Home · 2013 GMC Terrain · Complaints

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)

54 of 368 complaints match · Visibility & wipers · clear filters · page 1 of 3

Oct 20, 2022LightsEngineVisibility & wipers

UNKNOWN

NHTSA ODI 11490150

Jun 30, 2022EngineVisibility & wipers

My 2013 engine blew out, I did an oil change around February and a month later took my vehicle to aamco and they found a gallon of coolant in the engine. None of the warning lights came on prior to this happening at all whatsoever. The oil life was still at 32% with no oil in my engine. All 3 of my windshield wipers as well rotted within the year that I purchased the vehicle. Now I do not have a working vehicle at all whatsoever due to the engine and car not wanting to start. When I put the code reader in when it first happened it told me it was the camshaft sensor so I changed both sensors and all the spark plugs and even bought the crankshaft sensor and it was none of the above until later I found out it was the engine that blew. I have spent so much money on this vehicle it’s ridiculous.

NHTSA ODI 11471689

Aug 4, 2021Visibility & wipers

The contact owns a 2013 GMC Terrain. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA Campaign number: 16V582000 (Visibility). The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The part was available for the repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ODI 11427785

Jul 25, 2021Speed controlEngineVisibility & wipers

1. Engine burning oil, had to be replaced at 100,000 miles. In repair shop again, oil coming out of exhaust?? 2. Car would stall out while driving, try to accelerate at a red light, almost crashed a few times. Back window has been covered in oil from exhaust. Couldn't see. 3. Only used White Plains Buick/GMC for repairs. Car is there now. 4. NYS DMV is currently investigating 5. Check engine light just recently came on

NHTSA ODI 11426320

Jan 14, 2020Visibility & wipers

TOOK MY CAR FOR A GMC RECALL AND AFTER WAITING FOR 5 HOURS THEY DIDN'T FIX MY CAR

NHTSA ODI 11299332

Dec 16, 2018Visibility & wipers

ON 12/15/18 WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY IN MARYLAND ON A HEAVY RAINING NIGHT WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP WORKING AND FROZE IN PLACE. HAD TO PULL OFF AND ACQUIRE A RIDE HOME, AND RETRIEVE VEHICLE THE NEXT DAY.

NHTSA ODI 11161790

Nov 28, 2018Visibility & wipers

THE LINKAGE FAILED DURING RAIN STORM WHILE DRIVING. MOTOR WORKS BUT WIPERS WERE UNHOOKED AND DID NOT WORK.

NHTSA ODI 11154439

Nov 15, 2018Electrical systemVisibility & wipers

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 GMC TERRAIN. WHILE DRIVING, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DARKENED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED NUMEROUS TIMES. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTING RETURNED TO NORMAL. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE DEFROST SYSTEM FAILED TO CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD WHEN DRIVING IN COLD WEATHER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000. *TT*JB

NHTSA ODI 11151697

Jun 21, 2017Visibility & wipers

2013 GMC TERRAIN. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO CORROSION OF BALL JOINTS IN WINDSHIELD WIPER MODULES. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE PARTS NECESSARY TO REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. *JS

NHTSA ODI 10959210

Jun 6, 2017Visibility & wipers

2013 GMC TERRAIN. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE WINDSHIELD WIPERS MALFUNCTION WHILE DRIVING. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THAT WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED WITH THE SAME MODEL PART THAT FAILED. THE CONSUMER IS IN POSSESSION OF THE OLD PART. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT. *JS

NHTSA ODI 10965488

May 3, 2017Visibility & wipers

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 GMC TERRAIN. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE REAR WINDOW EXPLODED AND THE GLASS SHATTERED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ODI 10983249

Apr 11, 2017Visibility & wipers

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 GMC TERRAIN. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V582000 (VISIBILITY) AND STATED THAT THE PART NEEDED WAS UNAVAILABLE TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ODI 10971944

Apr 10, 2017Visibility & wipers

2013 GMC TERRAIN. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO NO REMEDY AVAILABLE TO REPAIR WINDSHIELD WIPER BALL JOINTS HIGH CORROSION/WEAR RECALL NOTICE. *SMD UPDATED 04/10/2017*JS

NHTSA ODI 10968113

Mar 14, 2017Visibility & wipers

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 GMC TERRAIN. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V582000 (VISIBILITY/WIPER). THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

NHTSA ODI 10965882

Mar 13, 2017Visibility & wipers

WINDSHIELD WIPER RECALL GENERAL MOTORS IS STALLING RECALLED WINDSHIELD WIPER REPAIR CAUSING SAFETY CONCERN FOR MY GRANDDAUGHTER.

NHTSA ODI 10960434

Feb 16, 2017Visibility & wipers

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 GMC TERRAIN. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V582000 (VISIBILITY); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 10955074

Feb 13, 2017Visibility & wipers

1 YEAR AGO I WAS DRIVING IN TORRENTIAL RAIN AND MY WIPERS STOPPED GIVING ME ZERO VISIBILITY DOING 60 IN THE FAST LANE OF A MAJOR HIGHWAY CAUSING ME TO SWERVE OFF THE ROAD AND LAND IN A DITCH. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS HURT. I COMPLAINED TO GMC BUT NOTHING WAS DONE. I TOOK TO DEALER AND HAD WIPER BALL JOINT REPLACED AND WIPERS. YESTERDAY, 1 YEAR AND 2 MONTHS ALMOST TO THE DAY- MY WIPERS GAVE OUT AGAIN WHILE DRIVING IN RAIN AND HAIL. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THIS VEHICLE AND AM DISGUSTED WITH GMC'S RESPONSE TO THIS DEADLY MISFUNCTION.

NHTSA ODI 10954178

Feb 13, 2017Visibility & wipers

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 GMC TERRAIN. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V582000 (VISIBILITY). THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

NHTSA ODI 10954222

Feb 3, 2017Visibility & wipers

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 GMC TERRAIN. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V582000 (VISIBILITY/WIPER) AND STATED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME FRAME TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER DID NOT GIVE A SPECIFIC DATE FOR WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER COULD NOT PROVIDE AN ESTIMATED DATE FOR WHEN THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WOULD RECEIVE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT WAS NOT EXPERIENCING A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 05/17/17*LJ UPDATED 06/09/17 *JS

NHTSA ODI 10949287

Feb 2, 2017Visibility & wipers

TAKATA RECALL - AS I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON A LOCAL ROAD IT STARTED TO RAIN ONE MORNING. I FLIPPED THE SWITCH TO TURN ON MY WIND SHIELD WIPERS AND THEY WOULD NOT MOVE. THE NEXT DAY I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT MIGHT BE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AND THAT IT WOULD COST A TON OF MONEY BECAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE TO TAKE PARTS OFF IN ORDER TO GET TO THE WIPERS TO SEE WHAT WAS CAUSING THE WIPERS TO NOT WORK. THEY JUST DID NOT MOVE AT ALL. I RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER IN SEPTEMBER OF 2016 FOR THE WIPERS SAYING THAT THERE WAS A DEFECT. I TOOK MY TERRAIN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND TOLD THEM THERE WAS A RECALL. THEY LOOKED IT UP AND SAW THAT IT WAS INDEED A RECALL BUT THAT GMC HAD NOT FIGURED OUT HOW TO FIX IT. THEY SAID I NEEDED TO WAIT FOR ANOTHER LETTER. I HAVE BEEN CHECKING THE WEBSITE EVERY MONTH TO SEE IF THE RECALL HAS BEEN UPDATED AND IT HAS NOT. NOW ITS FEBRUARY 2ND OF 2017 AND THERE IS STILL NOT A SECOND LETTER EXPLAINING HOW TO FIX THE DEFECT OR THE PARTS TO FIX IT WITH. WHEN YOU FLIP THE SWITCH TO TURN ON THE FRONT WIPERS THEY DO NOT MOVE, BUT YOU CAN HEAR THE MOTOR FOR IT GOING. THE WIPERS IN THE BACK WORKS, JUST NOT THE FRONT. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10949022

Feb 1, 2017Visibility & wipers

NOTIFIED OF RECALL RELATING TO WINDSHIELD WIPERS IN SEPT 2016, BUT MANUFACTURER STILL HAS NOT FIXED VEHICLE BECAUSE PARTS NOT YET AVAILABLE. VIN IS [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI 10948826

Jan 23, 2017Visibility & wipers

WHILE DRIVING ON A BUSY HIGHWAY DURING TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS, MY 2013 GMC TERRAIN'S WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECAME IMMEDIATELY INOPERABLE WITH NO WARNING. THE WIPERS WENT OFF THE SIDE OF THE CAR & IMMEDIATELY PUT MYSELF & CHILDREN IN DANGER. I WAS IN THE LEFT PASSING LANE & IMMEDIATELY PUT MY HAZARDS ON & OPENED THE WINDOW TRYING TO LOOK OUT BECAUSE IT'S WAS EVENING TRAFFIC COMMUTE TIME. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER IN A VERY UNSAFE LOCATION PUTTING MYSELF & CHILDREN AT RISK, BUT HAD NO CHOICE DUE TO THE HIGH TRAFFIC VOLUME & CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION BARRIERS ON BOTH SIDES. I CAME HOME & GOOGLED WHAT THE ISSUE CAN BE, ONLY TO FIND THERE IS A RECALL BUT THERE IS NO REMEDY FOR THIS AT THE PRESENT TIME. THE RECALL IS 2013 VISIBILITY: WINDSHIELD/WIPER WASHER:MOTOR. NHTSA CAMPAIGN # 16V582000 (SUMMARY: GENERAL MOTORS LLC (GM) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2013 CHEVROLET EQUINOX AND GMC TERRAIN VEHICLES. IN THE AFFECTED VEHICLES, THE BALL JOINTS IN THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MODULE MAY CORRODE AND WEAR OVER TIME, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN ONE OR BOTH OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECOMING INOPERATIVE. CONSEQUENCE: INOPERATIVE WINDSHIELD WIPERS MAY REDUCE THE DRIVER'S VISIBILITY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH. ACTIONS: THE REMEDY FOR THIS RECALL CAMPAIGN IS STILL UNDER DEVELOPMENT. AN INTERIM NOTICE WAS SENT TO OWNERS ON SEPTEMBER 8, 2016. OWNERS WILL RECEIVE A SECOND NOTICE WHEN THE REMEDY BECOMES AVAILABLE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-222-1020 OR GMC CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-462-8782. GM'S NUMBER FOR THIS RECALL IS 25302. FOR DETAILED INFORMATION & SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS, SEE THE OFFICIAL NHTSA PAGE CONCERNING RECALL #16V582000 )I WAS ABLE TO CRY TO AAA ABOUT HOW UNSAFE I WAS & THEY IMMEDIATELY SENT A DRIVER TO TOW ME HOME. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10947199

Jan 20, 2017Visibility & wipers

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 GMC TERRAIN. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V582000 (VISIBILITY). THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 10946697

Jan 19, 2017Visibility & wipers

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 GMC TERRAIN. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V582000 (VISIBILITY) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 10946317

Jan 19, 2017Visibility & wipers

WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN, MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. GM HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THE RECALL AND IS YET TO HAVE A REMEDY. THIS CONCERN WAS KNOWN AS OF 8/16 AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE ABOUT IT. I HAVE CONTACTED GM AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE A REMEDY YET. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10946485

Older →

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 →