Reliable Auto DB

2013 GMC Terrain reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 364 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 GMC Terrain over 14 years — 11 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Terrain years here — over the median of the other years, which is 10. NHTSA has 3 recalls on file, including Headlights, Motor, and Ignition.

2012 GMC Terrain
Photo by IFCAR, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons Public domain
Complaints

364

Per year

11

Recalls

3

Years on the road

14

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (197 of 364), then Visibility and wipers (50) and Powertrain (44). Those filings include 14 that report a crash, 2 that report a fire, 14 that report an injury, and 1 that reports a death.

Next to 2012 and 2014

The 2012 Terrain has 364 complaints, 8 per year, and the 2014 has 296 complaints, 12 per year. The 2013 has more complaints per year than the 2012. The 2013 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2014.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2013 GMC Terrain. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (3)

Recall exterior lighting, headlights 2022-03-08 · NHTSA campaign 22V137000
Summary General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2017 GMC Terrain vehicles. A reflection caused by the headlight housings may illuminate areas above the vehicle and outside of the driver's view with excessively bright light. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Remedy Dealers will install headlamp appliques, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 8, 2022. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N222363740.
Recall visibility, windshield wiper, motor 2016-08-04 · 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.
Remedy GM will notify owners, dealers will repair the AIP-hole, inspect and, if necessary, replace the front wiper module, free of charge. The recall began on April 13, 2017. 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.
Recall electrical system, ignition 2016-07-05 · NHTSA campaign 16V502000
Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK. Also, certain 2013 Buick Encore, 2011 Buick Regal, 2013-2014 Buick Verano, 2011-2016 Chevrolet Cruze, 2010-2013 Chevrolet Equinox 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2011-2013 GMC Terrain vehicles may have been serviced with similar defective replacement electronic park lock levers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick 1-800-521-7300, and GMC 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 50490 and 50491.

Complaints by component (364 total)

Engine
197
Visibility and wipers
50
Powertrain
44
Electrical system
22
Fuel and propulsion system
21
Air bags
19
Steering
14
Structure
13
Engine and engine cooling
11
Exterior lighting
10
Electronic stability control (ESC)
8
Service brakes
7
Suspension
7
Wheels
6
Speed control
5
Seats
4
Visibility
4
Chest clip, buckle, and harness
2
Equipment
2
Forward collision avoidance
2
Fuel system, gasoline
2
Seat belts
2
Adaptive and mobility equipment
1
Back-over prevention
1
Carry handle, shell, and base
1
Lane departure
1
Tires
1
Show 19 more Show less
Crash-flagged

14

Fire-flagged

2

Injury reports

14

Death reports

1

Complaints filed per year

102013172014720153420163420173720186820193620203720213320222620231520247202532026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "The paint on top of these kind of vehicles is peeling off tremendously, I've seen several vehicles like the same model& make in my neighborhood that have the same issues like mine with the paint coming off from the top…"
    Structure · filed 2026-08-22
  • "The contact owns a 2013 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that the metal base of the seatbelt of the driver side has become exposed. The contact stated area looks frayed and deteriorated. The contact stated that is coming…"
    Seat belts · filed 2026-06-18
  • "The exhaust and emissions system appears to have failed or is malfunctioning, including the catalytic converter and potentially the exhaust manifold or upstream exhaust components. The engine and fuel/propulsion system…"
    Powertrain, Engine, Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2026-01-07
  • "Was driving my terrain and suddenly it started to shake and then check engine Light came on. Upon getting out I checked the dipstick and no oil was on dipstick. Start to put oil in and it's running out of the oil pan…"
    Engine · filed 2025-12-12
  • "The contact owns a 2013 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while coming to a complete stop or shifting into reverse, the vehicle lost automotive power. The check engine warning light was illuminated. In addition, the…"
    Engine · filed 2025-10-21

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2013 GMC Terrain SUV AWD 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2013 GMC Terrain SUV FWD 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Terrain all-wheel drive 3.6L, 6-cyl Automatic 6-speed All-wheel drive 16 23 19 MPG $3400
Terrain all-wheel drive 2.4L, 4-cyl Automatic 6-speed All-wheel drive 20 28 23 MPG $2800
Terrain all-wheel drive 3.6L, 6-cyl Automatic 6-speed All-wheel drive 16 23 19 MPG $3400
Terrain all-wheel drive 2.4L, 4-cyl Automatic 6-speed All-wheel drive 20 28 23 MPG $2800
Terrain front-wheel drive 2.4L, 4-cyl Automatic 6-speed Front-wheel drive 22 31 26 MPG $2500
Terrain front-wheel drive 2.4L, 4-cyl Automatic 6-speed Front-wheel drive 22 31 26 MPG $2500
Terrain front-wheel drive 3.6L, 6-cyl Automatic 6-speed Front-wheel drive 17 24 20 MPG $3250
Terrain front-wheel drive 3.6L, 6-cyl Automatic 6-speed Front-wheel drive 17 24 20 MPG $3250

Specs and fitment

1st generation, 2012–2017
Body styles SUV
Oil dexos1 5W-30 (4-cylinder per manual) , 5 qt capacity
Tire size 235/55R18, 235/55R19, 235/60R17 (trim dependent)
Towing capacity 3,500 lbs

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA safety recall 22V137000 covers affected vehicles after the agency found that general Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2017 GMC Terrain vehicles. A reflection caused by the headlight housings may illuminate areas above the vehicle and outside of the driver's view with excessively bright light. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment.". The bright reflection may cause a glare for other drivers, reducing their visibility and increasing the risk of a crash. Remedy: Dealers will install headlamp appliques, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 8, 2022. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N222363740. When NHTSA lists multiple GM nameplates in one campaign, the published unit count is shared across them.

Compare

Previous year 2012 GMC Terrain Next year 2014 GMC Terrain See every GMC Terrain model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2013 GMC Terrain reliable?

Owners have filed 364 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 GMC Terrain over 14 years — 11 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Terrain years here — over the median of the other years, which is 10. NHTSA has 3 recalls on file, including Headlights, Motor, and Ignition.

What are common problems with a 2013 GMC Terrain?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (197 of 364), then Visibility and wipers (50) and Powertrain (44). Those filings include 14 that report a crash, 2 that report a fire, 14 that report an injury, and 1 that reports a death.

Is the 2013 GMC Terrain more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2012 Terrain has 364 complaints, 8 per year, and the 2014 has 296 complaints, 12 per year. The 2013 has more complaints per year than the 2012. The 2013 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2014.

Has the 2013 GMC Terrain been recalled?

The 2013 GMC Terrain has 3 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2013 GMC Terrain?

Owners have filed 364 complaints about the 2013 GMC Terrain with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2013 GMC Terrain get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2013 GMC Terrain is 22 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What engine oil does a GMC Terrain use?

US Terrain manuals specify dexos-approved oil for your four-cylinder engine.

What does NHTSA recall 22V-137 cover on the GMC Terrain?

NHTSA safety recall 22V137000 covers affected vehicles after the agency found that general Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2017 GMC Terrain vehicles.

What generation is the 2013 GMC Terrain?

1st generation (2012-2017).