 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that the dealer had previously performed an unknown repair for an exhaust leak; however, the failure recurred while starting the vehicle. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, a fuel odor was detected. The contact was concerned that her and her passenger had experienced carbon monoxide poisoning. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who reset the fuel carbon sensor and replaced the fuel cap; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.

NHTSA ODI 11480498

Feb 4, 2022Engine & cooling

2013 GMC TERRAIN. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO SMELLING EXHAUST IN VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER ADVISED THERE WAS A CRACKED MANIFOLD AND REQUIRED A NEW CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. SIX MONTHS LATER, THE VEHICLE BEGAN SURGING WHILE SITTING IDLE AND STALLED OUT. THE TIMING CHAIN WAS REPLACED. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE COST OF REPAIRS.

NHTSA ODI 11450416

Mar 15, 2019Engine & cooling

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 GMC TERRAIN. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO 500 AUTOMOTIVE CHEVROLET BUICK GMC (1700 IN-163, CLINTON, IN 47842, (765) 832-2421) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POSITIVE CRANKCASE VENTILATION NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 127,000.

NHTSA ODI 11187112

Feb 19, 2019Engine & coolingEngine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 GMC TERRAIN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY STATED THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE POSITIVE CRANKCASE VENTILATION HOLE IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS TOO SMALL AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED TO CALL NHTSA. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 90,700. *BF CONSUMER STATED MANAGED TO RESTART THE MOTOR AND PULLED INTO PARKING LOT. I CHECKED THE CAR OVER AND FOUND OIL OM THE GROUND UNDER THE CAR AND A TRAIL OF OIL COMING INTO THE PARKING LOT. CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY A MECHANIC THESE VEHICLES HAVE THIS PROBLEM. 'PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).'*JB

NHTSA ODI 11181083

Mar 12, 2014SuspensionEngine & coolingElectronic Stability Control (esc)

THE STABILITY TRACK GAVE AN ERROR AND THE ENGINE NOW SLOW. THE ERROR DOESN'T LET THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ALSO WENT ON. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10568902

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 →